#blastasia

Last June 14, 2012, we were invited to present Codetoki idea and share our experience in participating startup competitions to PSIA (Philippine Software Industry Association) members of PD/SIG (Product Development and Special Interest Group). The meeting was held at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati.

The first speaker was Ms. Maoi Arroyo, Founder and CEO of Hybridigm Consulting Inc., the Philippines' first Bio-tech consulting firm. She talked about the aspects of commercialization. It was great to know that there is a Bio-tech consulting firm in the Philippines. Very inspiring.

Sir Earl Martin Valencia, VP/Head of Corporate Development Innovation at SMART Communications shared his experience handling a small team inside a big company. His team had a budget of $2,500 only but they were able to meet their goals. Another interesting info about Sir Earl was that he was a rocket scientist at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. Really amazing!  

Ms. Ito Gruet, VP-Business Development at Computer Professionals, Inc., shared her experience and insights on the New Zealand Product Development Ecosystem. 

And lastly, Mr. Arup Maity, CEO of BlastAsia, talked about the Lean Startup and Product Development. 

And here's me talking about Startup Weekend Cebu and the idea behind Codetoki.

This could not be possible without the help of Sir Alvin of Microsoft. Thank you so much Sir Alvin! :)

- Honee

The Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA) is targeting to develop and commercialize 10 globally recognized software products in various categories by 2016. Each one of these software products is also targeted to generate at least US$1 million annually from offshore costumers0.

This is the vision set forth by the organization’s Product Development Special Interest Group (PD/SIG), which was recently launched to help address challenges currently faced by its members in monetizing existing software products and enhancing skill sets for employees.

Arup Maity, PSIA information and research chair and BlastAsia CEO, led the launch of the group in a meeting with key officers of PSIA’s information and research committee. Maity, who is also a co-founder of the PD/SIG, says the group has already come up with achievable goals for the next five years.

The nature of BAI’s work is mostly geared towards people teaming together for a project. Having a strong relationship foundation is vital to the productivity of the team. A strong work relationship can foster better individual performance, team productivity, and employee retention. Creating an opportunity for a social interaction can also be a gauge in observing how a person’s work performance. For the employees, it is also important to be assertive in building relationships. Here are some tips in fostering work relationships:

Always remember to be courteous. You can never go wrong with being courteous.  Pitch in a greeting of good morning or if you’re not that much of a conversationalist, a nod and a smile will do. Show respect when going to a co-worker’s work space by sending an instant message or an e-mail that you’re dropping by. This way, you show your respect for that person’s privacy and you will earn the same respect.

Lay down on the casual conversation. Stick to conversations about work insights. Some co-workers want to separate their private life from their work life. It’s probably best to keep it to a minimum and save it for lunch and after-work conversations.

Mind your music. The volume that is. Some people work better with music and some don’t. It’s better to have your music toned down so as not to disturb your co-workers. Plugged-in earphones might also come off as a Do Not Disturb sign that will make your co-workers feel doubtful of initiating a conversation with you.