Inside IMS: Meet Kofi Adu

In the simplest terms, a Full Stack Developer is someone who works on technologies across multiple domains. They require an accomplished and versatile skillset and a broad range of development experience as their role goes beyond web development to maintaining and optimising existing systems. Kofi explains:

“A Full Stack Developer’s role is to bridge the gap between the front-end and back-end of the platform. We work on both client and server side and can help with the whole design structure.” 

As a Full Stack Developer, Kofi uses a range of different technologies and programming languages to develop interactive platforms for the users of the IMS Evolve product suite.

“Versatility across languages, such as Angular, JavaScript, HTML and Node, is essential as my days are filled with lots of different projects. A typical day in the IMS office will consist of collaborating with colleagues across the business to understand project requirements and come up with a suitable technological solution. Alongside this, we are continually creating new functionality, writing unit tests, reviewing colleague’s code ahead of deployment and, of course, drinking plenty of tea!”

After long commutes to Oxford for over two years while working for a company that developed advanced patient monitoring platforms for healthcare organisations, Kofi decided it was time to look closer to home for his next career move.

“With the hefty commute to Oxford, I decided I needed somewhere closer to home. I was keen to remain working for a company with the same core business focus of making life better and easier for their customers – whatever industry that may be. That is how, and why, I ended up at IMS Evolve." 

However, IMS’s mission of ‘Better Choices Made Possible’, and the much shorter commute, are not the only elements Kofi enjoys about his new job.

“In my previous role I was a lone worker. Now, my role heavily involves working as part of a team, learning from each other and sharing ideas. IMS provides us with the tools and space to collaborate and communicate freely and encourages a supportive environment to help one another through any challenges.

“The biggest satisfaction for me comes from knowing that the software the team and I develop is improving the lives of our customers. Whether saving time, relieving them of tedious or difficult tasks, or just providing them with confidence in the IMS application, knowing your day job is making a positive impact on someone else’s is truly satisfying.”

Just three months into his role at IMS, and while still getting to grips with his new working environment, Kofi, much like the rest of the country, found himself plunged into an even newer way of working – with an even shorter commute – from home.

“I’ve personally enjoyed the chance to work from home and think I have adapted quite well. Being a developer, my job doesn’t really change because of physical location. The biggest change has been adapting to a new style of teamwork – a remote and virtual one.” 

In our previous Inside IMS blog, we spoke to Kofi’s manager, Anton Parker, who explained how, during lockdown, maintaining momentum and establishing new routines has been essential to standardising remote collaboration within the department. Kofi continues:

 “With all the online communication platforms, including regular webcam-on meetings, our team still has plenty of methods to communicate and collaborate, and working from home has actually been a lot of fun. It definitely has its benefits, such as saving time, money and an increase in family time, but I am definitely missing bumping into my IMS colleagues in the kitchen for a catch up over a cuppa!”

Lockdown hasn’t meant slowing down for Kofi, as he spent most his spare time in the garden, growing tomatoes and gaining new skills. 

“I would spend a lot of my spare time doing DIY and gardening anyway, but during lockdown I challenged myself to redoing my driveway – quite a skill to have gained!”