Interview with Dmitry Yakovlev

Weekly reports, perhaps, but that's all.

How did this all happen?

At DataArt I started as a Goldmine CRM System manager. Funny, but I never seriously thought about finding work which utilizes my Goldmine expertise, even though I had experience from working as the media-analyst at STS-Petersburg. When I came to DataArt, my primary goal was to introduce this tool in stages to the company and to organize regular support. There was an understanding that in the process of stabilization, Goldmine support would take less and less time, and the released resources would be directed into other projects. In practice everything went this way and as more time became available, I became involved in other projects.

How does it usually occur? Does someone ask whether you have any free time to participate in a technical realization? Or do you work out how to make your own ideas happen?

As a rule, interesting new technologies are first researched to analyze their strengths and weaknesses. Expediency of their introduction is discussed and if judged feasible, then technical realization begins.

Has there ever been anything you refused to do?

Not that I remember.

Can you give some more details about your role with Goldmine? Besides training people, what else did you do?

I transferred data from dBase tables under MS SQL, cleared the data base, altered the system to construct reports, brought the data into accord with the accepted rules, and adjusted the synchronization process. A lot of time was spent on importing the data from different sources. I remember once I even had to parse PDF files. Then I developed additional conveniences, for like the Goldmine alert service which notifies users about appointments by sending SMS to a mobile phone.

There were Pivot tables, I remember.

Yes, they still exist.

People were taught to use them, weren't they?

I did teach them, but they haven't gotten accustomed to doing it yet. Therefore it's mostly me using OLAP Pivot Tables when there is a need for Goldmine customer base analysis.

You take information from there?

Yes. Pivot Tables are a convenient tool for analysis. They allow you to look at multi-dimensional spaces through a bi-dimensional prism :)

With the portal, as I understand, it's the same situation. How was the portal formed?

As usual; It was suggested that I look at technologies to store documents and to estimate the construction of a centralized document storage for the information in DataArt.

What technology is the portal based on?

Microsoft Sharepoint Portal Server (SPS).

There was some pessimism, at first, because of the negative experience with the organization of such storages gradually turning into dumps. Due to the substantial efforts of Dmitry Pisanov, the hierarchy of the document storage is now supported in an adequate condition. I usually act in the role of technical expert.

What are your duties in relation to a portal?

Technical support, backup, answering questions, and everything else necessary to keep it in order.

It's very interesting to know about the site, as it appeared after the portal. When did the idea occur to move the site to a new engine?

At the end of winter:) In its several years of existence the site has continually grown, and the technologies on which it existed have ceased to be convenient. The search for a suitable engine for our site led us to Microsoft Content Management Server (MCMS). With some alterations this technology has underlain the site.

How much time did you spend developing the site?

I need to look in PM...

Approximately.

About 2 to 3 months, of which technology study took 1 month.

What was the order for the process? Were content and solving technical problems handled at the same time, or did you finish with the server and then start hosting and designing?

The processes of development and uploading content proceeded in parallel from the moment of occurrence of the first patterns. Andrey Balashov was filling it with content.

Designed by Andrey, of course?

Absolutely.

You are quite the pair working so productively together.

Yes, yes.

When did you start working with site optimization? As I understand it, it was initially, Andrey Balashov's favorite profile activity.

As I am the log-keeper of our site I joined the process of optimization quite organically. Actually, I only help to understand who visits our site. Again, OLAP technology is employed to analyze the site audience. Nevertheless, the process of search engine optimization is a project in itself.

And about OOBP.org, is it the last addition to your duties? As far as I remember, the starting version was developed by Dima Popov, and then we searched for a suitable cursor, and then you undertook it again. What were you moved here by? The fact is, you already had a lot of different work.

The technology of what is now the OOBP engine has much in common with the technology used in the Microsoft Content Management Server. Only minor alterations of functionality were required.

So you mean there was not so much development?

There was a little bit of development. But more time was spent reading through the documentation and understanding the libraries.

If you were to list all the problems you are expected to solve, it turns into a long list very quickly. Yet you very precisely manage to structure your time so as to get everything done during a normal 8 hour day. For most of us it's a big challenge to only work 8 hours and still be done on time. Your results are usually set as an example for us. How do you do it? Share your secrets with us!

No, I'm not always done in 8 hours... :)

Well, basically. 9 to 6 all the time on time, it's hard to believe.

It's much more effective to work in the morning. The office is silent and nobody is distracting me. Besides, I play volleyball 2 times a week and need to leave at 6 o'clock. The desire to have free time somehow stimulates me to work.

Do you do everything simultaneously, or do problems get distributed over days?

As a rule, everything proceeds more or less in parallel. If there are small problems which can be solved in 10-20 minutes, I try to find solutions right then and there so I don't have to shelve them for later.

But what if there are any dimensioned problems?

Dimensioned problems are usually more long term. Short term and essential problems have priority over longer term problems, which can wait for some time without damage.

Is there anything else you are engaged with? Sometimes I observe coordinators and developers approaching you, but it doesn't seem to be connected with the portal. Do they come to consult you or present you with new projects?

Usually they have questions concerning Goldmine.

Developers "live" in the big hall, but you literally "live" in the family division of the design studio. How did this happen?

I like it here and I've gotten used to it. It is more fun with designers… And I can't work on the site without the presence of the DataArt Design Studio.

Andrey Balashov even said, I think it was still at the old office, "Dima is a person we like very much!" Why would he say that? You don't have to be modest.

Maybe it's because I'm unable to refuse anything.

You once brought a gold fish to work. How long has it lived here now?

The fish? It was a New Year's present for my kid. For some time it lived at our place. Then the initial interest in it faded, so I brought it here. The first thing I do when I come to work is feed the fish. Sometimes even on Saturday I come in to see it.

And even left it in our care during your holiday! I remember after your vacation the first question you asked the morning you got back was, "Have you fed the fish? No? It is necessary to do it!" :)

What in DataArt it is pleasant to you? And what is not?

I like the atmosphere of DataArt very much. Some time ago I understood that it is difficult to accommodate myself in big formal organizations. Therefore, in DataArt, I feel I have a rest from bureaucracy.

What are your expectations, hopes and prospects? What's next?

It is not desirable to speak about my purposes so as not to frighten off success. :)