We’ve been hard at work since the public Pre-Launch. We’ve staffed up new team members from all over the world. We’ve set detailed plans for the tech, community and partnerships. Now we’d like to introduce some of our team members to you, in a celebration of the diversity and transparency of Team Ocean.

Ocean Protocol VP of Engineering Aitor Argomaniz talks software architecture, good practice definition, and building a strong team.

Hey Aitor- let’s dive right in. What is your role in building Ocean Protocol?

I have a long history of working in software architecture and engineering, so naturally I gravitated towards the role of defining & building the architecture behind Ocean. My primary work has to do with the definition of good practices and patterns for the technical team (Agile, DevOps, Testing, etc.), giving support to the team about technical aspects, and defining patterns to apply during the delivery process.

In my role, I am also leading the team which is engineering and delivering Ocean, so a large part of that work is sourcing the right talent for my team, and to bringing everyone’s focus towards a common shared goal.

How long have you been working in tech?

I have been working in IT 18 years. Before joining this project, I followed a more traditional career track — first working as developer, then consultant and scrum master, then architect, and so on. I’ve worked for major companies in both Spain and the UK, but about 10 years ago I also co-founded an online art-related startup in Madrid.

Since 2010 I’ve been focused on implementing Big Data solutions and developing Open Source software. I’ve built Complex Event Processors, open source data ingestion tools, workflow management solutions and PaaS deployments. I enjoy the challenge of engineering complex data-driven projects and take pride in seeing my ideas deployed in sophisticated environments used by tons of people.

What do you like most about being part of the Ocean Protocol team?

It’s fantastic to work in a multicultural team where everyone has such different capabilities; having diversity in skills and background is what makes a team strong. It’s also exciting to be able to learn something new every day.

What’s the best way to structure a team?

In my opinion, being vertically integrated around the product is the best approach. I follow the adage of “if you build it, you own it”, so it better be good or you might need to work overtime to support your solution. It is also a more natural and effective way to work. If the team is strong and professional with the right skills and dedication, a structured and complicated hierarchy just adds overhead.