Why did I want to do another internship?

After interning last summer and another year of studying, I was looking forward to getting my hands on more practical matters in the orientation I wanted my career to take, which is AI Research.

So, after finishing my studies, I felt like I wanted to put all of the knowledge I just acquired to the test against real-world problems. During my early professional steps, I feel it is important to handle a wide variety of issues and learn to work with different kinds of people. It’s not just enough to do the job, I want to be able to find the equilibrium of work-life balance.

Okay, but why intern at ORFIUM?

In my previous internship, I worked for an already scaled company that dealt with generic software engineering issues. This gave me a solid understanding of the life of an engineer. I was ready for something different. I wanted to learn at a still rapidly scaling company and have a more specific role.

Before the internship, Pantelis Vikatos, head of the Research Team, and I discussed the possible projects I could help and learn from, to make them fit both my interests and the company’s goals.

As an intern, I wanted to have the chance to apply what I’ve learned from my studies and previous working experiences. At the same time, I would love to actually contribute to a company such as ORFIUM. Seeing the passion that the people that were already working here have, motivated me further and allowed me to actually realize the value of the task at hand.

My AI and research background, in combination with the open-minded, free culture of the music industry and especially ORFIUM, was just the right match.

So, how was interning at ORFIUM? 

Not being a first-time intern, I had a realistic outlook on the whole process. This time I wanted to go a step forward and contribute even more however I could. I was ready to take on even more responsibilities and do the best I could to put my skills to the test, creating a win-win scenario for both the company and me.

At the end of the day, I understood that getting the job done was not the only goal. Being as efficient and working clean while also adding to a good working environment for my colleagues and me was exactly what I was expecting from myself and the company.

And was ORFIUM a good place to intern?

Being an intern at ORFIUM surely exceeded my expectations.

From the first moments and interactions, I realized that I was in a friendly and open environment. This made the whole process flow smoothly. Everyone was there to help or answer whatever questions I had.

The company provided whatever I needed to work on a professional level in terms of equipment and infrastructure. I was given my own laptop and peripherals, as well as instructions to get my job done easily. Virtual machines and online resources were being managed and given by experts internally in order to provide whatever was needed.

This way, the internship kicked off in the best way possible. I was entrusted to lead my project my way and have my own pace without anyone doubting me to handle my responsibilities. This was enough to let me know that not only was I in an open-minded environment but my voice was also heard. 

What did I actually do at ORFIUM?

The project I was assigned to was to replicate the work done at the paper with the title “Self-supervised Video Retrieval Transformer Network”, creating a video matching mechanism.

The main objective was to answer the question: “Can we extract a probability score for video pair match?”.

The motivation behind this question was the observation of a high number of near-duplicate videos online. We would like to be able to find similar videos, which could be re-uploads, piracy content etc.

The workflow can be described as:

1. Common state-of-the-art approaches
2. Model Architectures
3. Evaluation Methods
4. Proposed Method
5. Documentation of online sources on:
   1. State-of-the-art literature
   2. Public datasets
6. Implementation of a Video – visual transformers deep learning model
7. Training & Evaluation of the proposed model

After a few modifications and a lot of questions, the results were good enough to be able to deliver the trained model and the evaluations.

At that point, having completed the basic goal of my internship, I researched the extension possibilities. I also made a presentation to the rest of the team where I presented my work, explaining the process and demonstrating the results.

So, what did I learn?

After finishing my internship, I think back and reflect on the various experiences and lessons I had during these three months. There is no comparison between the practical applications on a company level and the experience in a university semester. 

First of all, I had the opportunity to see how a scaling company like ORFIUM operates. I learned about the different hierarchy of the teams and departments, their roles and responsibilities, and the processes and workflows. I experienced hands-on how a project is planned, how it is split into simple tasks and how different teams collaborate to accomplish these tasks.

Also, I had the opportunity to talk and collaborate with teams internal and external from ORFIUM. I saw, first-hand, professional experts and the way they work. We established international communications in order to handle specific matters. 

Industry-wise, I was gently introduced to the basic concepts of the music industry. I had the chance to see the variety of the different challenges that it faces. To be honest, it was even more rich and interesting than what I had imagined.

Working on my project, I learned how to start and plan a research project and how to organize my work so that I do things faster and better as a professional. I practiced more on things that I was already familiar with, and I learned a lot by asking questions about everything I thought I knew. Wrapping up my project, I learned how to produce something well documented and reusable and how to present my work to my teammates in a structured way in order to achieve company-level awareness and leave my mark.

What was the best part of the internship?

If I had to choose something I liked the most out of my experience being an intern at ORFIUM, that would be the human-centric culture they bring to the table. The easy-going but focused way of working really allows people to feel free and do the best of their efforts to contribute.

Overall, I felt like I was accepted and trusted. The project was “tailored” to my interests, and my supervisors were there to help me with whatever I needed. The constant team urge to do activities in and out of the working environment made the whole experience feel like it was not just an internship.

What are the next steps, post-internship?

My thoughts now that I’m almost done with my internship are only positive. I am going to accumulate all the experiences, the lessons learned, the people that I met and collaborated with and all the good memories in order to finish whatever is pending at my university and be able to contribute even more in the future. Hopefully, after that, I can come back to help ORFIUM scale even more along my personal growth.

Giannis Prokopiou

Data scientist intern – Research Team @ ORFIUM

The ORFIUM provides customers with a platform for managing their music rights as it assists employees to discover their potential. Formed in 2015, this company grants rights holders and artists with 100% control of their music content as it is a music platform, monetization, and social network service provider. Customers logging into the ORFIUM website can discover, listen and share the best music. The engineering department has been at the center of this firm’s operations and has over 30 employees. The leadership team of ORFIUM has been a great influencer of the engineering culture which is open, innovative, and experimental. In this article, I will highlight ORFIUM’s organizational culture, the importance of the engineering culture to both the company and the employees as well as the important parts and ways with which this culture can be created.

The Engineering Culture

The core objective of the engineering department at ORFIUM is to develop new technologies that are necessary for achieving the firm’s vision. ORFIUM has been keen on creating a culture that influences the engineering culture which limits itself to the principles of the firm and influences the recruitment of engineers. The engineering culture at ORFIUM addresses the aspect of accessibility, innovation, and experimentation (“ORFIUM | The Music (r) Evolution | Discover, Play, & Download Music”, 2018). These elements have led to the appreciation of the engineering culture in contributing to the success of the firm.

An innovative engineering culture at ORFIUM is critical in identifying opportunities that exist in the market as well as the drawbacks of the current tech. The CTO encourages the engineers to share their thoughts and ideas, captures them, and uses them in the discovery of ideas (Petychakis, 2017). As innovation is prioritized, the engineering team must agree on the best approach to pursue these ideas and trust one another in terms of focus and time. Each innovation has a performance metric that guides, monitors, and enhances the innovation process.

An experimental engineering culture focuses on reviewing the results of the department before using a software. ORFIUM defines the expected standards of a software which is constantly reviewed to ensure it matches these expectations. Such a culture guarantees this firm of obtaining the maximum benefit of the resources invested. This testing contributes immensely to improving the code quality of ORFIUM.

A culture of openness at ORFIUM grants the engineers autonomy and flexibility to make their decisions without being obliged to seek permission. Such an open culture indicates the extent of a clear procedure in place before using software to minimize errors during its use. This open culture shows the type of leaders in the engineering department who coordinate and motivate team efforts.

Important Parts of Culture

A strong organizational culture must contain certain key elements that are a reflection of the mission and values. Culture is the epitome of the hiring process, employee engagement, having a similar corporate language, and working towards achieving the same vision. A great company culture comprises six elements which are values, a vision or mission statement, practices, and the people, place, and story (Coleman, 2013). Understanding each of these components is a key step in reshaping an organization’s culture as it provides a firm foundation for defining culture.

A mission or vision statement defines the purpose of the company which is key in influencing the decisions made by each employee. Having a clear and concise vision or mission statement orients the stakeholders, customers, and suppliers on what to expect from an organization (Coleman, 2013). A vision or mission statement is a central element in the development of culture. Values are another key component of culture given that it provides guiding principles of the mindset and behavior required to accomplish the vision or mission (Gibbs, 2018). Values of most companies revolve around clients, employees, and professionalism and define the authenticity of each of them, which makes values a key component of culture.

Creating a strong organizational culture requires people who are either willing to embrace the defined values or share in them. The hiring process of each organization is dependent on the values adopted by a company. The focus of every organization during hiring is to select individuals who are not only talented but also suit into their corporate culture (Coleman, 2013). Every job seeker looks for a culture they like, and for a company, having the right culture carriers strengthens the existing organizational culture. Having a clear organizational culture assures a firm of the right fit during the hiring process.

Every organization has a unique history that is narrated in the culture in a formal or informal manner. Informing employees of this history is fundamental in establishing a tangible organization culture. The history of a company is embedded in the culture once it is well-known, shaped, and reiterated as part of the firm’s current culture.

The place is a basic influencer of values and behavior of people in a work environment. Whether it is the aesthetic design, architecture, or geography of a place, this component plays a role in shaping culture. The location of an organization could provide an environment that will either support or oppose the culture a company attempts to create.

The last component of culture are practices or operating principles of a firm which are a reflection of its values. For example, an organization that believes in a flat hierarchy will openly encourage its junior personnel to participate in discussions without fear of insubordination or undesirable repercussions. Values of a company must be embedded in the operating principles for them to define a firm’s culture.

Creating an Engineering Culture

An engineering culture entails the shared values, assumptions, and beliefs that determine the behavior of people. As mentioned earlier, values have an essential impact on the actions of the workforce and ways they undertake their jobs. Creating a strong engineering culture is dependent on three essential steps: deciding what is important for a firm, placing the right mechanisms, and integrating values with the mechanisms (Bovaird, 2018).

Defining the elements of priority in a firm requires in-depth analysis and time to select the right system for a business. A popular engineering culture emphasizes on innovation for all the engineers at any place and time they deem fit and utilizing these new frameworks and tech as they regard as suitable (Bovaird, 2018). At ORFIUM, developing a customized engineering culture requires brainstorming with the team members to identify the right practices that will suit the company, its employees, and customers. Identifying the elements of priority are centered on the values which are widely supported by ORFIUM’s employees.

A clear definition of ORFIUM’s values guides the mechanisms to be enforced. Mechanisms comprise operations, people, organizational structure, and workplace that support these values (Gibbs, 2018). The people aspect requires the chief technical officer and the head of engineering to exploit the potential of the engineering team by ensuring they undertake their duties as required. ORFIUM’s processes and operations should constantly motivate the engineering team to identify challenges in the software and develop ideas to address these challenges (Nair, 2017). The workplace at ORFIUM must have the requisite facilities for the engineering team to deliver high-quality programs that are essential for operations.

Values must be embraced at a company-wide basis for them to realize the mechanisms that are in place. Emphasizing values at ORFIUM requires clear communication plans, validating adherence to the set values, and having the best behavior to be imitated at all levels (Bovaird, 2018). Every member of the engineering department must be informed of ORFIUM’s values as they join the firm and must be constantly reminded of the benefits of upholding them (Gibbs, 2018). The engineering department attests to the fact that the leadership culture influences their culture, a behavior that is imitated across the organization. Furthermore, it is essential to confirm adherence to the values by having a measurement tool and constantly improving on them (Nair, 2017). At ORFIUM, a strong engineering culture will be inspired greatly by principles, values, and organizational structures from other firms, but must be customized to the needs of the company.

Importance of the Engineering Culture to the Company and Employees

A strong culture is a vital success and growing component of every organization. An engineering culture results in delivering high-quality software that leads to the overall satisfaction of customers and people using it. Company culture can make or break a firm depending on how well managers regard it. There must be consistency in the application of culture in the workplace for it to yield the benefits discussed below.

Culture influences the reputation, integrity, and public perception of a firm’s brand. A strong culture emphasizes ethical values that must be upheld by all employees, which is dependent on the management (Craig, 2018). A toxic culture like that at Wells Fargo, Volkswagen, or Toshiba has detrimental effects on a business that is not limited to financial constraints; the employees and company’s values feel the effect of such a culture. A strong culture determines the work longevity of employees, their work quality, and behavior at the firm (Craig, 2018). Besides, it also influences their expectations from the world around them thus promoting respect and autonomy in the workplace.

An engineering culture emphasizes collaboration and teamwork among the engineers which is essential in the success of the firm. Learning is encouraged among one another during the development of software thus ensuring a cultural fit among the engineers (“Why Your Engineering Culture Can Make Or Break Your Company”, 2017). Such a culture aids in the growth of the company as numerous innovation opportunities are discovered that add value to a firm. Additionally, an engineering culture instils passion about their work which is a key consideration during hiring. Every organization is strict in the hiring process indicating the extent of prioritization of their culture.

References

• Bovaird, L. (2018). 3 Steps to Creating an Engineering Culture – DZone Agile. Retrieved from https://dzone.com/articles/3-steps-to-create-an-engineering-culture
• Coleman, J. (2013). Six Components of a Great Corporate Culture. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2013/05/six-components-of-culture
• Craig, W. (2018). As Company Culture Improves, So Does Your Business. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamcraig/2018/03/06/as-company-culture-improves-so-does-your-business/#1fc71b3a2d36
• Gibbs, R. (2018). How to Build a Great Company Culture from the Ground Up. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/01/03/how-to-build-a-great-company-culture-from-the-ground-up/#7cc7143cb84f
• Nair, S. (2017). Focus on Culture When Building an Engineering Culture. Retrieved from https://www.infoq.com/articles/focus-engineering-culture
• ORFIUM | The Music (r) Evolution | Discover, Play, & Download Music. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.orfium.com/
• Petychakis, M. (2017). Cloud Computing is every #Startup’s #CTO best friend. Retrieved from https://apilama.com/2017/02/05/cloud-computing-is-every-startups-cto-best-friend/
• Why Your Engineering Culture Can Make Or Break Your Company. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/06/23/why-your-engineering-culture-can-make-or-break-your-company/#5d3332e2d5cf
  
  

Michael Petychakis

Chief Technology Officer @ ORFIUM

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpetychakis/

https://github.com/mpetyx