Yrlen Perez: 3 Years Taller

Little Taller: How has your role evolved over the past year, and what new skills or responsibilities have you taken on?

Yrlen: Over the past year, my role has grown significantly in both scope and impact. While I continue to support my team of three developers and our team lead, every day I work to be a go-to person for understanding the entire project flow, from architecture to implementation. I have become a key player in solving urgent production issues quickly and efficiently, often serving as the first line of defense when problems arise.

In addition, I have expanded my responsibilities by contributing more directly to the development of new features and proposing ideas and solutions to problems within the project, ensuring that they meet both user needs and system stability. This has forced me to strengthen my problem-solving skills, improve my ability to prioritize under pressure, and deepen my technical knowledge of our code base and infrastructure. I have also become more proactive in sharing knowledge within the team, helping to optimize processes and fostering a culture of support

Little Taller: What project or client engagement from the past year stands out as your favorite, and why did it resonate with you?

Yrlen: Over the past year, I’ve continued working on the same project I've been part of for the last three years, and it remains my favorite for many reasons. Together with my teammates, we’ve built and continuously improved a system designed to support and bring real value to companies. What stands out to me is the sense of purpose behind what we do. Every new feature or enhancement is aimed at making our clients' operations easier, more efficient, and more effective.

Little Taller: Share a challenge you faced this year and how you overcame it. What did you learn from that experience?

Yrlen: One of the biggest challenges I faced this year was working on two key features that required a deep understanding of our system’s logic and structure.

The first was related to weekly sales records, which involved complex logic to ensure that existing data remained consistent with the new functionality. At first glance, it seemed like a straightforward task, but as I got deeper into the implementation, I realized how many dependencies and edge cases were involved. This experience taught me never to underestimate a feature based on its surface appearance. I learned the importance of taking the time to fully understand the scope, carefully planning, and documenting every step. Proper documentation and a clear plan made all the difference in reaching a solid, functional solution.

The second challenge involved building a custom feature that allowed moving groups between groups  a highly tailored functionality. By thoroughly analyzing the system's infrastructure and behavior, I was able to implement it successfully. This reinforced the value of understanding the full context of a system before diving into development, and showed me how essential clear communication and teamwork are when approaching complex tasks.

Little Taller: Little Taller places a big emphasis on ownership and orchestration. How have you seen this reflected in your daily work and how has it impacted your work output this year?

Yrlen: This year, ownership and orchestration took on a very personal meaning for me. While going through my pregnancy and experiencing its physical challenges, I made it a priority to remain fully committed to my role. Despite the symptoms and discomfort, I stayed consistent in fulfilling all my responsibilities from supporting my team to resolving production issues and contributing to new feature development.

This experience reinforced how important ownership is to me, both personally and professionally. It motivated me to stay organized, communicate effectively with my team, and ensure that nothing was left behind. That sense of accountability allowed me to maintain the quality of my work and continue contributing meaningfully, even during one of the most demanding moments in my life.

Little Taller: Looking ahead, what aspects of your professional life are you most excited about developing further in the coming year?

Yrlen: Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue deepening my technical skills and broadening my understanding of system architecture and feature planning. I want to take a more active role in the early stages of development so I can contribute even more strategically to the team’s success.

I’m also looking forward to mentoring others and strengthening my communication and collaboration skills. After three years on the same project, I feel ready to take on more leadership in orchestrating solutions and helping guide complex features from idea to implementation. I'm motivated to keep growing, both as a developer and as a reliable teammate.