The guitar-playing coder
04 | 2024 Sanna Valkeejärvi & Petri Jartti, Solution Architect
Petri Jartti, a Kipinä expert, says there has been no major revolution in the sector in 26 years. The sector is constantly innovating, not through upheavals. Let's find out what kind of man is behind the statement.
Petr has experience in the industry since 1997, when he started as an intern at Nokia Networks, where he also completed his final thesis. "Nokia was doing very well back then and was seen as a stepping stone to the industry. There were a lot of projects and no time pressure. Some succeeded and some didn't, and it didn't really matter. The best thing about it was that as a young graduate you could code straight away," says Petri, describing the start of his career.
Petri has worked on long-term projects that are significant for society and has thrived in extended undertakings. "The best moment, of course, is always when something is ready for testing and production. But at its worst and best, this can be preceded by a two-year project. In such cases, you need to find something daily that fuels your motivation to enjoy staying with the same job for a long time."
"Big solutions are made up of small pieces, so every day you can solve some problem or issue, even if the whole project is still ongoing. Even small solutions give you a sense of accomplishment in this work," Petri explains the reasons behind his job satisfaction.
"Personally, I have always been dedicated to work and projects. I like working with people and helping people. In Kipinä, the community has become more and more meaningful to me."
Changes in the industry?
Petri says that there have been no major upheavals in the industry in 26 years, although there is talk of a rapid pace of change. "The industry is constantly innovating, not through upheavals. Every year is different as technologies change and evolve. That's why you don't get bored with your job here."
However, Petri does notice some concrete changes: 'Cloud thinking has changed the industry and the world has become more virtual. Another thing I've noticed is that coding and getting it to test and production has even slowed down, as there are so many other things to consider around. On the positive side, the quality of the code has improved tremendously."
"Another good change has been the emergence of open source as a methodology for software development and production. It has brought a sense of community to what we do and has created software libraries for everyone to use."
In addition to these, Petri mentions the increase in automation, people are needed less for simple things nowadays. As for artificial intelligence, he says "it's a lot of hype".
"Artificial intelligence consists of computer programs and language models, which have always existed in some form, like image recognition or text generation. I also think that machines have always been, in a way, servants, helping humans. The first machines probably helped produce fabric or carpets. Today, machines produce many different things. For a computer to become a true companion to humans would require an immense amount of expertise and understanding, and I don’t believe we will see that in our lifetime."
"We go wrong if more and more is produced solely by AI and machines. It certainly helps, but it's the human who brings emotion and soul to the process and the final product, whether it's workplace innovations or making music. A good artist or coder is someone who knows how to harness the machine to help reach a creative flow. If the machine always generates everything, nothing truly unique is created. The more energy you put into the work, the more emotion is present in the final product."
I think a lot about what creativity is and what it consists of. Creative people who can create something new from nothing get my appreciation!
About the future
Petri describes a world and a working life that he would like to see more of in the future: "It will be easier to work when machines can help people, leaving us more time for family and friends. People will be able to interact with each other more, thanks to machines."
Although Petri believes in that bright vision of the future, there is something that concerns him: "How will young people enter the workforce when the demands are so high? That's what worries and frustrates me the most about this industry. In this field, experience and doing the work are what teach the most and produce the top experts of the future. Problem-solving skills and awareness develop through experience."
About Kipinä, people, and work-life balance
Petri has been at Kipinä for almost three years now. Since the beginning. "Before coming to Kipinä, I quit my job for the first time ever. It was an exciting and big change, but it was made easier by the fact that I knew who Kari and Olli were, what they were like and how the whole ecosystem worked."
Earlier, Petri mentioned that he enjoys working with people. At Kipinä, people have an even greater significance: "Because I want to continuously improve and maintain my skills, it's great to have conversations with other Kipinä colleagues, whether one-on-one or in organized group sessions. It's wonderful to be surrounded by like-minded people."
But there is more to life than work. Petri wants to find time for the things that matter. Music and playing his own guitar is a counterbalance to work and technology.
"I think a lot about what creativity is and what it consists of. Creative people who can create something new from nothing get my appreciation! Whether it's a piece of music, a painting or a technical solution that looks, sounds or feels good. And coding takes creativity too, you have to be clever and come up with good solutions to problems."