Passion meets purpose: A pioneer’s journey of building solutions and breaking stereotypes

— Shweta Trivedi —

As a seasoned professional with more than a decade of experience, I am constantly evolving and learning new things about the universe of tech.

My professional journey started with Kiwi Inc in 2012 after I finished my graduation from IIT Kanpur. Back then, games on mobile presented a whole new set of challenges. From resource crunch, optimising CPU and memory usages to striving to keep the gaming experience exhilarating for users, my first stint in owning systems that could impact millions of users had performance and accuracy spelled out in bold. I made subsequent moves to first work on a team that was getting built from scratch and then with a messenger application. To an extent, these experiences shaped the “performant”, “efficient” and “accuracy” design philosophy that is ingrained in me.

My passion for all things related to fraud and security intensified with a game-changing offer from PhonePe!

The perfect fit: How PhonePe transformed my career trajectory

Joining PhonePe changed my career in many amazing ways. I am extremely passionate about my work here because I love how the brand appeals to the Indian masses. Additionally, as someone who has worked in the tech industry for several years, fraud and security are two areas that are very important to me. That’s why I am proud to work with PhonePe because it has implemented several measures to prevent fraud and ensure the security of its users’ transactions. For example, it uses multi-factor authentication to verify users’ identities and it employs advanced encryption technologies to protect users from fraudulent activities and attacks. As someone who values honesty and integrity, I appreciate how PhonePe continually focuses on preventing fraudulent activities and protecting user data.

Joining the Engineering team here has filled in a lot of missing pieces in my professional journey. One of them has to be developing solutions and capabilities on an immensely large scale. Developing software solutions and essentially working towards the entire ecosystem betterment has personally been a great motivation for me and has accelerated the rate of my growth tremendously. Apart from that, building and managing teams across projects has given me the opportunity to double down on my leadership skills.

How I contributed to PhonePe’s mission with these rewarding projects:

• Timebomb — Our internal build distribution system, which was created to overcome security threats and issues, and solve the problem of ensuring that all features and pods that are being developed simultaneously are maintained without compromising the market app experience for users
• Edge Compute: Our in-house Machine Learning pipeline and inference framework
• Dash: Our in-house performance monitoring and guardrail system across iOS and Android devices
• Managing overall app health: Managing application start load across all devices

The work culture at PhonePe is deeply driven by virtues such as “Honesty” and “Ownership”. Here are some of the more profound lessons that I’ve learned during my 4 year stint with PhonePe:

• Assess and analyse: Assessing and analysing people, as well as myself, has been an essential skill that I have developed over the years. Being able to identify the right person to work with and the right project to pursue has been instrumental in my success. This skill allows me to approach any project with a strategic mindset and a clear vision of what I want to achieve. I take time to identify the individuals who have the expertise, knowledge and skills that complement my own. This helps me create a well-rounded team and ensures that every project I undertake has the best possible chance of success.
• Look ahead: Looking ahead in your professional career is essential for identifying potential hurdles and opportunities that may arise in the future. By keeping a watchful eye on industry trends, emerging technologies and changing consumer needs, you can stay ahead of the curve and be better prepared to adapt to the changing landscape. This proactive approach helps minimise the risks associated with unexpected challenges and maximise the benefits of emerging opportunities. Ultimately, by adopting a forward-thinking approach, you can position yourself for long-term success in your career.
• Simplify solutions: As an engineer, building and simplifying solutions requires not only technical expertise but also a commitment to innovation. It’s important to consider factors such as scalability, reliability and efficiency when designing solutions. One key aspect of this is load testing, which involves testing a system under heavy loads to ensure that it can handle the expected amount of traffic. Building and simplifying products and solutions also entails constantly seeking out new and better ways of doing things, whether it is through cutting-edge technologies or the development of new approaches and methodologies. This has also helped me stay competitive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
• Always have a backup plan: The world of tech is ever evolving, ever changing, and unexpected challenges can arise at any time. Having a backup plan not only ensures that I am prepared for any potential setbacks, but it also gives me the confidence to navigate difficult situations with ease. Whether it is a strategy for a project or a communications plan for a team, having a backup plan can make all the difference in achieving success in today’s fast-paced tech industry.

In conclusion, PhonePe has been a game changer for my career. The company’s commitment to diversity, inclusivity and innovation has created a work environment that encourages growth and development. Through PhonePe, I have had the opportunity to be a part of exciting projects that have expanded my technical skills and helped me grow as a professional. I hope that more companies will follow suit and create workplace environments that empower women and underrepresented groups in tech to achieve their full potential.