Joe Poon

Three years ago today, a group of eager new ThoughtWorkers from six countries embarked on a four-month journey in Bangalore, India - the inaugural ThoughtWorks University.

As I sit here and reflect, it’s hard to believe that three years have passed. The name may have changed from ThoughtWorks Global Boot Camp to ThoughtWorks University (TWU), but the fond memories of being part of this technically, culturally and socially engaging experience have not.

The foundation for the practices and principles that I utilize daily on software projects today, were set, strengthened and molded through this experience. Some of these concepts, which I view as indispensable today, include TDD, pair programming, continuous integration, short iterations, stand ups, story cards with stickies, retrospectives and refactoring. TWU was also socially and culturally rewarding, spawning a wonderful network of colleagues and friends and getting immersed in the colorful Indian culture.

Throughout TWU, I kept a blog to keep track of my learnings and experiences. Below is an excerpt from the final blog entry I wrote back in 2005, recapping my TWU experience:

Bangalore was amazing - the paradoxical skyscraper next to a hut serving chai, women wearing sarees talking on cell-phones in rickshaws and business men grabbing a bite at the local darshini. It was a city in transition and I am awed by the potential that lies in India - it’s population coupled with the number of bright graduates per year is astounding. I will miss the sights and sounds of India - the hustle and bustle (with some honking) of a big city and the simplicity and serenity of cows wandering the streets.

Us ThoughtWorks Boot Campers quickly bonded and became a close unit. Together, we learned, worked, ate and travelled - I am impressed how well we gelled and synergized as a group. We all left with a global spanning network of connections and friends. We met so many ThoughtWorkers from different countries in the process - this will go a long way in establishing relationships and recognizing familiar faces on future projects.

I learned a wealth of knowledge about Agile methodologies, XP, consulting and software development during the boot camp. The subsequent project work was extremely helpful in putting a practical perspective to the lessons we learned in class. True to the old TW slogan “it’s like college with money,” it was truly an enlightening experience. I am amazed and thankful for the amount of effort that went into preparing the boot camp and the hospitality of the hosting ThoughtWorks India office. With this new knowledge and knowing that there’s always more to learn, I am looking forward to contributing to a project at home.

Since TWU, I have continued the learning trend, growing and evolving as a software developer. ThoughtWorks continues to offer ThoughtWorks University twice a year - if this piques your interest, let us know. We’re always looking for the next graduating class.

A big shout goes out to my fellow TWU’ers, trainers, and the TW Indian office!