A Breath of Fresh Air in the Team: Oliver Eckstein and Thomas Garus as New Heads at BREDEX

In an exciting step toward further developing and strengthening our corporate structure, we are proud to introduce our new heads of Quality Assurance and UX/UI. Thomas Garus and Oliver Eckstein bring not only impressive expertise, but also a refreshing perspective and innovative strength.

Interview with the New Team Heads

To give you a little insight into who they are, what makes them tick, and what they are passionate about, here is a short interview with the two of them!

How did you come to BREDEX? What did you do before that?

Oliver: Sought, found! In my professional past, I was able to gain a wide range of experience in various roles and industries. Accordingly, in addition to my design experience, I also bring knowledge from the areas of lean startup, business development, and classic project management. In addition, I have been primarily involved in interdisciplinary software projects in recent years, which is how I discovered BREDEX. My desire for a new challenge and the need to fill this position arose at the same time—sometimes timing is just right.

Thomas: After completing my degree in business IT, I started working right away. At first, I had no experience with quality assurance. Now, however, I am not only a developer in the company, but also lead training courses and my own teams. What I find particularly exciting is the combination of working as a consultant and quality assurance expert while also having the opportunity to delve deeper into software code.

Since when have you been Head of UX/UI and Head of Quality Assurance?

Oliver: I joined Bredex on August 15, 2023, as Head of UX/UI.

Thomas: I worked closely with Alex before and now take on more of a strategic role.

What makes your departments special?

Oliver: Our department is like a well-coordinated orchestra, with each member playing their own instrument. Everyone brings their own experience and character to the table, yet we have all found our own way to the user experience, which leads to a fascinating range of possibilities. Despite these differences, we always find harmonious intersections that allow us to delve into diverse topics, technologies, and industries. A kind of creative symphony, if you will.

This broad perspective also makes it easier for us to communicate with other people, which is an essential part of our daily work.

Thomas: We are basically a group of colleagues dedicated to quality assurance. It is important to us not only to learn, but also to share what we have learned with other teams and customers in the form of high-quality software.

What inspires you about your work?

Oliver: As a quick thinker and decision-maker, UX/design methods allow me to give free rein to my thoughts or rather to channel and express them more effectively. In design, we often act as a link between other teams and play a key role in communication. However, my real enthusiasm lies with the team; working in and with the team gives me enormous pleasure. Seeing how we grow together as a team, learn from each other, challenge and encourage each other to become a little better every day is probably my biggest motivator. And if that doesn’t help, then a tight project deadline also works.

Thomas: It’s important to keep an eye on the big picture. That means as a tester, you always have to focus on the collaboration between the team and the customers and the correct integration of the processes. So it’s not just about letting the team work on a product, but actively involving the customers and helping them understand the processes. The goal as a tester is to work with the team and for the customer to deliver exactly the software that is needed. It is important to help customers understand why certain things and processes are good for the desired product and what is not really needed.

What are your strengths? Where do your core competencies lie, or what is your focus?

Oliver: Phew, I would say my strength lies in navigating effortlessly between different altitudes. From creatively presenting a vague vision to meticulously working out the most inconspicuous pixel in the final implementation – I am able to fly through the entire spectrum.

I enjoy working at all levels, especially in the operational environment, which I oversee in addition to strategic, sales, and team leadership tasks. When I roll up my sleeves and work on projects, I also recharge my batteries and stay close to the action.

I see my core competencies in the development of the department and its holistic integration into the company. For me, the future lies in the synergies that arise in cross-functional teams, and that is where I am currently focusing my efforts. However, depending on the phase and needs, this may change next year.

Thomas: One of my most important strengths is that I am able to discuss technical complexity with the various stakeholders without getting lost in the technical details. This is particularly important when people have little or no prior knowledge. Added to this is the ability to respond to people and guide them toward important decisions.

Do you have any hobbies?

Oliver: In my free time, I look for something that contrasts sharply with my work. Nothing digital and, please, nothing overly communicative. I walk the dogs in all weathers, work in the garden, or, on unpleasant days, occasionally spend time in the wood workshop—that’s where my product design studies come in.

I also like to venture into the culinary depths of the kitchen—even if my wife sometimes doubts whether that’s a good idea.

Thomas: In my free time, I pursue a number of different hobbies. I like to play sports and go hiking. I also take photos and tinker with my bike. I’m also interested in gaming, although I’m most interested in game development and actively seek out information about it. I might even take part in the upcoming Games Jam.

We Welcome Our New Heads

We would like to extend a warm welcome to our new team heads and look forward to working together to develop innovative ideas, increase efficiency, and grow successfully as a team. This exciting change marks an important milestone in our company’s development, and we are confident that it will lead to positive and sustainable change.