Mussin: Hello everyone. So email is still a crucial communication tool today, but it also poses significant risks, especially concerning the mis-sending of sensitive information. HENNGE developed the advanced email Data Loss Prevention (DLP) product to tackle this challenge.

The main value of our product is preventing users from accidentally sending confidential information to the wrong recipients. It acts as a layer between the sender and the recipient, filtering emails based on rules set by the user. Depending on these rules, emails can be allowed, temporarily suspended, or discarded. This is especially useful to avoid costly mistakes that can occur if sensitive information is sent to unintended parties.

Simon: The email suspension duration can be customized by the organization. For instance, external emails can have a longer suspension period, while internal communications might have a shorter one. Some emails might even require manual approval before being sent. It's really highly customizable depending on what the admin wants to do.

Mussin: On the front-end, we use TypeScript and Vue, along with state management tools like Vuex and Pinia. Our front-end is also hosted on AWS, and we handle some of our infrastructure tasks ourselves.

Simon: For the back-end, we mainly use Go. Our infrastructure is hosted on AWS, managed using Terraform, with some Ruby for testing and a bit of JavaScript here and there.

Simon: All our applications are hosted on AWS, primarily on ECS as microservices. We have a main API and multiple workers communicating through SQS. The process involves receiving an email, processing it through various workers, and sending it out after checks. We use RDS with Postgres, DynamoDB, and S3 for data management. Engineers work on both application development and infrastructure, shaping it as we add new features.

Mussin: Some features require both front and back-end, so the tasks are usually split up that way. Every line of code goes through a thorough review process, ensuring both quality assurance and knowledge transfer. Engineers develop features from start to finish, including infrastructure, if needed. This approach helps ensure we all maintain high standards and fosters continuous learning in areas that we are most interested in.

Simon: We’re working on compliance with new email authentication guidelines like DMARC and DKIM, developing a dashboard for admins to manage these settings. Oh and we’re experimenting with integrating AI language models to help prevent mis-sending emails based on content analysis, which is pretty cool.

Mussin: I like developing new features, but also really enjoy revising existing ones and seeing how they can be improved. Recently I’ve been working on virtualizing tables for better performance with large datasets and migrating to the latest version of Vue. Tables on a web page with three or five thousand entries can’t fit on the page and the browser gets all slow and choppy. So we found a way to make the screen delete rows that weren’t in the display when scrolling to allow for infinite rows and the browser can handle it all. These kinds of tasks involve significant refactoring and performance improvements, which can be challenging but really rewarding when it works!

Simon: We have a monthly hackathon where we can propose and work on new ideas. These sessions allow us to explore and innovate freely, with some ideas evolving into concrete features.

Mussin: Yes, the hackathons are a great way to experiment and learn. We can work on open-source contributions, new technologies, or improvements for our product. Some of these ideas become part of the product, while others are valuable learning experiences. There’s always a positive and they’re a great way for people to get creative and test things in a safe environment.

Mussin: Our team comprises engineers, product managers, designers, and delivery management. Engineers work closely with product managers to prioritize features, designers for user experience, and delivery management for smooth releases. We have sub-teams for specific features, fostering collaboration and fluid communication. It’s really diverse, both in terms of nationalities and personalities.

Simon: Our engineering team has six back-end and four front-end members, with people from all over the world, including America, China, Italy, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, UK, and Zimbabwe. It’s a fun, dynamic environment where we balance serious work with casual interactions, especially during hackathons and team-building activities. We work as a team to deliver results but in an open way where you can feel free to approach any other member about any topic.

Mussin: Working with a diverse team from different cultural backgrounds makes our work more interesting and rewarding. I think for me the biggest challenge was getting used to different cultural communication styles. For example, some people will speak more directly, while others prefer to get warmed up and discuss options before saying what they prefer. We learn to communicate effectively despite different styles. I also joined during the pandemic, so remote work added to this challenge, but together we adapt and grow stronger.

Simon: This approach extends to how we introduce new tools as well. For instance, I took on the challenge of pursuing AWS certifications to better understand new features and services, enabling me to confidently propose them to the team. HENNGE encourages us to explore and introduce new technologies by providing time for learning, attending conferences, and pursuing certifications.

I feel like it creates a lot of opportunities to grow. Instead of just coding non-stop, you get to see the whole software development process. This openness helps us continuously improve our product and I like that we get to learn a lot from different people.

Simon: Yes, collaboration is definitely encouraged. Some team members spend part of their time helping other teams, especially new ones. This cross-team collaboration fosters knowledge sharing and I think strengthens our overall capabilities.

Mussin: Actually I’m currently assisting another product right now. It’s been really nice to see how other teams work with different methodologies and approaches, for example a different flavor of Agile or just a different process with more brainstorming. From these experiences we can then pick out bits we like and adopt within our own team to enrich our work and keep bringing fresh ideas to our primary DLP product.

Simon: I’d say someone who communicates well. Not only being able to share their ideas clearly, but to also interact with diverse people including those from non-technical backgrounds, while keeping a healthy curiosity to learn. The ability to adapt and explore new technologies is crucial.

Mussin: I completely agree. In a word I’d say “curiosity.” There are no limits. Engineers out there who are open to experimentation, willing to take ownership of features, and enjoy a collaborative environment will thrive here!