Duanne Dames

Describe what you do here at Coronation 

As a Team Lead in the Information Systems department I am responsible for ensuring that our team has what they need to deliver our projects as per requirements, on time and with the required level of quality, extensibility and scalability.

We are a team of teams and we work as such.

What has been your career highlight so far at Coronation?

In my time here at Coronation I have been fortunate to be a part of so many projects, worked with so many great people, and experienced so much advancement and growth in our space, that it is difficult to pick a single highlight.

However, a while ago, I was standing in a room with a few developers, quality assurers, an architect, a project owner and a few other specialists. As I listened to the intense debate and saw a plan starting to form on the whiteboard, I realised that these moments, where I play my role amongst a group of committed individuals and see each person bring their expertise and experience to bear, are my highlights.

What do you enjoy mostly about working in your team/department?

Without a doubt, the people. I feel fortunate to be surrounded by people from all walks of life who care deeply about their work, and who are in many ways natural problem solvers.

Everyone’s commitment is what enables us to survive the stressful times, allows us to break down complexities while huddled around someone’s desk, and gets us through the occasional “uh-oh”.

We are a team of teams and we work as such.

What 3 skills do you feel are necessary for one to succeed in your field? 

A high degree of interpersonal skills; communication skills; well-honed problem-solving skills

What advice would you offer to new starters in your field/team?

There is much to learn, and as our new starters usually hit the ground running, I would remind them to be patient with the process.

I would suggest they get to know the business and the people as best they can, as understanding the domain better pays dividends during the development of every project.

Also, to ask as many questions as they need to – we are here to help them perform to the best of their ability