Jane Orme: Product Owner & TECgirls Non-Exec Director

Job title:

Product Owner at EMIS

Location:

Cornwall

What inspired you to go into engineering?

My dad taught me to code when I was 12, and I always loved the creativity and problem solving.

What do you love about your job?

I love working in “tech for social good”. In my case we create software to use in doctors surgeries. I work closely with a software development team and help them understand what our users (GPs, pharmacists, nurses, and receptionists) need from our software. I have to identify, plan, describe the requirements of, and prioritise the new functionality that the developers need to code. To do this I have to consider which things will help the users be able to do their job faster and better, and help the developers understand the context of the request. The developers will also communicate any technical challenges and help estimate how much development effort is involved. It is highly collaborative.

How did you get your job?

I was previously working as a software developer when I got an interest in the user experience - how to create software that not only was good quality, but was also most valuable to the users. I am an empathetic person and found listening to users (who talk about their needs and struggles) and problem solving the best solutions to be both interesting and rewarding. So I moved more from a development role into a “product” role. Many of my colleagues don’t have a background in development and entered the role from a customer support role instead.

What advice would you give to a young person looking to start a career in your industry?

There are more job roles in tech than you would expect, so be curious and see what sort of things interest you. Almost all of them are creative, problem solving, and need good communication and teamwork.

What do you think will be the most exciting developments in your industry over the next 5-10 years?

AI is already helping us improve our productivity - preparing draft descriptions of the work, summarising user research, giving ideas to start brainstorms. It will enable us to test multiple ideas faster to get an idea of which solution users prefer.

Why would you encourage more girls to pursue a career like yours?

Definitely, it is a very rewarding career path and not as “nerdy” as it used to be. I also work from home, which makes life much easier when you have children, and it is well paid.