Agile Expertise Meets Volunteer Dedication: Greg Tutunjian

Code Platoon is committed to more than just teaching technical skills; it fosters a supportive community that empowers students, alums, and staff for long-term success. Among the key contributors is Greg Tutunjian, an Agile performance coach and long-time volunteer adjunct instructor at Code Platoon.

For six years, Greg has volunteered at Code Platoon, hosting Agile workshops that help Veteran and military spouse graduates earn Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) certifications. 

Greg spent 19 years as a software developer before transitioning into an Agile performance coach. As he began managing tech teams, Greg discovered a passion for training and enhancing the effectiveness of software engineering teams in meeting deliverables and improving communication.

“I found the human side of computing more challenging and rewarding than merely writing code and solving technical problems,” says Greg. “After my team hired Scrum originators Ken and Jeff, I saw for myself that understanding how to break down a project and finish it is incredibly empowering for professionals in the software field.” 

Greg leveraged that experience to coach and train others in what would eventually become known as Agile. Agile methodology focuses on breaking projects into manageable phases and maximizing team productivity by empowering members rather than relying on top-down management.

“For decades, engineering teams have faced challenges in delivering projects on schedule and within budget. As certifications like Agile have shown, a team can have strong software engineers, but their efficiency takes a massive hit if they don’t have good communication, management, and collaboration skills,” says Greg. “I began teaching Agile workshops to drive change in the industry and, admittedly, to cultivate more efficient tech teams I’d enjoy working with. Perhaps selfishly, I wanted to work with better, more efficient tech teams. I wanted to set an improved standard for workflow in the software engineering space.”

“I began volunteering at organizations like Code Platoon to test a theory: Veterans and active duty Servicemembers possess innate skills from their military experience that make them ideal candidates for software development.”

“I believe that’s proven to be the case when I volunteered with Code Platoon. Code Platoon alumni have proven to be more prolific and innovative than many entry-level engineers I’ve encountered.”

“Beyond my workshops, Code Platoon’s team projects serve as excellent incubators for effective software engineering practices. I regularly attend their graduations, and I’m continually impressed by the decision-making and teamwork displayed during their final project presentations. It’s already baked into their military background.” 

Greg finds two aspects of these workshops particularly rewarding.

“First, it’s the feedback I get at the end of day two. I get notes on LinkedIn from former participants who tell me how the workshops paid off for them. That has been so rewarding,” Greg said. “Second, while I’m teaching, everyone pays attention, whether they’re in person or remote, every time I do this for Code Platoon. This level of engagement is rare in the commercial world.” 

The software engineering industry has evolved significantly since Greg first entered the field. Today, software engineers are expected to develop specialized skills, whereas, in the past, a broader skill set was more valued.  

With his experience in mind, Greg suggests some advice for people in the software engineering industry:

“I advise both new and experienced developers to focus on honing their people skills. In tech teams, communication and accountability are often assumed, but it’s crucial to refine these soft skills alongside your technical abilities.”