Why JLT Was My Last True Professional Environment

Some roles leave a lasting impression not because of what they taught you technically, but because of how they redefined your standards. My time at JLT Development stands out for precisely that reason. It remains, to this day, the last environment where I felt software development was treated with the level of professionalism it truly deserves.

At JLT, professionalism wasn't an aspiration—it was the norm. We had a properly structured Scrum team: product owner, scrum master, developers, QA, and a clear cadence of planning, stand-ups, retrospectives, and delivery. It wasn't just theatre; it was real. Everyone respected the process, and that structure created space for craftsmanship.

This was a team where test-driven development was practiced, not preached. We used SpecFlow for BDD tests that formed part of the design process, not just the testing phase. We didn't write tests to check a box or inflate a coverage percentage—we wrote them because we cared about the quality and maintainability of the product.

There was also space to mentor and be mentored. I was trusted to guide junior developers and was involved in interviews and internal training. It felt like a place where growth was embedded in the culture, not bolted on as an afterthought.

One of my key contributions was enabling white-labelling for the BenPal portal, a feature that required thoughtful architectural decisions to support different client branding and configurations. We also implemented a data warehousing solution in collaboration with a Romanian team, and explored StreamServe integration to enhance document generation. These were technically complex projects, but they were also well-managed, well-communicated, and professionally executed.

When I left JLT, I carried those habits and expectations with me. But what surprised me was how rare they turned out to be. Many environments since have lacked that discipline. Scrum becomes stand-ups and a Jira board. Testing is often sacrificed in favour of velocity. Mentorship is replaced by pressure.

That's not to say I haven't worked with brilliant people since. I have. But the cohesion, clarity, and professionalism I experienced at JLT remains unmatched. It gave me a blueprint for how development should be done. It made me better—not just as a developer, but as a team member, mentor, and technical leader.

JLT was a benchmark. And though I may never find an exact replica, its influence continues to shape how I engage with teams, structure processes, and advocate for professionalism in every project I touch.