Meeting Title: Brainforge Project Management Onboarding Date: 2025-08-06 Meeting participants: Giselle Agot, Uttam Kumaran
WEBVTT
1 00:08:16.150 ⇒ 00:08:17.430 Uttam Kumaran: Hello!
2 00:08:18.380 ⇒ 00:08:19.370 Giselle Agot: Hi Arthur!
3 00:08:19.690 ⇒ 00:08:21.160 Uttam Kumaran: Hi! How are you?
4 00:08:21.160 ⇒ 00:08:22.999 Giselle Agot: I’m doing great. Can you hear me?
5 00:08:23.000 ⇒ 00:08:33.579 Uttam Kumaran: Yeah, thank you. I feel like I already met you because I watched your loom a bunch of times. I you know that was my 1st impression, and it was I literally sent. This was the best
6 00:08:33.690 ⇒ 00:08:39.709 Uttam Kumaran: loom. But we’ve we received, and I’m so happy to have you on the team. So thank you for for being here.
7 00:08:40.679 ⇒ 00:08:42.599 Giselle Agot: Thank you. Thank you for having me.
8 00:08:43.800 ⇒ 00:08:51.930 Uttam Kumaran: Great. Yeah. Tell me, tell me what’s on the agenda? I’m sort of watching you get involved with with different clients. So how can I be helpful?
9 00:08:52.470 ⇒ 00:09:16.179 Giselle Agot: Yeah, I spoke with amber yesterday, and before that before I got on boarded, Rico suggested that we get to meet for me to fully understand about the business. I know there were a lot of slack messages already, added in slack. I have to like read through each of them and fully understand. I’ve also been assigned to
10 00:09:16.290 ⇒ 00:09:37.560 Giselle Agot: some of the clients already by amber, so probably I like to have a background, or how. How do I like? I know that I am attending to some of the meetings already, so let’s just say, for default pre meeting. I was set as an organizer. Do I get to lead this meeting, or
11 00:09:37.890 ⇒ 00:09:40.140 Giselle Agot: how? How? What’s the process.
12 00:09:41.060 ⇒ 00:10:04.759 Uttam Kumaran: Yeah. So let me, maybe let me give you the overview on the company side. So Brain Forge is a company. I started about 2 years ago. We’re primarily work as a data analytics and AI consultancy. So we have several clients, as you noticed, but Amber has been really the only Project manager right now managing several of them. In addition, myself and Robert. Both of us run. The company are also project managing.
13 00:10:05.066 ⇒ 00:10:27.143 Uttam Kumaran: So really, the goal here is to hand some of that off of our plate. You know, we’re we’re still not. We’re not going anywhere. And a lot of these projects. You know, we’re still acting as solution architects. But the project management piece. We want to hand off to the experts. And so on. A given project for us. We have several different roles. We have
14 00:10:27.870 ⇒ 00:10:43.850 Uttam Kumaran: of course, project managers. We typically have an account executive, which is the salesperson. We have a solutions architect, and then we also potentially have a tech lead and the engineers and so that’s like our ideal sort of setup for our clients
15 00:10:44.040 ⇒ 00:11:04.320 Uttam Kumaran: right now, when you look at across our clients, me and Robert are playing multiple roles across a lot of them. You know, one of us is typically involved in every client, at least as an account executive but at Max sometimes like for for default, for example, I’m both the solutions architect, the project manager.
16 00:11:04.701 ⇒ 00:11:22.410 Uttam Kumaran: And I’m the account executive, right? So part of this, you know, you know, goal to to bring you on and up to speed is to remove the project management, responsibility. Off of my plate. Particular on these 2 clients, but on sort of our go forward clients.
17 00:11:22.700 ⇒ 00:11:30.669 Uttam Kumaran: So right now I think the clients that are on my plate are interlude and our default.
18 00:11:31.103 ⇒ 00:11:46.129 Uttam Kumaran: So those are. Those are the 2 ones that you know we will start with in terms of this week. My goal is just to have you meet the client. But I’m happy to continue to run things until you’re comfortable with a handoff
19 00:11:46.680 ⇒ 00:11:58.000 Uttam Kumaran: but what is like project management, you know, like from my lens one. It’s all of the management of linear and the tickets who’s assigned are there estimates?
20 00:11:58.100 ⇒ 00:12:12.549 Uttam Kumaran: Is there actual like descriptions in the ticket? Right. The and the second piece is like following up on those making sure that those are getting achieved and that they’re actually getting delivered to the client. And we can get feedback.
21 00:12:13.039 ⇒ 00:12:23.459 Uttam Kumaran: So those are all things that we certainly need help with. On both of these clients. Second is, we’re not running very fixed. Stand ups for each like
22 00:12:23.650 ⇒ 00:12:31.770 Uttam Kumaran: we, we typically have like, we have a weekly sync for default on Mondays
23 00:12:33.120 ⇒ 00:12:55.889 Uttam Kumaran: for interlude. I don’t even think we have a meeting because me and me, and it’s just me and Mustafa. So really, this is where I would rely on you to, based on what the project management team proposes to propose what the meeting cadence is gonna be for for both of these clients. We have clients that are very large, like Eden, where they require every sort of typical sprint
24 00:12:56.010 ⇒ 00:13:01.979 Uttam Kumaran: like ritual. Right? Stand ups grooming, retro, planning, kickoff.
25 00:13:02.542 ⇒ 00:13:11.719 Uttam Kumaran: We also have clients like interlude, which are pretty small, meaning. It’s just 2 people like me and Mustafa Mustafa is primarily doing all their work.
26 00:13:11.860 ⇒ 00:13:15.100 Uttam Kumaran: and we probably don’t need to talk
27 00:13:15.470 ⇒ 00:13:24.729 Uttam Kumaran: like every day about that client, you know. So this is where probably my question for you is to think through what the go forward meeting
28 00:13:24.830 ⇒ 00:13:30.000 Uttam Kumaran: sort of structure has to be. Additionally, it’s getting familiar with
29 00:13:30.130 ⇒ 00:13:34.490 Uttam Kumaran: the tickets that have been completed and the tickets that are in progress.
30 00:13:35.000 ⇒ 00:13:35.900 Uttam Kumaran: And then
31 00:13:36.090 ⇒ 00:13:55.499 Uttam Kumaran: these are all, you know, fairly technical. So I don’t expect you to have a 100 understanding on, like what it is we’re building. That is something that I can help provide a lot of clarity on and over time you’ll start to see what the projects are and what the goal for the client is. But what I would like to see is
32 00:13:55.630 ⇒ 00:14:08.852 Uttam Kumaran: making sure that tickets are getting done on time making sure that group they’re all groomed. That sort of, you know. Planning is is achieved for each of these, which currently I think it’s
33 00:14:09.340 ⇒ 00:14:12.649 Uttam Kumaran: sort of mediocre, because I’m not doing it with much time, you know.
34 00:14:14.130 ⇒ 00:14:21.600 Giselle Agot: Okay, so currently for let’s say, for both clients.
35 00:14:21.890 ⇒ 00:14:28.759 Giselle Agot: do we have like pending task or something that I need to look into and follow up on.
36 00:14:29.800 ⇒ 00:14:34.439 Uttam Kumaran: Yeah, so do you have? Are you in linear? And do you see those clients like when you’re linear?
37 00:14:36.100 ⇒ 00:14:42.890 Giselle Agot: Yes, I am on linear, and I’m also added, with interlude and default. And Eden.
38 00:14:43.320 ⇒ 00:14:48.430 Uttam Kumaran: Great share your screen. You can see that you should be able to see the tickets
39 00:14:48.840 ⇒ 00:14:54.280 Uttam Kumaran: for both of those teams and you know everything there is is is up to date.
40 00:14:55.370 ⇒ 00:15:01.549 Giselle Agot: I see it. So do I like let’s say, for example, here.
41 00:15:02.800 ⇒ 00:15:08.600 Giselle Agot: so to do, I can see that this is something that’s
42 00:15:11.840 ⇒ 00:15:20.059 Giselle Agot: no, I’m sorry. It’s actually my 1st time using linear. So I’m trying my best to.
43 00:15:20.060 ⇒ 00:15:22.830 Uttam Kumaran: Very, very similar to Jira. It’s just tickets. Yeah.
44 00:15:26.290 ⇒ 00:15:29.769 Uttam Kumaran: So these are just tickets that are assigned to Mustafa.
45 00:15:34.330 ⇒ 00:15:39.849 Giselle Agot: And Mustafa would be adding some comments here as well. If ever this is still in progress, or.
46 00:15:40.610 ⇒ 00:15:45.259 Uttam Kumaran: Yeah. So right now, as you can see, this ticket is in to do right? So at some point
47 00:15:45.370 ⇒ 00:15:54.739 Uttam Kumaran: we need to understand. But I think the problems right now is, if you look on the right side, there’s no priority, there’s no estimate, and the due date is already passed
48 00:15:54.990 ⇒ 00:15:55.840 Uttam Kumaran: right?
49 00:15:56.010 ⇒ 00:16:18.220 Uttam Kumaran: So the question is, okay, does it still need to be done? When is the new due date? What is the priority? And how long should this take right. What is the estimate? Those are things where I’m not doing? Because I don’t. I just I’m don’t even have time to to do it. So we just create the tickets, and then it sort of gets done. So these are the things that I think it’s a great place to start, which is just to
50 00:16:18.410 ⇒ 00:16:30.149 Uttam Kumaran: work with Mustafa to or work with, basically work with us as a team to assign these different properties. And then, as the due date approaches, it’s to make sure like, Hey, is this gonna get done?
51 00:16:30.755 ⇒ 00:16:30.960 Giselle Agot: Okay.
52 00:16:30.960 ⇒ 00:16:32.689 Uttam Kumaran: What should happen if it doesn’t get done?
53 00:16:33.173 ⇒ 00:16:35.840 Uttam Kumaran: How, you know, like, what should we communicate.
54 00:16:38.240 ⇒ 00:16:50.290 Giselle Agot: Okay, do you have like a specific timeline for let’s say for request, same as this one. I know this will take longer, because this is very technical, like integration notion to Api. So I know
55 00:16:50.390 ⇒ 00:16:53.050 Giselle Agot: this is not a priority, because.
56 00:16:54.060 ⇒ 00:17:06.199 Uttam Kumaran: Yeah, but yeah, I would. I would in. I think I would rather do this as a team like we don’t. I would say on this call, I would rather just answer, this is, gonna be something you have to go look into, and you have to spend some time like it’s gonna take some time.
57 00:17:06.615 ⇒ 00:17:09.000 Uttam Kumaran: So I’m not gonna be able to answer like
58 00:17:09.450 ⇒ 00:17:30.339 Uttam Kumaran: every question right now. But I just wanna make sure that you see all the tasks that are there. And then, when we meet, you know again, we could have a call like for interlude today, or if you want to book a call for tomorrow, me, you and the staff, or the folks on this team. We can go through all the active tickets. I’m fine with with that.
59 00:17:31.300 ⇒ 00:17:33.199 Giselle Agot: Okay. Alright. Got it.
60 00:17:37.530 ⇒ 00:17:40.450 Giselle Agot: Think that’s just what I have right now.
61 00:17:41.410 ⇒ 00:17:47.809 Uttam Kumaran: And then did you get an overview of like sort of our our platform as well like platform.brainforge.ai.
62 00:17:49.590 ⇒ 00:17:56.879 Giselle Agot: The platform. No, not yet. I was. We were discussing with Amber the tickets and the clients yesterday, so
63 00:17:57.659 ⇒ 00:18:01.399 Giselle Agot: we will be probably later today, and I’ll ask her about.
64 00:18:02.310 ⇒ 00:18:03.230 Uttam Kumaran: Okay, great
65 00:18:03.839 ⇒ 00:18:11.600 Uttam Kumaran: and then also like, are are you familiar using chat Gpt, and, you know, leveraging AI for any of your tasks.
66 00:18:12.090 ⇒ 00:18:37.830 Giselle Agot: Yeah. That was also discussed with Amber yesterday, since I’m using chat, gpt with my own login. And then she said, No, we have like a company login, and we’ll just have you added. So that is also very helpful. If ever I’ll be. Let’s say, for example, I’m transcribing the calls that we have, like the client calls, so that will also really help. And she also gave or put in the document the script suggested scripts which will also make it more quicker and faster.
67 00:18:38.280 ⇒ 00:18:58.710 Uttam Kumaran: Yes. So one is. Yeah. I would encourage using AI for as much as possible. Second, once you, you’ll get access to our platform, we actually load all of our meetings for every client into a very easy view for you. So you you can go get the transcripts and everything from there. It’ll be very easy for you to grab those and then, yeah, I would suggest.
68 00:18:58.710 ⇒ 00:19:26.760 Uttam Kumaran: you know, additional ways, anything you’re when let’s say you’re learning about this client, you you’ll be able to go to the platform, actually see all of our past meetings, so feel free to go watch those and go look at how we like. What were the things that we promised? What is the type of work that we’re doing for them? All of that is actually in those meetings. And so it’s super easy for you to go rewatch those and and get a sense for what it is we’re doing for both these clients additionally use AI right.
69 00:19:26.780 ⇒ 00:19:51.559 Uttam Kumaran: hey? I just started as a project manager at Brainforge. I have no idea what this client is, but here’s like 10 transcripts. Explain to me like I’m in high school what it is we’re even doing for them right? That’s it. Try it right? So there’s no no harm in that. But, in fact, actually, I’m hopeful that my expectation is that everybody starts to use AI first, st because it’ll be a lot better at explaining than I am.
70 00:19:51.560 ⇒ 00:19:51.950 Giselle Agot: Good.
71 00:19:51.950 ⇒ 00:20:03.920 Uttam Kumaran: So try it out, and then use and then slack for any any help or or advice on how to use AI, or is there a way for me to do this, I think, would be you know. Really, really.
72 00:20:04.060 ⇒ 00:20:06.630 Uttam Kumaran: everyone can help empower you. You know.
73 00:20:07.077 ⇒ 00:20:08.420 Giselle Agot: Yeah, I agree.
74 00:20:10.460 ⇒ 00:20:17.730 Giselle Agot: Okay, think that’s just what I have right now.
75 00:20:18.470 ⇒ 00:20:27.900 Giselle Agot: Oh, you did tag me on slack for let’s see here, Henry. So.
76 00:20:27.900 ⇒ 00:20:28.410 Uttam Kumaran: Yes.
77 00:20:28.410 ⇒ 00:20:31.059 Giselle Agot: Henry supposed to be creating a ticket.
78 00:20:31.716 ⇒ 00:20:33.740 Giselle Agot: This is for default.
79 00:20:34.130 ⇒ 00:20:42.453 Giselle Agot: Yes, Henry is like I did not know what’s his designation, or I’m not sure.
80 00:20:42.890 ⇒ 00:20:46.189 Uttam Kumaran: Henry is A is an analyst, is A, is an engineer on the project.
81 00:20:46.490 ⇒ 00:20:48.370 Giselle Agot: Okay, got it. Okay.
82 00:20:48.940 ⇒ 00:21:08.550 Uttam Kumaran: So if you so if you see that that question right? I asked him on Monday, go review the meeting, and then create the tickets. He didn’t do it yesterday, and I still don’t know whether it’s done to that. But this is like something that in that I would have to go reach out. Now. It’s like, Okay, you’re here. I’m gonna just give it a shot right?
83 00:21:09.690 ⇒ 00:21:15.199 Uttam Kumaran: So I’m not go like again. I’m not going anywhere. But I’m gonna start to loop you into things. And so
84 00:21:15.370 ⇒ 00:21:22.820 Uttam Kumaran: things like, Hey, where? Where is this ticket? Or this was due today, like, those are the things that I think you’ll start to be able to take on.
85 00:21:23.440 ⇒ 00:21:32.639 Uttam Kumaran: But it’ll take some time like not not like we’re not in a huge rush here, so make sure that you get understanding for everything, and lean on the team for sure.
86 00:21:33.409 ⇒ 00:21:51.339 Uttam Kumaran: Spend time with Mustafa. He’ll he’ll go, I think the only problem is my time and Robert’s time are the most limited. So if you look at my calendar, it’ll be horrible. So that’s the only that’s the only thing is as much as you can. If you send me looms, or if you send me slack questions, I can answer like
87 00:21:52.090 ⇒ 00:21:55.939 Uttam Kumaran: totally, but hopping on meetings I only have like a
88 00:21:56.220 ⇒ 00:22:00.839 Uttam Kumaran: I could only do 8 h of meetings right? So that’s my limiting factor.
89 00:22:03.890 ⇒ 00:22:12.569 Giselle Agot: Okay, got it? Yeah. So I will be meeting with. I think they have. They’re on a different time zone, Mustafa, and awaish. So
90 00:22:13.262 ⇒ 00:22:33.109 Giselle Agot: Alex will be later today, and then Hannah will be on Friday, and then see that as well. So I think I’ll have a grasp on everybody and what they’re doing. And then I, yeah, I would agree that I would love to review all those videos recorded videos. I actually did next week. Well, yesterday.
91 00:22:33.540 ⇒ 00:22:34.000 Uttam Kumaran: Oh, nice!
92 00:22:34.360 ⇒ 00:22:42.769 Giselle Agot: Yeah. And then he added me to zoom workspace. So I should be getting those recordings as well. So yeah.
93 00:22:43.540 ⇒ 00:22:44.750 Uttam Kumaran: Okay. And I will.
94 00:22:44.750 ⇒ 00:22:46.598 Giselle Agot: Those videos. It will help me a lot.
95 00:22:47.090 ⇒ 00:22:48.936 Uttam Kumaran: Yeah. And I will make sure that
96 00:22:49.560 ⇒ 00:22:52.850 Uttam Kumaran: Rico can get you access to the platform.
97 00:22:52.970 ⇒ 00:22:58.460 Uttam Kumaran: Yes, and then also that he gets you into Chat gpt.
98 00:22:59.300 ⇒ 00:23:00.880 Giselle Agot: Okay. Alright.
99 00:23:01.430 ⇒ 00:23:15.080 Giselle Agot: Okay. So yeah, I’ll just review the tickets for default and interviewed I. If I have any questions I’ll let you know. I’ll just touch base with you, and probably I’ll set up another meeting with you if needed, or if I can see in your there’s a free schedule, so I’ll just let you know.
100 00:23:15.380 ⇒ 00:23:27.719 Uttam Kumaran: Okay, okay, perfect. Thank you. Welcome. By the way, I think we have a team meeting on Friday. So I’ll I’ll introduce you to everybody. And you’ll be able to see the whole team, and it’ll be nice.
101 00:23:28.160 ⇒ 00:23:35.521 Giselle Agot: Yeah. Oh, by the way, I talked to Amber about the schedule. Since just 20 h. So
102 00:23:36.020 ⇒ 00:23:44.639 Giselle Agot: there are some schedule that’s like earlier the day. Can I just like join? And then just log off. And then, just just to just fill in the 4 h, is that fine.
103 00:23:44.640 ⇒ 00:23:56.159 Uttam Kumaran: Yeah, that’s fine. I think the for any of the schedules that we have existing are all changeable. So it’s it’s now on you and the Project management squad to
104 00:23:56.270 ⇒ 00:24:08.930 Uttam Kumaran: organize around. What are the schedules, or by all these clients? And you know we can change. We can change the timings if you want but I’ll sort of leave it to you to propose. Like none of the meetings are fixed in their timing. We can change them.
105 00:24:09.510 ⇒ 00:24:31.039 Giselle Agot: Okay, but no worries. I’m actually flexible with hours. So I can just let you know, like, okay, I would be able. Or this meeting is going to be too early or too late for me. But yeah, I’ll just let everybody knows I’m invited in that specific because I’m going to be attending later defaults, pre meeting product analysis and include. So I think, yeah, that’s all good for me.
106 00:24:31.190 ⇒ 00:24:39.000 Uttam Kumaran: So I know those are kind of late. But again, those are just. I just put in the afternoon. We can totally move those. So if you want to move those to earlier in the day next week.
107 00:24:39.547 ⇒ 00:24:49.390 Uttam Kumaran: whatever. So maybe one thing for Friday this week, or for Monday, is like, what is, what are the next? What are going to be the project management rituals that
108 00:24:49.610 ⇒ 00:24:55.380 Uttam Kumaran: the Pm. Team wants to run for these. That’s a good question to ask, to ask Amber, and to discuss with her.
109 00:24:56.370 ⇒ 00:25:01.690 Giselle Agot: Okay, got it. But for now I’ll just keep the schedule. I don’t want to mess like the week.
110 00:25:01.690 ⇒ 00:25:03.380 Uttam Kumaran: Sure, sure, but for now it’s fine, totally.
111 00:25:04.010 ⇒ 00:25:10.220 Giselle Agot: So yeah, it’s all good for me. So yeah, I think I’m all set for now. I’ll just let you know if I have any questions.
112 00:25:10.530 ⇒ 00:25:11.710 Uttam Kumaran: Okay, perfect.
113 00:25:12.880 ⇒ 00:25:13.420 Uttam Kumaran: Alright.
114 00:25:13.420 ⇒ 00:25:16.150 Uttam Kumaran: Thank you, Alan. Nice to meet you.
115 00:25:16.150 ⇒ 00:25:17.020 Uttam Kumaran: Yeah. Nice to meet you, too.
116 00:25:17.760 ⇒ 00:25:18.420 Uttam Kumaran: Bye.