A new format of the IT meetup took place in Almaty

In Almaty, the first "IT Kitchen: Recipes for Digital" meetup took place. The team at the digital company red_mad_robot Central Asia devised a way to present the complex and multifaceted topic of IT in a relaxed setting. The event unfolded in a real kitchen. Meetup participants—HR managers, product owners, and team leads—discussed how to evaluate employees in teams while preparing food. The meetup was supported by red_mad_robot Central Asia's partner, Beeline Kazakhstan.

A real chef, Denis Ermolaev, was invited to play the role of head chef, while IT market experts served as sous-chefs:

1. Agis Konkabayeva, CEO of red_mad_robot Central Asia
2. Takhmina Kodiri, Chief People Management at Beeline
3. Pavel Buntman, Head of Development at Verno, red_mad_robot Central Asia
4. Olga Gurinova, HRBP at red_mad_robot Central Asia.

Today, the experience economy is actively developing worldwide. At the "IT Kitchen," experiences are conveyed through food preparation—it is very similar to any regulated process.

People management was the first area that red_mad_robot Central Asia and Beeline explored at the "IT Kitchen." How should the competencies of employees in IT companies be assessed depending on business tasks? The discussion began with types of assessments and the specifics of each category—because evaluation during hiring, development, and retention of employees changes not only depending on the stage of their career path but also on the company's business goals.

Participants shared the difficulties they faced during assessments—often, employees view them with caution or perceive them as an additional burden to their work tasks. For each challenge, they tried to find solutions and relevant tools that make life easier for leads and HR. An active discussion also emerged about the role of HRBPs and how partners can participate in the assessment process depending on the company's structure and the number of employees "under the wing" of one HRBP. In conclusion, they emphasized the importance of implementing tools together with leads in a product-oriented manner—otherwise, there is a risk that they will not be used.

Agis Konkabayeva, CEO of red_mad_robot Central Asia

In the first few days of the announcement, we received more than 150 registrations for the meetup. Based on the number of applications received for participation in the "IT Kitchen," we see a high demand for holding further meetups in the same format. This is an intimate setting, cozy discussions on topics, pleasant exchange of knowledge with cool market experts while preparing delicious food. Food preparation has its own technology, alongside which we will discuss IT.

The meetup showed that people management is an relevant block of topics regardless of the company's maturity stage. However, at each stage of development, there are specific features in roles, processes, tools, and management methodologies. There are still many topics for discussion at future "IT Kitchen" meetings—with the involvement of experts who can comprehensively show what kinds of tasks exist in people management and the tools for solving them.

The IT industry is currently growing actively, and players in this field often organize various meetings. Meetups for the IT community have become frequent events where experts gather to discuss pressing issues in the market.