Arttu Viljakainen

Software development consultant

I love solving complex problems and working collaboratively with teams to achieve great outcomes. With close to 15 years of experience, I'm a generalist who enjoys a variety of challenges and constantly learning new things.

My focus is on hands-on software development, but I believe the performance of a team matters more than any individual's skills. I'm passionate about studying and improving teamwork and shared leadership, helping teams work effectively together without relying on command and control.

I find meaning in doing work that matters. I love environments where teams have high autonomy and can self-organise. Titles don't define what you can do. What matters is making good things happen.

Humans as collaborative digital tool makers is an interesting viewpoint.

Mastodon LinkedIn Developer Collective

Technical

JVM: Java, Kotlin (10+ years)
Web: React, Node, TypeScript, HTML/CSS
Databases: PostgreSQL, MariaDB, ElasticSearch
Cloud: Kubernetes, AWS, containers
.NET, GoLang, Android, Jetpack Compose, Delphi

Cloud native systems, Android tablets, desktop applications. Public sector, defence, and commercial.

Leadership & process

Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM)
Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)
Certified SAFe 5 Practitioner
Reaktor Team Builder Academy (2021)
Reaktor Leading Teams (2021)

Certifications reflect experience, not endorsement. I prefer letting teams find their own way of working.

Education

MSc, University of Eastern Finland (2012)
Major: Computer Science, software engineering
Minors: psychology, cognitive science, business economics
PhD studies at Tampere University (on hold)
Research focus: teamwork in software development

Finnish (native), English (advanced), Swedish (basics)

Work history

Now

Full time at Reaktor, studying teamwork on the side.

2019

Reaktor → current

Software consultancy. My roles have varied from senior full-stack developer to team lead, scrum master, and agile coach.

2014

Insta DefSec Oy

Senior software engineer, team lead & scrum master, usability specialist.

2013

Suonentieto Oy

Delphi application developer.

2010

CGI / Logica

Java and XSLT transformations in a large SAP PI integration project.

2008

European Forest Institute

Java developer trainee, summer 2008.

I started programming around 1999 in QBasic, and then in Turbo Pascal. No internet, just library books and trial and error — building ASCII games with nothing but IF-ELSE technology. I loved it, best years of computing for me. I got so addicted in coding that it somewhat displaced gaming for me.

That spark never went away. I never really thought of doing anything else for a living.