Warming to her task
How Soraia Ferreira is giving heating technology a digital boost
Bosch is a melting pot of many different disciplines. For example, heating technology specialists and IoT experts can come together to make innovative solutions ready for the market. The Bosch associate Soraia Ferreira explains why the company is using solutions such as the Buderus Easy Control app and the Bosch HomeCom web application to make heating technology connected.
My soft spot for technology and systems
If anyone asks me what I do at Bosch, I tell them I process and develop knowledge. I originally trained in computer and communications technology, and have since specialized in making information accessible for users. I’m fascinated by the internet of things — it was why I joined Bosch. As soon as I started working in software development at Thermotechnology, I realized how much I enjoy my work, and especially developing software applications for innovative technical appliances. These are solutions that add value to technology, and make our everyday lives more convenient.
Getting the house warm
Shortly after joining Bosch, I started working on Bosch HomeCom. This is a web application developed by the Bosch brand Buderus. During its development phase, I supported the team with my IoT expertise. What I especially liked was the way that Bosch HomeCom makes everyday life easier. Wherever I may be, I can use the web application to adjust my central heating. I can also give heating engineers access to the application, so they can perform remote maintenance on my heating system. If a heating engineer needs to come by, the web application will list the most likely causes of the fault, suggest what spare parts might be needed, and send a reminder of the appointment — to me and the heating engineer. At the same time, I can heat my home more efficiently: Bosch Control Center Connect knows how much energy I’m consuming, and shows me where I can economize.
“For me, everyday life is a source of inspiration for innovative solutions. If you carefully watch the world around you, you’ll always find things that could do with improvement.”
A passion for networking
At Thermotechnology, my development colleagues and I digitally revamp innovative technology. The reason this works is that our areas of expertise complement each other, we are an experienced team, and each of us is passionate about the projects we’re involved in. Every day, I meet with the people responsible for development teams, as well as with the people who design technology, user interfaces, and user experience. I’m also in regular contact with the people who are familiar with heating engineers’ day-to-day business, as well as with the customers and equipment. And as I am in constant exchange with these people, I also have a very good idea of what customers and the various markets want. Our common aim is to find the best connectivity solutions, and this can result in a smart product such as Bosch HomeCom.
“My colleagues give me valuable input: a profound understanding of the technology, of customer wishes, and of the climate conditions and legal frameworks in international markets.”
Small teams
In developing it, we applied the scrum method, which is designed to make product development more agile. We worked in three small teams of five to nine associates each. The outcome was a wealth of new functions for Bosch HomeCom, such as the real-time troubleshooting diagnosis tool for heating engineers and the tool for analyzing energy consumption.
These functions were rapidly implemented. Together, we created a product that has been a smash hit in the market.
The good thing about Bosch is that my colleagues and I complement each other in our search for solutions. Without the many new possibilities for connectivity, traditional physical heating technology would find it a lot harder to hold its own in the market. And without innovative physical heating technology, we wouldn’t make any progress with IoT software.
It would be a lot more difficult to analyze what the industry really needs. In my daily work, I see how the virtual and physical worlds are growing together at Bosch, and how this results in additional customer benefit. This is what motivates me.
Profile
Soraia Ferreira
Software engineer at the Bosch location in Aveiro, Portugal
Our team enjoys a good reputation. It could be that this makes my work even more inspiring.
Soraia Ferreira completed a master’s degree in computer engineering and communications sciences at the University of Porto. After gaining some practical experience, she joined Bosch in 2014 as a developer of connectivity solutions, a position she holds to this day. When she needs to relax, she likes to do yoga, preferably on the beach or in the park — a year-round prospect thanks to the Portuguese climate.
Summary
Soraia Ferreira is a software engineer from Portugal. Together with engineering colleagues responsible for developing innovative physical heating appliances, she developed Bosch HomeCom, a smart heating solution. The solution is the result of a combination of Bosch expertise from a wide variety of domains.
