Introduction
In our first instalment of the ‘Meet the Team’ series, we had the privilege of engaging in a candid conversation with Artiom Bazirca, our accomplished Program Manager at The Unit. With a wealth of versatile experience in the Program & Project Management industry and a passion for embracing cutting-edge technologies, Artiom brings a wealth of expertise and insight to the table.
Throughout this interview, Artiom reflects on his journey, shares valuable lessons learned, and provides an insider’s perspective on the future of iGaming.
1. Can you share your professional background and the path that led you to become Head of Program Management at The Unit?
In 2012, I took a project management training course. It was a three-day course. During it, I realised that this was exactly what I wanted to do in the future. It was easy to understand and logical, and I thought that project management covers all aspects of business: stakeholder management, budgeting, resource and risk management, scope and quality management, etc. I thought that was a good start to understand how it all works, and that’s where my journey began.
I started learning more about project management by reading and applying what I learned to my current job. It wasn’t related to project management; however, I was just trying to experiment and look at it as a project. The first framework I learned and put into practice was a Waterfall framework, a traditional project management model. After a while, when I had a confident level of knowledge and practice, I started training other people around the world who were interested. I worked as a Project Manager (PM), head of Portfolio Management (a set of programs containing a set of related or unrelated projects), and Scrum master.
I always wanted to be in IT, so I started learning another framework that is used in the IT sector – Scrum. I got certified and still practising Scrum. I like to combine both frameworks to get a greater output because each framework offers some great things, and you can balance between them and use what really brings value.
Program management involves overseeing various aspects of IT projects and programs. Some of the key responsibilities are planning, stakeholder management, resource allocation, budget and risk management, quality assurance, change management, and continuous improvement. The best part is that you have to know each project and leverage between them. Sometimes, it may not be easy, but it can enhance your experience and give you the ability to react to changes faster and see the same things from different perspectives.
To achieve great results, effective communication is crucial. It is important to ensure alignment among Product Owners (POs), Scrum Masters (SMs), and Developers (Devs). Stakeholders should be kept up to date, blockers should be communicated, everything should be planned, the goal should be set, and commitments should be understood and confirmed. In other words, clear communication and transparency are the keys to achieving great results.
2. In your role, how do you foster innovation and ensure that The Unit stays ahead in the rapidly evolving sports betting tech landscape?
In the fast-paced sports betting tech landscape, being a Program Manager requires a multi-faceted approach to ensure innovation and continuity, which involves strategic planning, teamwork, continuous growth, and flexibility.
First of all, we encourage a spirit of innovation and out-of-the-box thinking. We are succeeding in creating a work environment that fosters creativity. We are keeping up with the current state of the sports betting tech industry by staying informed about new technologies, market trends, and competition strategies. Our colleagues are always up to date. We empower cross-functional collaboration among different teams and departments within The Unit, including product development, engineering, marketing, and data analysis.
By doing so, teams can bring diverse perspectives to problem-solving and drive innovation through collective intelligence.
3. The Unit is known for its unique culture and collaborative environment. How do you cultivate this, and why is it important for product development?
At The Unit, we are cultivating a unique culture and collaborative environment within the company. We believe that this is crucial for fostering innovation, driving employee engagement, and ultimately fueling successful product development.
We also believe that people are the biggest value for every company. Therefore, we focus on permanent improvements in communication and collaboration. We encourage open communication where colleagues feel comfortable expressing their ideas, concerns, and feedback. We also invest in continuous learning and development.
Our culture is characterised by collaboration, transparency, and commitment, which fosters a sense of belonging and ownership among employees. As a result, employees are more committed to their work, leading to higher productivity and better product outcomes.
4. What philosophies or approaches define product development at The Unit, setting it apart from competitors?
We are using agile principles and methodologies to promote flexibility, collaboration, and rapid iteration. It allows us to respond quickly to changing market dynamics and customer requirements, delivering value incrementally and iteratively.
You know, frameworks, mostly, are recommendations, but you don’t need to use everything if it doesn’t work for you and you are not getting any value. Therefore, we have a combination of two frameworks that give us the possibility to get a greater output, to use tools and techniques which bring us value, but not just because it is recommended. Based on the project, we decide what and how we will use it to satisfy customer expectations and ensure smooth delivery.
5. Could you share a standout achievement or milestone that your team has recently accomplished?
There are a lot! Just because when The Unit commits to something – be sure, it will be done in the best way!
No matter how complex the project could be – due to the team’s commitment we have at The Unit – we are always sure that everything will be done with high quality, timeliness, and not the least – the budget.
Yes, there could be and are a lot of challenges and stress, aggressive deadlines, and sometimes you think it won’t happen in the agreed deadline… it just won’t happen… but, look, that is where the magic happens: team dedication, responsibility, ownership, management’s leadership, all these drives to success and outstanding results.
6. How does The Unit integrate customer feedback into the product development cycle to ensure the end product meets or exceeds user expectations?
Customer’s feedback, as well as any team member’s feedback, is highly important to us. We use feedback to understand what else can be improved, whether we are going in the same direction as the customer’s expectations, and if we are aligned from a mindset point of view, etc. Feedback gives us the power to be better. It is a collaborative session where we need to hear the voice of the customer, understand their pain, welcome expected results, brainstorm, and provide the best solution.
7. Beyond meeting business objectives, what larger impact do you hope The Unit’s products will have on the sports betting and igaming industry at large?
We are always in line with what happens in the iGaming industry. It is not just because the profile of the business is sports betting and iGaming, but because that is our passion. That is what we love to do. We have outstanding experience in that, we have delivered a lot of projects, and we have the best team who are able to make perfect products with different complexity and high quality.
The sports betting and iGaming industry can only benefit from having The Unit as a trusted partner and an integral part of its ecosystem.
8. Based on your experience, what trends or technologies do you believe will shape the future of the igaming industry?
Like IT, the iGaming industry is continuously evolving due to advancements in technology and shifts in consumer behavior. From my point of view, there are two important points:
A) Consumer preferences
B) Regulations
If the first point is pretty clear, that consumer preferences could be changed, and we just need to see in which way.
With the regulation, it is much more complicated. The iGaming industry is subject to regulatory changes and evolving compliance requirements in various jurisdictions. Future trends may include increased regulation of online gambling and initiatives and measures to combat problem gambling.
In any case, for sure, I guess the future trends for iGaming could be:
A) AI and machine learning algorithms, which are currently being applied to tailor gaming experiences, understand player actions and identify instances of fraud or gambling issues. Looking ahead, AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants could offer tailored customer assistance and suggestions to gamers.
B) Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). These two have the capability to transform the iGaming experience through the development of engaging worlds and interactive gaming features. With the increasing availability and affordability of VR and AR devices, we will likely witness a rise in iGaming platforms incorporating these technologies.
9. Looking back on your time with The Unit so far, what are you most proud of, and what lessons have you learned?
I am grateful to the people I work with. They are all professionals and I have learned a lot from each of my colleagues. I am very proud of the achievements we have made together and the opportunities for self-fulfilment. Proud of the positive contributions I have made to the processes and keeping track of what works and what doesn’t, proud of the responsibility and trust The Unit has given me, and proud to be part of the The Unit family.
Some of the lessons learned for me are: no matter what, believe in your strengths, in your teammates, and always keep in mind that together we can reach amazing results
10. Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals and aspirations while working with the Unit, and how do you plan to achieve them?
I Will point out just some of them, which are very important:
To build a high-performing team: To reach that goal, we will invest in team development through training, coaching, providing opportunities for professional growth and advancement, fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, and creating succession plans to ensure continuity of leadership.
Continual improvement of the processes: We need to have processes that bring value and avoid those that are just a waste of time. For that, we need to assess which approach we will use and which of them really matter.
To be at the top of iGaming providers: This one is challenging because there are a lot of competitors, but with a modern vision and strategic thinking, and with a powerful team on board, it is realistic. It takes time, but over the past years, we have already proven ourselves as a trusted partner and experienced experts in the sports betting and iGaming industry.
