IRIDIUM · TECHNOLOGY / GLOBAL OPERATIONS

Saw an operational gap. Built the fix. Took it network-wide.

Iridium was racing toward commercial launch of its global satellite communications network. I ran Business Operations for three gateway partners — independent companies, not Iridium offices — across Taiwan, China and Thailand, navigating priorities across companies, countries and internal Iridium teams.

The challenge

As gateways worked through the same complex integration process, I noticed a pattern: teams across the network were hitting similar problems and solving them independently, with no way to share what they learned.

Nobody had asked me to fix this. I just saw it.

What I did

With no formal brief or documented requirements, and speed of the essence, I proposed and built a database to capture solutions as they emerged, so every gateway could benefit from what another team had already figured out.

I built it over a single compressed weekend, with my boss’s sign-off. It worked well enough that Iridium adopted it across the network.

The result

11 GLOBAL GATEWAYS
Database adopted across Iridium’s worldwide gateway network.

SHARED OPERATIONAL KNOWLEDGE
Solutions developed by one team became available to gateways elsewhere.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE RECOGNITION
Received an out-of-cycle bonus specifically for the initiative and impact of the work.

“The solution that you built, with virtually no user requirements, was a phenomenal accomplishment for which the entire team benefited. My understanding is that this is typical of all the work you have done for us to date.

Thank you for your willingness to go the extra mile…Your enthusiasm and strong work ethic serves as an example to the rest of the team.” 

Marc Gercenstein, Senior Vice President of Business Operations, Iridium