Meet the Thoughtworkers behind the project with MYOB

The client

For decades, MYOB’s business management software has helped businesses in Australia and New Zealand save time and money while providing them with the information they need to make better-informed decisions. Today, MYOB has evolved to provide next-generation technology platforms that support sole operators through to mid-sized businesses in areas that will help unlock their full potential and confidently grow.

The challenge

With internal development and integrated partnerships contributing to the growth of the business, balancing innovation while maintaining and integrating existing systems and digital assets can be challenging. Delivery teams were keen to unlock further capacity to explore new product development, while continuing to successfully manage the full breadth of its technology applications.

MYOB engaged Thoughtworks, a long-standing and trusted partner, to conduct an application management assessment and provide insights into operations across their growing portfolio. The assessment evaluated the product life cycle, health and risk levels, custodianship of systems, team capacity, processes and SLAs and identified priority areas to address. It also highlighted components ready to transition into a managed service phase.

The Thoughtworkers

Behind every Thoughtworks project is a team of passionate individuals bringing ideas to life. To give you a closer look at the journey behind the MYOB project, we spoke with four members of our team who played a key role in its development: Jiawei Liu, Developer, Na Chen, Service Delivery Manager, Pei Zhao, Infrastructure Consultant and Tech Lead, and Yingjie Guan, Developer. Their insights offer a behind-the-scenes look at the development process and the teamwork that made it all possible, and the impact they helped deliver.

What was your experience like in this role?

Jiawei Liu: Honestly, it was really an interesting mix. I was able to dive into both the development side of things and the operations, which is something you don't always get. It's great to see how everything fits together, from writing the code to actually seeing it run smoothly.

Na Chen: My role was both exciting and a good challenge. It went beyond standard project management, working on bespoke operational processes to suit MYOB’s unique needs. I collaborated with the wider MYOB team to brainstorm processes to solve problems faster. Beyond the day-to-day, a big part was figuring out how to make things more efficient and make those improvements stick.

Pei Zhao: My role involved both building strong client relationships with diverse teams and ensuring alignment among stakeholders.

Yingjie Guan: As a developer, I found the experience rewarding. I collaborated closely with MYOB’s teams to enhance software features, troubleshoot issues and implement their customers’ feedback. This hands-on experience allowed me to sharpen my technical skills and deepened my understanding of MYOB’s customer needs and business goals. It was a great opportunity for me to grow professionally.

What was new or innovative about this project?

Na Chen: This is Thoughtworks’ first DAMO™ Managed Services project with MYOB, and we introduced several new practices that have proven to be effective. For example, we consistently applied the system assessment methodology to help MYOB identify products and services suitable for DAMO operations and conduct workload assessments.

As part of this, we developed a methodology for system evaluations, ensuring a smooth and thorough process. To facilitate knowledge transfer, we created standardized handover templates, which have streamlined the transition.

We also implemented a FinOps playbook, enabling us to conduct regular reviews of service infrastructure to ensure it remains closely aligned with MYOB’s business objectives. In parallel, we established a Glean AI practice focused on improving work efficiency. By leveraging the Glean AI tool, we were able to enhance our analytical capabilities, particularly in root cause analysis, leading to faster problem solving and improved efficiency for both our team and MYOB. These are just some of the key improvements we implemented.

Yingjie Guan: We introduced several innovative features. Specifically, we incorporated AI-driven insights to offer MYOB tailored analysis, which helps them make the smartest choice. And, to improve usability, we redesigned the user interface for a more intuitive and efficient experience.

What was your biggest learning during the project?

Jiawei Liu: One of my biggest takeaways from this project was gaining hands-on experience with DevOps and maintenance. It really sharpened my approach to problem analysis and understanding how to improve processes over time.

Na Chen: I learned that operations are not a repetitive task. It’s a space full of opportunities to explore how we stabilize systems, improve efficiency and enhance the end-user experience.

Yingjie Guan: My biggest learning was the importance of a user-centric approach. By engaging with MYOB teams early and regularly, I was able to understand their needs and pain points, which really shaped our development process. Additionally, I learned a lot about agile methodologies, which helped me adapt quickly to changes and feedback.
 

How did the team work together to deliver impact for the client?

Jiawei Liu: We worked closely together through pair programming and focused on delivering key modules like the thread module, which is designed to identify, analyze and assess potential security enhancements and system resiliency opportunities. We also implemented operational protocols and created playbooks to ensure the service stayed stable and reliable.
 

Na Chen: We focused on providing timely support for requests, continuously improving our processes. Sharing our learnings with MYOB’s internal platform-related services teams was also a big part of our approach to driving ongoing improvement.
 

Yingjie Guan: Our team collaborated closely through regular meetings and agile sprints, ensuring that everyone was aligned on goals and timelines. We fostered cross-functional collaboration, with MYOB’s developers, designers and product managers working together from the start to share insights and feedback, which helped shape a cohesive product. Maintaining open communication through tools like Slack and project management software allowed us to stay transparent and resolve issues quickly, ensuring smooth progress throughout the project.

What is your proudest moment from this project?

Na Chen: For me, it was definitely the team’s recognition at MYOB’s AI Hacker Day event, where we were competing against other MYOB teams and were ranked in the top 10. On top of that, we received a commendation letter from MYOB’s Incident Management team, which acknowledged us as one of the fastest-responding teams with an average response time of around five minutes during incidents. That recognition meant a lot to all of us.

Yingjie Guan: My proudest moment was when we successfully launched a major feature update based on direct user feedback. After months of collaboration and testing, seeing MYOB’s customers engage with the new features and hearing their positive responses was incredibly rewarding. There was one demo session where a customer shared how much the update improved their workflow. Knowing our work directly impacted their experience was a real highlight. It reinforced the value of user-centered development and teamwork.

What makes you feel good about the work you did/the impact you and your team had?

Jiawei Liu: Knowing that we were able to support MYOB’s service stability and ongoing maintenance. It’s rewarding to see their system running smoothly, knowing our efforts contributed to that.

Pei Zhao: For me, it’s exciting to see the team expand and thrive while taking on new challenges. It really gives me a sense of accomplishment.

Yingjie Guan: Being part of such a talented and diverse team. We face challenges together, celebrate wins and learn from setbacks. The collaboration and camaraderie make the entire journey fulfilling and enjoyable.

The outcome

MYOB has been able to reallocate development resources to focus on new strategic initiatives and drive greater innovation.   

The opportunity
If the journey behind MYOB inspires you and you’re ready to be part of a new era in managed services - driving automation, scalability and innovation through AI and continuous discovery, explore our open roles here at Thoughtworks and join us.

Together, let’s be extraordinary.