In early May, the DTB team stepped away from our daily routines to gather at the serene Kichu Resort in Paro for our annual training retreat. Held over three beautiful days, this event was designed to learn, strengthen our teamwork, and create a welcoming environment for both personal and professional growth. Surrounded by nature, we found the perfect setting to reconnect, collaborate, and recharge outside the busy office environment.
Wisdom from the Early Days of Programming
We were deeply honored to welcome distinguished international professionals as guest speakers and trainers this year. Mr. Viacheslav, a Senior Software Developer from Russia, brought profound historical context and technical expertise to our team. Having begun his programming journey in the early 1990s, he painted a vivid picture of the early tools, technologies, and challenges of the era.
Session by Viacheslav
His story of what first drew him to programming was incredibly inspiring. In an engaging QA session, his advice to our developers was clear and powerful. He encouraged us to remain passionate, build personal pet projects, and never stop experimenting. Hearing the perspective of someone who has witnessed the evolution of software development over decades resonated strongly with everyone. We were especially grateful that his involvement extended beyond the retreat. Viacheslav spent two full weeks at the DTB office working closely with our FlexReport team to provide active training and knowledge sharing.
Shaping Our Work and Living Our Values
We were also privileged to host Mr. Martin Kallenbach from Germany, an independent consultant from BilboConsult , accompanied by his wife Eeva-Liisa from Finland. Martin led highly engaging sessions that challenged us to look at our daily responsibilities through a new lens.
Session by Martin
His first session focused on the concept of Job Crafting. He explained the three ways people can actively reshape their work through task, relational, and cognitive crafting. The workshop served as a fantastic reminder that every perspective matters, regardless of seniority.
The momentum continued into his second session titled “A Team Worth Joining.” While DTB has four central written values of Integrity, Innovation, Customer Success, and Community, Martin helped us uncover the lived behaviors beneath each one. We mapped out the specific actions developers take to bring these principles to life. With over fifteen new developers joining our ranks shortly, this exercise allowed us to produce authentic onboarding material written entirely in our own words. We also took time to discuss the growing impact of artificial intelligence in our field and how we can approach AI thoughtfully within the context of our company values.
Team work and discussion during Martin’s session
Software Engineering as Gardening
Our product owner, Mr. Adriele, closed the formal sessions with a highly motivating address. He touched on essential topics like balancing work and life, finding joy in coding, and maintaining integrity.
Session by Adriele
Reflecting on the intricate complexity of our core product, ComponentOne, he offered an insightful observation. Unlike project-based companies that jump from one isolated assignment to the next, the nature of our work is much more like gardening. We are continuously tending to our codebase by improving, fixing, digging deep, and innovating. It is a commitment to lifelong learning and persistent care.
Why not?
Team Building, Culture, and Connection
Beyond the profound discussions, the retreat was filled with laughter and positive interaction. We tested our teamwork during the Marshmallow Challenge, working in small groups to build the tallest possible freestanding tower using only spaghetti, thread, and tape, with the goal of placing the marshmallow as high as possible above the table base. The first day wrapped up with energetic matches on our portable badminton net. The following afternoon gave everyone the freedom to unwind according to their own interests, whether that meant taking a quiet leisure stroll, embarking on a beautiful hike to Taktsang Monastery, swimming, or simply soaking in the peaceful resort atmosphere.
Some of our team members with two imposters 🙂
Playing badminton. Some for the very first time. Some are among the best players in Bhutan.
Marshmallow Challenge winners
On our last evening, we visited a local farmhouse for an authentic Bhutanese dinner. We were treated to a wonderful cultural show featuring traditional mask and regional dances, making for an incredibly refreshing end to a productive trip.
Traditional Bhutanese dinner at the traditional Bhutanese farm house in Paro
Making the perfect o’smores over a bonfire
When asked to describe the retreat afterward, our team members shared words like insightful, exceptional, engaging, inspiring, and fulfilling. The personal feedback we received truly captured the spirit of the entire experience. One developer noted that the activities helped them gain deeper insights into work they had previously considered mundane. Another shared how amazing it was to converse with highly experienced international professionals who were actually present when modern programming was born. It was a remarkable getaway overall, leaving us all energized and ready to continue cultivating our craft together.
DTB Team, also known as DTBees 🐝