"Putting a program through its paces is very fulfilling"
Florian Ringguth was once a FRILO user himself for many years and changed sides in 2020. He therefore knows the needs of the software users very well and lets his wealth of experience combined with fresh ideas flow into his work as product manager at FRILO. In the interview, the engineer provides insights into his career, his everyday work and his private life.
Hello Florian! You’ve been working for FRILO since 2020. How did you find your way to FRILO?
As a FRILO customer at the time, I came across a job advertisement for product manager during the installation of a new FRILO version. At that time, I had already gained 6.5 years of practical experience as a structural engineer in a planning office, using FRILO software on a daily basis. Due to my interest in software and structural analysis, my curiosity was aroused. I have always been enthusiastic about the basic approach of the FRILO programs. Breaking down a building project into individual structural systems and detail points is the type of structural analysis I learned and appreciate. The idea of working on the development of calculation programs not only sounded appealing, but offered me a desired change of pace related to civil engineering.
What does your workday look like?
Whether I’m sitting in my home office or in the office, every morning I first check my e-mail inbox and then take a look at our hotline list. In addition to my work as a product manager, I take care of all our customers’ concerns. Primarily for FRILO products, which I also support during development. I usually consult with the development department quite often during the day about problems, new implementations or test results. Regular meetings about new program features, planning of online trainings, coordination with partners or concept work are also on my agenda. Every day is different, but also has its routines. That’s what makes the work exciting, but also predictable to a certain extent. The mixture makes the difference!
What was your most extraordinary experience at FRILO?
There are many small, unexpected and extraordinary experiences and stories. In addition to an English lecture at a university in Greece that came about quite spontaneously, I still remember my first online webinar very well. As a former FRILO customer, word got around very quickly that I had already gained some practical experience with the GEO Building Model. For this reason, in addition to the Continuous Beam DLT+, I also partially supervise the GEO and the Finite Element program PLT. After half a year at FRILO, a joint webinar with SCIA was then on the agenda at the end of 2020. However, this took place in the UK in front of native speakers in English. I still remember how excited I was at that time. As a structural engineer, I had never given a presentation in English in front of so many people before. With enough time to prepare, the webinar went really well and, in retrospect, I’m very glad I had this experience.
What do you like about working in the FRILO team?
The direct coordination with the program developers makes the work very interesting and exciting. Your own ideas can be discussed and implemented directly. Putting a program through its paces, finding errors and implementing new functions is very fulfilling. But also the contact to our customers – especially via seminars – has added a very diversified activity to my field of work. Personally, I also really enjoy working with universities and students. As a trained instructor for draftsmen, imparting knowledge and enjoying engineering work is extremely important to me.
What do you do when you’re not working?
In my free time, I really like to get involved with any video game culture. Besides new games I collect old consoles and like the nostalgia of former games from my childhood. In the summer I also like to take out my skateboard every now and then and explore Stuttgart in a completely different way. Since a few years cooking is one of my newly discovered favorite hobbies. Due to my vegan diet, I attach a lot of importance to a balanced and at the same time exciting meal plan. I don’t like to cook the same dish several times. I am fascinated by the creativity that something as mundane as cooking offers. Coming up with recipes on my own and learning how to combine individual ingredients appropriately reminds me quite a bit of my passion for construction.
