Building the RSM Appraisal System: Adjusting to a New Role Under Pressure

Joining a new company is always a mix of excitement and anxiety. But what happens when, within your first few weeks, you're handed a complex project that needs to be built from scratch — with real users waiting on the other side?

That was my reality when I joined Rex Insurance as a Software Engineer in November 2025.

The Brief

The task was straightforward on paper: replace a generic HR appraisal process with a dedicated, role-based system for Retail Sales Managers (RSMs) and Territory Sales Managers (TSMs). The existing process was clunky, manual, and didn't reflect the specific workflow these teams operated in.

The Challenge

The challenge wasn't just technical — it was contextual. I was new. I didn't fully understand the business yet. I had to learn the appraisal workflow, understand the roles, map out the approval stages, and build the system — all at the same time.

The Approach

I started by asking a lot of questions. I sat with the HR team, the RSMs, and the TSMs to understand exactly how the appraisal process worked in practice — not just on paper. This gave me the context I needed to design a system that actually fit their workflow.

From there, I broke the project into clear phases: authentication and role management, dashboard views per role, the appraisal form and submission flow, multi-stage approval, and finally Kissflow integration.

The Stack

I chose React and Laravel for the frontend and backend respectively, with MySQL as the database. The Kissflow integration was handled via their API, which allowed us to trigger and track approval workflows without rebuilding that infrastructure from scratch.

The Result

The system now serves 13 RSMs and 5 TSMs. It replaced a process that previously required manual coordination across email and spreadsheets. Most importantly — it was delivered on time, and the feedback from the team has been positive.

What I Learned

Starting a new role is hard. Starting a new role and immediately delivering a complex system is harder. But it taught me that the most important skill isn't always technical — it's the ability to ask the right questions, move fast without cutting corners, and stay calm under pressure.