Professional Services (PS) doesn't emphasize effectiveness - Anonymous employee Appian Employee Review

-Academy is not effective in the long term. The 3 week long training program all new hires attend effectively teaches the very basics but ends up leaving new employees in the hands of their future managers to truly learn to implement the tool. - Management and team leads do not effectively teach new PS employees how to develop. If you don't ask questions you are labeled as "doesn't try" and if you do ask questions you are labeled as "not self reliant, lacks understanding, doesn't use resources." - PS values talking the talk over walking the walk. Agile and project management processes are not well implemented. Asking questions about the process or pointing out improvement areas is heavily frowned upon. It is ostracizing to bring in experienced hire employees and then discount, disregard or even reprimand employees for suggesting new ideas. - Emphasis on Appian knowledge seems to be the only skill valued - this is not a differentiating factor for Appian because many partners are effective at implementation and cheaper. - Cult culture further ostracizes anyone with a differing opinion, this creates a non inclusive work environment that is not humble. - Ability to get promoted is questionably given the cult culture and emphasis on being the loudest as opposed to the best. - Giving a thumbs up to Matt Calkins does not reflect on the company. Matt's middle management is disconnected from those below them. Middle management has been promoted because they are loudest, they are not an effective reporting mechanism to report to the top what is going on at the bottom. - The skills are non transferable the longer you stay - since industry best practices like Agile are not a priority here, you will learn to develop in Appian (though no one will agree to teach this to you) which doesn't transfer easily.