For those that haven’t heard the term “Tribal Knowledge“, it is usually associated with Six Sigma training (don’t get me started on why that has little value in the modern world). Basically, it means “knowledge ‘known’ yet undocumented”. The best companies in the history of the world have relied on these nuggets of differentiation […]
I’m a big fan of words. I get it from my dad, but I like to toss out the occasional 5 dollar word, such as: “platitudes”, “circuitous”, “porcine”, or “tangential”. Not really a big deal in nerd circles, but I used to play in a metal band so it catches people by surprise sometimes. Platitudes […]
I’m an unabashed technophile. I am constantly trolling places like Reddit, Youtube, Kickstarter and Twitter to learn about useful technology. One thing I’m definitely opposed to, however, is embracing new technology simply because it’s new. Kickstarter is a great place to learn about new inventions that are probably going to be more in the never-really-be-ready-for-mass-market […]
Ok, it’s Mr. Labored-Metaphor here with another edition of “Let’s Confuse the Reader”. Sometimes I get a little tired of people and companies subtly bragging about how rebellious and unique they are. Blazing their own trail. Such a maverick. Rebel. Such a black sheep. So out of step. The truth of the matter is…Most people […]
You’ve likely heard the acronym IOT by now, but in case you haven’t it’s the Internet Of Things. I remember when Sun Microsystems REALLY, REALLY wanted Java to take hold as the new, hip language for developers of all stripes. Boy did they pull out all the stops. Unfortunately (as with many marketing-driven things) it was […]
Process Automation du jour… I recently finished a really interesting, fun, process automation project for a new client: Mandated Technology Systems. Mandated Technology Systems is a new startup focused on solving burdensome, manual processes for the Electrical / Building industry. They came to us to help automate the process of building a report for Anritsu™ Spectrum […]
I follow several “influencers” on social media, but to be honest there really isn’t a great deal of value in doing so. Part of the reason I say this is: despite the accepted concept of brevity and honesty in blog-writing, people are still way-too guarded with their opinions. Too many lame platitudes and catch phrases. […]
My first big client was a major retailer who had grown tired of paying a huge ($400k / year) maintenance bill for SAP software they were barely using. They asked me to build a much simpler application that was designed to meet a simple, strict set of requirements. Our first iteration of the app was […]
Professionally and personally we’ve all had periods of time where we are uninspired, unmotivated and just downright “meh”. Sometimes it’s just a natural process of the ebbs and flows of life. Other times it’s a series of unfortunate events or even worse if it’s your own damn fault for making bad decisions. Everyone handles these […]
Easily one of the most difficult things I had to learn as a developer is this: Estimating my time accurately There are key questions to ask, unforseen issues that arise, and fickle client requirements and changes. About 4 years ago I changed the way I build my proposals and estimates for projects. I no longer sell hours. […]