Digital Pottery

No Jargon

In this line of work, using plain language with clients is essential. Don't mistake an absence of jargon for a lack of knowledge and experience. It's often the presence of jargon that should concern you.

Tenacious

If the solution to a problem is not immediately apparent, unlike many programmers, I won't let go until I solve the problem. I'll look through hundreds of lines of code if necessary. I don't like loose ends.

Good Lazy, Not Bad

Most programmers are lazy, but there's good lazy and bad lazy.

Good lazy is using freely available software packages instead of writing something yourself - as long as it's appropriate for the project.

Bad lazy is incomplete testing, or using packages mentioned above when writing custom code is more appropriate, or saying, "It's good enough" when it most definitely isn't.

I've Seen It All

Since 1991, I've worked fulltime jobs and taken projects in many different industries: retail, clothing and textiles, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, entertainment, health care and hospital administration, real estate, government, education, advertising, technology.

I've worked on every kind of project you can imagine and, more important, I've experienced the full range of human behavior on the job:

• I watched a boss get into a fistfight with his business partners; then they tried to throw him out a window
• I've had rival contractors and a client's employees try to sabotage my work
• I had a client refuse to write requirements and then threaten to sue me because the project stalled
• I've worked with brilliant programmers and project managers
• I've been offered fulltime employment by clients on the spot
• Several clients and former colleagues are now good friends

I could go on. The point is: I doubt you'll surprise me. I've seen it all.

Experience has taught me to recognize potential roadblocks. I love the details, but I have a high level, big picture vision. And I will tell you the truth diplomatically and speak to you in plain English.