jason
Posted:
February 13, 2012

Announcements & Culture

By:
jason

Non-Programmer to Programmer: Introducing Case-Study Jason

Jason started working at Skookum about five months ago. Before that, he worked at a company that installed and seviced ShoreTel VoIP phone systems.

We asked Jason to introduce himself and talk about what he’s learned coming from a non-programming (though still technical) career into software development. Take it away, Jason.

At my last job, along with installing the phone systems, diagnostics and upgrades to the current network were almost always needed to get the needed voice quality. The company was just five people including the owner. The relationships formed within a small team like that are awesome. So why move to NC and take a new job then? The weather! I lived in north central Ohio…and like a lot of other NC transplants, I’d have a hard time going back to grey skies and bad winters.

But from a technical angle, I also was excited about the challenge of doing and learning something new. I’ve had a desire to improve my knowledge and toolset for some time. Coming to Skookum Digital Works, I really didn’t know what I would be doing, but it was clear they thought I had the capacity to grow if surrounded with the right teammates.

SDW does software development. I had some experience…mostly with ASP Classic (no laughing). No PHP. No node, No JavaScript, No CSS. No HTML5. Basically, no experience. Would I measure up? Would I really pick up those languages with the right guides?

Well here I am, five months in. I have not done any ASP Classic programming, but that’s (more than) OK. What I have done is learned a whole lot. I’ve picked up more programming skills in the last five months than I had in the rest of my previous jobs combined. I have used PHP, JavaScript and jQuery, node, knockout, CSS, and HTML5. I’ve also picked up some design and layout tricks, and I’ve even learned how to stretch and use WordPress as way-more-than a simple CMS.

And, do I like it here? Well, the work environment has a very similar feel to the small company I was at before. Everyone at SDW is awesome, smart, and willing to help when asked. Everyone here likes to operate out of their comfort zone and continue learning new things. And when someone makes a breakthrough, there’s usually a tech talk to coincide.

Looking toward the future, I hope to learn as much about new technologies and languages as I can. I want to learn more node, and wouldn’t mind learning Ruby at some point. I also would like to build an iPhone, iPad, or Mac app. There are things I need to be better at, and I am trying hard. My CSS, javascript, and code testing all need improving. I am learning as fast as I possibly can and look forward to learning even more. And as I move forward, a goal of mine is to help keep people informed of the new awesomeness that I find, because we all know, we will never know it all.

josh
Posted:
January 30, 2012

Announcements, Business & Culture

By:
josh
@ joshoakhurst

Charlotte Programming Company Helps Business Clients Go Digital

Along with being ranked one of the Best Places to Work in Charlotte, North Carolina, James Hartsell—SDW’s co-founder and CEO, was recently profiled by the Charlotte Business Journal. The Q&A is reprinted below.

Charlotte, North Carolina computer software mobile programming

Tell us a little about what Skookum Digital Works does and how it was founded?
Skookum Digital Works is a technical partner for anyone with a startup dream. We mainly work with entrepreneurs—building out their products or customizing software for businesses. 

My co-founder and I, Bryan Delaney, founded Skookum in 2005. We were roommates at UNC Charlotte, both graduated with computer science degrees, and both went to work for the Department of Defense for a few years before deciding we had a better mousetrap. 

Bryan and I are Charlotte natives, and we’re happy to have located our office Uptown. 

Do you specialize in any particular types of apps or client base?
I don’t think its crass of me to say we like to work with funded startups. Our typical client is the non-technical entrepreneur; someone with business skills and ideas but with no programming background. We allow a non-technical entrepreneur to get started on their digital product without having to find a technical co-founder or trying to hire engineers they are not qualified to vet. 

Our clients have often heard the word “No” elsewhere. We have expertise in the mobile web, complicated software integrations, and real-time web collaboration. 

What are some examples of apps Skookum has created?
A publishing company wanted a marketing tool to promote their books. SDW gave them a digital revenue stream.

Some D.C. folks knew independent voters were eager to take collective action. SDW built them a data mining and people matching system.

A group of investors-and-avid-golfers hated the 100+ scoring apps already available. We made players’ phones talk to each other. (!)

A neighborhood of New York businesses disliked Groupon keeping their margins. We created a localized model they collectively controlled. 

What do you think will be the next innovation in smartphone applications?
Mobile apps are going to be easier to download and live outside the walls of the Apple iTunes store and the Android Marketplace. Companies can now place their applications on iPhones and iPads without Apple taking 30% of the cut. 

Mobile applications are also slowing making their way into retail. Most stores know they can use smartphones and tablet devices to enhance their store experience, but the smaller chains (and certainly the local guys) are waiting to see what the big guys do before making the investment. 

Charlotte isn’t really seen as a tech town. Will that ever change?
It’s fundamentally a marketing problem and one that we and 70+ other Charlotte tech leaders have addressed face to face with Mayor Foxx. Aside from numerous local startups and technical partners like ourselves, all of the banks are essentially technology companies. 

For just one example, If you took all the programmers out of Bank of America, they would comprise the tenth largest tech company in the world. BoA has technology needs that make engineers at IBM cry. 

We like to think we’re doing our part recruiting talent to the area and flying the flag in front of national entrepreneurs. We have clients all over the place happy to come see us and come visit Charlotte. 

Charlotte is already a tech hub, but the city definitely needs to get better about spreading that message. 

josh
Posted:
September 1, 2011

Announcements & Events

By:
josh
@ joshoakhurst

CLT Mayor Foxx to Visit SDW

Skookum Digital Works

We are very proud to announce that in the upcoming weeks, Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx will be joining Skookum Digital Works in a live, townhall-style event to cover topics such as the tech industry in Charlotte, our vibrant startup community, and the innovation happening with our New American Economy.

The event is 9/14 at our Uptown offices. Check the link for more details.

josh
Posted:
August 23, 2011

Announcements & SXSW

By:
josh
@ joshoakhurst

For Immediate Release: A Skookum Invasion of Austin, TX (USA) Planned for March 2012, Study Shows

Who has the best interactive panels for SXSW 2012?

Skookum Digital Works has three talks proposed for the upcoming 2012 SXSW Interactive Festival. March of 2012—yes, that’s right around the corner now, isn’t it?

We need your help.

While we feel very confident about the subject matter below, 30% of the judging for panel selection comes from friends and homies—like you—who we’re asking to do us a solid and vote. Unfortunately, this means you’re going to have to register for the panel picker (it’s quick) so you can go click some thumbs-up buttons.

SDW supports your enthusiasm for said supporting. Of us. What we’re saying is we think YOU will like this stuff. And we’re grateful. Topics:

The best SXSW Interactive Panel on Digital Production

Your’s truly jumping into the game, here.

Digital work, on the Earth’s time-scale-continuum that is, has become ubiquitous enough that most people—be it agency, client, or vendor side have felt the PAIN of a project gone wrong. You know how it is; stuff is either always late or over budget, and you’re sadly becoming used to feeling like your next project is going to suck. You think it’s just inherent with digital work, but it’s not.

For a captivating hour, I’ll explain what’s wrong with your process and how to fix it. Hardly a session about finger-pointing or etherial pontification, I’ll dish specific on the few things that each partner does to screw up the project and the courteous ways to come correct. Real-talk.

VOTE: Pain: Fix Your Digital Production Process
AUDIENCE: Advertising Agencies, Marketing Directors, Digital Vendors, Interactive Producers

nodejs is a hot topic for SXSW interactive

Bleeding-edge developers need only attend (and if that’s not you, trust us, this technology is crazy cool); time to geek out on an Apache alternative that enables us to completely rethink the modern web server.

SDW will talk about two, big commercial deployments using node.js and explore the benefits, trade-offs, and myths.

Also included will be tips and tricks such as “How to decide if node.js is right for your project,” “How to convince your boss,” and the answer to “Does node.js scale?”

VOTE: Not a Toy: Building a Non-Trivial App in Node.js
AUDIENCE: Jedi-Programmers, JavaScript Wizards, Super Tech Geeks, Interactive Producers

HTML5 for Mobile topics SXSW

The post-PC era? Some say we’re already there. Fast, user-friendly devices currently flood the market. Fragmentation abounds. Demands for mobile experiences are skyrocketing along with the cost of platform-specific development.

You’re planning a mobile app…and for the first time you have a realistic alternative to “going native.” This session will present you with the techniques, limitations, practical best practices, and enormous potential of mobile HTML5 applications. We’ll also show great app success stories using HTML5, and you’ll hear directly from our R&D team about real-world, mobile HTML5 solutions. Timely stuff!

VOTE: You’re Doing it Wrong: Mobile HTML5 Apps
AUDIENCE: Advertising Agencies, Marketing Directors, Interactive Producers, Mobile Programmers

–
Like I said, you’d be doing us a huge service to take a few minutes to cast your vote. Also, let us know in the comments if you’ll be attending or if you also have a topic we can bro-down on and return the favor.

Gracias.

josh
Posted:
August 16, 2011

Announcements & Culture

By:
josh
@ joshoakhurst

CED Names Skookum Digital Works North Carolina Technology Company to Watch

North Carolina Companies to Watch

Break out the dancing shoes—Skookum Digital Works has recently taken home a flattering win issued by the Council for Entrepreneurial Development having just been named one of 25 “North Carolina Companies to Watch.”

This is exciting news for us being recognized among the numerous high-tech companies residing in the state showing impressive growth, high-caliber leadership, and innovative products.

Gerald has an award for Skookum Digital Works If anything, this award serves as a good excuse to show off Skookum’s snazziest dressers and take a victory lap across the state on our way to the Durham gala in September. Bonus points: the ceremony is being hosted by this guy: a one dashing and mustachio’d TV anchor Gerald Owens. Sweet!

2011 is shaping up to be a banner year for the programming outlet founded just six years ago by former DoD programmers (and college roommates) James Hartsell and Bryan Delaney. These two have put together an impressive roster of creative developers tackling hairy projects that only a few companies across the country are doing.

In addition to our work with node.js and other, inventive mobile applications, in just a few months we’re set to unveil a fantastic project for a start-up partner that could possibly change the game of golf (among other cool projects we’ve worked on this year).

Like many are starting to recognize, node and HTML5 are two technologies that are re-setting the bar for quality mobile application development. We’re happy to be one of the forerunners in that mobile research and development space and are duly happy to be recognized for our work.

Thanks to all our trusting and progressive clients for joining the growing, happy family at Skookum and to the CED for bestowing us this honor.

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