Dave Bouwman :: CTO, Lead Software Architect

I have been designing and developing GIS software for the last 12 years with projects ranging from small web-sites to state wide enterprise forest management systems.

Over the last few years I have been leading a team of developers in the pursuit of great software built in a sane manner. The combination of an Agile process with pragmatic development practices taken from extreme programing has led us to a highly optimized methodology of creating solid software that we are proud to put our names on.

When I'm not attached to a computer, I'm often found mountain biking on the trails around Fort Collins.

Keep it simple

Anybody can build complex software. Creating simple software that can accomplish the same task is a challenge. In the end though, the simpler it is, the easier it is to use and the easier it is to test, which makes it easier to maintain, and easier to extend.

Quality is the Only Job

Ford famously had the slogan "Quality is Job 1". However, I believe that with software, quality is the only job. At it's core software is boolean - 1's or 0's. A function works correctly, or it does not. Our job as developers is to ensure that as much as possible our software works correctly. Simplicity helps.

Just Enough Design

Although there is no specific formula for how much is enough, you get to know it over time. I don't like spending a lot of time on documents things which do not push the software forward, and many rigorous development processes produce a lot of impressive reports, but little functional software. I believe that my job as a developer is to deliver working software. Plain and simple.