You have reached Ed Paay's Personal Pages.  I have worked in four different countries as a computer software consultant but currently I am residing in the North-West.  I have mostly been working with Microsoft platforms and development tools but also monitor and keep up to date with Linux and alternative development tools including Delphi, Adobe Flex, Java and PHP and would deploy these when appropriate for a client.

Most recently I worked as a hands on Software Development Manager and Software Engineer for URS in Boise, Idaho.  Currently, I tend to work as a consultant and contract software developer for different clients.  

I have also worked as an Enterprise Architect and at that time, I learned to look at I.T. and Software Development from a different perspective.  Most developers are only interested in development technologies and the "cool" factor of new tools and will select a platform and framework which they get attached to (often with religious fervor).  Then they tend to look at each application as a standalone unit instead of realizing that they are actually working on a component that is part of one or more business processes.  Therefore, when I design software I always generate documentation or models to discuss the business processes involved and which part the application automates.

I have found this useful both to get developers up to speed with what it is they are working on and also to communicate to the business stakeholders what is being developed.

I have also noted that in recent years the tools, frameworks and development environments (and Microsoft's especially) have become increasingly (unnecessarily?!) complex.  In fact one has to be especially careful or software projects fail due to uncontrolled complexity or will experience delays.  To avoid these problems it is important to establish a subset of practices and framework features based on best practices.  For Microsoft this means getting familiar with their Pattern's and Practices site; as well as keeping in touch with the various blogs and technology information from sites such as CodePlex and evaluating when and if new technologies should be used.

Agile development also can be helpful since it will make it obvious earlier if a project is getting off track due to complexity or bad technology decisions.

You can click the "History" button to see what I am working on ...

You can email comments to comments@paay.us