Resume and Services Offered

Work Values and Philosophy
The following are some of the key principles I keep relating to my work:

• My working goal is to bring all of my knowledge and experience together and arrive at a productive solution to a problem. I consider my strongest asset the ability to see a larger picture, to understand how all parts of a problem relate and fit a larger goal. I focus on building systems that do more than simply function and fill the immediate need. I focus on building the most productive solution that will serve the need now and into the future.
• Technology can be fun, but ultimately its value is in solving a function or need. Technology should be viewed through a critical eye to its value, not just on its "wow" factor. This also means that after developing a technical solution an IT person should be prepared to evolve and even throw away that solution as business needs and environment change.
• Rather than throw hardware or software at a problem - which often equates to throwing away money, I want to make the most efficient use of resources to create the best solution for a situation. It also follows that the appropriate technologies for a solution can change for each situation.
• When developing a solution I carefully plan and follow a set of principles including; simplify wherever possible, document everything, communicate appropriately, and follow through closing all loops. Simplification is the most elegant approach to any solution.
• I believe it working smart, not hard. The IT person that spends long nights and weekends managing computer systems is not a hero, but has probably developed inefficient and fragile systems. The hard work should be put in up-front, developing a robust system that matches the needs of an organization, and runs well enough that the IT person is able to spend nights and weekends with friends and family or whatever endeavor they enjoy.
• My overall goal is to bring a semblance of pride and craftsmanship to a sometimes mechanical or even haphazard profession. I like what I do and I want that to show.

Planning and Process
I believe that a key part of being able to deliver solutions is to develop and follow specific policies and procedures. Good process enables consistent high quality results and ensures that the final technical solution fulfills a clear business need. Consistent use of process can streamline the creation of new technical solutions and change to existing process. This occurs when everyone is using similar methods of action and a common vocabulary to describe the way things get done. The key to making this work is to have flexible processes that allow for consistent quality but that can be applied at both a large and small scale. There are a number of standards that address IT lifecycle management, operational processes, systems engineering, systems deployment, and project management. Adapting and incorporating these standards to meet the needs of a specific organization is the best way to arrive at a working framework. Some key concepts for planning and process include gathering detailed requirements, evaluating options, careful design process, prototyping, structured testing, financial considerations, resource planning, and change management. All processes should assume the ability to iterate through the process as required to constantly improve the process and the system being developed.

Working With Others
My preferred working environment is to tackle and build my own environment based on the needs of the organization, but not to the point of creating schisms or duplicating efforts. I am a "team player" when it comes to advancing the goals of the larger group. I do not expect to build and design on my own, I expect to leverage the experience and knowledge of other individuals as well. I find that at the core a company or other organization is simply a group of people focused around a common goal. People have a variety of personalities and work styles. The best and brightest organizations have people and structure that recognizes this. It is important for the individual to recognize this in themselves and in others also. If done correctly, individuals will be able to advance their own personal career growth, learn how to interoperate with the different styles of others, and the larger organization will be able to leverage the energy of the individuals. The end result will be a group of individuals all working to their own highest potential, interoperating with others, and actually achieving their common goals.

Management
I believe that management is not a level of achievement, it is an art of understanding. It is not about being the most senior or the most accomplished employee, management is about people. In some cases the most accomplished and senior person in an organization is well suited to managing people, in others a more junior person is better off in that role even though they have years of growth in front of them. This is because management requires awareness of people, their abilities, needs, and skills. In addition to experience managing people I also have experience being managed by a variety of people with different management styles. This gives me a good perspective on what works from the employees perspective. While some might view management to be the effective use of employees from the top down, I believe that true motivation of employees is from the bottom - from the level of the employee. Carrying the employee perspective into management creates an understanding of what motivates and excites employees, and ultimately that translates into more productive work and a greater level of success for the organization.

What Next?
Feel free to view my resume of my background and my past positions. I’d like to discuss how can lend my experience and skills to your cause.

        Garrick Heuer
        650-533-8161
       

Cover Letter
Resume