ABOUT MY TIME HERE
I helped modernize Genia's business processes and spearheaded their consumer apps.
After graduating from my second bachelors, I was tired of school and keen to enter my new industry as a Full Stack Web Developer. While I had unquestionable self-belief that I could offer something valuable to any organization that would give me a chance, it seemed on paper I was a dime-a-dozen in the Toronto area.
A family-run lumber company in Motueka (a town of 4000 in the rugged South Island of New Zealand), gave me that chance. I will be forever grateful for it.
ROLE
Full Stack Web Developer
DATE
Dec 2019 - Current
As a full-stack developer specializing in the front-end at Genia, the apps I have been involved with eliminate the amount of manual administrative work required and help automate the inventory system of the complicated lumber industry. For example, I have made apps that scan custom barcodes on outgoing packs of lumber, update the inventory/cost-spreading in the database, and informs the staff in real-time on the changes.
These apps are designed for iPads, or mobile-first, since a lot of them are used on wireless scanner devices. I've developed them keeping in mind the key stakeholders; whether that be an older crane-driver using a handheld scanner, or a seasoned administrative employee savvy with timber-specific applications. These apps were made using scrum methodology and I help continuously deploy them to staging and production.
This app simplifies the labelling process in real-time for the workers who stack timber on bales and attach a product label. Previously they had to tediously write out the label manually.
This app helps the admin staff integrate with the main timber database software (TimberSmart). I was personally involved with the wire-framing and UX research for this app from the start and developed a significant portion of it.
Kiln Operators must digitally sign for timber compliance reasons.
The section in the app Profile Sheets for printing product specs. I was recently involved in refactoring the entire app and giving it a UI overhaul.
Profile Sheets is where admin staff and remote workers who authenticate can create and print product specs.
My main contribution to the beastly Factory Planner app was to implement a clipboard system. This allows a given user to store useful processes/items for another session.
Sample section of our Factory Planner app. This replaces a tedious whiteboard system.
Fellow Canadian Alana and I pretending that we are architects for an internet ad.
Formerly MLC Group, Genia asked me to speak at their new brand launch - with 4 minutes notice in front of 150+. I was happy to be the token Canadian.
APP HIGHLIGHTS
Below are some of the apps I have helped create or made significant contributions to:TS-Runner - This app helps automate the repetitive and tedious tasks surrounding the administrative work required in TimberSmart (a prominent lumber database) by office staff. This app aids in the streamlining of 4 main timber industry related processes: the Opti, Filleting, Kiln drying, and stock-take. I was involved in the initial wire-framing and a substantial amount of the development.
Transit Tracker - Helps automate the inventory actions required when transitioning transfers of stock between locations. Operators use the scanning devices to create and send stock transfers; admin staff receive the transfers into their destination and can edit them if required.
Genia API - This api ties everything together. More technically, it is a federated GraphQL microservice architecture. I have made changes to key microservices for new features. Thomas was the genius behind it.
TimberSmart Addons - Reduces the manual labour involved in receipting incoming inventory. Delivery dockets sent from suppliers are automatically consumed into the application. Factory staff scan in the physical packs that arrive into the factory, then the app delivers the information to TimberSmart without manual intervention. In the case that there are errors, e.g. a pack number not in the system, then the user can provide the required missing information to the delivery documents.
Profile Sheets - This app allows admin staff to view and generate a spec sheet for a chosen customer, unit number, and product, which they can then print out.
Factory-Planner - Genia's custom software for planning operations in the factory. This is done primarily with the concept of resources, items, and chaining. The app can be used to view and modify items, configure resources, and view recent changes on the board. This app was already in development when I started. I personally was involved in making key improvements to the app, such as the ability for a specific user to copy/paste items to a clipboard which helps the UX and allows them to store useful processes/items for another session.
Universal Print - The two main portions of the app that I wire-framed and helped develop from the ground-up is used for real-time pack label printing during a shift. Users are able to enter a product code or scan the barcode of a pack in realtime.
Planter - The gardening helper as mentioned here.
Trelli - The trellis/panel/gate customizer as mentioned here.
WHAT I LEARNED
- While I am technically a Full Stack Developer, what really separates me is my attention to detail with the front-facing portion of our apps. I can be quite obsessed with whitespace and the vibe of the app perhaps a bit more than I should be
- The importance of writing well-defined user-stories so that scope-creep, while tempting, does not happen
- Scoring dev tickets with story-points as a team can be a fun way to estimate the size of a sprint
- Sprint retrospectives should be fun and provide a way to share development learnings across the wider team, e.g. gotchas in services like the Shopify API
- If I ever run a software team or business in the future, I will use a lot of ideas on employee satisfaction from Genia. They have done an amazing job expanding to a medium-sized company while keeping the vibe of a small-town family-run company that takes special care of individual employees
- Year-end holiday gifts are taken very seriously in New Zealand