Sixten Otto

Lead Product Developer, Mobile Apps 2015–2022

• Led design and development of the Eventsential / Engagefully event experience platform. Drafted initial requirements synthesizing input from previous projects, customer requests, and internal stakeholders. Designed three-tier application architecture, selected implementation technologies, and specified run-time environment. Created technical specifications for native and web applications and RESTful API interfaces. Coordinated team of 4–6 developers to deliver the product through task assignments, regular meetings, code reviews, and user testing. Reported progress to management regularly and coordinated evolving requirements and schedule. Orchestrated deployment to production and post-launch maintenance.
• Oversaw growth and evolution of the product after its launch. Reconciled proposed new features and required maintenance with management priorities to define regular releases. Designed implementation, balancing customer and management requirements with existing features and functionality. Evolved platform architecture while maintaining backwards compatibility with application’s installed base. Deployed regular production updates and performed maintenance tasks in concert with with operations team. Diagnosed and remediated end-user issues escalated from support team, and created user documentation.
• Delivered 80% of the iOS application implementation using Objective-C, UIKit, and Core Data, later transitioning mostly to Swift. Coordinated closely with Android team though planning meetings, design documents, and user testing to maintain parity between platforms.
• Delivered 50% of the implementation of web tiers, utilizing C#, ASP.Net MVC and Web API, and Entity Framework.
• Managed Microsoft SQL Server databases, including schema design, change management, and performance analysis.
• Drove UI/UX design process for new functionality by creating static mockups in Sketch and Figma, building minimal app prototypes, and leading discussions with stakeholders.
• Mentored mobile team members through regular team meetings, code reviews, and ad hoc questions. Assisted them with requirements definition, technical questions, and troubleshooting.
• Automated numerous developer workflows saving developer time, improving quality and consistency of results, and gaining basic familiarity with Ruby, Python, and PowerShell scripting.
• Scaled to dozens of white label deployments of native apps across customer developer accounts in the App Store and Google Play Store. Identified and documented best practices, defined procedures with internal stakeholders, trained and assisted support team in implementation.
• Researched and analyzed common risks and challenges for move from on-premises hosting to AWS EC2, identified and implemented mitigations, and led pre- and post-launch testing.
• Led effort to replace in-house tools for tracking of issues and feature requests, ultimately selecting Jira. Researched alternatives, delivered written recommendations, and administered setup.

Senior Native Apps Developer 2009–2015

• Led early explorations of native mobile application development. Researched platform capabilities, evaluated tools, developed prototypes and demos, and advised management.
• Developed several custom native iOS applications for clients, as well as the back-end sites and services required to provide their content and functionality.
• Implemented a native iOS front end to the Higher Logic social networking platform, as well as a web-based provisioning portal for their administrative users.
• Iterated the design of custom native apps for client conferences, culminating in the development of Eventsential as a product offering.

Web Application Programmer 1999–2012

• Developed custom websites and applications for clients in ColdFusion and ASP.Net.
• Helped lead design and development of Association Director AMS product and CMSPlus content management platform that formed the basis for RD website deployments for a decade.
• Gathered and synthesized customer requirements, participated in estimation and planning.
• Migrated content from previous customer web sites and content management systems.
• Built integrations with other client systems and third party products, including REST and SOAP web services, flat file imports, and direct SQL connections.

Auragen Communications, Inc. 1998–1999

Developer

Developed content and commerce sites in Perl and VBScript for diverse local clients in Rochester, NY, including rising national brands like Nalgene, Parkleigh, and Wegmans.