Hi! My name is Joseph Saylor, but I go by Doug. I'm a Software Engineer that enjoys experimenting with new technologies and learning new ways of approaching problems and creating solutions. I really enjoy working with engaged, collaborative teams that don't skip test coverage.

How I Work

I approach my work with a desire to learn and experiment, while keeping the end result in mind. This gives me a lot of breadth of experience to draw off of, and often allows me to find a creative and elegant way to solve the problem at hand.

Communication

I really value asynchronous communication methods because it lets people get things done and respond when they have the bandwidth. However, in today's massively remote world, it's important to understand when it's time to get on a call to talk things out. I'm more likely to start an impromptu Zoom huddle than schedule a meeting a day or two later. We all want to get things done, and sometimes 5-10 minutes of the team's focus is enough to unblock a lot of productivity.

Collaboration

We are paid to get things done and deliver the right solution at the right time. Sometimes that's a really straightforward proposition, but most often we need to draw off of the shared understanding of the team around us. Maintaining availability for design and review feedback is also necessary to reduce the back and forth in communication that can waste a lot of time.

Quality

I really enjoy working with a group of people with a constant focus on quality, not just deadlines. We learn a lot when we build things, and sometimes we discover that the right solution takes more time to make. Since quality is a constant priority, I believe it should only be compromised in the most dire of situations. Without an eye on code quality and test coverage, we will often cost ourselves more time in remediation or technical debt than we would have taken to do it right the first time.

Kindness

I feel that kindness is everything, both for ourselves and for others. Approaching life with gratitude for the people and lessons around us allows us truly support a team. However, kind is not just telling people what they want to hear. Sometimes we need to say what needs to be said to help others find the path that works best for them. Kindness also allows us to receive that feedback as the constructive criticism that it is with gratitude and grace.

Education and Experience

Much of my experience and qualifications can be found on my LinkedIn Profile. Feel free to reach out and connect!

My passion for technology has carried me into a rewarding and challenging career. The fact that I took the self-taught road to tech means that my approach and knowledge is derived entirely from experimentation, solving real-world problems, and continuously delivering value to the team. The self-taught perspective allows me to maintain a "learner's mindset" which drives me to continue to learn and hone my craft.

What I Enjoy

Keeping an eye on the future and challenging my own understanding by listening to podcasts, working through online courses, networking, and attending conferences. I really enjoy traveling to explore new places and cultures with my family, and to satisfy my foodie side.

I like drawing, painting, and making music. I'm learning to play the piano, but I'm no expert. I also really enjoy playing video games with my son, and generally just watching that crazy guy grow up. 😁