Consulting and Content Management: Blinking Lights and Big Impacts with Tad Reeves (2/3)

Nerd Journey: Career Advice for the Technology Professional

How can a technology become our focus area unexpectedly? For Tad Reeves, it started when he said yes to the right opportunity. After doing back-end systems work for hosting providers, working in web design and development, stints in contracting and consulting, and experience with web analytics platforms…content management systems seem like a logical next step in the progression.
Tad Reeves, our guest in episode 297, returns to share his experience doing both consulting and contract work. We will also hear about the genesis of Tad’s exposure to Adobe Experience Manager and content management systems and how placing focus in this area allows for making a big impact that keeps the work purposeful and fulfilling.
Why did Tad continue to incorporate his love of design into his work? Listen below to catch the full story.
Original Recording Date: 09-12-2024
Tad Reeves is a principal architect for Arbory Digital. If you missed part 1 of our discussion with Tad, be sure to check out Episode 296.
Topics – A Flip Back to Design, A Framework for Solutioning, Contract and Full-time Work, Out of Balance, Adobe Experience Manager and Content Management
2:33 – A Flip Back to Design
* “I think flavors and harmonics of that thrill you can find also in debugging – when you have something that is affecting a broad swathe of people and then you fix it and it’s jammin’ now and suddenly it’s all working for everybody. I think every time that I’ve found myself in a job where suddenly I’m doing something that doesn’t really matter, that doesn’t really affect anybody, then suddenly I’m almost like a solder pulled back from the front line…. What am I doing here, guys? Only one person used this app that I’m writing. Do I have to do this?” – Tad Reeves, on making an impact in his work
* Nick suspects a drop in energy when one feels the work they do is not making an impact.
* Tad worked with other engineers but was overall in charge of some projects for UUNET, often being tagged as the lead.
* He could pull in other engineers to help rack the gear or help with network cabling as needed and did not have to do it all on his own.
* This role was more of an implementation engineer and was not within the scope of what we might now call an architect. Tad would be given a specification and new equipment that had been procured. His job was to get it up and running and to pull in others as needed to make that happen (i.e. people from other teams like networking, technology vendor personnel, etc.).
* Tad highlights this role as fulfilling but also a place to grow from and from which to expand a “sphere of responsibility.”
* What made Tad want to expand his sphere of influence? Was it working on those specific projects and being the lead?
* Normally one would say yes. Tad had several interests he would bounce between. At his point in time, Tad had not completely given up on the idea of design work. Tad tells us he still likes design work, finds it fulfilling, and he tries to do it when he can.
* Tad flipped back into web design at one point and worked for a firm that did web development work (HTML, CSS, JavaScript). He used tools like Dreamweaver at this time.
* Tad tells us he enjoys contract work like this and built a website for the US House of Representatives and the Veterans Affairs Committee. Tad not only built this site but designed it as well.
* “I look back fondly on a lot of that experience because I enjoy understanding how the whole cycle works.