InspectAR - Cadence Design Systems
Lead Software Engineer | 2020 - 2026
An augmented reality circuit board debugging app. Improved look, functionality, performance, and shareholder value.
Platforms: Windows. Previously MacOS, Android, iOS
C#, Unity3D, Git, Graphql, Figma, Go, PostgreSQL
About the Product
InspectAR (originally by the company of the same name) takes the electronic design automation (EDA) design files for printed circuit boards (PCB's) and calibrates those designs to a physical board. Users can then overlay the information they need directly onto the board via AR to aid debug and repair. That info is augmented through component datasheets and collaboration tools. Available on PC (previously also on Mac/Android/iOS), used by hobbyists and Fortune 500 company engineers alike.
Major Contributions
- Version 2.0 UI Revamp - Completely reworked the UI to be modern and conform to platform design sensibilities. I made a dedicated UI for desktop mode, paying attention to expected button dimensions, information density, and subwindow paradigms unavailable on mobile. I’m not an electrical engineer, so this process included team member consultation, independent research, modeling from the original framework, figma mockups with reviews. Major features required iconography, some of which I created fresh.
- Attachments - Allows users to append component data sheets, diagrams, and other documentation to a projects. I was in charge of a fullstack implementation: Data model design, a database migration script, additional REST API’s in golang and C# for CRUD operations, and client UI.
- Issue Management - Allows reporting of problems and solutions for a run of circuit boards. Data model had to balance ease of filtration and retrieval within database but have the right allowances for customers to define their workflow’s trackables. Furthermore, client-side rendering and CRUD GUI had to be similarly comprehensive. I offered numerous possible implementations at different levels of scope, covering ambiguities in the Product team’s presentations.
Skills Demonstrated
- UX Design - Every feature was designed around how an end user would interpret the information on screen. Prioritization of interactions, grouping icons, tracking overall interaction flows (how many places might a user might wish to flag a component with a comment?). Created a tutorial project with systems to funnel users through interaction and track completion metrics.
- UI Design - I wove in design practices from Google, Microsoft, and Atlassian to ensure data is presented in a readable and familiar way. Our app is highly specialized, so every new feature needed extra consideration to bridge internal convention and external sensibilities. Moreover, those information-heavy desktop features had to be convenient on mobile platforms.
- Programming - Being the sole developer on the client, I was responsible for a wide variety of software engineering tasks. Some data models were dictated by our backend developer(s), others required fashioning from a collection of business requirements.
- Technical Writing - The Product team would prioritize which features or improvements were the major milestone to include in a given release. As mentioned above, I was tasked with writing plan documents to cover implementation details and timelines to ensure our departments were on the same page.
- Quality Assurance - Before a given release, I was responsible for managing the QA process. I coordinated testcases for changes to the product, a series of automated regression tests, coordination of team efforts on testing, and patches during the testing process.
- Collaboration - Teamwork took many forms over the years. When I initially joined, I worked under the original programmer for the Unity app. He handled the core systems and I focused on supporting content improvments. When I took over for my predecessor, I had to handle the design meetings with Product and Management - raising concerns, offering alternative implementations, ensuring everyone is best informed on our options. In 2025, I was responsible for a direct report, and it took time to work out how to reconcile our pace and strategic variances.
20+ shipped games - Adknown Inc.
Unity Developer | 2019
A new mobile game every 2 weeks, published to Google Play and the Apple Appstore.
Platforms: Android, iOS
C#, Unity3D, GIMP, Git, Audacity
Full Writeup
Working at Adknown
Adknown is primarily an advertising agency, but boasted a small video game division while I worked there. Each game used a UI template (handling basic api calls such as managing save data or switching to a shop screen). The expectation was game design, progression, content, and publication were to be handled by us (ie. 4 developers, making one game each). In practice, even the art and audio had to be created and heavily modified to work in this context. Games had to be published to both storefronts within the ten business days. There were restrictions about making games unique from each other while all being sufficiently "action oriented". Beyond these rules, I pushed for unique genres and dynamic progression systems as a point of pride.
Highlights
- 22 games in all - I made a snapshot reel to demo the games at a glance
- Song Pong - Art drawn from scratch in a vaporwave aesthetic, pushed for complex mission tracking such as note streaks and combo values to mimic genre conventions, included a daily check-in system, balancing chords of notes to work flipped or opposing colors to increase replay value, sourced some of the music used from a local musician. Explaining this game in particular helped me get hired at InspectAR!
- Let’s Get Kraken - Art drawn from scratch, significant balance alterations available as shop items (such as number of tentacles or spawn rates), fair complexity in gameplay balance
Skills Demonstrated
- Design - Concepting the game and mocking it up on paper for managerial approval.
- Programming - Beyond a template structure to handle UI screens and save data, all gameplay was programmed by me. Game loop, balance, AI, progression, and mission objectives were developed and iterated on to be challenging and compelling.
- Art - We had access to the Unity Asset Store, but were responsible for the implementation of all art. I did my own 3D modeling/rigging/texturing/animation, sometimes 2D art/animation, but regularly modified any art assets to support the game's theme and design.
- Sound - Mostly the modification of sound effects/background music to keep things cohesive and punchy
- Publishing - I created marketing materials, such as app store imagery and SSO-based copy, to help the game become successful organically.
- Teamwork - Beyond design advice and programming assistance, I also helped keep my peers on track by coordinating and fulfilling some of the administrative publication steps.
Personal Website
Hobbyist Webmaster | 2023 - present
An experiment unto itself, but also a portfolio of other creative work.
Platforms: Web
HTML, CSS, JQuery, and more
Web Design and Beyond
I have been editing html, css, markdown and the like for over a decade and a half on a hobby basis. This website in particular is a celebration of my interests and an assortment of programmatic experiments in JQuery. Visually, my website (first thumbnail) links to other projects, such as a mini-golf course I made in Golf With Your Friends (second thumbnail).
Highlights
- 30+ Tabletop Roleplaying Games - Since 2023, I have written several small self-contained play experiences, made available through my website. Many are game design experiments in conveying unique hypothetical scenarios and then personalizing the experience through non-dice randomization. For example, one focuses on the growing strain of being a super hero protecting a city by asking the player to complete physical exercises to resolve an encounter.
- Individual Web Pages - Incidentally, the page containing the list of ttrpg’s I have worked on itself has a complex json data structure to make adding new entries with tags and links an absolute breeze. I’m fond of my tier list page for a similar reason. I’m also particularly proud of the current iteration of my home page: a variety of content to showcase the content within, with dozens of calls to action, and a restrained collection of content to ensure a sensible load time.
Skills Demonstrated
- Design - The main page has gone through several iterations, trying to balance visual appeal, retention, load times. Other pages have pulled layout philosophies from the most addicting websites of my youth.
- Programming - The website uses primarily a mix of html and jquery with css styling.
- Technical Writing - Several of the tabletop role playing games I have written were written under a word count restrictions, necessitating a careful blend of descriptors and ruling text.
Bachelor of Game Design - Sheridan College
Student | 2014 - 2018
Formal education in relevant field. Made several games, but it's the underlying skills that I boast about.
Platforms: Several
C#, Unity3D, GIMP, Audacity, Git, Blender, and more
A Bachelor Program About Video Games
A 4 year program featuring many aspects of game development (game design, level design, art, programming, sound, team management, and more).
Highlights
- Godsend - an action platformer about possessing creatures, fighting them and completing objectives under a time limit. We showed our game off the national expo EGLX. I primarily programmed the UI and AI.
- A Simple Esc Room - A 3d point and click title boasting my puzzle design and coding expertise.
- UFO Repulsion - A small arcade style game eventually published to the Google Play store.
Skills Demonstrated
- Design - For Godsend, I was responsible for the AI awareness/traveral/combat, scoring system, and overall game loop. For A Simple Esc Room, I designed the puzzle(s).
- Programming - In Godsend, AI characters use their abilities effectively close and at range, and have an awareness of the player character based on their mutual aggression levels. For A Simple Esc Room, I think I programmed everything but the flickering lights.
- Teamwork - A significant number of projects were in teams. I did a significant amount of programming, but had to work closely with artists and other team members to maximize the quality of our games.
- Creative Problem Solving - Game design inherently requires creative problem solving. That said, I took several electives focusing on facilitation of divergent and convergent thinking strategy meetings.
Meet the Engineer
Many Hats | Many Years
A special interest in operational efficiency and comprehensive solutions. Broadly speaking, I solve problems.
Practical Problems
I'm driven to dissect micro-systemic problems and transplant in solutions. At every job I've ever had, I have recorded the inefficiencies that I or my coworkers face, devise solutions, and implement them (with managerial approval). I pay attention to how a department can improve their procedures and better support the staff. In the past, I've made proposals for new job positions, internal tools, administrative procedures, and more. I'm looking for companies that appreciate the care I put in.
Source
In Toronto after at time in St. John's, Newfoundland for my last job. I'm always making things - video games, tabletop rpg's, Minecraft contraptions, and the like. I very much like goofs, so there's hidden references within my site (if you know what to look for). I'm on Bluesky these days, so follow me there for more regular updates.
Other Things I've Made: Youtube Playlist Gif Overview