Amy Kathleen Farrell
akf@alum.mit.edu
FlightStats is company undergoing rapid growth and frequent reorganization. I've worn several hats in my brief time working there.
Helped roll out a combination of technologies for automated testing and builds: Apache Ant, Ivy, and Jenkins. Produced example projects and documentation for common tasks. Led a project to select and deploy an API management system (account management, authentication, reporting, and billing – we chose 3scale) for FlightStats' new "Flex" APIs.
Managed teams working on FlightStats' website and mobile properties, messaging and alerts infrastructure, web services (APIs), travel agency products, data services, and graphic production. Number of direct reports varied from seven to fifteen over the year.
Joined the Data Team, integrating data from a variety of sources into FlightStats' systems. Since I was only in this role briefly before taking a management position, this primarily served as my introduction to the "data" side of FlightStats' business.
Led a team of developers, user interface designers, and quality assurance engineers on the "Application Features" team. This team was responsible for developing new product features, maintaining legacy code, and providing third-tier support. Promoted a culture of collaborating, sharing knowledge, and solving problems.
Developed and maintained web-based solutions for standards-setting organizations. Collaborated with a team of several developers.
Primary technologies used: python, PHP, MySQL, Zope.
Investigated and resolved customer issues. My primary goal in this position was to address customer issues quickly and to understand and communicate issues clearly – both to front-line support staff and to product engineers. I became an expert in the interactions between components of the product suite, and adept at reconstructing the series of events that led up to a problem.
Developed customer-specific applications on Kavi's platform, and supported and maintained existing applications. Development projects were of short duration (a few hours to a couple of weeks). Most were produced within Zope using python and SQL. Helped the group maintain profitability during a time when the project team was short two engineers.
Managed a small technical staff. Retained programming responsibilities while doing project management and coordinating with other departments.
Worked with a small team to build an e-commerce platform running on an Oracle 8i database and Apache/mod_perl web server. This system maintained an inventory of over 10,000 active SKUs (representing multiple variants of 5,000+ products) and hosted multiple concurrent storefronts.
Implemented automated data exchange with Amazon.com, including product, order, and shipment information, using their XML API. Reliability of this system helped eMerchandise (selling as "Zat") maintain a customer feedback rating of 98% positive over 16 months selling through Amazon.
Worked with customer service, warehouse, and fulfillment to define processes, troubleshoot problems, and provide training as needed. Interfaced directly with key clients to define new feature requirements for web stores, provide reports, and answer questions.
Developed dynamic web applications for Paulette Carter Design (now PCD Group), helping the company grow from a provider of graphic design and static HTML sites to a builder of online applications. Worked closely with PCD's in-house design staff. Produced applications in HTML and Javascript; and with perl.
Primary technical implementer for Tektronix Measurement Business Division's (MBD) Web site. Worked with Marketing Communications, Information Services, and production staff to develop plan for initial site, and identified and evaluated tools to convert of existing content to HTML. Introduced concepts and tools to other team members. Installed and maintained content on corporate web server.
Provided technical leadership for a group of 50+ writers, illustrators, and production staff. Acted as key contact on large automation projects, including requirements definition, acceptance testing, definition of new work processes and training of coworkers. Major projects included working with teams at Interleaf and Xerox to implement on-demand printing of manuals, a scanning/ conversion system for "legacy" documents, and deployment of an electronic document archiving system for the documentation group.
Writer/Project leader for several major documentation projects, most consisting of User, Programmer, Service, and Tutorial manuals for high-end oscilloscopes or other test equipment. Acted as editor for some projects. Beta-tested publishing software and introduced new features and concepts to the rest of the group. Administered publishing software (Interleaf).
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering. Course work included Computer System Engineering, Software Engineering, Automata Theory, Algorithms, core Electrical Engineering studies. Concentration in Philosophy.