Episode 47 – Can you be more than just a developer?

Meet returning special guest, Kevin Mack. Kevin was last on the show back in episode 26 and now he has returned to share further insight into the many career choices that are available when you get into tech. Kevin went from being a UX practitioner to getting involved in digital solutions, sales, and the creative side of things. Listen in to episode 47 as Arsalan and Kevin tackle the topic an guide you through how you can maximize your potential in the tech industry.

Kevin Mack’s Bio:

Kevin Mack is a developer, designer, and consultant that is focused on creating user interfaces and user experiences for large-scaling websites. Kevin is also a co-founder and co-organizer of The Columbus Web Group where he actively participates in growing and educating the community around design, development, best practices and standards for the web. You can find him on Twitter (@nicetransition) , YouTube , CodePen , or GitHub .

Episode Highlights and Show Notes:

Arsalan: Hi, everyone. Today, I have a repeat guest. His name is Kevin Mack. Kevin is a fantastic guy. I have really admired him from a distance for a long time. There are some exciting things happening in his life and I think those would be really valuable for us to know. It looks like he is moving up in his career going from a UX, or user experience, practitioner to digital solutions, some sales, and some creative director work. It’s an interesting mix of activities and I’m not sure what that is all about, but that is definitely a path for someone who is a designer, developer, or a UX practitioner. These are ways of moving up the corporate ladder without just becoming a manager. He is also really involved in a lot of activities. So, welcome, Kevin.

Kevin: Thank you for the introduction. I can provide a little bit of clarity to my work and how I got here without really going too far into detail. Since the last time we talked, it’s been an interesting year that has gone by. I feel like everything that I’ve been involved with in my career and education, whether from myself or through being mentored by others, it’s kind of come together. So, my new role is definitely a really exciting one. It’s kind of a dream come true.

Kevin: I get to really focus on the creative side, and with the creative side I’m not just talking about the visual design side, but the creative thought and thinking outside of the box as well as innovation from a technology standpoint. So, I’m trying to bring creative thought from both the design as well as technology standpoint for the current clients that we have, as well as future clients. With all of this, I still get to keep my hands dirty and design and develop and work on a lot of strategic vision for our company, as well as the clients that we have. I still get to develop and design and work closely with my team members from their standpoint.

Arsalan: I think, for people who don’t know you yet or for those who haven’t seen or heard your earlier interview, you are Kevin Mack. Please describe yourself. Who is Kevin Mack?

Kevin: I started web development in 1995 and before that I grew up in a household full of art. My mom was an art director at the Washington Post. So, I grew up around art. In 1995, I brought my love for art and design into what would later become my career and future on the computer. From there, I learned as much as I could and picked up a new language whenever a new language would come out or when I became aware of a new one.