Nik is the designer and developer Hoot Smalltalk, which integrates the best features of both Smalltalk and Java. His research and development activities include programming language design, software development tools, software architecture, software metaphors, refactoring, design patterns, requirements formulation, and alignment with business objectives.

Since the early 1990s, Nik has designed and developed object-oriented software using various techniques. Since the late 1990s, Nik has developed the EDUCE process for software requirements capture and analysis. EDUCE explores the natural language statements that typically describe business problems. EDUCE fosters the adoption of an ubiquitous language shared by all teams members, and derives conceptual models and then software models progressively from such natural language statement analysis. Due to its otherwise labor intensive process, EDUCE is supported by the adjunct tool Syntopica.

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Modeled, designed and built OO software for 30+ years with Java, C#, Smalltalk, C++, C
Strong communication skills, including speaking, writing, and technical drawing incl. UML
Strong interpersonal skills, including team leadership, collaboration, mentoring
Extensive experience with agile and full software development lifecycle and practices
Expert at requirements capture, OO modeling, analysis, design, programming, testing
Extensive experience applying design patterns and refactoring to framework design
Extensive experience using corporate webs for collaboration and publishing deliverables

Work History

Each employer listed below has a link that provides details of experience there:
Dec. 2013 – Present, Gensler, Lead Apps Developer and Associate
Sep. 2012 – Nov. 2013, PayHub, Sr. Software Engineer
Dec. 2010 – Aug. 2012, GlobalEnglish (now Learnship), Dot Net Engineer
Apr. 2007 – Oct. 2010, Dragnet Solutions (now Accelitas), Sr. Software Engineer
Dec. 2004 – Mar. 2007, Intuit (ISBD, now Sage), Sr. Software Engineer
Feb. 2003 – Oct. 2004, Accruent, Sr. Software Engineer
Dec. 1999 – Feb. 2003, CarsDirect.com, Sr. Technology Developer
Nov. 1998 – July 1999. Yahoo! GeoCities, Sr. Software Engineer
Jan. 1990 – Oct. 1998, Citigroup (formerly TTI), Principal Member of the Technical Staff
Nov. 1985 – Dec. 1989, Excel-A-Rate Corporation, Software Product Manager (COBOL)
June 1979 – Sep. 1985, Telos Corporation, Member of the Technical Staff (mostly COBOL)
June 1978 – May 1979, IMODCO, Systems Analyst / Programmer (DIBOL)
Jan. 1976 – May 1978, Data Center Corporation, Analyst / Programmer (COBOL, DATABUS)

Publications

Jan. 2022, Journey to Mastery: Growing Your Software Craftsmanship
Dec. 2018, Hoot Smalltalk (ongoing research and development)
Feb. 2010, EDUCE: A Pattern Language of Language Patterns (updated 2020)
Jan. 2005, Object Design Study Guide, in collaboration with LAJUG Westside Study Group
Mar. 2004, The Bistro Programming Language, Dr. Dobb’s Journal
Jan. 2004, Software Metaphors (updated 2020)
Feb. 2003, A Conceptual Model for Software Requirements (updated 2020)
Feb. 1999, Using Natural Language in Software Development, Journal of Object-Oriented Programming
Link to more papers

Education UCLA – University of California at Los Angeles, Math + Computer Science (combined)
Dec. 1976, Withdrawal (without degree) to work full-time at Data Center Corp.
Sep. 1973, Early Admission Program (Advanced Placement)

Previous John F. Kennedy High School, Granada Hills, California
June 1974, Graduated with High Honors