David Kaplan, M.Eng.

Selected references

• Conceptica — I was working with Conceptica as a lead front-end developer on software for a major Czech hospital. Our goal was to develop an internal application that would speed up the administration process for medical staff. The app supports the treatment of 1,000 patients in 21 clinics, and 500,000 emergency patients annually, saving approx. 5 minutes of examination for each. I also collaborated on a website for the local branch of the Czech government.
• Brainz Disruptive — I collaborated with the Brainz Disruptive team as a Shopify expert to develop a custom theme for Staropramen, a major Czech brewery's Shopify store. My role was to ensure that the template integrated seamlessly with Shopify's admin features. I also set up the rest of the administrative functions and performed custom coding on individual store pages.
• Rueckwand24 — I was hired to do custom code edits on their existing Shopify store.

Why work with me

• I am reliable. I keep my word and deadlines.
• Honest and clear communication.
• I always consider the big picture and the impact of my work on your business.
• Experience in project management.
• I thrive in teamwork. When faced with tasks beyond my skill set, I seek expert assistance, allowing me to handle more complex projects..

Reasons to consider someone else

• I only take on projects that I believe have value; otherwise, it's not for me.
• Development can be expensive.
• I strictly work during business hours. However, there are days, like fresh-powder days for skiing, climbing excursions, and expedition opportunities, when it's hard for me to say no.

The importance of planning in custom development

Quality and sustainable development are crucial parts of every well-planned project. Despite the expense and time-consuming nature of development, many companies neglect the planning and preparation phase. It is not as simple as saying we want a new tool for our CMS system.

It's crucial to have clear goals and a vision for each project, ensuring no important steps are overlooked. Yet, too often, developers are tasked with creating a complex tool based solely on a brief description, bypassing crucial planning and evaluation. This very often leads to the rework of major parts of the project and costs valuable resources.

It is essential to invest ample time in analysis and then complete a minimum viable product (MVP) as early as possible, reviewing it with users or customers. Development should be broken down into small chunks and reviewed often. This process requires honesty and transparency from everyone involved.