Meet Ben
Developer, strategist and technology architect
Ben Rowland is an experienced developer, strategist and technology architect, and he is responsible for the successful delivery of technology projects at Tecture.
Before founding Tecture, Ben was a senior developer at IRI, a consumer packaged goods analytics provider, where he led development of a multi-dimensional data analysis tool. Before IRI, he led a software development team at a venture-backed startup. As a college intern, he built the first client access website for Wachovia Securities. He holds a computer science degree from Knox College, with independent study in web application development.
Selected projects
What Ben has led since founding Tecture
Job search engine for freelancers
Health and wellness portal for health insurance company clients
Container shipping search engine and API
Medical board certification system for an ABMS member board
Payment infrastructure and API for an automotive financial services company
Interlibrary loan billing system for a network of medical libraries
Enterprise SaaS documentation system for managed service providers (acquired by a software company)
Independent music venue ticketing platform, used by venues around the country
Venture capital crowdfunding platform
Native iOS and Android student loan apps for a loan restructuring client
Grant funding research application and portal for a nonprofit client
Custom content management integrations and localizations for many website clients
CRM integrations for many clients (Salesforce, Dynamics, Zoho and more)
An interview with Ben
In his own words
What's the most important thing you want clients to know about you?
I know how to dissect complex problems and design computer systems to solve them. It sounds simple, but it's easier said than done. I've built up a "tool belt" of methods over years of analyzing many different types of situations.
There's a reason most software projects fail in one of several ways. Everyone is familiar with cost and timeline overruns, but many would be surprised by the number of false starts, aborted projects and course corrections. Worse, many projects launch with severe defects.
Anyone would be lying if they told you their process was perfect. Software is a craft, and we're in an endless pursuit of perfection. Still, there are a few things I do to succeed: plan ahead, prioritize the hardest things first, and fail fast.
Have any secret powers?
I can break anything! Most professions would consider that more of an annoyance than a skill, but it comes in very handy for comprehensive software testing before a launch.
What do you like most about Tecture?
I love the size of Tecture. It's small enough that I can work on interesting projects without red tape, but large enough that I have a skilled and supportive team. You don't need a large team to build powerful software when you have great ideas, plans and skills. The big consulting companies often make up for mediocrity with sheer numbers, while we are efficient and capable.
What skills have most contributed to your success?
My artistic side. Nearly every application has a user interface of some kind, whether a website or an app, and designing an easy, intuitive interface is an important part of our process. Most software looks as if it were designed by developers, which is to say, it's awful. One of my favorite things about my job is challenging myself and our team not to take the easy way out of hard design challenges.
Do you work on any side projects?
I recently created Bottle, an open-source WordPress plugin that throttles abusive bots that were causing nuisance site outages. It was fascinating to learn PHP and the architecture of WordPress, evaluate traffic, and then devise algorithms that adapt and respond to it.
What hobbies do you enjoy?
Running. I'm an avid runner working to break a 20-minute 5K.
Volunteering. I coach youth soccer and volunteer at the local school in various ways. I recently helped build the set for a children's theater production and worked with other volunteers to create a Halloween tunnel.
Hiking. For the great views and time outdoors.
Tennis. A lifelong sport that's great exercise.
Reading. Sci-fi and nonfiction.
Espresso. Much like software, it's a challenge to master. Every element must be perfectly balanced for the perfect shot.
Fun fact?
I just spent two years renovating my historic home. I learned a lot about architecture and many building trades along the way, and I blogged about the whole process so family and friends could follow the progress.