Jason Anderson is a software developer and
designer with 16 years of full-stack experience.
He values thoughtful design, empathic user
experiences, and approaching problems with
curiosity and creativity.
Currently working as a software developer at Notion.
The most profound technologies are those that disappear. They weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life until they are indistinguishable from it.”
Mark Weiser

Work

Profile Builder (Koji)

Profile Builder is a web-based app that I built for Koji, a startup. Given that this was to be used and shared on social media, the goal was to design and build a design tool that can be easily used by anyone. Some neat things about it:

  • Empty canvas to create multimedia files, which could be published on a separate web page
  • Intuitive design for the user’s accessibility and delight
  • Ability to quickly create and publish, in line with company’s goal of outreach and scale

Vending Machine (Utique)

As the lead engineer at Utique, a startup that built luxury vending machines, I had the opportunity to flex my full-stack as well as UX, UI, and creative skills. Here are a few things I did:

  • Built custom back-office systems: managing retail operations, inventory, purchases, customer data, shipment, and tracking
  • Set up payment systems (First Data, credit card processing)
  • Built the online store
  • Built reporting and monitoring system that tracks virtually the machine status and performance
  • And my personal favorite: I wrote software to connect with the LED lights in the machine display, and designed a light show that integrated with the UI

Debugger (Rippling)

Rippling’s engineering and support teams had been using an internal tool that was necessary but increasingly frustrating to use. It was essentially built with no thought or consideration for the user. I built a new version with the same features but with better UI and UX features, and that was significantly faster.

  • Previous loading time of 20 seconds vs new loading time of 1 second
  • I was able to cut back the loading time by reorganizing the accumulated mass of code and dividing it into subsystems.
  • Redesigned the UX to make the page more intuitive to use
  • Added a new feature that allows user to specify their request

Play

Wing

I’ve always and will always love games. Here is a game that I built called Wing. I wanted this game to have a peaceful feel, of soaring freely without threat or enemies. To do this, I incorporated elements in the code to create as organic and seamless a gliding motion as possible, integrating factors for lift and inertia. Through the intentional and minimalist design, I wanted the player to enjoy the pure sensation and experience of flying.

3D art

My love for geometric art forms goes way back to when I was a kid making screensavers for fun. I love the integration of software, design, and art, and how you can simply get mesmerized following the natural sequence of these beautiful forms. It’s important for me to engage my creative side as I feel that art is a fundamentally human need. I’m a work in progress but here is a sampling of what I’ve experimented with.

Color grading

In my free time, I enjoy discovering and learning new art forms. I first learned about color grading through the Freelance Colorist Masterclass. I got pretty hooked on learning about color theory, how colors are manipulated in media and art, and the power of color. I learned how to use Davinci Resolve, and tinkered with some projects for the sake of exploration.

About

Hi! Thanks for being here.

Software

I started coding when I was 7 (according to my mom). I learned by checking out books from the library and long, leisurely hours at Barnes and Noble stores. A self-taught developer, I let curiosity and humility be my guide in asking the hard questions, taking on hard problems, and learning how to best serve my clients and coworkers with my work. I love the art and mechanism of software and I love it even more when I’m able to help people in a meaningful way.

I got my first real job when I was 19 at Flextronics, a large-scale manufacturing company with an office in Sacramento, where I started as a junior developer and over several years became a lead developer.

After 3 years at Flex, I went to a small startup called Utique based in San Francisco, where we designed and built upscale vending machines. I was the lead developer and served in a lot of cross-functional roles here as well.

Next I decided to do some independent freelance and consulting work under my company, Gears & Wires. I worked for small startups (often being the sole developer) to large companies such as Pepsi. The range of kinds of projects was wide and thrilling and I enjoyed the different experiences this period afforded me.

Then I joined Metaverse (now Koji), where I worked for 3 years. Being a social media focused company, I got to create many different kinds of projects such as web apps, games, online stores, etc.

Right now, I’m a front-end developer for Rippling, working with the Insurance team, where I’ve been since August 2021.

Design

In the past few years, I’m realizing my passion for the front-end side of things. I naturally gravitate towards thinking about the user, about the idea of empathy and designing things in a way that are thoughtful, pleasing, and beautiful.

In my spare time, I enjoy learning about and creating projects using 3D software, color art, and photography (my current favorite is my Fuji X-T3).

I was born in New Orleans and grew up in Colorado and Illinois. Work took me to the Bay Area where I spent a good portion of my life. I currently live in the Los Angeles area with my wife and 3-year-old son.

Contact

If you’re interested in building something together, have a question, or simply would like to chat - feel free to reach out. I’d love to hear from you.
[email protected]