Coffee with Cohesive: Patrick McDermott

Software was not where you started out?

No, it wasn’t. I worked in non-profit out of college and then went into insurance – the original big data industry.

Although I wasn’t in a data role, I got interested in that side of the business and started closing the skills gap to make that move. As part of that I started teaching myself Python.

The ability to build things got me and that’s how I pivoted from pursuing data analysis to pursuing coding. I ended up doing a Master of Science degree in software development. That opened so many doors that I moved out of the insurance industry altogether. 

When was your first experience with Maximo? 

The first job I got just before I graduated in software development was as a solutions engineer with the company that created EZMaxMobile and that was where I was first introduced to Maximo.

EZMaxMobile is a mobile application for interacting directly with Maximo data so an in-depth understanding of Maximo is crucial to being an effective EZMaxMobile developer.

And this is your focus still today?

Yes, I primarily work on mobile development across our core sectors whether transport, energy or manufacturing and mining. Wherever a mobile solution is needed that is where my focus is.

The process generally starts with workshops to understand the process of that specific organisation, the problems they are looking to solve and their business objectives and how we can incorporate Maximo for them to help meet those aims.

I help with the technical aspects ie. what we can configure to help our client gain the most value from Maximo, and also with the functional – showing them what Maximo can do.

I also tend to maintain technical documentation relating to the implementation which the client keeps for their records and which assists them with being more self-sufficient once our job is complete.

Solutions engineer but also a trusted advisor?

Yes! It’s definitely about more than being good with technology. In my role I need to understand our products, understand the different technologies available in the industry, and understand the operational issues of my client from their perspective.

Active listening is also a key skill in my role – if you don’t pay full attention to your client’s concerns you won’t design the solution that puts their needs front and foremost.

I love making things happen in Maximo for our clients – and love it when I see how excited our clients get about achieving what they wanted to happen.

What does the typical day look like for you?

My typical day might involve coding or testing solutions, attending client meetings, prototyping and maintaining internal development environments, and answering any questions that may come up from other developers.  

Most exciting project you have been involved with?

One of the first projects I was involved in was internal and was the build-out of the Maximo environment for the Maximo World annual conference.

Although it was internal it was high-visibility and the deliverable would be public facing.

Since getting more MAS exposure was one of my goals in coming to Cohesive, getting to work on this project right out of the gate really exceeded my expectations.

I got to work not only with OpenShift and Manage but also Monitor and db2 Warehouse as well as leverage tools like node red and I got to work closely with the reliability team. 

Do you find much resistance to modern technologies in the organisations you work with?

From what I can see, they are embracing them. Specifically, I see clients leaning into cloud and container solutions which of course is the future of Maximo. And I see interest in AI. 

Do you see common pain points with the clients you work with?

One common pain point that always stands out to me is  the need to move away from paper-based processes. These could be for inspections or inventory counts or some other custom process.

This always stand out to me as a mobile developer because well implemented mobile solutions can effectively replace the paper-based processes and remove the need for duplicate data entry as well as add new functionality like, for example, the ability to attach pictures to your forms.

How do you keep abreast of the latest developments in your field?

One of the best ways I find is interacting with what other engineers and technologists are working on first hand. I recently attended the IBM TechXchange conference in Las Vegas. I got to do hands on work with various AI frameworks and tools and hear from industry leaders from different sectors about their vision for the future of technology.

Outside of that, I’m very active on LinkedIn and GitHub.