Principles
My work is driven by a simple belief:
Nothing cannot be done.
“If you can dream it, you can do it.” — Walt Disney
Not as motivation-poster energy — as an engineering stance: ambitious ideas are possible if you break them into systems, iterate relentlessly, and build for reality.
1) Build for reality, not for demos
A demo is what happens on your best day. A real system is what happens on your worst day. I build for drift, breakage, incomplete data and human behavior — because that’s where systems either become durable or die.
2) Systems first, features second
Features are easy. Systems are what survive. Before building, I ask: What are the constraints? Where does the data flow? What breaks first? How do we observe it? Can it evolve without being rebuilt from scratch?
3) Experimentation is the method
Experimentation isn’t what I do before the “real work”. It is the work. I prototype early, validate assumptions fast, and iterate until patterns become architecture. Some experiments become products. Others become lessons. Both matter.
4) The rule: no magic
I don’t ship systems that “just work” for unknown reasons. If we can’t explain it, debug it, and observe it, it’s not done.
- •Documentation: so humans can operate it
- •Automated testing: so changes don’t break reality
- •Monitoring & observability: so we always know what’s happening
5) Proof, not theory
We bought a smart greenhouse that automatically grew microgreens with UV lights and a water reservoir. Great device — but it couldn’t be integrated into our home automation system.
That’s not where I stopped. I opened it up, tinkered with it, figured out how to connect it to the internet, and integrated it into our system anyway.
Read the story: United Codes Hackathon 2025 — innovation in action ↗
6) Build wonder — but earn it
I’m a big theme park fan for a reason: the best experiences are engineered. They feel magical and coherent from start to finish — because every little detail matters and tells a story.
That’s the mindset I want to bring into smart spaces: not just a product, but an experience. Delight on the surface — discipline underneath.