Mike Slone
Software Professional
Ginger Labs
Sr Engineering Manager
2021-present
I joined Ginger Labs in 2021 to found the frontend engineering team for the web services that support our chart-topping handwriting iOS app. I chose Ginger Labs because I saw a company that valued empowering creativity in its users. I have grown the Web Apps team at an intentional pace from 1 (just me) to an incredible cohort of 9.
This scrappy team built the Notability Gallery into a crowd-sourced library of note-taking resources, so our users can "stand on the shoulders of giants" in the note-taking space. We have worked to identify pragmatic ways to elevate the most useful content, both through both algorithmic and curated methods.
In 2023, we began experimenting with the possibility of rendering Notability's notes in a real-time renderer in the browser, as well as building our team out with a diverse group of talented specialists. This has allowed us to go into production on a full-scale Notability Web app in 2024.
This scrappy team built the Notability Gallery into a crowd-sourced library of note-taking resources, so our users can "stand on the shoulders of giants" in the note-taking space. We have worked to identify pragmatic ways to elevate the most useful content, both through both algorithmic and curated methods.
In 2023, we began experimenting with the possibility of rendering Notability's notes in a real-time renderer in the browser, as well as building our team out with a diverse group of talented specialists. This has allowed us to go into production on a full-scale Notability Web app in 2024.
Technologies
Typescript, PixiJS, WebGL, React, Redux
Responsibilities
- Built the web apps organization from nothing to 7 engineers, 1 dev lead, and 1 QA.
- Introduced and implemented Agile methodology and practices.
- Developed patterns of knowledge- and responsibility-sharing to increase redundancy and reduce strain on individuals.
- Developed core competencies standards for software engineers used in employee development and hiring.
- Led development of the Notability Web App and Notability Gallery.
Projects
- Notability Web App
- Notability Gallery
- Notability App Redesign
Disney - Hulu
Software Lead
2015-2021
I chose Hulu because I was looking for a place where I could learn from leaders capable of balancing healthy ambition with healthy culture. From these leaders, I learned how to set a course, inspire peope, listen well, provide feedback, agree and disagree well, and do great business without sacrificing ethics.
I joined Hulu as a developer on the living room team, delivering shows, movies, and sports to tens of millions of users on their living room devices, such as game consoles, set top boxes, and smart TVs. I saw our users grow from 3 million to over 30 million over the course of my tenure. I worked with brilliant leaders who taught me the challenges and techniques involved with developing collaborative, inclusive, creative culture.
I joined Hulu as a developer on the living room team, delivering shows, movies, and sports to tens of millions of users on their living room devices, such as game consoles, set top boxes, and smart TVs. I saw our users grow from 3 million to over 30 million over the course of my tenure. I worked with brilliant leaders who taught me the challenges and techniques involved with developing collaborative, inclusive, creative culture.
Projects
- Hulu With Live TV
- Home Redesign
- Details Page Redesign
- React Migration
- Coffeescript to Typescript Migration
Technologies
Typescript, React, Sass, Knockout.js
Activision - Treyarch
Game Designer, Call of Duty
2011-2015
I joined Activision's Black Ops team at Treyarch in 2011 in order to learn the ropes of creative development from leaders in the field. I started by designing and scripting single-player missions for the Black Ops II story campaign, and quickly moved into developing gameplay systems, and eventually joining the Zombies team to work on Origins and Shadows of Evil, where I designed and scripted puzzles, vehicles, and combat encounters.
My favorite user experience moment in my career happened when we released Origins to users in 2013, which provided the immensely satisfying experience of watching live streamers collaborate with their viewers to make sense of the complex number systems, ciphers, music notation and circuitry required to complete my puzzles.
My favorite user experience moment in my career happened when we released Origins to users in 2013, which provided the immensely satisfying experience of watching live streamers collaborate with their viewers to make sense of the complex number systems, ciphers, music notation and circuitry required to complete my puzzles.
Projects
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- Call of Duty: Zombies - Origins
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III
- Call of Duty: Zombies - Shadows of Evil
THQ - Volition
Gameplay Programmer
2007-2011
As a hobbyist game developer, and a fan of Volition's Red Faction series, I was over the moon to be interviewing with their development team in 2006. When I saw an early build of Red Faction: Guerrilla during my interview there, my not-yet-even-graduated mind was blown.
While I was a little disappointed not to be working on that project, I had an absolute blast working on the gameplay team for Saints Row 2. On that team, I learned how to find the fun, iterate, try risky things, and of course, make it all work in a peer-to-peer co-op open world, which had never been done before!
After Saints Row 2, I joined the Red Faction: Armageddon team (then called Red Faction: Crusade), where I took on higher-level gameplay systems and the associated tooling, animation programming, and physics programming in a fully-destructible world.
Before leaving in 2011, I joined the Saints Row team again to help develop Saints Row The Third ahead of its release that fall.
While I was a little disappointed not to be working on that project, I had an absolute blast working on the gameplay team for Saints Row 2. On that team, I learned how to find the fun, iterate, try risky things, and of course, make it all work in a peer-to-peer co-op open world, which had never been done before!
After Saints Row 2, I joined the Red Faction: Armageddon team (then called Red Faction: Crusade), where I took on higher-level gameplay systems and the associated tooling, animation programming, and physics programming in a fully-destructible world.
Before leaving in 2011, I joined the Saints Row team again to help develop Saints Row The Third ahead of its release that fall.
Projects
- Saints Row 2
- Red Faction: Armageddon
- Saints Row The Third
Technologies
C/C++, Lua, Havok, MFC, XDK