This article may reflect the Service Line Directors’ initial thinking, which may experience changes as the Service Lines develop.
What is the Application Development Service Line?
The Application Development service line at SMPH focuses on creating and maintaining custom software solutions that support the institution’s specific needs. Our team of developers and DevOps engineers collaborate closely with departments to design, develop, and deploy software that enhances operational efficiency, supports research endeavors, and improves the overall digital experience for the SMPH community.
We emphasize agile methodologies, continuous integration, and continuous deployment practices to ensure that software development is responsive, efficient, and aligned with the latest technological standards. Our commitment is to provide scalable and sustainable software solutions that address the evolving challenges and opportunities within SMPH.
Q+A with Application Development Service Line Director Adam Halstead
What is your role and initial focus as a new Service Line Director?
In my role as Director of Research and Clinical Application Development, my initial focus is getting to know the software and DevOps engineers, along with their managers, who are essential to the establishment of the new service line. My goal is to gain a thorough understanding of the projects and technologies they are currently working on and to assist in forming cohesive teams within the service line. Working alongside Chad Craighill, my co-director, we are creating an application portfolio that will offer a detailed overview of the applications under development and support. Additionally, we will be developing a service catalog that will clearly define the services our teams can provide to others.
What inspired you to step into this leadership position?
The opportunity to unite our staff under one large IIT family presents a rare and exciting chance to build a top-tier IIT team supporting SMPH in advancing its research mission. I was motivated to use the leadership skills and relationships I cultivated at Medicine to make a more significant contribution to SMPH and help realize this vision.
How do you envision your service line supporting the goals of the Office of IIT?
Our service line aims to bolster the objectives of the Office of IIT by equipping researchers with essential software tools and services needed to support their projects. We’ll do this through developing code and services that leverage our team’s collective technical expertise, whilst also continuously looking to securely incorporate technological innovations when they become practical.
What are you most looking forward to in this new role?
I’m most excited about working with a team of skilled professionals who share a deep commitment to technical excellence and making a meaningful impact. The services we will develop have the potential to be instrumental in enabling significant medical breakthroughs.
What’s one key message you’d like to share with your new team?
While our goal is to minimize disruptions, it’s inevitable that we’ll encounter some challenges as we navigate our way forward as an expanded and restructured IIT group. I understand that this might lead to occasional frustrations among staff, but your feedback is valuable and can guide us towards building a better future state. My ‘partially remote’ door is always open, and I’d be happy to discuss your concerns and ideas.
Q+A with Application Development Service Line Director Chad Craighill
What is your role and initial focus as a new Service Line Director?
I am one of two directors for the application development service line. My responsibility will include administrative and educational applications. My Initial focus will be threefold; curating an application portfolio, defining a project intake process, and begin fostering a collaboration among team members, services lines, and schoolwide stakeholders.
What inspired you to step into this leadership position?
Stepping into the application development director position represents a logical progression in my professional career. My tenure with the School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH), spanning more than 18 years, has been with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. During that time, I have had the opportunity to mentor some truly remarkable individuals in application development disciplines. Some have left the university for career growth while others have found opportunities within the university. In this new role I am excited to be reuniting with some of those individuals who are with SMPH in application developer positions.
How do you envision your service line supporting the goals of the Office of IIT?
Application development will look to align our priorities to be centrally focused. Efforts will include extending current applications to benefit multiple departments and developing new applications to have impact across the school. Although the services lines are separate by design, the opportunities to work across services lines will be ever present via project teams. Through both work teams and project teams IIT goals will be the driving factor.
What are you most looking forward to in this new role?
The biggest highlight for me is the potential to create a world class informatics and information technology organization. It is a rare gift to have the opportunity to mold a new structure at the foundational level. Building an application development product that benefits the entire SMPH community and creating efficiencies in how the group operates will be paramount. Transitioning from small teams to more robust teams will facilitate sharing of expertise across application development groups.
What’s one key message you’d like to share with your new team?
Strive to be agile in both methodology and service delivery. Commit to elevate ourselves professionally. Maintain wellness as a priority.
Anything else you would like to add?
I am humbled by the opportunity to lead this service line. We have an incredibly talented group of individuals with potential to do great things. I wait, with bated breath, to see what our future holds. On, Wisconsin!