As you look for a company to work for, see if they promote creative and fun learning opportunities to help you grow! Macedon encourages employees to experiment with the latest versions of the Appian low-code platform by providing environments to play around in and hosting hackathon events.
One of our core principles is “Know Your Craft,” we impress our clients with our depth of knowledge in Appian.
With side projects, employees drive innovation by developing creative ideas in safe, low-pressure projects. Curiosity drives our consultants to sink their teeth into everything the Appian platform offers. This same drive for knowledge helps us master the tools we use in our client projects.
An excellent example of a side project here at Macedon is Let’s Play Cards (LPC). A small team built this application to emulate card games. This project pushes Appian’s data refresh and UI capabilities to their limits, allowing players to play their hand each turn and see the results in real-time.
Another example is the DUNK application (see screenshot above). Built by a solo developer, this project came from a weekly game night hosted by Macedon employees. The application tracks game statistics and utilizes machine learning to predict outcomes. Features from this application inspire other project ideas.
Aside from these creative side projects, another exciting way Macedon ignites our passion is by hosting hackathons. Macedon has hosted hackathons with themes such as games or open-ended ones such as using the newest features of Appian. These events align with Macedon’s values, motivating employees to study cutting-edge technologies and cut loose by tinkering with tools they may not think to use.
“Hackathons are a great opportunity to test drive the cutting edge of Appian's tech capabilities, build cool things quickly, and enjoy the camaraderie with your teammates in a friendly competition!” - Andrew Zysk
Macedon has accrued a streak of successful client projects by allowing employees to express their ingenuity through side projects. For example, Macedon delivered an intuitive and robust Appian solution for a health insurance company that helped clinicians get data on their members’ medical history. The project team was competing with other technologies but won the client over thanks to their in-depth knowledge and creative use of Appian.
Macedon offers employees a virtual sandbox and hosts hackathons to supercharge creativity. Working on side projects gives us an exciting opportunity to think outside the box, contribute to the company culture, and learn new skills we can use to solve our client’s unique challenges. At Macedon, it is possible to work, learn, and have fun simultaneously! Check our career page for more information about our culture and benefits.
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