Blog

Albuquerque Development Center Spotlight

Known for its beautiful scenery, Spanish history and the International Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque is home to our fourth development center and nearly 200 of our colleagues. Regional Colleague Director Margret Bailey shares what makes ABQ so special.

Always learning

The culture in our Albuquerque Development Center is “a crucible for leaders of all varieties,” and personal accountability combined with the Sparq focus on teamwork, collaboration, and collegiality produce an ownership approach to everything, “which is fantastic if you want a center full of smart, confident trust-but-questioners,” says Margret. In ABQ, everyone is encouraged to be themselves wholeheartedly, whether that’s by drawing comics, 3D modeling and printing, or sharing your passion for neurolinguistic programming. All of our colleagues truly enjoy learning from each other, which facilitated the creation of the Maker Space, where colleagues lead workshops including acrylic painting and tie-dying. Principal Consultant Mark Winchell even taught the center how to build a functional camp stove from aluminum cans!

Trick or treat

Without a doubt, the most popular center holiday is Halloween (in fact, it sometimes involves a month of activities!) Horror movie lunch trivia, costume contests, and pumpkin decorating rounded out last year’s spooky season celebrations. ABQ also loves a little healthy competition, especially against colleagues in other centers, and had a great showing in the firmwide lip sync competition this year. 

Caring about the community

Community engagement is important to everyone in ABQ, especially when it promotes STEM education. CodeClubs.org is a non-profit organization founded by a former Albuquerque colleague, which partners with Girls Who Code and local schools to bring coding classes to kids ages 11-18. Senior Consultant Bresdin O’Malley is now the Executive Director of the organization, and the entire center loves to get involved either through teaching or spreading the word at local events. Margret shares, “The scale to which our colleagues devote themselves to these activities is impressive. I’m very proud of our center’s involvement with the community.”

Related Blogs
See All Blogs
Blog
Nov 8, 2023

Five Ways User Feedback Can Transform Your Product Strategy

User feedback is a critical asset that can provide valuable insights into your users' wants and needs. It can also give important observations into your application's overall performance. In this article, Principal Product Strategist Toyia Smith shares five ways to better incorporate user feedback into your product strategy.

Read More
Blog
Nov 1, 2023

Balancing Technical Debt and New Features: A Product Owner’s Guide

The term "technical debt" frequently emerges in discussions about software development, product health and organizational effectiveness. However, its true meaning and the balance organizations must find between managing this debt and new feature innovation can be confusing. In this article, learn how to manage that delicate balance so you can create an exceptional product.

Read More
Blog
Oct 17, 2023

Navigating Digital Product Discovery: A Guide to Avoiding the 5 Common Pitfalls in Custom Product Development

In digital product development, a well-structured discovery phase is critical to a product’s long-term success. However, bringing a digital product from concept to reality can be challenging. In this article, Principal Product Strategist Josh Campbell shares his guide to avoiding five common pitfalls during digital product discovery.

Read More
Blog
Oct 10, 2023

Preparing Your Business for the Realities of AI and Machine Learning: Beyond the Hype

The buzz around artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) has almost certainly reached a fever pitch. With benefits including increased efficiency and enhanced customer experiences, many businesses are eager to take advantage of these technologies. In this article by Chief Technology Officer Derek Perry, learn why organizations need a solid foundation to ensure they're ready to harness the benefits of AI and ML, before jumping in headfirst.

Read More
See All Blogs
noun-arrow-2025160 copy 2
noun-arrow-2025160 copy 2
See All Blogs