Developing Detroit: Elyse Turner

Developing Detroit – An interview-based blog created to spotlight individuals who drive technology in the city. Motivations, advice, opportunities, and more

Android Developer / Marketing Guru / Detroit Transplant

This month, the Developing Detroit spotlight shines on Elyse Turner. She has an extensive background in marketing and works in the heart of Detroit as an Android Developer.

Take us through your journey – How did your career as an Android Developer begin?

That’s a big leap to go from Marketing Specialist to Software Developer. Who and/or what inspired you to become a Detroit Developer?

I started having a major girl crush on Erika Carlson after I wrote that interview blog with her. She was originally a psych major and wasn’t technical at all. She knew someone that was a programmer, which influenced her. When she told me her story, it influenced me. It seemed like something I’d really like to do.

What advice do you have for up-and-coming software developers?

Honestly, It’s really hard. But there’s a lot of support, a lot of user groups and people you can get to know that will help steer you in the right direction. The software community is always willing to help if you’re having trouble.

Also, just get involved with the community. Detroit is awesome. I’m not sure about other tech cities, but I feel like the IT community is small enough where someone always knows someone who can help.

You can also look on meetup. If there’s a specific language you’re starting to learn, you can look up specific user groups in your area. Bloggers are another great resource who can help you get to where you need to go.

Metro-Detroit is home to a large, growing software community

In your eyes, what is it about Detroit that makes for a great tech environment?

Detroit’s growing so fast. There’s a lot of startups. There’s a lot of companies that are updating their IT departments. I can’t really compare it to Silicon Valley because I’ve never been there, but it seems like people are pretty inclusive and supportive. It’s just really nice here.

How much of a role do you think the software community is playing in the economic resurgence & development of Detroit?

Tech professionals have a lot of opportunities and options these days.

What does a typical day at work look like for you?

It starts with coffee.

So software developer teams work on card walls – They basically help you track your project. There’s both large and small cards that developers can pick up – It could be an entire feature or a piece of a feature. If you’re in the middle of a card, it could take several days. Usually your project manager will have the cards prioritized, so we work on the features that matter to the release. If you’re working on a card, you might come in and get that done.