Posts by Category

machine learning

L-layer Neural Network

1 minute read

Quick reference on a generalized network setup based on number of layers

Linear Algebra in Machine Learning

5 minute read

Linear Algebra reference especially useful when vectorizing Machine Learning operations and understanding intuition for algorithms

Numerical Gradient Checking for Backprop

less than 1 minute read

Backprop can be error-prone. Numeric methods for calculating the gradient is computational slow but easy to implement

Activation Functions for CNNs, RNNs, DNNs

3 minute read

Knowing which activation functions are available, and how it’s changed over the years, gives us choices for optimization and inspiration for new functions

Classification Model Performance Metrics

2 minute read

Using the following metrics gives a more accurate picture of model performance

Neural Network Interpretability Visually

2 minute read

Understanding the activation of a network with the help of semantic dictionaries and non-neg matrix factorization to increase network performance.

Increase Validation Accuracy in Cases of High Variance

3 minute read

How can we make sure the representation learned by our model will be applicable to data the model has never seen before. Overfitting can reduce the validatio...

Weight Initialization in Deep Neural Networks

1 minute read

A set of strategies for weight initialization preventing DNNs from having problems like vanishing or exploding gradients

Reducing Bias to Increase Test Set Accuracy

1 minute read

Gradient Class Activation Mapping provides a method that can be used to visually explore possible biases in the CNNs and DNNs

Hyperparameter Tuning for Model Optimization

3 minute read

Knowing what hyperparameters are available for tuning is an important part of quickly and accurate optimization

Visual Explanation of Neural Networks via CAM

1 minute read

Understanding the spatially important features of Deep and Convolutional Neural Networks using Class Activation Mapping

Optimizing Models using Saliency Maps and CMVs

2 minute read

Extracting visual insight from network layers allows us to optimize and investigate our models

ImageDataNet: Generator for Training and Validation

1 minute read

Good organization is key when it comes to the performance of our engineering team. When it comes to training and validation of an ML algorithm, there are som...

Choosing an Appropriate ML Algorithm for a Product

2 minute read

Picking the right ML algorithm requires careful consideration of the user, product, team, and business

Hyperparameter Range of Value

2 minute read

Understanding how to iterate through the values of the hyperparameters when tuning a Machine Learning algorithm can make a difference when it comes quickly t...

Do Biomedical Engineers have an Advantage in Machine Learning?

5 minute read

Biomedical engineers go through a multidisciplinary training that might make them a good major to transition into machine learning and Artificial Intelligence

Product Considerations when Incorporating Machine Learning

2 minute read

As will any software engineering field, it’s important to consider technical tradeoffs so that we can maximize customer value.

Ceiling Analysis to Evaluate Optimization Potential

2 minute read

Focusing on the module with the most potential gives direction on where to optimize the model pipeline

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programming

SwaggerJS via Swagger-Tools for NodeJS

1 minute read

Learning by examples

Mobile App PDF generation from HTML

2 minute read

Client side generation of PDFs using jsPDF, HTML, DataURIs, and Cordova on iOS8+ and Android in MeteorJS

Bluebird Promises with Mongoose for MongoDB

1 minute read

Quick examples of using bluebird with mongoose in node. I just want to show you a couple common use cases to help you recognize how to use promises.

Dealing with Complex @IBDesignable

1 minute read

When your @IBDesignable is either too complex or requires data not available when previewing in the interface builder, here is how you deal with those errors.

MPAndroidChart to ios-charts syntax conversion

less than 1 minute read

It turns out that there is enough difference in the properties each framework uses that it can be frustrating to learn how to use the ios-charts library. Her...

Singleton Swiftly

less than 1 minute read

Two design patterns which can be used to implement Singletons in Swift.

Custom NSNumberFormatter

less than 1 minute read

How to create and class a 100% customized NSNumberFormatter in Swift. Useful when frameworks (cough ‘ios-charts’) require a NSNumberFormatter for value forma...

Faster Logical UIScrollView in Swift

less than 1 minute read

UIScrollView is something that can be very confusing because it uses constraints in a way that they aren’t normally used. Because of this there is so much co...

Attributed Strings in Xcode with Custom Font

less than 1 minute read

Attributed strings build in the storyboard editor which use a custom font does not render correctly. Here are the steps to get around it

Transliteration of Promises to Callbacks

1 minute read

Promises seem like an amazing way to take advantage of non-blocking io in a very readable way

Learning Programming Promises via a Story

5 minute read

Learn the basic idea of promises in Javascript by listening to this story. The code examples may be JS but the story is language agnostic

Swagger 2.0 Spec File Upload Method

1 minute read

A little information on how to edit your swagger.json document (v2) so that you can accept file uploads in NodeJS. Includes a workaround for a current bug.

Node.js Alternate Config File

1 minute read

An alternate config file in node for setting variables based on current env without the overhead of another library with more flexibility than a .json file.

Use ‘type’ as a Property Name in a Mongoose Doc

less than 1 minute read

The syntax is a little different since ‘type’ already has a meaning in a Mongoose schema.

Mongoose v3 Embedded Object without Explicit Subschema Declaration

less than 1 minute read

A quick code example of how to embed a subdocument/collection of objects in a Mongoose model without creating a whole other explicit subdoc reference

Comparing Mongoose Object Ids

less than 1 minute read

Forget about finding a deeply nested id property that you have to call the .toString() method on in order to compare.

Method Chaining in JS Style Opinion

1 minute read

A more definitive answer to the indent style of chaining multiple methods in Javascript for easier readability.

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book notes

Crossing the Chasm

4 minute read

Marketing and selling high-tech products to mainstream customers.

The Dichotomy of Leadership

5 minute read

An approach to help leaders recognize and attain leadership balance required for teams

Pragmatic Programmer

4 minute read

As an engineering team leader, this book gives great advice. Some of it is outdated, but much of the relevant topics are included below

Leaders Eat Last

4 minute read

Simon explores what it means to become a truly admired leader

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

6 minute read

A review and summary of one of the foundational startup books.

Good to Great

5 minute read

Defines the leadership style of the 90’s and what can be learned and used in the 20th century

The Power of Positive Leadership

4 minute read

Positive leaders can transform teams and organizations

Washington on Leadership

3 minute read

Washington ‘presented’ as the first founder and CEO of two startups; the army and the presidency.

Lincoln on Leadership

4 minute read

An examination of Lincoln’s leadership abilities and how they can be applied to today.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

5 minute read

A quick book review from the perspective of the management of a engineering team.

The Innovator’s Dilemma

3 minute read

Explore why great companies can do everything right and then still lose their market

The Innovators

4 minute read

Most innovations in the digital age were done collaboratively. This is the story of why their ability to work as a team made them so creative and successful

Thinking, Fast and Slow

5 minute read

An explanation of the two systems that drive the mind

Smarter Faster Better

5 minute read

Focusing on how you think is more important in productivity than what you think

The Lean Startup

6 minute read

Most startup failures are preventable. How to leverage both human creativity and capital more efficiently

Zero to One

4 minute read

A review and summary of one of the foundational startup books.

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leadership strategy

The Dichotomy of Leadership

5 minute read

An approach to help leaders recognize and attain leadership balance required for teams

Leaders Eat Last

4 minute read

Simon explores what it means to become a truly admired leader

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

6 minute read

A review and summary of one of the foundational startup books.

Good to Great

5 minute read

Defines the leadership style of the 90’s and what can be learned and used in the 20th century

The Power of Positive Leadership

4 minute read

Positive leaders can transform teams and organizations

Washington on Leadership

3 minute read

Washington ‘presented’ as the first founder and CEO of two startups; the army and the presidency.

Lincoln on Leadership

4 minute read

An examination of Lincoln’s leadership abilities and how they can be applied to today.

The Innovators

4 minute read

Most innovations in the digital age were done collaboratively. This is the story of why their ability to work as a team made them so creative and successful

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engineering execution

ImageDataNet: Generator for Training and Validation

1 minute read

Good organization is key when it comes to the performance of our engineering team. When it comes to training and validation of an ML algorithm, there are som...

Choosing an Appropriate ML Algorithm for a Product

2 minute read

Picking the right ML algorithm requires careful consideration of the user, product, team, and business

Product Engineering Development Values

2 minute read

Listed below are values that are important in leading a successful engineering team when the goal is to create a useful product.

Efficient Development and Delivery by the Engineering Team

3 minute read

Process of developing and delivering backlog stories as a cohesive and efficient engineering team

Product Management Story Creation

2 minute read

Process of how to create a high value prioritized backlog of understandable stories

Multi Valued Single Jasmine Automated Test Suite

1 minute read

An alternative to npm libraries like ‘jasmine-where’ and full blown data provider pattern. Anything that gives us a boost for our TDD & CI/CD pipeline is...

Continuous Integration with Code Coverage in Node.js

1 minute read

Continuous integration and test-driven development are important strategies for any engineering team that wants to be efficient.

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product strategy

Crossing the Chasm

4 minute read

Marketing and selling high-tech products to mainstream customers.

Good to Great

5 minute read

Defines the leadership style of the 90’s and what can be learned and used in the 20th century

Product Considerations when Incorporating Machine Learning

2 minute read

As will any software engineering field, it’s important to consider technical tradeoffs so that we can maximize customer value.

The Innovators

4 minute read

Most innovations in the digital age were done collaboratively. This is the story of why their ability to work as a team made them so creative and successful

Backlog Story Creation and Prioritization

1 minute read

Discussing importance in terms of other features vs in terms of an arbitrary scale keeps focus on the criterion used when creating the feature vs the arbitra...

The Lean Startup

6 minute read

Most startup failures are preventable. How to leverage both human creativity and capital more efficiently

Zero to One

4 minute read

A review and summary of one of the foundational startup books.

Back to Top ↑

product development

SMS Implementation Examples in iOS8

2 minute read

How various iOS apps implement SMS/Text based sharing. We consider the pros and cons of each.

Helping Dyslexics ‘Unscramble’ Websites

4 minute read

Building a Chrome extension that changes more than just the font of a webpage allowing dyslexic users to have a better experience regardless of page design.