Tim Robinson
Software Developer, Evolutionary Software
Written by Merryn Riley on 2009-10-16
Tim Robinson is self-made entrepreneur who created his own business called Evolutionary Software.
Why did you decide to pursue a career in the media and communications industry?
I’ve always loved the idea of helping to make people’s lives easier with better software and computer programs. Since a young age I’ve been into technology and always looking to create tools to allow people to do their work faster, organise their lives better and being able to be as creative as they possibly can.
What are the biggest challenges you and your organisation face as a member of the Brisbane media community?
One of the biggest challenges we face is creating software that works for everyone and anyone can understand. It has been a constant refinement process for us where we need to release a piece of software, test how others use it and what can be improved. We constantly try to make it better, faster and easier to use.
In your opinion, what is the most prominent trend in the Software Development industry at the moment?
The biggest trend at the moment in the software industry is that everything is moving online. While over the previous 20 years most computer software was run on the PC and didn’t require internet access, now everything is moving into the “online cloud”, meaning that all your documents, files and applications will be stored on online servers and be accessible from anywhere in the world. This trend is being driven by Google and Microsoft, the 2 biggest giants in the software industry.
What do you think about the relationship between traditional media and new media?
I believe that the advancement of the internet is causing traditional media to die out. Rather than being able to simply blast an advertisement out onto the TV or radio and pull in profits. Companies now have to focus on building and strengthening relationships with customers and building products that people will want to share. People should be building products that people will share amongst themselves. I guess the real change is that previously media was a one to many medium; a company would send out a message and many people would hear it, yet there was little way for them to talk back or share that message. In new media (the internet) it is a many to many medium, where new ideas and products can cross the globe in days.
What changes do you see happening over the next five years in the Software industry?
In the next five years in the software industry I see there are going to be a lot less applications installed on user’s machines and a lot more applications that are fully internet based. Such as how many users have gone from Outlook to Gmail, from Microsoft office to Google Docs, and from traditional calendar applications to online tools.
There is also going to be a lot more development in the mobile industry as seen by the success of the iPhone store. I believe we are going to see a lot more faster and better smartphones, and some incredible applications coming out for them over the next 5 years ,which will replace of applications users normally only used their computer for (email / mini games / calendars / notes).
What advice could you give other people interested in having their own software development business?
Go for it. It only costs about $10 a month to have a website and there are plenty of free tools to start developing software for nothing. There is no need to go out and get funding in the early stages, simply start building a product, get it out on the market and adapt it to what people want.
Also engage and use all the new media tools out there (Twitter / Facebook / User Voice) to get feedback and build relationships with customers because if your products are good, they will be your very best sales team.
What is the best thing about owning your own business as a software developer?
Freedom and the ability to run my business from anywhere in the world. Because my company is entirely online I have automated almost every aspect of the sales process, from marketing (online advertising) to sales (a website) to order fulfillment (simply a digital download) to customer support (all handled by staff via email). This means that I don’t have to spend time working every day to earn an income and can take time off without worry. I also have a global market and can run my business from anywhere in the world as long as I have access to a computer.