Let's build custom systems when existing tools feel limiting. Let's build them around the needs of the people who use them.
Processes that need a custom system share the same story: existing tools got the job done, but the work has grown past them. That's where I enjoy getting involved — working directly with people to build something they can trust.
My sweet spot is the problem with a little more to it than a low-code platform can handle, and more than a quickly generated app will hold up to. I'm also comfortable owning a piece of a much larger system.
Most effective starting from zero. I take ambiguous requirements, find the real problem, and build the first version that actually works.
Approvals, audits, bulk operations, reporting — systems where correctness and traceability are non-negotiable.
I design for longevity, not just delivery. The systems I've built get used for a decade or more.
Finance, academic administration, operational workflows. I know how to work with subject-matter experts to get the details right.
Designed and delivered a company-wide CapEx approval workflow with finance leadership, supporting 200+ users. With every request tracked and a Playwright end-to-end suite guarding each feature, most business days ran with zero unexpected exceptions.
A custom platform tightly integrated with UVA's student information system, monitoring academic standing for 10,000+ undergrad students each semester. Provided Deans with decision-support tools for warnings, suspensions, and academic actions — and generated hundreds of official communications per semester. Played a direct role in student retention and on-time graduation outcomes.
Additional enterprise platforms supporting daily university operations: transfer credit evaluation and processing, annual faculty raise review, and curriculum review and approval workflows.
These tools solve problems I kept running into over the years, so I felt they should exist.
A .NET command-line tool that lets you update SQL Server data in bulk using your local Excel as the editor. Every row is validated before the database is touched — no silent failures, no partial commits. Built for data professionals who live in both Excel and SQL Server.
runsqlxl.com →Packages the same engine as SqlXl into a full ASP.NET Core web project template, making bulk editing a first-class capability — something most enterprise apps need but frameworks rarely make easy. Distributed via NuGet with public demos and documentation.
slappframework.com →Blindness to production results is unacceptable. Speed only helps if you have real assurance that nothing is breaking. I aim for software that keeps evidence of working reliably, and stays safe to change. "Observability" and "verification" are concepts I strongly believe in.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chrishamiltondeveloper