In conversation with Andrew Blondeau, Katchr's BMXing software developer.

Every time you talk to someone in software you’ll be taken aback by their alter ego and where it has taken them. That’s certainly the case at Katchr where every face has a story behind it. Like Andrew Blondeau, who started at the Huddersfield-based software company following his graduation. He actually started working for “version 1” of Katchr, Exen Legal Solutions, as it was known then as a placement while he was still at Huddersfield Uni.

Initially, Andrew assumed that the legal industry was likely to be old fashioned and not exactly up to date in the world of IT however, it is apparent that they, just like many other businesses, must stay one step ahead of the competition. During the information revolution, this is an ambitious technology landscape to find yourself in. And that’s not the only ambitious landscape that attracts Andrew. He’s been into BMX since school and we’re not talking just popping down to the local BMX park. Andrew is a passionate lover of BMX Flatland which, if you don’t know the discipline, sounds like a video game. However, video games are far less challenging. Flatland is all about the flat surface and what can be achieved (not hard to see the similarities with software). It is the perfect ballet between movement and balancing tricks as you can see in this breath-taking video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oRF-jZPUpk

So, when Andrew isn’t scraping his elbows on concrete, he’s coding away at Katchr’s market-leading law industry software that provides intuitive data viewing to aid better and more effect decision making.

Going back to Andrew’s original assumption that the law industry was old fashioned has helped him take a deeply human approach to the Katchr interface. In fact, this was the primary thing that attracted Andrew’s attention. Like most people today, he’s never forgotten some of his gaming experiences from his younger days. In Andrew’s case it was a 90’s PC Cricket game. He loves the human side of software. “People use our product in their lives. Our product has impact and there’s nothing more creative than that.” Although he’s “not great at maths” it’s software’s demand for impeccable logic that is where Andrew excels. User Interface Design and Experience is a very creative job and appeals to his heart which lies in meaning. Making a difference in people’s lives is a very satisfying way to start your day.