Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get. No matter what, it’s important to stay open to whatever it has to offer!
And in this article, we’d like to invite you to meet someone whose journey’s been as fascinating as the technologies he works with. From childhood gaming adventures to orchestrating complex documentation, his story is a blend of passion, technology, and a dash of international romance 😉
Meet @piotr_szwarc, our seasoned Dynatracer, and see the other side of an Information Developer, which consists of everything dear to the heart.
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1. Can you share some details about your past? What is your story, how did it happen that you decided to work in the IT / APM area, and how did you become a Dynatracer?
I was born in Gdynia, Poland, but my parents and I emigrated to the United States when I was a young boy. From an early age, I was fascinated with computers and video games. Atari 2600, Commodore C64, Amiga 500, and Tandy TRS-80 were my childhood toys, so my path in life naturally gravitated towards Information Technology. Later, I became fascinated with networking (Windows NT, Novell NetWare, etc.) My professional experience involved building open architecture systems, configuring small office networks, and administering Windows servers in a small internet service provider company (ISP). All while still staying true to video gaming. Technologies used in games like Doom and Quake introduced me to 3D modeling, shifting my interests toward a new technology (at that time), stereolithography, and 3D printing.
In 2005, I came to Poland on a vacation and fell in love with a beautiful Polish girl.
I decided to move to Poland and searched for a job that would utilize my skills in technology and English. I found a company that was looking for a tech writer. Throughout the years, this company became Dynatrace, and the position became Information Developer.
From the beginning, we were a perfect match. I was able to learn new technologies that Dynatrace developed and implemented, and with my experience as a user of new technologies in the past, I could understand the needs of the target audience (Admin manuals, user manuals, getting started manuals). This relationship continues for 18 years.
2. Can you tell us a little bit about your job? What interesting things you’re working on that you can share?
I am a Senior Information Developer with the add-on role of a Product Owner for the Documentation team. I'm tasked with ensuring the documentation content is published and planning development tasks for the Documentation team. I am also working on the separation of the Managed documentation set.
3. What makes you excited about being a part of the Dynatrace?
- Evolving product, never a dull moment.
- Learning and understanding new technologies, that allow me to present complex ideas in a more straightforward, more accessible way.
4. How is the Community helping you in your job? Why do you think it’s worth being a part of the Dynatrace Community? What best advice can you give someone who just started using Community?
The Community is an integral part of the broader Dynatrace experience. While documentation, by definition, is information that Dynatrace presents to the user, Community communication occurs in many ways, such as discussions, threads, questions, answers, and tips. The Community is alive and ensures you're not alone as a Dynatrace user. Just recently, Dynatrace Community helped Dynatrace Documentation by taking over the troubleshooting concept. While the troubleshooting information was available in the Documentation set, with our constant product improvements, it was quickly becoming outdated, thus lowering the value of the Dynatrace Documentation. Now, the troubleshooting on the Community can be updated by every Dynatrace user, outdated threads closed, new tips added, and unique cases addressed. This move has greatly improved the value of the information we present to Dynatrace users.
And as a new Community user, don't hesitate to join and ask questions. I believe it was Confucius who said: "The man who asks a stupid question is a fool for a minute. The man who does not ask a stupid question is a fool for life". Use this great tool and enjoy Dynatrace even more.
5. Tell us something about you that most people don’t know. What is your most immense joy or passion in life?
- I lived in Rome, Italy, for about a year in the mid-80s.
- In the early 2000s, as a freelance 3D model maker in NYC, I had the privilege of making 3D jewelry models for designers from Tiffany & Co., Hearts on Fire and various other custom jewelry companies.
- I can set diamonds in a ring.
- I like ice hockey (watching). My favorite hockey team is the NY Rangers.
- My favorite band is Rush.
- I like photography.
- I like ancient history.
- I like Jeeps Wranglers and Off-road. I owned two so far. The second one I have owned for the past 18 years.
- I converted an MB Vito into a campervan and traveled throughout the Balkans and Greece, stealth camping and visiting archeological sites and beaches.
6. What’s one thing on your bucket list? Your dream?
Visit Göbekli Tepe in my campervan.
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Thank you, @piotr_szwarc, for taking us along for this exciting ride and sharing your story. We wish you new off-roads to discover, new foreign lands to lay your eyes upon, and, finally, make it into one picture with the whole Documentation team! Thank you for your unmatched energy, and see you around the Community 😉
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