Michael Klaassen (34)
Joined BigMile in 2017
What do you do at BigMile?
‘I was one of the first people that started working on the BigMile dashboard in 2017 when it was still a project from Districon. At that time, BigMile was built in Business Intelligence software and I was a data-analyst. In the meantime, a lot has changed. BigMile is launching a completely new version of the BigMile Carbon Analytics application. I am still responsible for the dashboards, its contents and the lay-out, but I do less with data. As a front-end lead developer I am continuously asking myself what a user wants to see, and how can I present that? Next, I develop it, mostly in javascript.’
What do you like about your work at BigMile?
‘First of all, I have always liked the idea behind BigMile, to make the world a better place. Secondly, as a creator of dashboards, the possibilities of BigMile are infinite compared to working on behalf of a client. When creating a dashboard, it is demand and supply. You create the exact dashboard that the client is asking for. And if that same client wants to have a second dashboard, they usually want the same dashboard, but for another division of the company. At BigMile you can put your own ideas into practice. This offers chances to professionally develop yourself. Thirdly, I like working in a team. Working on the same software product with others is a lot more fun, than working on a dashboard in solitude.’
How often do you go to the office and what is the first thing you do when you get there?
‘I go to the office on Wednesdays. I would get coffee as soon as I enter the building, if only the machine would have what I want. I drink cappuccino, and the machine does not supply that. So I wait until ten o’clock and get it at a small place closeby. Before we start meetings at 8.45 am, I like to have some focus time. To have the first things done before these meetings start, feels good.’
If you had to teach someone else something, what would it be?
‘I do not have any special skills or hobby’s that I would be able to teach. But I am a huge fan of basketball and I can tell you just about anything about the NBA. I have been following this ever since I was a kid. I enjoyed watching the documentary about Michael Jordan. He’s the man. With his mentality, I am convinced he could have become anything he wanted, also in the business world.’
In a movie about you, what actor would play you?
‘Jim Carrey. I like to think we have the same sense of humor.’
What superhero would you like to be?
‘It would be cool to be free like Spider-Man. Using webs to swing across skyscrapers, swinging through the city. Also, compared to some other superheroes, Spider-Man is making a relatively minor contribution to global carbon emissions.’
