Allen is available for hire
Hire AllenAllen M Takatsuka
Verified Expert in Project Management
Project Manager
Location
Trabuco Canyon, CA, United States
Toptal Member Since
February 13, 2020
Allen has led teams and departments with 80 members through Agile transformation at startup and enterprise software product organizations. He has led projects and teams for content management, automation, and AI products. He has helped financial, public, and utility sector organizations globally form their digital transformation roadmaps. He loves enabling business through technology and looks forward to working on more interesting projects.
Project Highlights
Real-time AI Processing Platform
Launched a cloud-based real-time AI processing platform.
Enterprise Content Management Platform
Launched and managed releases of the J2EE flagship platform.
Mobile Applications for iOS and Android
Led the delivery of features and hotfixes for a consumer application for iOS and Android.
Expertise
Work Experience
Technical Project Manager
2020 - PRESENT
Large Health Insurance Company
- Supervised and guided engineers for "off-cycle" rapid releases.
- Improved the process for rapid release cycles for a mobile application delivered on iOS and Android.
- Supervised and guided engineers in the adoption of React Native for iOS and Android consumer application development.
- Managed the coordination of development across internal and external SAFe train teams against one mobile application (across iOS and Android).
Technical Project Manager
2020 - 2020
Manufacturing and Inventory Management Consultancy
- Provided recommendations to address gaps in ongoing project deliverables.
- Created plans for an inventory management system and a cloud-based platform.
- Established MVP and product backlog for an inventory management system.
Senior Director, Engineering
2017 - 2019
Veritone, Inc.
- Managed various API and back-end processing projects as well as overall integration of SaaS features across front-end web applications, API, backend services, and processing pipeline services.
- Led the data ingestion and AI processing team to deliver SaaS real-time processing capabilities and hundreds of AI integrations. Based on Docker hosted in AWS and on-premise; infrastructure on Kafka, Redis, GraphQL API, NSQ, PostgreSQL, and Elastic.
- Worked closely with operations and streamlined the development team's engagement to resolve customer escalation and support issues. Resulted in increased predictability in sprints as well as morale.
- Formalized Agile release acceptance testing to shorten deployment times from weeks to days. Then evolved the release process enabling product squads to deliver to their own lead time from originally weeks to as short as a week.
- Collaborated with other cross-functional leaders to formalize and track the planning, approval, and delivery process for products and features.
- Managed an engineering organization of 80 engineers across two primary US core and one offshore contractor locations organized across nine product development squads.
Worldwide Technical Product Executive
2008 - 2017
IBM Corp.
- Created and delivered IT transformation proposals to clients around the world for Advanced Case Management solutions across finance, public, and utility sectors.
- Led and mentored local teams worldwide on solution selling including conducting discovery and architecture workshops with clients.
- Represented and evangelized IBM Advanced Case Management with customers and business partners worldwide.
- Created worldwide go-to-market strategy and skills development plans for IBM Advanced Case Management sales engineering.
- Contributed to the achievement of 28% growth in net new customers and 61% revenue growth.
- Conducted discovery workshops for clients across banking, insurance, government, and utility sectors.
Director, Engineering
1987 - 2008
FileNet Corp. (acquired by IBM in 2006)
- Led teams and projects to deliver various enterprise content management products. Most products were of platform-agnostic architecture based on J2EE or Java.
- Wore multiple hats to build teams, create product strategy, and lead projects to introduce a variety of new enterprise content management offerings.
- Led integration projects with newly acquired technologies and staff through M&A.
- Managed teams of up to 60 engineers that included six managers.
- Led the adoption of new technologies (e.g. MS COM, OO) and new development methodologies (e.g. Agile).
Project History
Real-time AI Processing Platform
https://www.veritone.com/blog/veritone-announces-real-time-ai/Launched a cloud-based real-time AI processing platform.
Managed a team of 12 engineers to build the cloud-based back-end processing platform. Led 25+ engineers across the stack to release integrated end-to-end capabilities. Managed internal adoption to replace the aging legacy platform.
Enterprise Content Management Platform
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSNW2F_5.2.1/com.ibm.p8.sysoverview.doc/p8sov000.htmLaunched and managed releases of the J2EE flagship platform.
Managed server team of over 55 developers to deliver new features as well as support releases. Managed initial release project across over 150 engineers spanning front-end, API, back-end, and test teams.
Mobile Applications for iOS and Android
Led the delivery of features and hotfixes for a consumer application for iOS and Android.
Managed the delivery of and improved processes for "rapid releases" outside of planned SAFe train deliverables. Managed the delivery of cross-train development involving the adoption of React Native for iOS and Android.
Education
1981 - 1985
Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics
California Polytechnic University - San Luis Obispo, CA
Certifications
SEPTEMBER 2019 - SEPTEMBER 2021
Certified Scrum Master
Scrum Alliance
MAY 2016 - PRESENT
The Data Scientist's Toolbox
Coursera
DECEMBER 1999 - PRESENT
Management Development Program Certificate
USC Marshall School of Business