About Walter
I started as a software engineer at IBM. Since then, I have worked across consulting, regulated products, cybersecurity and AI.
The industries changed. My job stayed consistent: find the real problem, bring people into the decisions, and leave behind something that works.
What guides my work
Start with the real problem.
Requests often arrive as solutions. I start with the people affected, how the work happens today, and what needs to change.
Treat the whole system as the product.
The answer may involve software, process, roles, or controls. I design those parts together because people experience all of them.
Make the reasoning visible.
I write down assumptions, evidence, trade-offs, and ownership so others can question the decision and carry the work forward.
Build for life after launch.
Shipping is one moment. Clear ownership, review paths, and feedback loops determine whether the solution keeps working.
Turning points
The experiences that shaped how I work.
Taiwan to Toronto
I grew up in Taiwan and moved to Canada as a child. I speak English, Mandarin, and Taiwanese. Moving between cultures shaped how I listen to people whose starting point is different from mine.
Starting close to the code
I began with IBM's C, C++, and Fortran compiler work, then moved into application development, technical leadership, and consulting. Customer research and the experience of building systems taught me to stay close to the people using them.
Connecting technology and business
While working at IBM, I completed an MBA at Rotman, including an exchange term at the Indian School of Business. Moving between engineering, business, and different cultures broadened how I approached a problem.
Delivering under constraint
At Accenture and Toronto Hydro, I worked on systems integration, healthcare assessments, and customer-care technology in regulated environments. The work connected technical decisions with operating needs and responsibilities.
Learning to scale
At Slalom Canada, I grew from principal consultant to delivery practice leadership across Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. I developed a Salesforce delivery methodology and coached practitioners while continuing client work.
Returning to the product
At AIR MILES, I led product delivery managers and the PMO. At Bitbuy, I returned to a hands-on product role, owning Travel Rule and KYC features.
Building independently
I founded Maple Spark Labs to combine consulting with product work. Alongside client engagements I run Droplet Learn, develop Vellumark, an evidence-first SR&ED preparation tool, and publish the AI-assisted development method I use.
What colleagues have noticed
Observations from people I have worked alongside.
Walter ensured complete visibility and inclusion, which was a breath of fresh air and a sign of maturity and confidence.
Walter is a very dedicated team player. He puts a lot of emphasis on quality into his work… he is a capable leader that can stick by the necessary best practices. But if a situation calls for it he is more than capable of thinking outside the box.
Away from work
Sport and reading are part of how I spend my time and keep learning.
In motion
I enjoy cycling, baseball and softball, basketball, and ultimate. I like the clear roles, quick feedback, and need to keep making the next play.
On my shelf
You are what you read.
These books have shaped how I think about people, decisions and the systems we build.
Born a Crime
Humour can tell the truth across cultures, and identity is more flexible than the boxes around it.
Thanks for the Feedback
Useful feedback is not always delivered well. Learning to hear it is its own skill.
Measure What Matters
Goals work when they make choices visible, not when they become another reporting ritual.
TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking
A strong idea still needs a structure that lets other people understand and carry it.