Jesse Van Hiller

Career role

Director of Quality Assurance

dHouse Inc. · 1997 - 1997

Back to career

Industry context

Early-stage DVD premastering services startup using beta-release software and hardware for advanced audio/video encoding, editing, multimedia authoring, and replication workflows.

Business problem

The product development cycle was failing due to lack of ownership, production staging, progress tracking, and quality controls.

Products / platforms owned

Quality assurance process, production staging workflow, proof-of-quality reports, DVD premastering deliverables, testing process.

Primary users / customers

Internal development/production teams, management, clients, software/hardware vendors, replication stakeholders.

Primary responsibilities

Quality assurance, production process improvement, product testing, progress tracking, contract quality provisions, production support, beta software/hardware support, asset inventory during company dissolution.

Key contributions

  • Established ownership of work, production staging, and progress tracking.
  • Improved product quality and decreased project turnaround time.
  • Amended contracts to include proof-of-quality reports before completion.
  • Learned and used cutting-edge beta-release software/hardware to support production.
  • Provided feedback to software/hardware companies.
  • Assisted management team with company dissolution, asset inventory, and ownership transfer security.

Measurable outcomes

To update: turnaround time reduction, quality improvement measures, defect reduction, project volume, contract changes implemented.

Original description

  • Bleeding-edge DVD premastering services startup. Program Director, Process Analyst.
  • Objective — To ensure product quality and conformance to design specs.
  • Process Improvement — Established ownership of work, production staging, and progress tracking for failing product development cycle. Improved product quality, decreased project turnaround time, and amended contracts to include provision for proof-of-quality reports before project completion.
  • Production — Mastered the use of cutting-edge, beta-release software/hardware for A/V encoding and editing and multimedia authoring to assist development team with demanding workload. Responsive to software/hardware companies in developing more robust tools. Became familiar with the timelines and costs associated with the production of digital media.
  • Company Dissolution — Assisted management team with company dissolution by inventory of company assets and security of ownership transfer.
  • Acquired Technical Skills — Media100, Adobe AfterEffects, Adobe PhotoShop, Sonic Solutions DVD Authoring Suite, Daiken DVD Authoring Suite, SGI O2 5000 & 10000, Mac/NT/UNIX platforms, Dolby Digital Audio Encoder, Minerva Video Encoder, Sony Pro Beta Tape, DLT drives & tapes, Spruce Technologies Video Encoder, DVD replication, 100T networking.

Role scope

Led quality assurance, process improvement, production staging, progress tracking, and proof-of-quality reporting for product development and delivery cycle.

Proof points

This role proves I can bring structure to a failing product development process, improve quality and turnaround, and become technically fluent in complex tools quickly.