Our Director of Education, Anthony (Tony) Alicea, is an expert in software development, database design, and user experience.
Tony and TSG go together like "if" and "else."
The Smyth Group’s relationship with Tony Alicea goes as far back as the founding of the company itself. Our CEO Jamie Smyth met Tony during a volunteer project. Their love of software and a shared desire to help people made them fast friends. In addition to their ongoing volunteer work in software development, Tony worked with TSG on its first AI project in 2013, as well as on many other impactful software projects over the years.
Tony has always been a valuable partner to TSG, and he embodies three essential skills that make an ideal Director of Education—he’s a skilled web developer, a knowledgeable designer, and an engaging instructor. His teaching philosophy, "Don't Imitate, Understand," sets him apart. He emphasizes the importance of deep understanding over surface learning—preparing his students to innovate and adapt in the software world. His philosophy is one that The Smyth Group shares, as our team consistently aims to deliver high-quality custom software that reflects not only a deep understanding of the company, but the industry and the users as well.
Courses & Speaking Events
Need some help with your development projects? Work with Tony and The Smyth Group.
Unstuck the
DeveloperHave a stubborn roadblock in your software system? Get "unstuck" with one-on-one assistance from an experienced senior engineer.
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Team
WorkshopsEnhance your software team's skills with interactive workshops for both designers and developers focused on collaboration, innovation, and best practices.
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UX
DesignAre you strong in development but need a UX complement? Our design strategists can improve your product's experience through our methodical approach.
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Software
MentoringIs ChatGPT, YouTube and StackOverflow not cutting it? Receive personalized mentoring from our senior engineers to refine your coding skills while working on your current projects.
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Strategic Software Consult
Elevate your dev projects with strategic insights and expert guidance tailored for emerging developers.
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Auditing &
DiagnosticsNeed a second opinion? Evaluate your code with thorough analysis and diagnostics to ensure robust performance and identify possible security issues early-on.
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Curated articles hand-picked by Tony.
Harnessing Conway’s Law to Create Better Custom Software
Team Culture
Avoid These 6 UI Mistakes to Captivate Users in 2024
Software Strategy
Alexander the Great’s Approach to Software Development
Software Strategy
Does Your Software Project Have Scope Creep? The Answer Is Always No.
Software Strategy
Why Design-Led Software is the Disneyland of User Experience
Software Strategy
Get your learning on with some of Tony's popular videos and online courses.
Tony has taught over 341,000 students with his easy-to-follow online courses. His courses are well known among developers and highly rated on Udemy.
Dive into Tony's engaging tutorials like JavaScript: Understanding the Weird Parts with 4.1M views, and Learn and Understand AngularJS, watched by 749K. His videos, including Understanding React and How Single Page Applications Work, make complex topics accessible and engaging. With millions of views, Tony's content is a treasure trove for aspiring developers seeking in-depth knowledge and practical insights in software development.
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