clark newell
blog
![Scrum Master Badge from Six Sigma](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ry5jtz8e/production/e893ea868a18c4034bdd5d9ef16d47d4576c5975-400x400.png?w=400&h=400&auto=format)
Scrum Master Certification
I'm *VERY* excited to add Scrum Master to my credentials and was fascinated to learn the difference between this and Project Manager. As I continue to apply for Project Management roles while starting my own side hustle, I could really use the reminder of how to do things better, faster and it came Just In Time!
![PMI and CAPM logos, registered trademarks of PMI](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ry5jtz8e/production/9b4f65203047c0dc7468b47e7c9d0a47c716b021-644x639.png?rect=3,0,639,639&w=644&h=644&auto=format)
CAPM Certification
Completed the Project Management Institute's Certified Associate Project Manager online course and certification exam. It was a great experience and I highly recommend it to anyone who, like me, is building their career in web development and project management.
![Gatsby Dark Demo by Clark Newell](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ry5jtz8e/production/2cc5369518346e7ec262c52eb16652a41f77e4c2-956x877.png?rect=40,0,877,877&w=956&h=956&auto=format)
Gatsby Dark Mode
Implementing dark mode on a Gatsby site can be amazingly easy! This post gives detailed instructions in four steps with code blocks. Or, follow the link at the beginning of the post to simply fork the demo repo from GitHub.
![Chrome dev tools device toolbar and WAVE chrome extension by Clark Newell](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ry5jtz8e/production/af5c63c972174c13696f7d0b3411008492ea26c9-952x919.png?rect=17,0,919,919&w=952&h=952&auto=format)
Clark Blog QA
Manual testing, accessibility evaluations, unit testing and mock production builds will definitely reveal issues you didn’t even realize you had. This in turn creates a lot more cards or “tickets” on your kanban board, but it’s for the best because you definitely want to release the most presentable, useable, and accessible product possible.
![Clark Blog Trello kanban board by Clark Newell](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ry5jtz8e/production/7201c4e2979794c868b7e033ba3691f2992d1dd5-1226x932.png?rect=147,0,932,932&w=1226&h=1226&auto=format)
Project Management
So grateful I have been trained to look at my progress in retrospect, approach things in different ways when necessary, and organize my tasks kanban style in order to meet goals. Without this, I would never have a usable product to begin representing myself in the marketplace.
![Silicon Slopes D & I Panel at Goldman Sachs SLC by Chris Federer](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ry5jtz8e/production/9b840f081b7621eb1f27991f9ba191a1c19b7022-6028x4019.jpg?rect=1005,0,4019,4019&w=6028&h=6028&auto=format)
Silicon Slopes D&I
Diversity and inclusion are great for the bottom line. Thank you to the Silicon Slopes Organization for inviting me to moderate a D&I panel at Goldman Sachs. It was an exciting and inspirational opportunity.
![Silicon Slopes Executive Director Clint Betts interviewing Mark Zuckerberg by Clark Newell](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ry5jtz8e/production/634bacc89b140c68fd663d8ab2da87f7982ea5d8-1280x960.jpg?rect=160,0,960,960&w=1280&h=1280&auto=format)
Silicon Slopes 2019
Utah is a a great place to start a business and the Silicon Slopes Organization wants the Tech World to know it!
![Cover of Scrum by Jeff Sutherland designed by Justin Thomas Kay](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ry5jtz8e/production/1957731c46731ca5f34af6c00a9e1e3b0c9c0f77-488x500.jpg?rect=0,6,488,488&w=488&h=488&auto=format)
Scrum
Agile methodology not only allows for constant review of team productivity, it also allows for constant review of the product being developed. It’s best to find out early and often when something is not going to work, or could be done better/faster in a different way.
![SLC Public Library from Wikimedia](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ry5jtz8e/production/e7425c9e653a4f6cc87e3c1f76517bf8e5cd21a7-450x600.jpg?rect=0,75,450,450&w=450&h=450&auto=format)
First Technical Talk
Public speaking, especially a technical talk in front of peers and pros, is rough but it's a rite of passage every professional must experience.
![Sink filled with computer parts](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ry5jtz8e/production/c88d77b66436dc2a8fd75f5a04a898e3b004f60d-1104x731.jpg?rect=187,0,731,731&w=1104&h=1104&auto=format)
Internship Experience
I have loved learning to become a truly Full Stack Developer. While doing something different every day or week definitely fights away boredom and constantly offers up new challenges, I would love the opportunity to develop an expertise that I am known for.
![Clark Newell with and Coding Partner Bobbicat by Clark Newell](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ry5jtz8e/production/89b95f12fdc35e21c54304293caec9a69ff33c07-1288x966.jpg?rect=161,0,966,966&w=1288&h=1288&auto=format)
So You Want a Website?
Building a custom app or website for your business can be expensive, actually. If you're an individual creator or sole proprietor without developer skills, I would definitely recommend Wix, Squarespace and/or Shopify. Side note: if you do have dev skills, reach for Gatsby, Next.js or SvelteKit!
![Vue and React logos with confused emoji](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ry5jtz8e/production/e577ec619f55a241a573efce3a3fa1d4f6508c8f-1332x486.png?rect=423,0,486,486&w=1332&h=1332&auto=format)
Vue vs React
I am going to continue my deep dive into React because that is still the hot framework that most of the up-and-coming companies here on the Silicon Slopes, and the US in general, seem to be choosing.
![Original website home page](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ry5jtz8e/production/0e70dc17127c470fb8bcc3fbeccbd40973159326-1434x1556.png?rect=0,61,1434,1434&w=1434&h=1434&auto=format)
My Dev Journey So Far
I sincerely and optimistically look forward to 2019 and beyond. When one strives to challenge themselves mentally and physically every day, great and unexpected things happen. I also remain open to new and interesting pathways and unexpected turns along the journey as they present themselves.
![Atari 2600 VCS circa 1980](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ry5jtz8e/production/22c6e6fb39224df9ef78d9ad28fb7902811969da-3940x2300.jpg?rect=820,0,2300,2300&w=3940&h=3940&auto=format)
Being a Xennial in Tech
I do want to be that "Xennial" who is successful in tech and can inspire and mentor others as they too dare to leave unsatisfying or dead-end careers behind.