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MEM ALUMNI PROFILE: Craig Herdman

MEM ALUMNI PROFILE: Craig Herdman
Senior Manager, Software Development, Adobe
Graduate, Master of Science in Engineering (Engineering Management)
Cockrell School of Engineering, Texas Engineering Executive Education

At the Adobe headquarters in Austin, Texas, meeting rooms are named after Marvel characters. High energy and impactful not only describe Marvel icons, but also Adobe Senior Manager of Software Development Craig Herdman, an alum of TxEEE’s Master’s in Engineering Management (MEM) Program. Craig emanates an endless, positive energy in his role in Adobe’s Software Development division. We sat down with Craig to better understand the influence that the MEM degree has had on his career and work life.

Why did you pursue the Master’s in Engineering Management (MEM) degree?

I had been working in software engineering environments and was ready to get into management. I knew I needed new skills and techniques to become a good manager, and that pursuing the MEM degree was the best option for me as a next step.

I was ready to apply my tech background to the people side of business. It has allowed me to be a multiplier of the people around me. I thrive when there is some chaos. Using my management skills, I like to hide the chaos from the development team, so they remain focused and on task.

Do you feel going through the Engineering Management master’s program was a worthwhile investment?

Obtaining a master's degree was always a goal of mine, and the Engineering Management degree at UT Austin was a perfect opportunity to continue working while earning the degree. I spent many years as a software engineer with a bachelor's degree in Computer Science as my foundation. As I started growing into leadership positions within my organization, I felt the need to develop a similar foundation that would help me become a more effective leader.

The Texas Engineering Executive Education (TxEEE) master's program for working professionals was simply too great of an opportunity to pass up.

How has the MEM degree impacted your career journey?

The MEM degree has given me the tools and skills necessary to be a good manager. It’s given me the opportunity to better engage. I learned about areas where I was unfamiliar such as finance. I now can read and react to financial statements with confidence. I can translate the information to my team and what that impact will be to our work.

The degree has also given me the confidence to ask good questions, not only among the technical teams, but also the people in marketing and finance. I am now able to better make the connections between these areas with sales.

What are some specific examples of how you have applied your degree in your workplace?

One of the things I've appreciated the most about my degree has been the practical application of science-based management principles into my daily work. I've been able to directly apply principles learned in my Strategic Decision and Risk Analysis course to create statistical models that can more accurately predict software development outcomes through the application of Monte Carlo simulations.

I've been able to combine this with knowledge of lean principles learned in my Project Management course to better structure the work of software development across multiple engineering teams. Additionally, I've applied the lessons-learned in my Legal Issues and Technology Management course when working on introducing new IP to the market. When combining all that with what I learned in my Negotiations course, I have a significant advantage in some really challenging partner negotiations.
(See MEM overview of courses for more details.)

What was your experience in trying to balance your work and personal life with returning to school as a part-time student?

Having a busy, intense, full-time job is hard enough, but when you add the active pursuit of a master's degree on top of that, it's SUPER HARD! I spent many, many hours reading, writing, learning, and writing some more. I looked for the "in between" spaces in the early morning hours and at night and on weekends to get things done.

I do believe the practical application of the material made the fusion of work-life and school-life much easier to manage. The principles that I was learning about at UT were galvanized and made stronger as I went about my daily work.

The one-weekend-a-month schedule for in-class time was very compatible with my day job, and having assignments due throughout the week afforded me the opportunity to pace myself appropriately.

What did you like best about the MEM program?

I really enjoyed getting to know my peers in the cohort and the faculty. I loved the learning and learning activities and the depth and breadth of the subject matter.