PATTERN 158

Finding elegant solutions to complex problems

I cheat, but I cheat fair.

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I Reverse-Engineer Chaos Into Clarity

After 28 years building and rescuing enterprise systems, I've learned that the best solutions aren't always the obvious ones—they're the elegant shortcuts that work properly.

Legacy System Rescue

Forensic reverse-engineering of "black box" systems. Making undocumented legacy systems work when documentation doesn't exist.

Cross-Platform Integration

Building bridges between systems that weren't designed to talk. SCORM, xAPI, AICC protocol expertise.

AI Implementation

Thoughtful AI/LLM application. Understanding when to use generative AI vs. structured data for production systems.

Systems Architecture

Building foundational systems that harmonize—like the diapason register that gives a pipe organ its character.

Five Core Influences

Not abstract inspirations — specific sources that shaped how I solve problems. Full details →

1. Air Crash Investigation
Applied to the GM course completion investigation: a 4x spike in incomplete rates traced to fragile LMS architecture, misleading navigation, and mismatched real-world usage patterns.
2. Speedrunning / TASBot
Applied to build a SCORM debugging tool that reduced QA cycles from hours to minutes using emulator save-state methodology.
3. “You want to cheat, cheat fair — anything I hate is a crookin’ crook.”
— Moe Howard, “Healthy, Wealthy and Dumb” (1938). The source of the tagline. If you’ve found an elegant shortcut, document it, share it, build it properly. Hoarding a clever solution is the real dishonesty. Full philosophy →
4. Mentour Pilot
The model for AI as a force multiplier: domain expert + AI assistant = better analysis than either alone.
5. “I seek knowledge not for gain, but to better understand myself”
A line from a Harry Potter fanfic that stuck. The motivation behind every deep investigation: understanding the system, not padding the resume.

Featured Projects

⚠ FINDING 1

Cross-Domain SCORM Framework

2011-2016 | Status: 10+ years in production

Analysis

Energy utilities needed cross-domain SCORM delivery before browsers or LMS vendors supported it. Same-origin policy blocked the obvious solutions.

Solution

Engineered cross-domain communication using EasyXDM. Built SCORM API proxy for transparent AICC/SCORM protocol translation. Created automated package generation tooling.

Outcome

System served ~20 energy utilities (each drawing a curated subset from a ~2,000 course central library). Remained in production 10+ years. Built in 2011 — five years before Rustici released Content Controller. Full investigation report →

JavaScript EasyXDM SCORM AICC Groovy
⚠ FINDING 2

Legacy Courseware CMS Rescue

2004-2016 | Status: Extended system lifespan 10+ years

Analysis

Inherited undocumented courseware CMS on Macromedia JRun platform when original developer left. No documentation, no source code access, production system serving clients.

Solution

Decompiled Java/JSP packages to understand system behavior. Built JavaScript workarounds where server-side refactoring wasn't practical. Maintained critical system beyond expected EOL.

Outcome

System remained operational 10+ years. Enabled company to continue serving clients while planning proper migration path.

Java/JSP JavaScript Macromedia JRun Forensic Engineering
⚠ FINDING 3

Enterprise AI Training Agent

2025-2026 | Status: Production

Analysis

Needed AI instructor agent in Copilot Studio. Prompt engineering alone couldn't establish reliable guardrails for progress tracking and navigation.

Solution

Built data pipeline converting eLearning course materials into structured JSON. Used AI code interpreter for content transformation, structured data for deterministic control. Created adaptive cards for navigation and assessments.

Outcome

Reliable course navigation and progress tracking. Demonstrated hybrid AI/structured data architecture pattern. Full investigation report →

Microsoft Copilot Studio Adaptive Cards AI Code Interpreter JSON

From the Field

Direct feedback from engagements spanning 17 years

Dan's technical expertise is tremendous… with his help, we were able to solve two large technical issues we were having, one that will have a direct impact on the Flash conversion process and save a lot of time and money.

Technical Lead, General Dynamics Electric Boat On resolving critical Flash conversion issues during on-site engagement

This resulted in a savings of about 600 hours of labor by allowing us to publish large batches of lessons unattended.

Manager, Content Team On publishing automation built during 1,216-lesson refresh
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