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An interview with Thom Underwood
Thom
Underwood FGA ASA is the owner of The San Diego Gemological Laboratory, a
jewellery valuation practice in California and the principal of Quantum Leap
Software Solutions, developers of the Professional Appraisal Software (PAS).
Thom is also a senior lecturer with the American Society of Appraisers and has a
degree in Chemistry. As a keen outdoor sportsman, Thom can often be found in his
Kayak or climbing some fairly serious hills. AppraiserTech
caught up with Thom who kindly agreed to be interviewed. Key:
AT = AppraiserTech TU = Thom Underwood AT: How
long have you been an Appraiser? TU: I
created my appraisal practice in 1978 in San Diego paralleling a period where I
was involved in the retail and manufacturing side of our industry.
AT: From
jewellery appraisal to software development. How did that happen? TU:
Technology back in the 1970’s was poor and the drudgery of collating the data
and preparing the reports was taking a lot of the pleasure out of appraising for
me. It also was taking unnecessarily long to create the finished reports. I bought my
first computer at this time and started to explore the possible ways of
inputting the data and presenting it in a professional manner. At first it was a
process of merging the entered data into forms. I was reasonably happy with the
direction I was going but realised that better progress could be made by hiring
a programmer to carry out my wishes. It was better this way. I would tell the
programmer what I wanted and he would go away and figure out how to do it. AT: Is
this when you realised that there could be a market for this product? TU: No, I
used the application for my own work until about 1987 making fine adjustments to
it as I went along. It wasn’t until I showed it to fellow appraisers that it
seemed that there was a real need for this type of software. AT: Did
you release this application in its original state? TU: The
program went through several changes using different platforms including those
available to Macintosh computers. The introduction of Windows in the early
1990’s allowed me to expand the application to its full capability, this
involved several re-writes of the programming code. AT: So
where is PAS now? TU: The
software now uses a SQL Server database with a Visual Basic interface so it can
accommodate a full networking environment with users in multiple offices. It can
also be used over a Virtual Private Network environment. AT: This
all sounds very technical and difficult, a lot of valuers are not interested in
technology, some even fear it! TU: These
elements are behind the scenes and operate without the users intervention. In
practice the application is extremely easy to use because it is modelled on the
appraisal process. The
software breaks down each part of the appraisal into components. Each component
provides dropdown lists allowing the appraiser to select the details they need
for each item. The user can skip non-relevant details or type in specifics
unique to their report. The software uses any entered measurements to calculate
gemstone weights, as well as do onscreen plotting of gemstones. All the
components of the appraisal along with digital images, logos, margins and fonts
are then correctly laid out in Microsoft Word at the click of a single button.
AT:
Being Valuers and software developers ourselves, we understand how one can
strengthen the other but do you find there are any areas that conflict? TU: None
at all. The software brings me into contact with Appraisers from all over the
world, I am constantly gaining new insights into valuation science and how to
approach it. In the course of operating my Appraisal practice, I need to keep on
top of changes in the industry. As a practicing Appraiser, I am only too aware
of the needs and wishes of today’s Appraisers. This, in turn, helps me to keep
the features and methods in the software relevant to the individuals that will
be using it. AT: What
is main strength of PAS TU:
Flexibility! The software is designed to be flexible so it meets the needs of
every appraiser and conforms to the work styles of the people that use it. We
allow the user to have total control over the finished products, which promotes
creativity and individuality. AT: What
it is that you enjoy the most about running Quantum Leap? TU: I
encourage a real community spirit within PAS users and enjoy listening and
acting on feedback and suggestions from users. It’s the people that make this
fun. I describe Quantum Leap as “a community of professionals linked together
by a virtual tool” AT:
“Virtual” is a word that you use a lot! TU: We now
live in a world where there are very few physical boundaries. For example,
Quantum Leap has no office employees yet successfully supports hundreds of users
worldwide. The three principals live far apart from each other. The programmer
in Montana, you as a partner in Scotland and me in San Diego. We all communicate
by e-mail, instant messaging and phone calls, meeting only occasionally. There
will come a time in the fairly near future where offices will be merely meeting
places, while the tools and information we use can be accessed from anywhere and
at any time. AT: What
is currently exciting you about the PAS product? TU: PAS has
a few new exciting features that I call “external applications information
interface” Basically, this means that PAS communicates with other applications
for its own end. For example, external sources of value are pulled in from the
Internet. Sarin users can integrate diamond measurements and proportions from
the instrument directly into PAS. One area that I am particular excited about is
our ability to use the GemeSquare colour grading system for coloured gemstones.
A colour palette is produced on the users flat screen monitor to assess hue,
tone and saturation. In fact, PAS is actually communicating with the GemeWizard
host computer in Israel that houses the primary colour files…. Very exciting
indeed! AT:
Don’t you feel that there will come a point at which you have simply developed
the program as far as it can go? TU: Well, I suppose you might of thought exactly that, several years ago. The fact is, nothing stays the same for any length of time. There are always changes in the way people work and technology is a very fluid thing. No, there is always something new and useful to look forward to.
Previous articles:Richard Hughes: Something
of myself |
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Thom
welcoming PAS users to the international User Group meeting in Mexico