Digging In with Tom Duffy

Digging In is a regular series of blog posts profiling UDig employees.  We hope this series helps you to get to know our team and understand why we dig what we do!

UDig: Tell us a little bit about your background and your role at UDig.

TD: I’ve been with UDig for 10 years and have worked across many industries, including insurance, finance, state government, and retail. I started as a back-end Java developer, later moved into C#, and now lead a front-end team on a React project. I enjoy working with different businesses and products and figuring out how people use them so we can build something that truly works for them.

I originally joined UDig as a contractor. At that time, UDig was just beginning to build the consulting practice, and that growth and opportunity really appealed to me. I’ve been here ever since.

UDig: Why did you choose UDig?

TD: UDig is a small but growing company, and I enjoy that atmosphere. It gives you the chance to contribute in meaningful ways. People here are approachable, open to new ideas, and supportive of where we want to take the organization.

We stay current with modern technologies and hire very smart collaborators. That continuous learning, whether it’s new tech stacks or new types of businesses, has kept me engaged. I like being able to move from project to project and carry what I’ve learned into the next challenge.

UDig: What does “Ideas to Impact” mean to you?

TD: When we join a project, it’s never to do something small. We’re here to make real change. “Ideas to Impact” describes something we’ve been doing since the beginning: taking concepts and turning them into noticeable, meaningful outcomes. When a project wraps, there should be clear impact, whether in ease of use, modernization, or new capabilities.

UDig: From the early days to now, what’s remained consistent about UDig and what has evolved the most?

TD: What’s evolved the most is the sophistication of our delivery approach. We’ve always come into projects as true partners, but now we’re able to support clients with larger teams and innovative delivery methods that strengthen that partnership. A big part of that evolution is how actively we validate our work with end users. Bringing prototypes and in-progress features directly to users allows us to confirm we’re solving the right problems and refine our direction based on real feedback, ultimately delivering solutions that are more impactful and aligned with client and user needs.

What’s stayed the same is the type of people we hire – smart, enthusiastic teammates – and the collaborative culture that comes with that. Whether remote or in person, the approachability, transparency, and openness to new ideas have remained consistent as we’ve refined our practice.

UDig: What is your favorite online procrastination tool?

TD: Definitely Reddit. Or more recently, my daughter – who is destructive in the best way. She just turned one.

UDig: What did you want to be when you grew up?

TD: First a paleontologist or archaeologist, Indiana Jones inspired. Then I became interested in construction, engineering, and building things. That eventually evolved into software engineering. 

UDig: What is the most played song in your library?

TD: My Spotify Top 5 was basically all my daughter’s sleep playlists, plus some “Puff the Magic Dragon.” But lately I’ve been listening to Tame Impala’s most recent album.

UDig: What trivia category would you be best at?

TD: I’m terrible at trivia and crosswords. If I had to pick something, probably history, although I wouldn’t necessarily know the exact years anything happened. 

UDig: How would you spend your day if we told you to take the day off?

TD: Hiking in the Charlottesville area or James River Park System with my daughter. I love showing her new experiences.

UDig: In 3 years, what do you hope to see UDig accomplish?

TD: Over the last few years we’ve refined our direction – expanding our design team, opening new offices, and investing in AI initiatives. I think we’re positioned for success, and I’d like to see us fully capitalize on the groundwork we’ve laid. We’re already taking a more comprehensive approach on projects, and I expect that to continue growing stronger