Stout Systems’ business development and senior technical staff member Bill Heitzeg and his peers saw a need within the IT community for an organized and practical way to introduce computer programmers to new technologies and new problem solving techniques. So they created the Software Development Study Group.

“The study group gives developers an interactive, one hour introduction into a new technology,” said Bill Heitzeg. “So far it’s blown away all my expectations. In a month I’ve learned more than I would have in a year of user groups.”

The group meets from 5:30 to 6:30 every Tuesday evening in Ann Arbor. Each meeting is led by a volunteer expert from the IT community, who actively facilitates the learning of technologies and methodologies that often take programmers a substantial time investment to learn on their own. Whether it’s the latest dynamic language or an old standby technology, the goal of the Software Development Study Group is to ensure that one week’s concentrated hour is worth many more hours or even days of having to absorb new technologies by oneself.

“Group attendance is on the increase as the word spreads, and that pleases us a great deal,” adds John W. Stout, President of Stout Systems. “Our staff always have tried to give back to the IT profession, and to see such immediate success is gratifying.”

Information about the Software Development Study Group and its meeting topics, prerequisites and venue can be found on the Web at:

http://sites.google.com/site/softwaredevelopmentstudygroup/.