Senior engineering for apps that have to work.
I'm Michael Barton. For 23 years I've built mobile, web and enterprise software that people rely on every day, from airline crew apps at Southwest to the Progressive Insurance app. Now I help companies build new apps, rescue struggling ones and modernize legacy systems, working directly with you with no agency layers.
Experience shipping software at
- Southwest Airlines
- Progressive Insurance
- FormAssembly
- Global Emergency Resources
- U.S. Department of Defense
- Equifax
- Cox Communications
What I can do for you
Hands-on senior engineering for new builds, rescues and modernizations, plus the judgment to tell you what not to build.
iOS & Android Apps
Native iOS (Swift, SwiftUI) and Android (Kotlin, Jetpack Compose) app development from an engineer who spent eight years shipping apps for Southwest Airlines and Progressive Insurance. Flutter when one codebase is the smarter call.
Learn moreApp Rescue & Modernization
Inherited a buggy, crashing or outdated iOS or Android app? I audit the codebase, stabilize it, and modernize it to current Swift, SwiftUI, Kotlin and SDK requirements without a risky full rewrite.
Learn moreLegacy Modernization
Modernize aging Java (JSF, Struts, JSP), PHP and WordPress systems into maintainable, cloud-ready applications. Incremental migrations led by an engineer who built many of these systems in the first place.
Learn moreAI Integration
Add practical AI features to your web or mobile app, such as assistants, document search, summarization and workflow automation, built with production engineering discipline rather than demos.
Learn moreFractional Tech Lead
Senior technical leadership without a full-time hire. Architecture reviews, technology choices, vendor oversight, code audits and hands-on guidance for startups and small businesses.
Learn moreThe App & Codebase Health Check
A fixed-price, one-to-two-week audit of your app or web platform. You get a written report covering what's risky, what's slowing your team down and what to fix first, with costs. It's yours to keep whether or not you hire me.
Request a Health Check- Architecture & code-quality review
- Dependency, security & SDK-deadline audit
- Crash, performance & store-rating analysis
- Build, CI/CD & release-process review
- Prioritized, costed roadmap
Projects built by Smartware Design
Planned PETHood of Georgia
A custom online reservation system that lets low-income families book one of a limited number of daily slots for low-cost pet vaccines and services.
Read the case studySmartware Design (own product)
A free and Pro estimating app for homeowners and landscapers, published on the App Store and Google Play since 2014 and maintained through many OS generations.
Read the case studyRC Radio Network
A mobile app for an internet radio network serving the radio-control hobby, with live streaming, show archives, product reviews and hobby calculators.
Read the case studyA simple, low-risk way to start
Intro call
A free conversation about your goals, constraints and timeline. If I'm not the right fit, I'll tell you and point you somewhere better.
Discovery or Health Check
A short, fixed-price engagement that turns ideas or problems into a clear plan, estimate and set of risks.
Build in increments
Working software every two weeks, with builds on your phone and in your browser. No black-box months.
Launch & support
Release, monitoring and an optional retainer for updates, OS upgrades and new features.
What people say about working with Michael
Mike is fantastic to work with and has great experience in modern PHP-based stacks. He has an off-the-charts work ethic and unparalleled analytical and problem-solving skills.
Two things I have always admired about Michael are his positive attitude and his ability to grind out efficient solutions to highly complex problems.
Michael is one of those rare people that is highly intelligent and has great social skills. He makes programming understandable and finds ways to be more efficient and effective.
Common questions
Who will actually do the work?
Me, Michael Barton. Smartware Design is a senior, independent consultancy. You work directly with the engineer writing your code, with no account managers and no hand-off to juniors. For larger projects I bring in trusted specialists I have worked with before, and you always know who they are.
How do engagements work?
Most clients start with a paid discovery or a fixed-scope Health Check so we both know what we are dealing with. From there I work either as a fixed-price project for well-defined scopes, or on a monthly retainer for ongoing development and fractional tech-lead work.
Can you work alongside my existing team?
Yes. A lot of my work is embedding with in-house teams: unblocking a release, leading a migration, mentoring developers or setting up CI/CD. I am used to enterprise process from years at Southwest Airlines, Progressive and the Department of Defense.
Who owns the code?
You do. All code, designs and accounts are yours on final payment, and I am happy to sign your NDA. Apps can be published under your own App Store and Google Play accounts.
Where are you located, and what hours do you work?
I am based in Woodstock, Georgia (US Eastern time) and work remotely with clients across the United States. I overlap comfortably with both US coasts.
How quickly can you start?
Usually within one to two weeks. Book a free intro call and I will tell you honestly whether I am the right fit and when I can start.
Have a project, or a project in trouble?
Tell me what you are building or what is broken. You will get a straight answer on whether I can help, how I would approach it, and a ballpark cost, usually within one business day.