Fractal CTO • Senior Software Engineer • Founder of DigitalFairytales

Hello, I’m Simen, also known as Eventyret. The name means “fairytale”, and it fits more than you might expect.

I work for myself, currently balancing contract work with an open eye toward the next permanent chapter. I operate as a Fractal CTO: zoomed out on technical direction when needed, zoomed all the way in when the work calls for hands-on engineering. I’m deeply T-shaped, curious by default, and happiest when I’m allowed to tinker, simplify, and make systems feel humane again.

My studio is DigitalFairytales.

Soft magic. Sharp systems.

I help founders and teams who are carrying too many tabs open, in the browser and in the brain. I design and build calm, clever systems that quietly support the story they’re trying to tell.

I also keep a macOS-inspired portfolio at dehlin.dev. It’s part playground, part craft showcase, and a love letter to thoughtful interfaces and small delightful details.

I tend to describe my work like this:

• Technical Direction: Fractional CTO work, architecture decisions, long-term thinking
• Engineering Firepower: Senior software engineering, platform and backend systems, DevOps
• AI Sprinkles: Thoughtful automation that removes friction without adding chaos

The goal is always the same: fewer manual loops, fewer late nights, and systems that feel like they’re on your side.

Alongside client work, I write and run Almost Done, a weekly newsletter for neurodivergent developers.

If you enjoy thoughtful engineering, gentle productivity, and honest writing about how real brains build real systems, you might like it. It’s a quiet corner of the internet for developers who don’t quite fit the linear mold.

Almost Done is about:

• gentle productivity
• creative problem-solving
• accepting that non-linear thinking is often a feature, not a bug

The same philosophy I bring to engineering shows up here too: calm structure, room to breathe, and no shame.

I don’t really separate frontend, backend, and infrastructure in my head. I think in experiences, just for different audiences.

For users, frontend is a kind of stage magic. Smooth transitions, clear intent, and interfaces that feel obvious without explaining themselves. UI and UX are where trust is built quietly.

For developers, backend and DevOps are the same kind of magic. Automation, good defaults, and strong DX so people actually want to build on top of the system.

What that looks like in practice:

• crafting frontends that feel calm, fast, and intentional
• designing APIs and backend systems that are predictable and boring in the best way
• building DevOps and automation that remove friction instead of adding ceremony
• obsessing just enough over DX so future developers don’t resent past decisions

I enjoy Docker, CI/CD, automation, frontend polish, and terminals that feel like home. I choose tools based on the problem in front of me, not trends or tribal loyalties.

Tools I often reach for:

• Frameworks are tools, not identities
• Infrastructure should fade into the background
• Tangents are often signals, not distractions
• Calm systems create better work
• Community beats competition

Some of my best solutions have come from a detour that looked unproductive right up until it wasn’t.

I’ve worked across freelance, product, and platform contexts, and I’ve spent years contributing to open-source ecosystems. I’ve been part of the Strapi community since 2018, building tools, helping users, and collaborating with teams who care deeply about craft.

Along the way, I’ve:

• mentored developers finding their footing in tech
• built and maintained containerised systems
• contributed to and supported open-source projects
• helped teams move from fragile setups to calm platforms
• grown a writing community around creative, neurodivergent engineering

A notable chapter was creating and maintaining strapi-tool-dockerize, a community tool that helped shape how many teams containerised Strapi projects. That work made me well-known within the Strapi ecosystem and cemented my love for open-source collaboration and practical tooling.

One important plot twist: learning that an ADHD brain doesn’t need fixing. It needs the right environment. When systems are designed with humanity in mind, creativity turns into leverage.

• Fractal CTO work and technical direction
• Frontend engineering with a strong UX sensibility
• Platform and backend engineering
• DevOps, CI/CD, and automation
• Designing for developer experience (DX)
• Mentoring and knowledge sharing
• Turning complex systems into something people enjoy using

I write about backend systems, automation, Docker, developer workflows, and the emotional side of building software. Technical depth, without forgetting the humans doing the work.

I’m open to:

• permanent roles
• contract and fractional work
• collaborations with thoughtful teams

If you value calm infrastructure, clear thinking, and software that respects human brains, we’ll probably get along.

When I’m not coding, I’m usually tinkering with automations, tweaking my terminal for the 47th time, or explaining to someone why Docker is actually quite nice once it clicks.