Spotlight: Paul Helge Wiik

The renaissance man of Omega 365

Paul Helge Wiik, BIM expert, enjoys taking on challenging tasks to test his abilities. With over 26 years of experience at Omega 365, he has developed a strong intuition for what works and why.

“We won't exactly be out of work,” says Paul Helge Wiik, developer and BIM expert at Omega 365 Solutions in Kristiansund.  

Wiik is part of the BIM team at Omega 365, which operates across offices in Bergen, Stjørdal, Stavanger, and Kristiansund. Building Information Modeling, or BIM, facilitates more efficient construction processes by enabling different trades to collaborate within the same digital model.

“There's significant development among clients, and expectations are rising as their knowledge grows. BIM holds a lot of potential,” says Wiik.  

Wiik himself sees opportunities in most things. It's been over 26 years since he began working at what would later become Omega 365's Kristiansund office. However, his journey in IT started long before that. Describing his background as a "computer nerd," Wiik's fascination began when he encountered his first computer game at the age of seven. Eager to understand its workings, he delved into programming with the goal of creating his own games. Wiik studied electronics and became involved in a hobbyist computer community in Kristiansund, where they regularly organized LAN parties and participated in the Demoscene. This community encompassed various talents, from graphics and music creation to presenting animations.

“We probably didn't attract that many women while we were programming,” laughs Wiik.  

“The environment was for those with a specific interest. Our parents didn't quite understand it,” says Wiik.  

Jack-of-all-trades 

In 1998, Wiik joined Lynx Technologies. He became the company's first employee after founder Roger Arnesen, and his recruitment process was rather straightforward.

“My boss had asked at a computer shop in Kristiansund if they knew any developers,” says Wiik.  

They did. Soon after, Wiik was hired by the newly formed company as a developer – and much more.

“When the company is that small, you're a jack-of-all-trades. I learned a lot along the way,” says Wiik.  

"Commitment to the customer is the most important thing. You need flexibility and must deliver what you have promised – at the very least. Ideally, it should exceed expectations,” says Wiik.

International journey

Lynx had a similar journey to Omega 365, which is headquartered in Kristiansund. Just like Omega 365, Lynx achieved international success without becoming very well known in Norway. Wiik’s first major customer was in Brunei, where he traveled to implement an HSE system. 

“Exciting,” says Wiik of his time in Brunei, working alongside a good colleague.

“We grew alongside Omega. Eventually, we established offices in Houston and Australia. Interestingly, the headquarters were located in Kristiansund, not Oslo,” says Wiik.  

As employee number one, he has been part of an entrepreneurial journey at Lynx.  

“Commitment to the customer is the most important thing. You need flexibility and must deliver what you have promised – at the very least. Ideally, it should exceed expectations,” says Wiik.  

“There were many long days and nights during the first period,” says Wiik, reflecting on the time around the turn of the millennium.

“We did things quickly, ensuring swift transitions from words to action. Omega 365 acknowledged our expertise.” 

In addition, Kristiansund had the computing community that Wiik was part of.  

“It was easy to recruit skilled people. Many of them have been with us since the beginning. Why did they stay? Because they were given stimulating tasks and opportunities for professional growth. It was mainly the passion for the work itself. It was also exciting to work with big clients and to have the chance to travel,” says Wiik.

Eventually, Lynx became Omniware. In 2010, they were acquired by Omega 365, and the entire team, including Wiik, joined the company.

“Omega 365 recognized our expertise, and didn't underestimate us. They trusted us. I was given opportunities to challenge myself and use my knowledge in Omega 365 as well,” says Wiik about the transition.  

“We became part of a company headquartered in a smaller location, with a high level of developer expertise in the management team. It felt somewhat like coming home,” he says.  

Gut feeling as a guiding compass

In Omega 365, BIM has become Wiik's main area of expertise. He excels in graphics, a field he first explored in Kristiansund's computing community in the nineties.

“It's very exciting. I'm really happy,” says Wiik.  

Being a good developer means having the details in order.  

“A lot of the time is spent trying to find errors. You have to be a bit stubborn and a perfectionist,” says Wiik. 

“But I'm relatively good at not getting stuck in a rut. If I have a theory about where the error might be, I remain open-minded,” Wiik explains.

The gut feeling acts as a compass.

“Eventually you get a gut feeling about how solid it's going to be, which comes with experience,” says Wiik. 

“Kind-hearted and talented” 

Several people have noticed that.  

“A fantastic resource for the company, both professionally and as a colleague,” says Christian Enaasen, Department Manager at Omega 365 Kristiansund.  

“Paul is knowledgeable, he has extensive experience and has played a key role in creating products that are used by customers all over the world,” Enaasen summarizes. 

The same refrain comes from the BIM department.  

“Paul is a hidden gem in Omega,” says Per Olav Stenberg, Head of the BIM department at Omega 365.  

From his office in Stavanger, Stenberg is Wiik's closest manager.  

“Paul is genuinely kind and a good guy. He has so much knowledge about many different things. I can talk to him about anything, and he's already done something similar – both at work and otherwise. Paul always has an interesting perspective on things,” says Stenberg. 

From the left: Paul Helge Wiik with Christian Enaasen, Department Manager at Omega 365 Kristiansund.

Huge level of expertise 

“What characterizes Paul is that he's not afraid to start things and take action. He can say 'I just tried something' and then he's found a clever solution to a problem,” says Stenberg.  

Many BIM features in the Omega 365 system stem from Wiik's contributions. Since much of BIM is new, it requires both knowledge and a gut feeling about the client's needs and how they can be addressed. 

“Technological development is advancing rapidly, and we need to be at the forefront. Paul has a unique ability to know what will work, which solution is the best. He's very good at details and has solid knowledge of everything; servers, databases, websites,” says Stenberg.  

“Paul is also very humble. Even with his level of knowledge and long experience at Omega, he is never "too important" for any job. His interdisciplinarity is a strength,” says Stenberg.  

“He has an enormous level of knowledge about different things that he can benefit from and bring to the job,” Stenberg reflects. 

1886 homestead 

“It goes far beyond BIM. The knowledge embraces everything from fixing guitar amplifiers, getting a car started, building a house, shuttering something,” says Stenberg.  

Those who know Wiik know what Stenberg is talking about. Wiik has played in bands (he calls it "bad Norwegian rock"), organized everything from music festivals to the national conference for the Norwegian Coastal Federation, he fixes cars and repairs boats. And he has built a fire house.  

Wiik doesn't really find it all that interesting to talk about what has happened. Wiik is concerned with development, looking ahead in his working life and life in general. He looks towards the possibilities, what can be learned, what he can achieve.  

But in a few places, he also looks backwards in history. At home, Wiik works on projects that are in keeping with the location, interests and architecture. On the 1886 homestead, which is located just outside the city, Wiik and his wife have renovated, built a fire house, landscaped an English garden, bricked a baker's oven, made a fish pond and much, much more. Wiik first moved there alone, as the first resident since 1920. Since then, he has been renovating, tinkering and building.  

“I tend to do difficult things. It's fun to see if I can do it,” says Wiik.  

Strong interest in craftsmanship 

Time is an important resource when restoring or building traditionally. So a lot of Wiik’s free time is spent on the house, garden and the rest of the property. Some of inspiration comes from Europe, particularly England, where they keep coming back. They have spent many years decorating the fireplace, which was built in traditional timber with the help of local museum craftsmen. This is due to Wiik's strong interest in craftsmanship.  

“If it's old and cool and good craftsmanship, it's fun. I guess I have a penchant for old things. If you're interested in craftsmanship, it's natural. It's hard not to be impressed by what they did,” says Wiik.  

Many people get to enjoy the beautiful property Wiik and his wife have created. They regularly invite friends and family, and have even organized an Oktoberfest with the Kristiansund office of Omega 365.  

Wiik loves working in Omega 365 and further developing the BIM system. He is pleased that the robust office he has helped to build, continues to grow.  

“We've been one generation for a long time. Now we have both younger developers and apprentices. It's fun to see how good they are and that they can do great things. We have a lot of sharp minds,” says Wiik.  

“We've also created an incredibly good BIM system, while at the same time seeing so many opportunities for improvement. Once you've solved one thing, ten new things come along,” Wiik laughs.  

“We must constantly provide value to customers and handle large amounts of data. We've had 3D models for many, many years, but they've been locked in their own silos. It's a huge challenge for architects, engineers and electricians drawing in the same model,” says Wiik.  

He has seen how customers are becoming increasingly skilled.  

“Customers and designers are maturing, and the system needs to be developed very quickly. High customer development means that expectations are rising,” says Wiik.  

“And eventually it will be very exciting to see what we can use machine learning for, how it can find errors in BIM models, for example,” he reflects.  

Then Wiik adds something he keeps coming back to:

“There are just a lot of possibilities.” 

About Spotlight

Spotlight highlights and celebrates Omega 365's team members and their efforts. We believe there are contributions, personalities, and developments throughout Omega 365 that deserve recognition and acknowledgment. You may have a colleague who has made a breakthrough, improved workplace moral, or secured a significant contract – we want to know about them and we want to celebrate them! Nominate a Spotlight candidate by sending your tips to lauren@omega365.com.