I am an interface designer, front-end coder and web geek based in Auckland, New Zealand.
- Skill Summary
- Employment
- Speaking Engagements
- Skills, Technologies and Applications
- Personal Interests
Skill Summary
- Visual and interface design.
- Web typography and web design principles.
- Front-end development of accessible, user-centered websites.
- Strong proponent of the NZ Government Web Guidelines and the international guidelines developed by the W3C.
- Expert knowledge of CSS and XHTML, semantic markup and Search Engine Optimisation.
- Analysis and delivery of digital communication and solutions.
- Information architecture and business analysis.
- Efficient multi-tasker, who is calm in stressful deadline-driven environments.
- Ability to work independently or as part of a team.
Employment
Senior Web Designer - finda.co.nz
July 2007 - Present
Permanent position focussed on web/graphic design and front-end development for all websites owned by the APN finda group.
Responsibilities
- Creation of visual concepts and design for all websites owned by the APN finda group.
- User-centered and interface design for back-end systems.
- Art direction on print and branding collateral including outdoor billboard advertising, newspaper advertising and Flash banners.
- HTML and CSS development for all websites owned by the APN finda group.
- Creation of front-end coding and best practice standards within the company.
- Construction and maintenance of Javascript libraries and codebases - using jQuery, YUI and standard DOM scripting.
URLs
- http://www.finda.co.nz | view project
Visual design and front-end development. This project gave me the opportunity to work with the YUI javascript library. The site works well across all major browsers (including the dreaded Internet Explorer 6) and was built with progressive enhancement principles in mind. - http://www.sella.co.nz | view project
Visual design, branding and front-end development. Sella has a large, varied audience which means that the site needs to load quickly, and be simple to use while enabling power users to perform tasks quickly and easily. - http://www.apnfinda.co.nz | view project
Visual design, front-end development and integration with the Silverstripe CMS. This is the corporate portal for APN finda. - http://www.wises.co.nz
User interface improvements and code re-alignment where the constraints of the existing backend would allow. - http://www.menus.co.nz | view project
Visual design, branding and front-end development. Menus.co.nz is one of New Zealand's largest restaurant listing websites and has a large and varied audience which requires the site to be fast loading and accessible.
Digital Media Tutor - Media Design School
February - December 2008
Part time role teaching Year 1 of the part-time Diploma of Digital Media
Responsibilities
- Lesson planning and creation
- Lecturing
- Student support and mentoring in the following: Basic design and colour theory, Photoshop, Illustrator, HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript and web development best practice - including Web Standards, accessibility, SEO and usability.
Web Designer - Netconcepts Ltd
February 2004 - July 2007
Permanent position in the creative department which centered on design and development of user-centered, accessible websites.
Responsibilities
- Creation and modification of website designs as per creative briefs and client feedback.
- Design, build and installation of blogs using the open source Wordpress blogging system for both in-house and client projects.
- Conversion of Photoshop designs into accessible, tableless and standards-based websites.
- Development of technical standards and documentation to define quality CSS and XHTML.
- Development of reusable CSS and XHTML code libraries to assist with swift project turnaround.
- Training clients on the principles of CSS and tableless design.
- Code audits of several HTML and CSS websites for SEO clients.
- Creation of lightweight semantic markup that is easily indexed by search engine spiders.
- Keyword research for both paid and organic search engine optimisation.
URLs
- http://www.netconcepts.co.nz
A complete rebuild using semantic markup and CSS which was then fitted onto the Wordpress blogging. Various design tweaks and realignments.
Project involvement: Interface design, CSS, XHTML and Wordpress - http://www.realestate.co.nz
New Zealand's largest online real estate website. The site was a complete redesign and build incorporating a modern approach to design and development. This is probably one of the first New Zealand websites to incorporate microformats.
Project involvement: Interface design, CSS and XHTML. - http://www.trustcite.co.nz/
A social networking solution for the service industry. The site is simple, easy to use and makes use of advanced Javascript and AJAX technology to create a usable and interactive user experience.
Project involvement: Interface design, CSS and XHTML. - http://www.naturalsearchblog.com/
A simple blog dedicated to organic search engine optimisation.
Project involvement: design, CSS, XHTML Wordpress install. - http://www.lisas.co.nz/
Front-end build - code is valid and semantic.
Project involvement: CSS, XHTML. - http://www.vodafone.co.nz/
Code audit for the new web standards-based templates developed by the in-house Vodafone team. - http://www.genevahealth.co.nz/
A group of sites dedicated to employment in the medical industry. Web standards based and accessible.
Project involvement: CSS, XHTML. - http://www.coloradoskiandgolf.com
An online store to sell golf and skiing products. All XHTML and CSS code, paying particular attention to search engine optimisation.
Project involvement: CSS, XHTML.
Web Developer - Netconcepts Ltd
May 2003 - February 2004
A contract position developing basic PHP and MySQL.
Responsibilities
- Resolution of PHP and MySQL bugs on clients websites and e-commerce solutions.
- Installation and maintenance of Wordpress blogs (which are written using PHP and MySQL).
- Creating View templates within MVC PHP architecture.
- Creating basic database driven websites and associated admin interfaces.
UI Developer - Touchpoint
2002 - 2003
Permanent position focussed on the design and development of user interface components.
Responsibilities
- Part of the team who completed the front-end development of the Touchpoint email marketing application, including a WYSIWYG HTML editor written in JavaScript.
- Development of all HTML and JavaScript applications; both in-house, and for client projects.
- All training, demonstrations and support of the Touchpoint product to clients and staff.
- Redesign and development of the new user interface of the Touchpoint application suite, as well as various projects for HP, TVNZ, Gobble.co.nz, and Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Senior Front-End Developer - Sourcetec, London UK
February 2001 - June 2001
Permanent position as an HTML and Javascript developer.
Responsibilities
- Development and deployment of all front-end deliverables and a variety of Internet/Intranet applications.
- Integration between the back-end and creative departments.
- Involved in projects where a variety of the following were required: HTML, XHTML, Cold Fusion, JavaScript, Macromedia Flash 5, DOM, advanced DHTML navigation systems.
Senior Front-end Developer - Clarity Communications / Proxicom, London UK
January 1999 - December 2000
Permanent position at one of London's leading e-commerce consultancies. Unfortunately due to the 'dot.com crash', the company had to close its doors.
Responsibilities
- Provision of technical consultancy to blue chip client accounts such as General Electric, Royal & SunAlliance, and The Carphone Warehouse.
- Design and development of DHTML user interfaces for Web applications.
- Development of a variety of intranet and internet applications.
- Co-ordination and planning of all technical deliverables across the full development life cycle.
Speaking engagements
Upcoming
I will be presenting at the 2009 Digital Media Summit (11th March 2009).
Past
Auckland Web Meetup
A monthly meeting of approximately 100-150 enthusiasts, from the professional to the amateur.
- Microformats - April 2007
- Accessible Flash - September 2007
Miscellaneous presentations
- Usability Professionals Association - presentation on accessibility (July 2007)
- Orion Health - presentation to in-house web development team on best practice and accessibility (August 2007)
Skills, Technologies and Applications
Lots of experience/frequent use:
- Adobe Photoshop
- Apple OS X
- CSS
- (X)HTML
- BBEdit
- TextMate
- Web design
- Interface design
- Information architecture
- Usability
- Accessibility
- Web standards
- Working things out
- Research
- Working in teams
- Weblogs
- JavaScript
- Photography
- Search Engine Optimisation
- Typography
- Public speaking
Some experience/less frequent use:
- Linux command line
- MS Office
- Adobe Illustrator
- PHP
- Project management
- Windows 95/98/2000
- MySQL
- Apache
- XML
- Regular expressions
- Dreamweaver
- Training