Overview
I have over 15 years experience leading the successful delivery of solid front-end solutions for complex e-commerce, CMS and application builds, including Waitrose, Boots, Debenhams, The British Heart Foundation, The Home Office and Royal Shakespeare Company.
I sit very firmly on the visual and user-centric end of the front-end spectrum, rather than the JavaScript side.
I'm currently focusing on projects that involve some or all of the following: component-led CSS, living style guides, SSGs, PostCSS, SUIT CSS, Grunt, Gulp, npm scripts and web performance.
Featured projects
Scoota (2014 - 2015)
I helped Scoota develop custom UI components for use across a complex, microservices-drive front-end.
Waitrose (Grand Union, 2012 - 2013)
Starting with exploratory work to establish the most effective way for multiple client and agency teams to develop code collaboratively, I led the initial 7 months of preparation and development on the strategically-focussed rebuild of the Waitrose.com front-end, including:
- liaising with client teams to determine technical objectives and constraints
- defining the scope of work and project plans alongside production staff
- writing comprehensive development standards
- hiring and managing a team of developers
- defining a development approach using Vagrant, Fabric, Flowdock, and GitHub, alongside a custom static site generator built with Sinatra, Haml and Sass
- working with UX and visual design teams to ensure new features were logical and achievable.
We Are Suburb (Suburb, 2010)
As Director of Operations, I co-ordinated the first phase of an agency reboot. During this nine month contract, I:
- helped redefine the agency's business model
- oversaw the creation of a new visual identity and website
- facilitated the company's smooth transition to larger premises
- interviewed and recruited staff for key positions
- created procedures for common business operations.
The Home Office (TMG, 2006)
I built templates for the main Home Office website and all public and policy portals over 9 months, working alongside one other developer and a small UX and design team.
The site won an Interactive Media Award (Best In Class, Government), achieved RNIB "See it Right" accreditation and was judged the clear winner in Porter Research's 2006 "Key Government Websites" report.
Further projects
- Coca-Cola Enterprises style guide (Head London, 2016)
- Fitness First (Mentally Friendly, 2014)
- FSCS Protected (Lost Property, 2014)
- British Heart Foundation (Precedent, 2013)
- ACI Worldwide (Precedent, 2013)
- Reckitt Benckiser: Global Share (Wildfish, 2013)
- Snapp (Wildfish, 2012)
- Patek Philippe: Institutional (Leagas Delaney, 2012)
- CIPFA (Precedent, 2011)
- Onzo (Wildfish, 2011)
- The Shard: London Bridge Quarter and The Place (Sectorlight, 2010)
- Royal Shakespeare Company (Harvest Digital, 2009)
- Best Buy Europe (Grand Union, 2009)
- Fly Dubai (Grand Union, 2009)
- Boots (Grand Union, 2008)
- Debenhams (Grand Union, 2008)
- Vodafone (Dare, 2008)
- Abbey Road Studios (Suburb, 2008)
- Electoral Commission (Grand Union, 2007)
- Energy Saving Trust (Grand Union, 2007)
- Digital UK (Grand Union, 2006)
- HSBC: The Property Panel (Hubbub, 2006)
- Transport for London: Le Grand Depart (CMWi, 2006)
- Auto Trader (Harvest Digital, 2006)
- Be Broadband (Kane + Associates, 2005)
- Lulu Guinness (Suburb, 2004)
- Homechoice (Grand Union, 2004)
- Agent Provocateur (Suburb, 2003)
- Regus (Precedent, 2003)
- ITV (Suburb, 2002)
- Polaroid (Netcel, 2001)
Employment
Freelance technical lead and front-end developer (Oct 2007 - Present)
Consulting and development work for a range of companies including Grand Union, Google, Dare, Five, Precedent, Harvest Digital, Lost Property, Mentally Friendly, Head London, Suburb, Story Worldwide, FMG, Leagas Delaney and Sectorlight.
Lead front-end architect at Grand Union (July 2006 - Oct 2007)
Technical lead for a team of front-end developers, working alongside creative, design and UX to build sites for Boots, COI, Digital UK, Coca-Cola, Sky, Energy Saving Trust, Abbey Santander, HSBC and npower.
Freelance web developer (August 2001 - June 2006)
Freelance development work for a number of companies including Grand Union, Precedent, TMG, Harvest Digital, Clark McKay and Walpole, Heath Kane Design and Suburb.
Web developer at Netcel (June 1999 - July 2001)
Built new websites, provided training for clients and assisted with configuration and maintenance of servers.
Education
B.Sc. Computer Science and English (Dual Honours) at Keele University (Sept 1995 - June 1998)
Degree Class 2:1
Outside
In my spare time I help run a small record label.
I also enjoy taking bad photos, baking good cakes, music and hiking.