More About Me

Cabin Pressure

In 2002 I started Cabin Pressure as a web building, development and publishing business.

The four years of the company's trading were profitable and successful. Projects working on a wide variety of the product life cycle necessitated a growing team so four freelancers were taken on. Key to this profitability was a steadfast belief that fifty per cent of the money up front engages the client and an ability to focus on providing solutions specific to the client's needs.

Partnering with some high end design agencies and large back end providers gave Cabin Pressure a flow of work and the commitment to a stream of self published and advertising funded projects kept our output firmly in touch with user's expectations.

Cabin Pressure rests now having reached the goals I set for it.

What I learned from Cabin Pressure

  • Before Cabin Pressure I worked a part of the process, after Cabin Pressure I understood the process and could take different roles in it.
  • Before Cabin Pressure I sometimes viewed clients as an obstruction to good work, after Cabin Pressure I see communication with the client as the path to great work.
  • Before Cabin Pressure I put the focus on features I wanted on websites, after Cabin Pressure I find out the features that clients want and focus on them.

What I Can Do

I bring an outstanding ability with XHTML and CSS used with JavaScript, JQuery and XML for dynamic AJAX website front-ends which are WAI 508 accessible to levels A, AA or AAA.

My designs blend visual flair, user-friendliness, extensibility and give users the power to achieve their goals.

The back-ends of my website are built using ASP code through Jscript and VBScript and using databases built with SQL Server or using XML translated through XSLT.

Skills

  • Photoshop, Flash, Usability Test Groups, Pencil, Paper
  • HTML, XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, JQuery, AJAX
  • Classic ASP, JScript, VBScript, SQL Server, XML, XSLT, XPATH, Web Services.

Work History

Interactive Producer - Poulters, January 2006– Present

www.poulters.com, Rose Wharf, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Took the lead production role in a team of ten Digital professionals within a large advertising agency working on clients such as Manchester United, E-Map, Threshers, Northern Rail and William Hill.

My Roles

  • Augmented the agencies offering with creative digital solutions with a portfolio of work working in tandem with a traditional creative department, a public relations team and other stakeholders to create a unified package for clients.
  • Authoring groundbreaking Social Network Community projects for large magazine readerships and a Premiership football club which are on track for Q4 2007 releases.

CSS Guru - Photolink, August 2005 – January 2006

www.photolink.co.uk, Manchester, United Kingdom

Helicoptered in as expert in CSS to augment and assist current team of transitioning professionals moving to a more pure CSS based working environment. Worked on clients such as Littlewoods, Kent Tourism, The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Delivery Network.

My Roles

  • Built robust front ends based on designs for www.photolinkstudios.co.uk, www.e-citizen.gov.uk, www.kentimages.co.uk, www.hdnl.co.uk and www.littlewoods.com (Littlewoods now changed)

Cabin Pressure, August 2003 – July 2005

www.cabinpressure.co.uk, Bradford, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Owned and ran website production and publishing company working with other agencies on large scale websites and flying solo on small to medium projects.

My Roles

  • Worked with other agencies on larger contracts in a variety of roles including as a web standards and accessibility consultant, creating robust administration systems, building websites from designs, designing templates for websites and constructing useable websites from prototypes.
  • Designed, developed and authored www.boyfrombrazil.co.uk the most respected source of Bradford City Football Club news online and popular movie website www.foureightfours.co.uk. The experience of operating and maintaining two thriving and long standing website gives an understanding of creating work with scalability and adaptability that proves to be applicable to all projects.
  • Maintained a client list that includes financial service providers, musical bands, e-commerce stores, travel companies, publications and community organisations.

Head of DHTML Development, January 2001 - July 2003

Zestmedia [aka Quba], Leeds/Huddersfield/London/Sheffield, United Kingdom.

Oversaw front end development on major web projects such as The Bluebook and Riba Bookshop. Managed accounts such as Wembley National Stadium.

My Roles

  • Built websites for cross platform and cross browser environments using standards based technologies to create portable projects that could be worked on by any standards aware creative or developer.
  • Involved in all levels of authoring websites from layout and design through front-end standards bases coding to ASP/SQL Server/XML driven Content Management Systems. Oversaw transfer of major projects to XML. Developed custom DHTML solutions for projects that incorporated groundbreaking use of client side XML.
  • Performed formal and ad hoc training the team in XHTML, XML, XSLT, ASP/XML interaction, JavaScript, CSS and correct use of HTML. Also acted as consultant on browser/platform issues for team, management and clients.
  • Carried out a number of business roles including project management and client expectation control, recruitment of new team members and their induction and ran new business scope and specification meetings.

Web Programmer, April 1999-December 2000

Corporate World, Batley Business & Technology Park, Batley, West Yorkshire.

Created front ends for Corporate projects.

My Roles

  • Worked with clients to develop technical briefs for projects.
  • Co-ordinated cross browser compatibility issues for the company.
  • Worked with a team of coders and artists on larger websites and single handed on smaller projects.

Education

Media Production, 1996-1998

Higher National Diploma with Distinction in Media Production from the University of Lincolnshire and Humberside, Grimsby Media Centre.

Business and Finance, 1991-1993

National Diploma with Distinction in Business and Finance from Shipley College, Bradford, West Yorkshire.

Bradford Schools

  • St Bedes Grammar School.
  • St Edmund Campion Secondary School.
  • St Anthony's Primary School.