User Experience / web / interface designer / developer / architect – whichever works for you
Some people call it User Experience design, some call it Web design, some think I’m a developer, others see me as a designer or an analyst or even an architect. I see what I do as a combination of all these things and ultimately don’t think it really matters which label you like to use. What does matter is the output of my work, which is always focused at the point where user, business and technical requirements meet and tends to involve doing one of (or a combination of) the following:
- taking an initial idea for a web based product or service and turning it into a well defined, ready to be built specification complete with a prototype of the interface
- reworking an existing product or service interface, making it easier to understand and use
- hiding complex, business driven processes behind delightfully simple interfaces.
In essence; I make web based software work better for the people who use it.
If that sounds like something you’d like some help with contact me now or read on for a bit more detail about the kind of skills and experience I can bring to your project…
Technical, design & other skillsets
To help give you an idea of that type of things that I can do, both technically and from a design point of view, I have given myself a rating for all the common technical and design skills that folk ask for when hiring someone like me and, as a bonus, I’ve listed my experience with some of the tools that people like us to use too. Enjoy.
My design-y type skills
- Prototyping 5 stars
- Information Architecture 5 stars
- Requirements gathering 5 stars
- Wireframing 5 stars
- Functional spec. writing 5 stars
- Storyboarding 4 stars
- Personas 3 stars
My technical skills
- CSS (+ CSS3) 5 stars
- HTML 5 stars
- PHP 2 stars
- MYSQL 1 star
- JQuery 0 stars
- JavaScript 0 stars
- JAVA 0 stars
- Objective c 0 stars
- .NET 0 stars
My tools of the trade
- Omnigraffle 5 stars
- OS X 5 stars
- Visio 5 stars
- Windows 4 stars
- SVN 4 stars
- Eclipse 3 stars
- Dreamweaver 1 star
- Axure 0 stars
All my designs are universally accessible for any and every screen
I am a firm believer in designing to be 100% accessible to all users. That means by default all of my designs work cross browser, cross platform and cross device. All of my work also conforms as best it can to the DDA and Section 508 requirements for making web sites accessible.
A brief history of web time – the story of how I became a “web guy”
If you’d like to see a detailed, blow by blow, traditional version of my CV please see my Linkedin profile. If you’re more interested in just getting a feel for what I’ve been up to here’s the story of my web career so far…
“Learn HTML in a weekend” kicks things off
It’s the year 2000. The beginning of a new millennium. I’d just finished secondary school (high school) and Yahoo still rules supreme over the Internets.
At the recommendation of a friend of mine I decide to teach myself a new techincal skill before I start my degree. I’d been exploring the web via a 56k dial up connection for a year or so and HTML seemed to be as good a skill as any to pick up, so I picked up a copy of Learn HTML in a weekend (which came with a CD-ROM, remember those?) and started learning what mark up was and how to get content on the web. Little did I know what that one book would lead to…
I buy my first domain name and hosting – mylocalsites.co.uk is born
Enthused and amazed by my new found ability to add things to the web I decide the world needs a directory site that lists all other websites based on specific real world location. mylocalsites is born and quickly killed as I realise the world doesn’t really need such as service. It had interactive imagemaps and everything.
I discover the Web Standards movement via Zeldman.com and Alistapart.com – no more non-standard markup in my work ever again
I buy my second domain name for my personal site- cheezepie.com
Having failed to do anything useful with the mylocalsites domain, I decide to build a personal site instead and base the domain name on my (at the time) yahoo email address. cheezepie.com becomes a rudimentary blog, before we called them blogs and before there were any tools to build them. Mine was all hand coded.
Alistapart publish Practical CSS layout tips tricks and techniques – changes how I code for ever
Start my first year of studying Computer Science & E-Business at Loughborough University
Armed with my newly gained technical skill I head off to university to expand my computer related knowledge and learn about this new thing called “E-Business”. During the first year I learn all about Computer Systems, Logic and Functional Programming, Databases and that maths is not my strongest suit.
I read Don’t make me think and realise that making web sites simple to use and easy to understand is key to their success
My first client’s website goes live
Having figured out the basics of designing and building websites I design and build my first client site using the still great Textpattern CMS. Holiday cottage websites will never be the same again.
Mozilla 1.0 launched – browser wars are on going
Apple launches first iPod – all your music in your pocket? Wow.
Start my second year of studying Computer Science & E-Business at Loughborough University
This year we learn all about things like; Requirements Analysis, Formal Specification and Systems Design and HCI
Internship at PA Consulting as the Training & Development team’s web guy
In the third year of my degree I take a “sandwich year” and work as an intern for a year at PA Consulting. I work in PA’s Training and Development department, hired to maintain and develop their intranet based training website. I do bits and pieces of work on their website, but mainly spent my time learning about the world of consulting and how to deliver IT training, which I get to do in PA offices all over the World including London, Cambridge, Oslo, Copenhagen, Hong Kong and Sydney.
I buy and use my first (and only) PDA – a Dell Axim – feels like I’m holding the future in my hands. No one else thinks so though
Final year of studying “Computer Science & E-Business at Loughborough University
After my time as an intern at PA Consulting I go back to my final year of studies at Loughborough where I design and develop an online Life Coaching application for my dissertation (as a Comp Sci student we had to design and build software instead of just write a thesis…). I got a 2:1 overall. As well as a “Diploma in Professional Studies” for completing my internship at PA.
Firefox 1.0 launched – IE is starting to look old
My first ever client starts a new business, I build the website
Having seen what a website can do for their first business, my first clients come back to me when they launch their new restaurant business and I design and build them a new site, this time using the power house that is WordPress.
Facebook is born, but only for those who have been invited
Back to PA Consulting as a graduate
Having been sent around the World as an intern, PA Consulting seemed like an attractive choice of employer so after graduating I go back to PA as an Analyst in their ISI practise where I get more training in the ways of a consultant.
TechCrunch launches – soon becomes the go to site for start up tech news.
Promoted to Consultant Analyst at PA Consulting
Within a year of re-joining PA I get promoted to Consultant Analyst and spent my time working on PA Venture projects (essentially internally funded start ups) defining and designing their web based applications. These ventures included: Aegate – a drug authentication company, Adition – a mobile advertising company, Bullcox – a reverse auction site for heavy plant hire and ProcServe – an online procurement company.
Facebook opens up to everyone and seems to go global almost over night.
Twitter is unleashed on the world. Not everyone gets it.
Front End Architect at ProcServe
Having spent all my consulting days working for PA ventures, I finally take the hint and join one of them (ProcServe) full time as their Front End Architect – responsible for scoping, designing and developing the User Experience and User Interface for their online procurement systems.
Apple launches the iPhone – complete with Mobile Safari, the mobile web gets a shot in the arm
Introduce a new product at ProcServe
Having spent time learning the ProcServe systems and talking to ProcServe customers I see a need for a slightly different product offering and busy myself building a mockup of the interface for a simple online procurement tool that acts as a single point of entry into the ProcServe eco-system. OTIS is born.
Apple launches the iPhone 3G – apps take over the World
Google launches its browser – Chrome proves very speedy
So long corporate World, hello the great unknown
After years of threatening to do so, I finally give in to the urge to stride out on my own and leave the safety of a corporate job.
JMCQUARRIE Ltd is officially launched
Having talked about doing it for years, I put my money where my mouth is and go back to the world of freelancing and contracting, this time with a wealth of consulting experience under my belt. I set up JMCQUARRIE Ltd and start looking for new clients.
Apple launches the iPhone 4 – my old employer releases a surprisingly humorous video about it’s antena issues
MakeMeAPinUp is launched
While working on finding clients for JMCQUARRIE Ltd and in an effort to shake up my rather gray looking, corporate led portfolio, I design build and launch MakeMeAPinUp.com, a cheeky photo editing service that allows users to upload pin up style photos and adds a retro, 1950′s pin up inspired aged finish to them.
Apple launches the iPad – puts the web in your hands
Zoomatelo redesign
My first freelance client is a Edinburgh University based, award winning start up who need some User Experience help for their prize app. I help them redesign their product interface and enjoy every minute of it.
The CV Nurse sets up her clinic
As the economic downturn really begins to bite, The CV Nurse decides its about time a wider audience benefits from her years of CV reviewing and interviewing experience. I design her website and have a ton of fun in the process.
Contracted by Roxxor as a User Experience specialist
I get my first introduction to the World of design agencies working with the small team at Roxxor. Working on some short, sharp and agile projects for the likes of Aiimi, Addison Lee, Bearing Partnership and PayPerks. My game is officially upped.
Flights of Nancy launched
A long time friend and ex-colleague from my PA days also goes freelance and needs a website to peddle her wares, I design, build and maintain Flights of Nancy for her.
Apple launches the iPad 2 – the one with a swimming pool cover
Work with Glowlabs as an Information Architect / User Experience specialist
Building on my Roxxor agency experience I take on the challenge of working with Glowlabs and their clients doing more Information Architecture focused work.
Contracted by a publishing firm to work on their online product’s UI design
I go back to my corporate roots to work with the development team at a large publishing company as a UI designer. (On going)
What’s next?
Who knows? I could be working with you and your team. I have a few other projects up my sleeves, some of which will be seeing the light of day in the next few months, but I’m always looking for new and exciting projects to help out with so if your project could do with some help get in touch and I’d be happy to talk through what I could add.