My technical aptitude is my key competitive advantage as an experienced digital project manager.
My previous extensive background in web development and current hands-on approach gives me a deep-dive understanding of all things tech-related. As such, I have had specialist experience in the interaction design, visual design and development processes for literally hundreds of micro-sites, websites, emails, banners, blogs, mobile and web applications.
Below is a list outlining a number of my various technical skills:
Technical Skills
- Hand-coded, valid standards-compliant code
- Open source content management systems and web application frameworks
- Relational database management systems (RDBMS) including the writing of schemas, triggers and stored procedures
Programming languages
I am very experienced with hand-coded HTML5, XHTML and CSS including converting legacy sites to semantic code using graceful degradation, progressive enhancement and best practices.
A recent project required me to build an administration interface using jQuery and unobtrusive JavaScript. I have built websites with Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)-compliant coding in mind. These were tested for accessibility and web usability issues using screen reading software.
Other CSS and JavaScript/AJAX libraries include 960, Blueprint CSS, Yahoo! User Interface Library, jQuery, jQuery UI, SWFObject, JW FLV Player, Prototype, sIFR, MooTools and MooFx.
Ruby, Sinatra and Ruby On Rails
I've tracked the rise of Ruby on Rails since it's initial leap to public attention in 2005. Since then I've followed it's progress to become one of the more popular Agile web development frameworks. In late 2009, and with the release of Ruby 1.9.2/Rails 3.0, I took the plunge into learning Ruby and Ruby on Rails with the assistance of the Pragmatic Programmers' Pickaxe book amongst other resources. As a side product of this self-study, I also studied Sinatra, CoffeeScript, Sass and Compass.
PHP
I have used PHP since version 3 and have hands-on object-oriented programming skills for PHP5. I am an expert with integration, template build and customisation for WordPress which powers this website and Drupal. I previously also worked with Textpattern, phpBB, Etomite, ExpressionEngine, MODx, Magento and SugarCRM. The following application framework libraries CodeIgniter, Kohana, CakePHP, Zend Framework and Symfony have crossed my path.
I've previously worked with or been involved with the integration and customisation of websites using osCommerce, eZ Publish CMS, ADODB database abstraction library, PHPMailer email abstraction library and Smarty templates. I'm a command-line warrior with MySQL, the world's most popular open source database. I've had recent experience with the install, setup and administration without a GUI in sight.
Flash & ActionScript
I've had limited exposure to Flash ActionScript 2/3 using sIFR for font replacement and SWFObject for the embedding of Flash movies. I've experimented with Flash Remoting using AMFPHP. Other Flash projects I have managed or worked on used ActionScript Libraries such as Caurina, Greensock and Boostworthy.
Python
I have a working knowledge of Python and in particular, the Django framework including install and setup. I also installed and setup Trac with Subversion (SVN).
Java
I used Java Server Pages (JSP) on several website migration projects using the Struts & Tiles framework.
I learnt and used Perl in the past – via the famous O'Reilly books, Learning Perl and Programming Perl – and still have a limited working knowledge of Perl (ActivePerl 5.8). More recently, I installed and setup an instance of Bugzilla.
I’ve personally utilised Linux-based website hosting accounts with root access for ten years and recently upgraded this to a Virtual private server (VPS) hosting running nginx. This required me to set up, manage and troubleshoot a hosting environment from a blank canvas. My other hosting experience has been with IBM Blade server setup and administration and Microsoft IIS setup and administration.
My preferred method of source/version control and SCM is Git. I've used Subversion (SVN) and CVS in the past.
Please contact me if you have a project or freelance role you wish to discuss.