Web Architect

Over the previous twenty-odd pages I have endeavoured to show that I have a broad range of skills. I can traverse from the rigors of coding to the freedom of illustration, from the intricacies of design to the expanse of web technologies. This rich skillset means that I can achieve the blend of art and science needed to succeed in web architecture. By web architecture I mean the challenge of bringing together all the aspects of web development, from planning and coding to layout and language, to design and build a successful web application.

In 2004 I was the technical lead in architecting Bunnings’ first customer web site. In this role I was responsible for analysing the site’s requirements, defining the content needed to meet those requirements, establishing an information architecture to organise the content, and designing the site to clearly present the content. The www.bunnings.com web site has since been refreshed, but the underlying information architecture and many of the design elements have carried forward.

In early 2007 the www.asp.net web site underwent a major redesign by an independent third party, but I was very concerned with the direction of the redesign. I put together a comprehensive document that suggested we put aside the proposed design and start with the fundamentals, such as determining why the www.asp.net web site exists, for whom the site exists, what content the site needs, and how that content should be structured. Only then should we concern ourselves with the relatively cosmetic matter of design. You may read this document which I titled, 8 Steps Forward for www.asp.net.

This was the largest of the many documents I prepared for Microsoft that looked at higher-level considerations such as information architecture, communication policy, advertising strategy, and more. These documents have been very well received, and I was later invited by Microsoft to be lead author on a document that would provide the MSDN web site with a ‘community’ strategy.

Thanks for reading my online résumé. If you would like to chat with me, please send me an email at SomeNewKid@Hotmail.com. I look forward to chatting with you!