Curriculum Vitae - Adam Taylor

CSS3 Demos

This is a set of assorted CSS3 conceptual demos, mostly cribbed from design cognoscenti across the Web in my attempts to teach myself the latest CSS and apply it. It serves as a test-bed for advanced CSS techniques - all the code is available for others to take and adapt for their own uses.

New York

In November 2002 I had a thoroughly enjoyable trip to the States, and here's the site showcasing my (admittedly amateurish) photographic skills... Of the sites I've created for my own amusement, this is my favourite. It's hand-coded HTML5 and CSS3. If you're using a modern browser, it behaves and looks much better - without any JavaScript.

Weird Carnival

Originally this began as an experiment using Dreamweaver and a pile of JavaScript-activated layers to produce 'tab-style' navigation; a roughly-organised set of odd places and people on the Web. It's since mutated into something entirely hand-coded; it remains a test-bed for CSS, (X)HTML and homebrew JavaScript.

Mortal Wombat Freeforms

The latest version of the first site I ever created. It was originally built with the venerable NetObjects 2.0; since then I've continually improved it, moving to a more accessible and standards-compliant hand-coded design. It's now built with PHP includes, HTML5 and CSS3.

Camelot Global, London W1W

July 2019 to Jan 2020

Contract Web Developer

• New version of Swiss National Lottery (Loterie Romande) 'Loto Express' pages. New game widgets, account pages, reporting and summaries. New designs and graphics, supporting in-house CMS.
• New vanilla JS functionality handling real-time lottery draws via a large object Proxy; supporting three languages across a wide range of platforms (mobile, desktop, tablet, Samsung TV browsers)
• SASS, Git, Jira, heavy vanilla JS; flexbox and CSS grid layouts

Direct Ferries, London Victoria

Oct 2018 to Feb 2019

Contract Web Developer

• New build of DealFinder, their central functionality for finding ferry trips anywhere in the world.
• Vanilla JS widget collating data from many APIs to build view matching user criteria. Object-oriented, JSON via Fetch. Natively multi-lingual and responsive
• Multi-view SPA version created for mobile version
• LESS, Git, Jira, vanilla JS; flexbox and CSS grid layout

British Telecom via NETBuilder, Brighton

Nov 2017 to Apr 2018

Contract Web Developer

• Building site for British Telecom Partner Gateway - BT's B2B site
• Creating user journey for BT Partner purchasing of large-scale broadband, voice (PSTN), call package products. HTML5 and Angular validation, in addition to business rules. End result was a JSON object used to confirm details of order to BT's specifications.
• Building CMS components for BT Wholesale and Ventures site, including lightboxes, carousels, Garage Locator and others. Each component was a stand-alone module intended for use in BT's chosen CMS - Adobe AEM - with dynamic features and flexible styling as required.
• Functional and responsive across a range of desktop, tablet and mobile browsers, to A-rated accessibility standard
• LESS and SCSS, Git, Jira, AEM, vanilla JS; flexbox and CSS grid layout

Camelot Global, London WC1V

Feb 2017 to July 2017

Contract Web Developer

• Building site for Swiss National Lottery on behalf of Camelot Global
• SCSS, Git, Jira, FreeMarker templates
• Pages hosting 'Instant Win Games' for users; responsive designs across wide range of devices and browsers

Draw Digital design agency, London SE1

Sept 2016

Contract Web Developer

• Short contract building prototype of investment sales 'dashboard' for Oliver Wyman Associates
• LESS, Git, Knockout.js via Express routing
• Aimed at iPad as primary platform; Responsive across Retina displays

LexisNexis International, London EC2

Nov 2015 to Aug 2016 (renewed twice)

Contract Web Developer

• Led team of contractors building portable prototype site showcasing upcoming features and UI for the new release of Lexis Nexis' UK product
• Rapid, iterative turnaround on new features and new content pages
• SASS, Git, cutting-edge vanilla JS and Chrome-specific APIs
• Agile project methodology; two week sprints wth tri-weekly standups

Playtech International, London NW1

Feb 2015 to July 2015 (renewed once)

Contract Web Developer

• Member of Web Development team dedicated to implementation of UI and new features for Playtech's branded Bingo sites (Sky Bingo, Mirror, Gala, Mecca and others).
• Targeting a wide range of mobile and tablet devices as well as desktop on HTML5, CSS3 and modern native JS. Using LESS via Grunt, Subversion for version control.
• Agile project methodology

LexisNexis, London NW1

April 2011 to Dec 2014

In Dec 2014 UK Developer roles were moved to the US as part of a global cost-saving exercise.

Lead Technical Architect

• Led the Web Development team for LexisNexis International, handling LN's web properties in the UK, Europe, Asia and Australasia.
• Responsible for defining LNI's front-end coding approach for future applications. Ensuring that we remained ahead of the curve in new developments in the field, and that the team was continually pushed to expand and improve their skills. Became the international 'go-to person' on new client-side methodologies, browser engine advances and upcoming possibilities in CSS, JS and HTML.
• Responsible for maintaining and strengthening relations between the LNI WD team and their counterparts in the US, Product teams and business units around the world.
• I was LNI's technical representative on the Global Design Group, whose role was to preside over a complete branding and UI refresh across LNI and US web products.
• Created Global Design Initiative templates; LexisNexis' first fully Responsive, HTML5 + CSS3 site intended for worldwide rollout across all platforms. Gracefully degraded down to IE8 support, low page weight, minimal HTTP requests and highly accessible; functional and attractive on any capable device.
• Lead international developer on the 4.2 launch; an Agile project to bring the US site onto the latest versions of the newLexis .NET platform from a client-side perspective; integrating cutting-edge HTML5, CSS3 and JS into a Handlebars/Backbone-powered MVC environment. Used the in-house build system (Node running on a Visual Studio + TFS setup) to build several major modules for 4.2 and supervise several more being built by other member of the team, including offshore developers.
• Recruited new developers as part of ongoing responsibilities for maintaining resource levels. Expanded the team as our role grew; during my time the team increased from four members to nine, including four FTEs.

IDBS, London W6

August 2010 to March 2011

Senior Developer

• One of a small team of developers who worked on InforSense and ClinicalSense, IDBS's innovative healthcare analysis tools; advanced JS-powered web applications with a Java backend.
• Responsibility for radical update of UI on ClinicalSense; working on over 100,000 lines of OOP JavaScript including code from Ext, Prototype, YUI and MochiKit frameworks. Revamped and reorganised user data management, timeline and binning UIs.
• Used SVN code repository, Jira and QC defect/task tracking software; documentation and approval flow via SharePoint.

Bupa, London W1

May 2008 to July 2010

Web Developer

• Part of small team with responsibility for amends and new code for 50+ existing websites; front-end layers running on the BWA back-end; Java Struts, Oracle and Apache, serving an average of 1 million hits a month.
• Primary front-end developer on Bupa Web Refresh project (2009 onwards), a complete revamp of all major Bupa web properties (bupa.co.uk, bupa.com, bupa-intl.com). Brand new HTML, CSS and JS on a Jahia CMS platform. Sole reponsibility for all in-house JavaScript requirements, including AJAX functionality; I created a versatile and lightweight mini-framework to underlie all future JS work. Gained experience of jQuery framework and prepared early integration points with Bupa architecture.
• Ongoing advocate for progressive enhancement as Bupa's front-end development philosophy. Obtained buy-in from Bupa's Steering Committee that this technique would be a mainstay of the Refresh.
• Experience of CVS-powered revision control and Quality Center defect tracking software.
• Experience of working under both Waterfall and Agile (Scrum) project development methodologies.

Happy Ltd, London E1

1998 to 2008

Web Developer - Happy eLearning

• Converted Happy portal site to new, cleaner and modern design. Accessible, XHTML Strict.
• Converted current Happy Computers sites to run via Joomla CMS; I heavily modified the backend PHP to output accessible/Standards-based code.
• Built, designed and coded Happy Manuals from scratch; site for free and licensed training manual downloads. Includes homebuilt shop integration with WorldPay.
• Built XML/XSLT templating system ('Content Machine') from scratch; coded in 'classic' ASP as replacement for 'Control Station' application. Vastly speeded up production of course materials as a result.
• Responsibility for production of new courses via XML 'Control Station' and XSLT templates. Creating new XSLT to convert XML content to a new accessible / Standards-based format, including 'unobtrusive' JavaScripting.
• Creating bespoke CBT materials for Happy eLearning's corporate and government customers.
• Continuing responsibility for full re-vamp of Happy eLearning sites; dividing materials into proper content, presentation and behavioural layers, while allowing for easy corporate branding where needed.

Web Manager - Happy Computers

Jan 2003 to Jan 2005

• Continuing responsibility for troubleshooting, updating and managing Happy's sites.
• Created site for Pan-African Development, Education and Advocacy Programme (PADEAP) as part of voluntary charity contribution. The success of the new site led to other web design projects.
• Campaigned for and undertook re-working of original table-based FrontPage Happy Computers site to follow WAI Accessibility and usability guidelines under XHTML Strict.
• During allocated six-month period I used my own time to learn cross-browser CSS, XHTML and ASP.
• Redesigned and rebuilt the site using home-grown CSS / ASP templates, meeting the deadline to go live in January 2004. NB: I no longer have responsibility for this site, and it's since been altered.
• Redesigned and rebuilt sister site Happy eLearning, going live on schedule in September 2004, as a companion to the Happy Computers design.
• Created XSLT templating to transform old online learning material into standards-based accessible XHTML as part of large-scale revamp of Happy eLearning.

Senior IT Trainer

1998 to Jan 2003

• Specialising in Web Design and Network Admin courses, I trained full-time for Happy Computers on- and off-site.
• Became Happy Computers lead web design trainer; created HTML, Dreamweaver and FrontPage courses for all levels of expertise.
• Took responsibility for introducing CSS and semantic XHTML design techniques into existing courses. Transferred these skills to other trainers to bring them up-to-date with modern web design theories.
• Responsible for answering all Happy Computers web-related helpline calls; met all agreed SLAs in this area.
• Gained experience of full Microsoft Office suite, FrontPage, Photoshop, and Quark Xpress to a high level.
• Lead Trainer for Yell.co.uk project with Yellow Pages in 1999; trained over 1000 Sales and Admin staff in Internet principles, concentrating on web hosting and Domain name sales.

Mortal Wombat, London SE11

1997

Writer, Editor and Administrator

• Wrote and edited one-off project of half a million words; contributing approx one third of text; organised historical research and work of six writers.
• Developed formatting and layout for resulting work The Feast of All Souls using Word 6.0.
• Created first website using NetObjects Fusion v2.0 and 3.0. for Mortal Wombat (here's the latest iteration).

Mac Supplies Ltd, Perivale

1996

Testing and Returns Administrator

Responsible for returned stock for entire group; Macintosh and PC software / hardware. Administration of above; testing of suspect hardware. Created bespoke Returns database for group. Gained experience with Macintosh GUI, apps and hardware.

Dolomore Group Ltd, London SE1

1995 to 1996

Group Buyer in Chief

Overview of wine and spirits group purchases (UK and Overseas); responsible for stocks of largest UK agency lines, reporting directly to CEO. Produced reports on all stock levels; increased work with spreadsheets, pulling in data from in-house database to Excel for analysis. Sourced new national lines.

Ebury Mathiot Wines Ltd, London SE1

1992 to 1995

Assistant Buyer

Feb 1994 to Sept 1995

Sole responsibility for maintaining stock levels of all UK purchases; some 500 lines involved. Overseeing the work of two clerks and organisation/administration of departmental budget and accounts payable. Administration of exports. Lotus 1-2-3 / Windows 3.11 / MS-DOS experience gained.

Customer Services

Nov 1992 to Feb 1994

Sole customer liaison for sister company (Michael Druitt Agencies); dealing with prestige hotel/restaurant and national accounts, handling orders and invoicing; some organisation of delivery schedules.

Porter and Laker Ltd, London SE11

1988 to 1991

Shipping Clerk

June 1988 to Dec 1991

Customer liaison and organisation of groupage shipping of wines and spirits; up to ten full trailer-loads a week from wine-producing countries all over the world. Administration of invoicing and international customs procedures.

Accounts Clerk

Jan 1988 to June 1988

Basic accounting; purchasing and sales ledger; chasing payments and fending off creditors.