Other CMS
These sites are listed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top.
Case studies in this category
TradeMe
Website: trademe.co.nz
Client: TradeMe
Dates: October 2017 - March 2018
My professional status: contractor at TradeMe
TradeMe has spent the last couple of years working on a new responsive website to replace their current arrangement of separate mobile and desktop sites, with the design teams working on a redesign of the look and feel of the website at the same time.
The new site was initially available to the public as a Preview version, and the TradeMe team actively solicited feedback from their users, so that they could make improvements to the new site on an ongoing basis. The new site is built in AngularJS by the back-end dev team, with the front-end devs working on templated elements within pages that contain a combination of Angular and HTML5.
TradeMe wanted some help getting their latest set of updates to a point where they could be added to the live Preview site, and took on myself and two other contractors for six months to help them get there.
I was responsible for HTML5 and CSS3 coding, as well as peer reviews, accessibility compliance, browser and device testing, and bug-fixing. I began as a member of the Tangram Squad, responsible for building individual elements that could be re-used on multiple pages within the site. After two months I switched to the Design Vision team, where we worked on whole example pages, tweaking and improving on the design and functionality of individual elements in situ.
Find out more about the TradeMe project
Categories: Showcase sites, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Responsive web design/dev, CSS-based layout, CSS3, HTML5, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Other CMS, E-commerce, Large sites
Toyota NZ
Website: toyota.co.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Toyota New Zealand
Dates: May - June 2013
My professional status: contractor at Proximity
The Toyota New Zealand website was in need of a major upgrade and Proximity was invited by Toyota to design and build it for them, as the companies already had a very good working relationship. I was asked to join the small web team for six weeks to carry out the front-end development for the site. I was responsible for the HTML5 and CSS3/SASS coding for the new designs, as well as accessibility and browser testing. Find out more about the Toyota NZ project
Categories: Front-end developer, CSS-based layout, CSS3, HTML5, jQuery/JavaScript, Other CMS, Large sites
Radio New Zealand
Website: radionz.co.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Radio New Zealand
Dates: October 2012 and February/May 2013
Government status: Crown Entity
My professional status: contractor at Radio New Zealand
Radio New Zealand is a Crown Entity established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. It provides listeners with independent radio programmes in accordance with the Radio New Zealand Charter. I had first met Richard Hulse, RadioNZ's webmaster, when we were both up for the same ONYA awards in 2010. The Radio New Zealand website had won both awards, and now that it was in need of an update, Richard decided to ask me to build the templates for him. I was honoured!
I was responsible for the HTML (HTML5), CSS (including CSS3 and LESS) and jQuery for the new design, incorporating a very high level of accessibility compliance into the build. I also did some design development, plus testing and QA of the completed templates, and a couple of days of additional templating once the web team had begun to integrate their existing content into the new templates.
Find out more about the Radio New Zealand project
Categories: Showcase sites, Client liaison, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, CSS3, HTML5, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Other CMS, Government websites, Large sites
Essential Mums
Website: no longer online
Client: Fairfax Media
Dates: January - March 2012
My professional status: contractor at Fairfax Digital
Fairfax Media is the largest integrated metropolitan, rural and regional, magazine and digital media company in Australasia, with publications and websites in every State and the ACT in Australia, and throughout New Zealand.
Essential Mums is an online addition to the Fairfax Media portfolio, and aims to provide expert information, helpful tools, and a community of other mums to help mothers on their parenting journey. I was responsible for information architecture and design development throughout the website.
Find out more about the Essential Mums project
Categories: Client liaison, IA & UX, Website designer, CSS-based layout, Other CMS, Large sites
MetService Annual Report
Website: no longer online
Client: Meteorological Service of New Zealand
Dates: September-October 2011
Government status: State-Owned Enterprise
My professional status: contractor at Designworks
Designworks had put together the print version of MetService's Annual Report, and needed a digital version to add to the website. They asked me to build a full set of linked web pages which would then be inserted into the standard MetService page template. I was responsible for project management and timelining, design development, HTML/CSS, and e-govt accessibility compliance. Find out more about the MetService Annual Report project
Categories: Project manager, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Content-loader, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Other CMS, Government websites, Small sites
Snapper
Website: snapper.co.nz
Client: Snapper
Dates: December 2010 - March 2011
My professional status: independent web designer/developer
Snapper is New Zealand's leading contactless payment system and can be used for a wide range of transactions including shopping, taxis and public transport. Registered Snapper users have online access to their Snapper transaction history and current balance.
The Snapper team wanted to upgrade the functionality of the transaction history page, and asked me to design and build a new version with enhanced functionality and ease of use. I was responsible for client liaison, project management, reviewing and refining the information architecture, content design, visual design, XHTML and CSS, jQuery, testing, QA and ongoing support.
Find out more about the Snapper project
Categories: Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Content designer, Website designer, Front-end developer, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, Other CMS, E-commerce, Small sites
Going Digital
Website: no longer online
Client: Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Dates: November 2010
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: contractor at Designworks
Designworks was asked by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage to create a website providing Kiwis with all the info they would need to be able to watch TV after the switch to digital. Designworks asked me to do an e-government accessibility assessment of the website.
I was responsible for testing pages and templates for e-govt accessibility guidelines (AA-level) compliance, producing a comprehensive report that listed each of the 43 WCAG 2.0 guidelines, showing success criteria for each, together with a review of the 198 sufficient techniques that can be used to achieve a pass for the various criteria, and a technical summary of what needed to be done in order to pass all criteria.
Find out more about the Going Digital project
Categories: Project manager, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Other CMS, Government websites, Small sites
Northern Gateway Toll Road
Website: tollroad.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: NZ Transport Agency
Dates: June - July 2009
Government status: Crown Entity
My professional status: contractor at Shift
The Northern Gateway Toll Road website provides detailed information about the new Toll Road and how to use it, and allows regular users of the road to open and manage an online account through which they can pay their tolls. It also enables drivers to buy individual or multiple trips online, or pay a toll notice or infringement, as well as keeping visitors up-to-date with road conditions.
I was responsible for building the templates in HTML/CSS and preparing them for integration into the CMS, as well as overseeing e-government and accessibility compliance.
Find out more about the Northern Gateway Toll Road project
Categories: Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Other CMS, Small sites
Telecom Global Roaming
Website: telecomroaming.co.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Telecom
Dates: April 2009
My professional status: contractor at Shift
The Telecom Global Roaming website allowed users on the new XT Mobile Network to find out if their phone could roam, which countries were covered, and how much it would cost. The application had to work with a whole lot of different variables - but the user interface was designed to be simple and intuitive to use, while being capable of displaying a wide variety of content types in response to selections made by the user. I was responsible for building the templates in HTML/CSS and jQuery and preparing them for integration into the CMS. Find out more about the Telecom Global Roaming project
Categories: Front-end developer, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, Other CMS, Small sites
KiwiSaver
Website: kiwisaver.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Inland Revenue
Dates: March - June 2007
Government status: Government Department
My professional status: employee at Shift
Shift designed and built the KiwiSaver website in 2006, and the second phase, which was when I joined the project, was to enable online transactions. My job, together with my colleague Ross Howard, was to style a full set of interactive KiwiSaver portlets with IRD styling and to tweak and bug-fix portlets which had already been integrated into the system. The job entailed working alongside the development team, working directly on the servers at IRD. In addition I built two new static HTML pages, and designed and built a third page. Find out more about the KiwiSaver project
Categories: Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Other CMS, Government websites, Medium sites
Drilling for Diamonds
Website: no longer online
Client: The Mills Group
Dates: February 2007 - March 2012
My professional status: independent web designer/developer
The Mills Group wanted a website which would both promote their Drilling for Diamonds online coaching products and act as a secure portal through which D4D coaches could train staff. The secure login included an admin section through which The Mills Group staff could add new clients and coaches, give them access to the online coaching materials, and create collections of personalised coaching materials for specific groups within the coaching scheme.
I designed and built the site and also worked on project management, information architecture and site schematics. I continued as the site's webmaster once the site went live.
Find out more about the Drilling for Diamonds project
Categories: Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Website designer, Front-end developer, Writing for the web, Content-loader, Webmaster, CSS-based layout, Other CMS, Small sites
Legal Services Agency
Website: no longer online
Client: Legal Services Agency
Dates: January 2007
Government status: Government-funded Agency
My professional status: employee at Shift
The Legal Services Agency was responsible for helping people access justice, by funding legal aid, initial criminal legal services and community law centres, providing direct representation through the in-house service, the Public Defence Service, and producing law-related education and information. I was responsible for building a set of 17 templates (using three colourways for different sections of the site) for the website, which was then handed over to their existing CMS team for integration into a content management system. Find out more about the Legal Services Agency project
Categories: Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Other CMS, Government websites, Medium sites
Buy Kiwi Made
Website: buykiwimade.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Ministry of Economic Development
Dates: December 2006 - February 2007
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: employee at Shift
The Ministry of Economic Development wanted a set of template pages for the new Buy Kiwi Made website, using existing HTML pages from the MED website. My job was to assess the existing HTML/CSS in order to provide guidelines for our designer, re-skin the HTML pages by changing the CSS to create the Buy Kiwi Made site, and build a number of new templates using the existing HTML as a starting-point. The templates were then handed back to the MED in-house CMS team for re-integration into their content management system. Find out more about the Buy Kiwi Made project
Categories: Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Other CMS, Government websites, Medium sites
New Zealand Police
Website: police.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: New Zealand Police
Dates: December 2006
Government status: Government Agency
My professional status: employee at Shift
The New Zealand Police wanted to re-vamp their website without having to change much of the existing HTML. My job was to re-skin the site, as far as possible altering the CSS only. I also built a new homepage based on the existing HTML and navigation elements in the rest of the site, and advised the designer on which visual elements could be changed using CSS only. Find out more about the New Zealand Police project
Categories: Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Other CMS, Government websites, Large sites
myVictoria
Website: my.vuw.ac.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Victoria University
Dates: October 2006
Government status: Government Agency
My professional status: employee at Shift
Victoria University wanted a redesign for their existing portal, used by students and staff. Shift created two different designs, which could be alternated as the University required. My job was to re-skin the portal by changing the stylesheets for the channels and iFrames which made up the elements within the portal. I could not change any of the HTML, as this was generated automatically by the system. Find out more about the myVictoria project
Categories: Client liaison, Project manager, Front-end developer, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, Other CMS, Government websites, Medium sites
VOCO
Website: voco.co.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: VOCO
Dates: May 2006
My professional status: employee at Base Two
VOCO (formerly i-solutions) was re-branding and needed a new website to go with the new name. They contracted two companies to work on the project - a design company (inexperienced in web design) and Base Two (to do the build and incorporation into the CMS). My role was to build the site in HTML and pure CSS and, after it was incorporated into the CMS, to complete last-minute changes and oversee go-live. I also project-managed the final phase and mentored my colleague who was learning HTML/CSS. Find out more about the VOCO project
Categories: Client liaison, Project manager, Front-end developer, CSS-based layout, Other CMS, Medium sites
LINZ
Website: linz.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Land Information New Zealand
Dates: November 2005 - March 2006, May 2006, June 2007
My professional status: independent web designer/developer
LINZ wanted to redevelop and add new content to the Mariner's section of the LINZ website, which was housed outside the main site, and was not part of the CMS.
After I completed this project, I was retained as an e-government expert to advise on the most effective way of converting PDFs to web pages - and how to create Word documents in the future which could more easily be converted to accessible web pages. I subsequently designed and developed 11 subsites which housed LINZ's most-requested key documents - including the LINZ Statement of Intent and the Annual Report.
Find out more about the LINZ project
Categories: Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, Content-loader, Old-school table layout, Other CMS, Government websites, Medium sites
NZHistory
Website: nzhistory.net.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Ministry of Culture and Heritage
Dates: September - October 2005
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: contractor at Shift
The existing large information-rich NZHistory website needed a complete resdesign, which was carried out by Shift. My job was to translate the complex design into a CSS website, which would then be incorporated into a Content Management System. As part of the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, the site exhibited a high level of accessibility, was built in valid XHTML and CSS, and passed accessibility tests levels 1 and 2 (and 3 where possible). It was supposed to be pixel-perfect in 7 different browsers on Mac and PC. I raised that to 13. Find out more about the NZHistory project
Categories: Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Other CMS, Government websites, Large sites
LTNZ
Website: no longer online
Client: Land Transport New Zealand
Dates: September - October 2005
Government status: part of NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), a Crown Entity
My professional status: contractor at Shift
The LTNZ website (formerly Land Transport Safety Authority) had been through a number of different "looks" and had ended up with three different designs appearing across the site. In order to streamline and improve both the look and the information architecture, Shift redesigned the site, and passed it on to me to re-skin. This means changing the existing CSS, but not the HTML, if possible. As a government website, it conformed to e-government guidelines, utilised validated HTML 4.01 Transitional and CSS, and maintained a consistent appearance across a range of browsers on Mac and PC. Find out more about the LTNZ project
Categories: Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Other CMS, Government websites, Large sites
Timeframes
Website: timeframes.natlib.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: National Library of New Zealand
Dates: July - August 2005
Government status: Government Agency
My professional status: contractor at Shift
The National Library of New Zealand wanted to update the huge Alexander Turnbull image database available online, so that users could more easily search the database, save and order images. I built a CSS website front-end, which was then integrated into the database. The site had a liquid layout with min-width, followed e-government guidelines with a very high level of accessibility, and was built in XHTML 1.0 Transitional and CSS. It was consistent across a total of 12 browsers in Mac and PC. Find out more about the Timeframes project
Categories: Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Other CMS, E-commerce, Government websites, Large sites