SilverStripe

These sites are listed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top.

Case studies in this category

MacDiarmid Institute (2024)

Website: macdiarmid.ac.nz
Client: The MacDiarmid Institute
Dates: October 2023 - present
Government status: Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE)
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

Categories: Client liaison, IA & UX, Content-loader, Responsive web design/dev, e-govt/WCAG compliance, SilverStripe, Government websites, Large sites

MPI - PBI

Website: piersearch.mpi.govt.nz/plants-biosecurity-index
Client: Ministry for Primary Industries
Dates: July - October 2022 launch date. Post-launch upgrades October 2022 - January 2024
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: contractor at MPI

I designed and built a series of web-based applications and tools within the biosecurity sphere for the Ministry for Primary Industries, under the umbrella of the PIER (Product Import and Export Requirements) project.

At the last minute we were asked to redesign and rebuild the Plants Biosecurity Index (PBI) and integrate it into SilverStripe, to be launched at the same time as the updated ONZPR and new PIER Search tools. The PBI is a searchable database of over 30,000 plant species that provides information on whether each species can be imported into New Zealand as seeds or nursery stock.

I was responsible for the UX consultation and design, content design, responsive web design, front-end development, browser and device testing, e-government compliance and accessibility, proofreading, post-integration testing and QA. I also wrote the microcopy, introductory text, and help text across all pages and templates, and produced a "naming conventions" document, in which I reviewed and standardised various text elements common to all pages across all four new tools in the PIER family. Find out more about the MPI - PBI project

Categories: IA & UX, Content designer, Website designer, Front-end developer, Writing for the web, Responsive web design/dev, CSS-based layout, CSS3, HTML5, e-govt/WCAG compliance, SilverStripe, Government websites, Large sites

MPI - ONZPR in SilverStripe

Website: onzpr.mpi.govt.nz
Client: Ministry for Primary Industries
Dates: April - October 2022 launch date. Post-launch upgrades October 2022 - January 2024
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: contractor at MPI

I designed and built a series of web-based applications and tools within the biosecurity sphere for the Ministry for Primary Industries, under the umbrella of the PIER (Product Import and Export Requirements) project.

In June 2020 we had launched our first application - the Official New Zealand Pest Register or ONZPR. In 2022 we updated the ONZPR and integrated it into the SilverStripe CMS to join PIER Search, which was being designed and built at the time. The ONZPR is a searchable database of almost 25,000 pests and pathogens relevant to New Zealand.

I was responsible for the UX design, content design, responsive web design, front-end development, cross-browser and mobile device testing, e-government compliance and accessibility, and post-integration testing and QA. I was also responsible for writing the microcopy, introductory text, and help text across all pages and templates. Find out more about the MPI - ONZPR in SilverStripe project

MPI - PIER Search

Website: piersearch.mpi.govt.nz
Client: Ministry for Primary Industries
Dates: January 2020 - October 2022 launch date. Post-launch upgrades October 2022 - January 2024
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: contractor at MPI

I designed and built a series of web-based applications and tools within the biosecurity sphere for the Ministry for Primary Industries, under the umbrella of the PIER (Product Import and Export Requirements) project.

The core product in Phase 1 of the PIER project is PIER Search. This online search tool enables users to find NZ import and export requirements for a range of commodities and countries.

I was responsible for the UX design, content design, responsive web design, front-end development, cross-browser and mobile device testing, e-government compliance and accessibility, some content-loading and CMS training, and post-integration testing and QA. I was also responsible for writing the microcopy, introductory text, and help text across all pages and templates. Find out more about the MPI - PIER Search project

Categories: IA & UX, Content designer, Website designer, Front-end developer, Writing for the web, Content-loader, Responsive web design/dev, CSS-based layout, CSS3, HTML5, e-govt/WCAG compliance, SilverStripe, Government websites, Large sites

MacDiarmid Institute

Website: macdiarmid.ac.nz
Client: The MacDiarmid Institute
Dates: January - March 2017 and August 2018 - July 2019 with ongoing support after launch
Government status: Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE)
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology is one of New Zealand's oldest Centres of Research Excellence (CoREs). It brings together almost 100 research investigators along with graduate and PhD students from seven institutions across Aotearoa. Their research focus is materials science and new technology, especially the unexplored territory where chemistry, physics, biology and engineering meet.

Their existing website was old, messy, out-of-date and hard to maintain. The navigation architecture wasn't well organised and it had become difficult for visitors to find the information they were looking for. It was time for a new website with a new logical architecture and a much stronger focus on the institute's researchers, with the majority of the pages being re-written prior to launch. We also wanted to migrate and incorporate news articles and magazine items from the old site, as much of this content was valuable as an ongoing archive of the Institution's research projects and progress.

I was responsible for the initial proposal and quote, client liaison, project management, information architecture and UX design, content design, responsive design development and front-end development, browser and device testing, content-loading, post-integration testing, QA, proof-reading, web editor training and ongoing support. I loaded all 800 pages of new content with the help of my developer, and reformatted over 500 news articles migrated from the old site. Find out more about the MacDiarmid Institute project

Categories: Showcase sites, Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Content designer, Website designer, Front-end developer, Writing for the web, Content-loader, Responsive web design/dev, CSS-based layout, CSS3, HTML5, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, SilverStripe, Government websites, Large sites

Education New Zealand

Website: enz.govt.nz (site design has been updated)
Client: Education New Zealand
Dates: April - June 2016
Government status: Crown Entity
My professional status: contractor at Touchcast

Education New Zealand wanted their existing website to be migrated to the SilverStripe CMS, together with a design refresh at the same time.

Touchcast were invited to design and develop the new responsive website, and I was asked to join the team for a few weeks to carry out the front-end development for the site, working alongside the SilverStripe developer.

I was responsible for building the HTML and CSS for the new designs, using SASS (SCSS) as my pre-processor and Bootstrap as my framework. I was also responsible for preparing the page elements as re-usable twigs which we set up to auto-create the HTML templates, ready for the developer to integrate into SilverStripe. Find out more about the Education New Zealand project

Categories: Front-end developer, Responsive web design/dev, CSS-based layout, CSS3, HTML5, e-govt/WCAG compliance, SilverStripe, Government websites, Medium sites

PS Network

Website: psnetwork.org.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Public Sector Network of Communicators Committee
Dates: July - September 2015
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

The Network of Public Sector Communicators is a professional network, leading knowledge sharing and professional development to drive excellence in public sector communications. They run affordable events, conferences and social events. Their professional development programme, practical resources and programme of activities covers the full range of communications disciplines.

They needed someone who understood SilverStripe websites to update their website in a big hurry, as their Annual Conference was fast approaching. They got in touch with me following a personal recommendation from one of my bandmates who was working as their Coordinator.

I was responsible for updating the website, adding a new Conference section containing information about the event, including the timetable, speaker bios, sponsor details, workshops and masterclasses. I also updated the News and Events sections and figured out how to link the conference pages to their online membership portal where members could register for the conference and associated workshops and masterclasses. Find out more about the PS Network project

Categories: Client liaison, Project manager, Website designer, Front-end developer, Writing for the web, Content-loader, CSS-based layout, SilverStripe, Small sites

Zero Harm

Website: zeroharm.org.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Business Leaders’ Health & Safety Forum
Dates: February 2015 - November 2020
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

The Business Leaders’ Health and Safety Forum is a coalition of business and government leaders committed to improving the performance of workplace health and safety in New Zealand. Their vision is all business leaders passionately committed to achieving Zero Harm Workplaces. They needed a new webmaster to take care of their website, and approached me after a personal recommendation from one of my other clients.

I am responsible for regularly updating their responsive website, creating and removing pages, content-loading, making graphics, and editing/proofreading content. I am also responsible for doing a full content audit of the website and, to review the website IA with a view to updating and improving it. I will also be doing a similar review of the homepage to see if that can be improved, and re-designing and re-building it if necessary. I'm also responsible for social media consultation, helping the organisation to decide what social media to use and how to use it. Find out more about the Zero Harm project

Categories: Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Website designer, Front-end developer, Writing for the web, Content-loader, Webmaster, Responsive web design/dev, CSS-based layout, CSS3, HTML5, jQuery/JavaScript, SilverStripe, Medium sites

Govt.nz

Website: govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Department of Internal Affairs
Dates: December 2013 - June 2014
Government status: Government Department
My professional status: contractor at DIA

Govt.nz is a ground-breaking project run by the Department of Internal Affairs, that seeks to improve the way that government communicates with citizens online. Govt.nz aims to enable visitors to find the government information they are seeking, quickly and easily. It is based on the UK all-of-government website, gov.uk, and both sites are user-focused, with user testing as their foundation.

I was taken on to replace the original designer/front-end developer halfway through the Beta phase. I was responsible for UX research, UX proposal-writing and UX design, content design, responsive web design, responsive front-end development within an instance of the Government's Common Web Platform (CWP), browser and device testing, government web standards accessibility compliance and testing to the very highest level, post-integration testing and QA, attending regular team meetings and doing regular "show and tell" updates for the major stakeholders within DIA.

The project was run using Agile methods, with daily standups and two-week sprints, the team being managed by experienced scrum masters. This Agile methodology was completely new to DIA. The website was on-line and available to the public throughout the Beta phase, and we welcomed feedback and comments from visitors, all of which we investigated further and acted upon as necessary. Find out more about the Govt.nz project

Categories: Showcase sites, Client liaison, IA & UX, Content designer, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, Responsive web design/dev, CSS-based layout, CSS3, HTML5, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, SilverStripe, Government websites, Medium sites

WebWeaver Productions

Website: webweaver.co.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: me
Dates: August 2013 - April 2015 onwards until September 2024
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

Commissioned, designed, architecture-d, developed, built, written, edited and project-managed by me. The site is designed to be fully accessible, is written in valid HTML5 and CSS3, and has been fully tested and displays consistently across a wide range of operating systems, browsers and devices.

The latest iteration of the site is responsive, designed for ease of reading in whatever device it's being viewed, and fully tested across a range of devices and platforms. It runs on the SilverStripe Content Management System, built and integrated by my WebWeaver colleague, Tom St George. Find out more about the WebWeaver Productions project

Categories: Showcase sites, Project manager, IA & UX, Content designer, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, Content-loader, Webmaster, Responsive web design/dev, CSS-based layout, CSS3, HTML5, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, SilverStripe, Large sites

OTNZ

Website: nzaot.com (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Occupational Therapy New Zealand
Dates: July 2013 - March 2015, with ongoing support after delivery
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

An occupational therapist is a registered health provider who uses the theory of occupation to improve well-being and quality of life. Occupational Therapy New Zealand Whakaora Ngangahau Aotearoa is the national association representing occupational therapy professionals in New Zealand.

I was responsible for the initial quote, information architecture, site schematics, ongoing project management and client liaison, design, HTML5 and CSS, testing, accessibility and e-govt compliance, SilverStripe CMS training, QA and ongoing support. Find out more about the OTNZ project

Categories: Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, CSS3, HTML5, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, SilverStripe, Large sites

EWRB

Website: ewrb.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Electrical Workers Registration Board and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Dates: July - December 2013
Government status: Government Agency
My professional status: Web consultant with Insight Consultants Ltd

The Electrical Workers Registration Board ensures the competence of electrical and electronic workers. Its work is overseen by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). Their old website was very old and out of date, and Insight Consultants Ltd was invited to design a new site, which was to be built using an instance of the Government's new Common Web Platform (CWP) in SilverStripe as a starting-point.

I was responsible for helping with the initial pitch/quote, wireframing including responsive UX design, and advising the designers how best to design the website within the framework of the CWP. I then developed the design across a range of breakpoints, and built the templates in HTML5 and CSS3 (designing the responsivity in-browser as I built). I was responsible for browser and device testing and was also asked to do a thorough proof-read and QA of the site prior to launch. Find out more about the EWRB project

Categories: Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, Content-loader, Responsive web design/dev, CSS-based layout, CSS3, HTML5, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, SilverStripe, Government websites, Medium sites

Kirkaldie & Stains

Website: no longer online
Client: Kirkaldie & Stains
Dates: August - October 2012
My professional status: contractor at Heyday

Kirkcaldie & Stains is an icon of the New Zealand retail industry with a singularly distinctive character, and is renowned for its consistent standards of excellence. The existing website was in need of refurbishment - and the company felt it was time to develop part of the website into an e-commerce Online Store, as well as re-designing their brochure and news content.

Heyday were invited to design and develop the new website, and I was asked to join the team for a few weeks to carry out the front-end development. I was responsible for the HTML (HTML5), CSS (CSS3 and LESS) and some of the jQuery, and also for integrating my new code into SilverStripe, building the CMS's layout and include files which were then programmed by Heyday's Glenn Bautista. Find out more about the Kirkaldie & Stains project

Categories: Showcase sites, Scoping/pitching/quoting, Website designer, Front-end developer, CSS-based layout, CSS3, HTML5, jQuery/JavaScript, SilverStripe, E-commerce, Large sites

Pacific Island Affairs

Website: mpia.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs
Dates: July - December 2012, with ongoing support and updates after delivery
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

The Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs is Government's premier adviser on policies and interventions to promote the social, economic and cultural development of Pacific peoples in New Zealand. A recent survey had indicated that visitors found the website confusing and difficult to navigate, and the Ministry also felt that they were unable to feature and highlight the most important areas of the site on their existing homepage; so wanted to remedy both these issues with a website upgrade.

I was responsible for producing five initial quote options, client liaison, project management, information architecture, schematics, partial site re-design, XHTML, pure CSS, jQuery, testing, site proofing and re-styling within the existing SilverStripe CMS. Find out more about the Pacific Island Affairs project

Categories: Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, Content-loader, CSS-based layout, CSS3, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, SilverStripe, Government websites, Large sites

NZ Netherlands Foundation

Website: netherlandsfoundation.org.nz (no longer online)
Client: New Zealand Netherlands Foundation
Dates: March - November 2012, with ongoing support and updates until December 2013
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

The Foundation has a wide-ranging brief to foster pride in the Dutch contribution to New Zealand. Its goals are to promote links between the Netherlands and New Zealand, to encourage the Dutch in New Zealand to keep their heritage alive through cultural and educational exchanges, and to celebrate the contribution the Dutch have made and continue to make to New Zealand's economic and social fabric.

I was responsible for the initial quote, information architecture, site schematics, ongoing project management and client liaison, design, XHTML and CSS, testing, accessibility compliance, CMS training, QA (including some writing and editing of content) and ongoing support. Find out more about the NZ Netherlands Foundation project

Categories: Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Website designer, Front-end developer, Writing for the web, Content-loader, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, SilverStripe, Medium sites

NZ Artificial Limb Service

Website: nzals.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: New Zealand Artificial Limb Service
Dates: February - June 2012, with ongoing support until 2016
Government status: Crown Entity
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

The NZALS is a Crown Entity that helps meet the rehabilitation needs of New Zealand amputees and is the national provider of artificial limbs in New Zealand. They had developed the concept of a 'health hub' to act as a first place to come for New Zealand amputees and needed a new website in order to achieve this.

I was responsible for the initial quote, information architecture, site schematics, ongoing project management and client liaison, design, XHTML and CSS, testing, accessibility and e-govt compliance (including the production of an e-govt test report), CMS training, QA and ongoing support - as well as content production management and some writing and editing. Find out more about the NZ Artificial Limb Service project

Categories: Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, Content-loader, CSS-based layout, CSS3, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, SilverStripe, Government websites, Medium sites

Museums Wellington

Website: museumswellington.org.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Museums Wellington
Dates: July - December 2010, with ongoing support after delivery
Government status: funded by Wellington City Council
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

Museums Wellington are responsible for three Wellington museums - the Museum of Wellington City & Sea, the Cable Car Museum and the Colonial Cottage Museum. Each museum had its own website, none of which matched each other or the new Museums Wellington branding. Their aim was to bring all three museums plus Plimmers Ark under the same umbrella website, and to use their new branding as the basis for the overall site design.

I was responsible for the initial quote, client liaison, project management, scoping, information architecture, design development, HTML and CSS, jQuery, accessibility and e-govt compliance, testing, putting together the skeleton site in SilverStripe, CMS training, QA, HTML emails and ongoing support. Find out more about the Museums Wellington project

Categories: Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, HTML email, SilverStripe, Government websites, Small sites

Holmes Consulting Group

Website: holmesgroup.com (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Holmes Consulting Group
Dates: September 2009 - April 2010, with ongoing support until December 2013
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

The international structural engineering firm Holmes Consulting Group asked for a completely new photography-centered design, new HTML/CSS templates, and a new CMS, which would be populated with all-new content.

I was responsible for the initial quote, information architecture, site schematics, ongoing project management and client liaison, web design, HTML and CSS, jQuery, testing, putting together the skeleton site in SilverStripe, training, QA and proof-reading, and ongoing support. Find out more about the Holmes Consulting Group project

Categories: Showcase sites, Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Website designer, Front-end developer, Writing for the web, Content-loader, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, SilverStripe, Medium sites

Optimation

Website: optimation.co.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Optimation
Dates: May - November 2009, with ongoing support after delivery
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

Optimation's existing website was looking old and tired, and no longer represented the company as well as it could. In contrast to the old website, which was largely passive and not well integrated with Optimation's other marketing activities, the new site needed to work much more actively as well as being an interactive space between the company and its clients - and it had to be designed to enable busy clients to get what they need in the minimum time possible.

I was responsible for the initial quote, information architecture, site schematics, ongoing project management and client liaison, HTML and CSS, jQuery, accessibility compliance, testing, QA and proof-reading, CMS training and ongoing support. Find out more about the Optimation project

Categories: Showcase sites, Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Front-end developer, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, SilverStripe, Medium sites

Master Plumbers

Website: masterplumbers.org.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Inc
Dates: April - October 2009, with regular ongoing support until March 2016
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

Master Plumbers had an old website that needed redesigning and integrating within a more user-friendly CMS. We identified three main sections of the site - Public, Trade and Members - which led to a four-colourway design solution.

I was responsible for the initial quote, information architecture, site schematics, content design, ongoing project management and client liaison, web design, HTML and CSS, jQuery, accessibility compliance, testing, content-loading, CMS training and ongoing support. Find out more about the Master Plumbers project

Categories: Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Content designer, Website designer, Front-end developer, Writing for the web, Content-loader, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, SilverStripe, Large sites

Tourism Exchange

Website: no longer online
Client: Tourism Exchange
Dates: January 2009
My professional status: contractor at Origin Design

Tourism Exchange was a real-time marketplace for selling and distributing tourism products and services, and the site provided information for buyers and sellers. My responsibility was to build 6 templates in HTML/CSS and liaise with the CMS integrator in order that they could be easily integrated into the SilverStripe CMS. We also developed the design in areas where additional functionality was required after the design had been completed. Find out more about the Tourism Exchange project

Categories: Website designer, Front-end developer, CSS-based layout, SilverStripe, Small sites

Ministry of Transport (2006)

Website: transport.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Ministry of Transport
Dates: April - June 2006
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: employee at Base Two

Base Two had carried out a complete redesign of the very large MOT site, and placed it within the SilverStripe CMS. My job, at the end of the project, was to complete the website and prepare it for go-live. This included bug-fixing of the HTML, CSS, CMS and JavaScript. It also included extensive browser testing. Find out more about the Ministry of Transport (2006) project

Categories: Project manager, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, SilverStripe, Government websites, Large sites