Govt web standards tester

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

OFLC (2016)

Website: classificationoffice.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Office of Film & Literature Classification
Dates: September 2015 - April 2016, with ongoing support until December 2021
Government status: Government Agency
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

I built a new version of the Information for Students site in 2015 for the Office of Film & Literature Classification, which left their main website looking a little tired and outdated. The next project was therefore to design and build a new responsive version of the main site.

I was responsible for client liaison, project proposal and quote, project management, scoping, information architecture, wireframes and schematics, responsive design and front-end development, HTML5, CSS3, LESS, jQuery, e-govt accessibility compliance, QA, client training and ongoing support, content coding, formatting and loading, some content writing and editing (Dreamweaver templates). Find out more about the OFLC (2016) 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, Dreamweaver templates, Government websites, Medium sites

OFLC - info for students

Website: no longer online
Client: Office of Film & Literature Classification
Dates: October 2014 - March 2015 and June-July 2015, with ongoing support after delivery
Government status: Government Agency
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

The OFLC had contracted a young designer to redesign their information for students website which I had originally designed and built for them back in 2010. Following completion of the design, the OFLC team decided that they needed to have a responsive website rather than a static one. I was invited to make the design responsive and then build the new Dreamweaver templates.

I was responsible for client liaison, project proposal and quote, project management, scoping, information architecture, wireframes and schematics, design development, responsive design and development, HTML5, CSS3, LESS, jQuery, e-govt accessibility compliance, QA, client training and ongoing support, content coding, formatting and loading, some content writing and editing (Dreamweaver templates). Find out more about the OFLC - info for students project

OFLC homepage (2014)

Website: classificationoffice.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Office of Film & Literature Classification
Dates: August - September 2014
Government status: Government Agency
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

The Office of Film and Literature Classification wanted to improve their website homepage - both in terms of its design and also the content that was displayed there. They wanted a number of new elements on the homepage, including a carousel highlighting their videos and a link to their Facebook posts, as well as rearranging the existing content on the page.

I was responsible for putting together a quote for the work, wireframing the homepage, redesigning and rebuilding it, accessibility and browser testing. Find out more about the OFLC homepage (2014) project

Categories: Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, CSS3, HTML5, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Dreamweaver templates, Government websites, 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

Corrections

Website: corrections.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Department of Corrections
Dates: April - May 2013
Government status: Government Department
My professional status: contractor at the Department of Corrections

The Corrections website project consisted of a restructure, redesign, and rebuild of an existing website. The new website had been designed by Provoke, and was being built in Squiz Matrix by Optimation. Initially I was taken on by Corrections as a web content co-ordinator, with my main responsibility being to help their web team to transfer content from their old website to the new one, and to ensure that it was formatted correctly once it got there.

I ended up working alongside Steve Beckett, the Corrections project manager, with the aim of ensuring that the development and integration of the site matched the original design and that it would be easy to use for the ongoing web editors at Corrections. Find out more about the Corrections project

Categories: Client liaison, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, Content-loader, Squiz/MySource Matrix, Government websites, 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

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 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

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

Sorted

Website: sorted.org.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Commission for Financial Literacy and Retirement Income (formerly the Retirement Commission)
Dates: August 2011 - January 2012
Government status: Government-funded (independent) organisation
My professional status: contractor at Chrometoaster

The Sorted website provides money planning and savings information for Kiwis, with advice and help in managing money, getting out of debt and planning for retirement, and includes a range of interactive calculators as well as written content.

Chrometoaster invited me to help with a complete re-design and rebuild of the site, as one of a team of three front-end developers. I was responsible for XHTML/CSS (including some CSS3), jQuery, e-govt and accessibility compliance, browser testing and QA for: 30+ new page templates; 16 popup modal screens; and page structure, header, and nav tabs for 10 calculator pages. Find out more about the Sorted project

Categories: Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, CSS3, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Drupal, Government websites, Large sites

HealthEd

Website: healthed.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Ministry of Health
Dates: January - June 2011, with the bulk of the work being carried out in May and June
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: contractor at Learning Media

The Ministry of Health wanted a complete restructure, redesign, and rebuild of their existing HeathEd website. The new site had been designed by DNA and was being built in Drupal 7 by Catalyst. Learning Media was in charge of the content, and it was my job as web editor and content designer to ensure that all 600 resources were titled and described consistently and with Seach Engine Optimisation (SEO) in mind; that the 200+ resources with HTML versions were formatted correctly; and that Catalyst's build matched DNA's design pixel-perfectly.

Resources on the HealthEd website were available in Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Cambodian-Khmer, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Cook Islands Māori, English, Fijian, Gujarati, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Māori, Niuean, Persian (Farsi), Pushto Afghani, Sāmoan, Somali, Thai, Tokelauan, Tongan, Tuvaluan and Vietnamese. Find out more about the HealthEd project

Categories: Content designer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, Content-loader, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Drupal, E-commerce, Government websites, Large 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

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

SPARC HPSD

Website: internal SPARC access only
Client: SPARC (now re-named Sport New Zealand)
Dates: June - October 2010
Government status: Crown Entity
My professional status: contractor at Datacraft

One of SPARC's roles is to support athletes and teams that can win at international level, and the coaches and organisations that are behind them - using their High Performance Sport Database (HPSDB) to administer this.

Datacraft had been asked to redesign and rebuild the HPSD, and I was responsible for doing the information architecture, content design, visual design and XHTML/CSS for a set of five templates, and then styling, restructuring and bug-fixing a large number of multi-functional screens within the app. Find out more about the SPARC HPSD project

Categories: Client liaison, IA & UX, Content designer, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, ASP or ASP.NET, Government websites, Medium sites

Climate Change

Website: climatechange.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Ministry for the Environment
Dates: May - June 2010, with ongoing support after delivery
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

The Ministry for the Environment's Climate Change website, originally designed as a portal site, was becoming difficult to navigate, and was lacking styles for pages with more detailed content at multiple levels. With the introduction of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in June 2010, the Ministry needed to expand the capabilities of the website, while still retaining the existing header and footer and some of the original HTML structure.

I was responsible for the timeline, ongoing project management and client liaison, HTML and CSS, jQuery, e-government and accessibility compliance, testing, site delivery and ongoing support. Find out more about the Climate Change project

Categories: Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, Dreamweaver templates, Government websites, Medium sites

WellingtonNZ

Website: wellingtonnz.com (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Positively Wellington Tourism
Dates: April - June 2010
Government status: Council-Controlled Organisation
My professional status: contractor at Chrometoaster

A month after I created the Australia landing page I was invited to re-join the Chrometoaster team to help them with the complete re-skin/rebuild of the entire website. This was a massive job with over 60 templates, and a team of three front-end developers all working together on the new site.

I was responsible for developing the website's main page structure, including all the chrome, background layers, header, footers and navigation elements and then building a range of templates and modular elements in XHTML/CSS, incorporating existing jQuery effects and preparing these for integration into the existing CMS, as well as ensuring a very high level of e-government and accessibility compliance. Find out more about the WellingtonNZ project

Categories: Showcase sites, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Drupal, Government websites, Large sites

WellingtonNZ Australia

Website: wellingtonnz.com/australia (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Positively Wellington Tourism
Dates: February - March 2010
Government status: Council-Controlled Organisation
My professional status: contractor at Chrometoaster

Chrometoaster were asked to create a single new template for the Australia landing page of WellingtonNZ (the point of arrival for Australian visitors). The template would temporarily sit within the existing chrome of the website, but the content would follow the design that was being finalised for the new version of the site.

I was responsible for building the template in XHTML/CSS, incorporating existing jQuery effects and preparing it for integration into the existing Drupal CMS, as well as ensuring a very high level of e-government and accessibility compliance. Find out more about the WellingtonNZ Australia project

Categories: Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Drupal, Government websites, Large sites

OFLC - info for students (2010)

Website: censor.org.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Office of Film & Literature Classification
Dates: August 2009 - January 2010, with ongoing support after delivery
Government status: Government Agency
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

The OFLC wanted a new website aimed at students doing projects on censorship in New Zealand. The website needed to be accessible, e-govt compliant, and the design had to appeal to young people.

I was responsible for the initial quote, information architecture, site schematics, ongoing project management and client liaison, web design, HTML and CSS, jQuery, e-govt accessibility compliance, testing, building the skeleton site using Dreamweaver templates, training, QA and proof-reading, and ongoing support. Find out more about the OFLC - info for students (2010) 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, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Dreamweaver templates, Government websites, Medium sites

EPA

Website: epa.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Ministry for the Environment
Dates: July - September 2009, with ongoing support after delivery
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

Following our successful redesign of the Ministry for the Environment website, we were asked to design and build a website for the new Environmental Protection Authority. The HTML would be based on the MfE Dreamweaver templates within a completely different design, and we were also asked to build and content-code the initial 77-page website. The HTML/CSS needed to be best-practice e-government compliant and the site was to be tested for accessibility once it was built.

I was responsible for the initial quote, information architecture, site schematics, ongoing project management and client liaison, HTML and CSS, jQuery, e-government and accessibility compliance, site build and content-coding, testing, site delivery and ongoing support. Find out more about the EPA project

Categories: Showcase sites, Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Content-loader, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Dreamweaver templates, Government websites, Medium 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

Ministry for the Environment

Website: mfe.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Ministry for the Environment
Dates: April - June 2009, with ongoing support after delivery
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

The 13,000-page Ministry for the Environment website was looking old and tired, and the Ministry wanted a medium-term website redesign solution that would allow them to keep their old legacy content, while bringing the look & feel up to date. The Ministry web team needed to be able to transfer their entire website into our new design and set of best-practice e-government compliant Dreamweaver templates as painlessly as possible, and the CSS also had to include matching styles for all their old content code.

I was responsible for the initial quote, some information architecture, site schematics, ongoing project management and client liaison, HTML and CSS, jQuery and JavaScript, e-government and accessibility compliance, testing, site delivery and ongoing support. Find out more about the Ministry for the Environment project

Categories: Showcase sites, Scoping/pitching/quoting, Client liaison, Project manager, IA & UX, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Dreamweaver templates, Government websites, Large sites

MedSys

Website: internal MCNZ access only
Client: Medical Council of New Zealand
Dates: January - July 2009
Government status: appointed by the Ministry of Health
My professional status: contractor at Optimation

MedSys is MCNZ's core system for handling doctor registration and on-going certification, which Optimation spent three years designing, developing and implementing. I was responsible for a number of tasks, including a rebuild of the application's chrome, a review and streamlining of the template design to save space and fit in more content, and an overview and rebuild of the HTML/CSS in many of the templates in order to improve cross-browser compatibility and increase consistency throughout the application. The site is built in asp.net, so virtually all of my work was within the .net environment, working on already-integrated templates using VisualStudio. Find out more about the MedSys project

Categories: IA & UX, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, ASP or ASP.NET, Government websites, Large sites

HPT forms

Website: historicplaces.org.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Historic Places Trust
Dates: July - October 2008
Government status: Crown Entity
My professional status: employee at Shift

The Historic Places Trust needed a set of 7 membership, subscription, and donation forms for their corporate website. The IA and design originally called for a large master form containing all the elements for the individual forms, controlled by a JavaScript file.

It was my responsibility to build the master form in XHTML and CSS. However, as the JavaScript became more and more complex I decided to split it into the 7 separate forms in order to achieve the functionality required, and I rewrote the JavaScript file to accommodate the new requirements. The programming and integration of the forms was carried out by Datacom using the Sitecore CMS. Find out more about the HPT forms project

Categories: Showcase sites, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Sitecore, Government websites, Small sites

Historic Places Trust

The Historic Places Trust wanted a new website which focused on their properties around the country that are open to visitors. The site included detailed information about the Trust's places to visit, venue hire, events, exhibitions and tours, and included an online store.

I built 22 templates for the site in XHTML and pure CSS, and liaised closely with the team at Datacom who integrated the templates into the Sitecore CMS. I also wrote a comprehensive handover document for Datacom to facilitate integration of my templates and provided ongoing support to them during the integration process. Find out more about the Historic Places Trust project

Categories: Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Sitecore, E-commerce, Government websites, Large sites

NIWA

Website: niwa.co.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: NIWA
Dates: June - July and October 2008
Government status: New Zealand Crown Research Institute
My professional status: employee at Shift

The National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research wanted a completely new look to their website, which acted as a repository for their very large collection of research documents, photographic images and publications - as well as information about NIWA itself. The design was complex and multi-layered and required a range of dynamic graphical elements.

I was responsible for building 28 templates for the site in XHTML and CSS, and liaising closely with the integration team at Squiz. I used jQuery to create the dynamic elements and also wrote a comprehensive handover document for Squiz to facilitate integration of my templates into MySource Matrix CMS. Find out more about the NIWA project

Categories: Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Squiz/MySource Matrix, Government websites, Large sites

OFLC (2007)

Website: censorship.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Office of Film & Literature Classification
Dates: October - November 2007 and August - September 2008
Government status: Government Agency
My professional status: employee at Shift

The Office of Film & Literature Classification needed a new website which they could edit and update themselves. They decided that a templated Dreamweaver site would suit their needs well. The OFLC is a government department, so this information-rich site had to be fully accessible and e-government compliant.

My job was to build them a full set of Dreamweaver templates, create a basic site from these and train the OFLC staff how to edit text and add new pages to the site. Later on I provided client support, making larger-scale changes to the live site and working alongside their web editor to show them the best ways to develop their website in the future. Find out more about the OFLC (2007) project

Categories: Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Dreamweaver templates, Government websites, Medium sites

NZ Business Assessment

Website: no longer online
Client: Business Capability Partnership/Optimation
Dates: September - October 2007 with ongoing additions after go-live
Government status: funded through the Ministry for Economic Development
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

The Business Capability Partnership wanted a website for their New Zealand Business Assessment initiative, which was designed to enable business owners to assess their business's current capabilities and assist in identifying opportunities to improve business performance.

I designed and built 17 template pages for the site, which was developed by Optimation within an ASP.NET environment. Once phase 1 of the site went live, Optimation worked with the BCP to develop and extend the site's capabilities, and from time to time I worked alongside the Optimation developer to provide CSS for new elements. Find out more about the NZ Business Assessment project

Categories: Scoping/pitching/quoting, Project manager, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, ASP or ASP.NET, Government websites, Small sites

SmartMovez

Website: smartmovez.org.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: NZ Transport Agency
Dates: July - September 2007
Government status: Crown Entity
My professional status: employee at Shift

The NZ Transport Agency wanted a website that would act as as a one-stop-shop for partners and organisations that work with them. I was responsible for building 13 highly accessible and e-govt compliant templates for the site in HTML and CSS, and to liaise closely with the CMS development team at Squiz to ensure that the incorporation of my templates into the CMS was as easy as possible for them. Find out more about the SmartMovez project

Categories: Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Squiz/MySource Matrix, Government websites, Medium sites

New Zealand Educated

Website: newzealandeducated.com (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Education New Zealand
Dates: May - September 2007
Government status: Crown Entity
My professional status: employee at Shift

New Zealand Educated wanted a fun, compelling and informative website that would encourage overseas students to study in New Zealand. I built a set of 36 complex templates for the site in HTML and CSS, which were tested across a wide range of browsers and platforms and which achieved a high level of compliance with e-government accessibility guidelines. Education New Zealand is a Crown Entity funded by the New Zealand Government. Find out more about the New Zealand Educated project

Categories: Showcase sites, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, ExpressionEngine, Government websites, Large 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

Tourism NZ intranet

Website: intranet
Client: Tourism New Zealand
Dates: February - June 2007
Government status: part of the Ministry of Tourism
My professional status: employee at Shift

Shift had an ongoing relationship with Tourism New Zealand, which resulted in four Webby nominations and two Webby awards in four years. In addition to the TNZ website, Shift also provided the TNZ team with an intranet, run on the Shado CMS. TNZ wanted a new look and feel for their intranet in four different colourways, while retaining the existing HTML and CMS as far as possible. My job was to re-skin a number of the master templates, by changing the CSS, rebuilding the header and footer HTML, and building an entirely new homepage. Find out more about the Tourism NZ intranet project

Categories: Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Shado, Medium 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

Shift

Website: no longer online
Client: Shift
Dates: October - November 2006
My professional status: employee at Shift

Shift's new-look website was a long time coming, mainly because Shifties were always working on somebody else's website! I was part of the team that finally got the chance to complete it and get it online. My job was to project-manage the team and complete the HTML/CSS build of the 10 templates used in the site, using best practice techniques and ensuring that the site met or exceeded e-government accessibility guidelines. I was also responsible for design development of some pages, based on designs already created for other templates. Find out more about the Shift project

Categories: Client liaison, Project manager, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, ExpressionEngine, Medium sites

National Library

Website: natlib.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: National Library of New Zealand
Dates: July - October 2006
Government status: Government Agency
My professional status: employee at Shift

The National Library of New Zealand needed a new website to replace their old and outdated one. It was to be fully editable by the National Library's web team, and was to be integrated into the Plone CMS by 3months.com. My role was to build a full set of templates for the site in HTML and pure CSS. The site was a liquid layout with min-and max-width, needed to be absolutely consistent across a wide range of browsers and platforms, and had to achieve a high level of compliance with e-government accessibility guidelines. Find out more about the National Library project

Categories: Client liaison, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Plone, Government websites, Large 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

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

Gifted & Talented Students

Website: tki.org.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Ministry of Education
Dates: September and November 2004
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: contractor at CWA New Media

This site needed a major update and overhaul, with the addition of an online version of the Minstry of Education handbook Gifted and talented students: Meeting their needs in New Zealand schools, and related online reading material. I designed the site as part of CWA's Te Kete Ipurangi portal website, which was built in XHTML/XML and CSS. I also did some of the development of the new site. Find out more about the Gifted & Talented Students project

Categories: Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Content-loader, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, eZ Publish, Government websites, Medium sites

Living Heritage

Website: no longer online
Client: Living Heritage/2020 Communications Trust
Dates: September - October 2004
My professional status: contractor at CWA New Media

The projects on this site were added by schools using a template. Over time the site had become quite inconsistent, so I did an audit of the online and offline versions and ensured that these were exactly the same. I also tidied up various projects and updated the index pages. Find out more about the Living Heritage project

Categories: Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, Content-loader, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, eZ Publish, Large sites

Ngā Toi Online

Website: tki.org.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Ministry of Education
Dates: September 2004
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: contractor at CWA New Media

This large, constantly updated, bilingual site had reached a stage where the two halves were no longer a mirror of each other. Guided by an extensive paper edit I made alterations in XHTML to the content of virtually every page, most of which were in te reo. Find out more about the Ngā Toi Online project

Categories: Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, Content-loader, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, eZ Publish, Government websites, Large sites

Digital Stories

Website: no longer online
Client: Ministry of Education
Dates: July 2004
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: contractor at CWA New Media

CWA required full and very detailed testing of all their websites by different members of the team. The sites had to be fully compliant with e-government guidelines, and be as accessible as possible over a wide range of browsers and platforms. I tested this site and provided a written report detailing my results and recommendations. Find out more about the Digital Stories project

Categories: Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, eZ Publish, Government websites, Small sites

Three Rs of Diversity

Website: no longer online
Client: Ministry of Education
Dates: May - August 2004
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: contractor at CWA New Media

This site was built in XHTML/XML within Te Kete Ipurangi's CSS-only template. I made extensive client alterations to the code by hand and validated the site for XHTML 1.0 Transitional. Find out more about the Three Rs of Diversity project

Categories: IA & UX, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Content-loader, CSS-based layout, e-govt/WCAG compliance, eZ Publish, Government websites, Medium sites

Ao Kawe Kupu

Website: no longer online
Client: New Zealand Qualifications Authority
Dates: May - August 2002
Government status: Government Agency
My professional status: contractor at Communication Arts

Following the online success of QA News, the client decided to put this bi-monthly printed newsletter onto the NZQA website. The newsletter was partly in English, partly in te reo. I developed the newsletter into a new website format, which I designed to complement the QA News design. Find out more about the Ao Kawe Kupu project

Categories: Client liaison, Project manager, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, Content-loader, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Old-school table layout, Government websites, Small sites

ProtectNZ

Website: no longer online
Client: Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries
Dates: August - September 2001. Redesign March 2002
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: employee at Origin Design

ProtectNZ wished to provide online Biosecurity information specifically targeted to different user groups. I built a series of templates for the new Biosecurity website, following a design by Origin. The templates were then used to create a fully dynamic website which could easily be updated by the Biosecurity team. Find out more about the ProtectNZ project

Categories: Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Old-school table layout, Database-driven (pre-CMS), Government websites, Medium sites

Ministry of Transport (2001)

Website: mot.govt.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: Ministry of Transport
Dates: January - April 2001
Government status: Government Ministry
My professional status: contractor at Origin Design

The Ministry of Transport needed an accessible website which would house a large amount of information and which could disseminate that information easily. I built the site following an existing Origin design, and advised the team on the technicalities of designing for the web. I also sourced, integrated and programmed an effective search engine for the site. Find out more about the Ministry of Transport (2001) project

Categories: Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Content-loader, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, Old-school table layout, No CMS, Government websites, Medium sites

WebWeaver Productions (2000-2015)

Website: webweaver.co.nz (site has since been redesigned)
Client: me
Dates: September 2000 - April 2015
My professional status: independent web designer/developer

Commissioned, designed, architecture-d, developed, built, written, edited and project-managed by me. In July 2005 I rebuilt the original tables-based site in pure CSS. It was designed to be fully accessible, displayed a liquid layout with min-width, was written in valid HTML 4.01 Transitional and CSS, and was fully accessibility-tested and displayed consistently across 13 browsers in Mac and PC. I built it using templates and Dreamweaver library items so that I could easily update it and make alterations. Find out more about the WebWeaver Productions (2000-2015) project

Categories: Project manager, IA & UX, Content designer, Website designer, Front-end developer, Govt web standards tester, Writing for the web, Content-loader, Webmaster, CSS-based layout, jQuery/JavaScript, e-govt/WCAG compliance, No CMS, Large sites