Tom Harrop

Thales Group - User Interface design, UX design and Front End Development

Current

Thales create software that keep the UK's highways running, stop nuclear submarines crashing in to each other and even occasionally put things in space. Working on the former of those 3 things, my job at Thales is to make sure that the Highways Agency software looks good, is easy to use and supports the National Traffic Control Centre operators in doing their day-to-day job. Working as the project's main UI designer gave me scope to expand my knowledge of UX, Map based interfaces and working with JS frameworks such as backbone.js

KIT Digital - Web Developer

January/February 2012

KIT Digital are an international supplier of digital media and video-on-demand services to the world's largest media companies. My role as a Web Developer involved coding HTML & CSS front-ends for their high traffic VOD sites.

Expotel - User interface designer

July 2011 - Dec 2011

As part of the Web Design & Development team my role is to design simple interfaces which developers use as part of larger system. I use a combination of HTML5, jQuery, CSS3 and the modernizr.js script to build easy to use, aesthetically pleasing user interfaces which must work in all browsers (IE6+, Chrome, Mozilla, Safari and Opera). This role is a temporary contract for an internal project.

Trumpo Ltd - Front end designer with PHP

November 2010 - June 2011

Having successfully developed many websites and systems using PHP on the Symfony framework Trumpo Ltd required a web developer geared towards working on the front end who had a solid understanding of PHP to help work effectively with developers. My role was to provide front-end interfaces and websites which used the Symfony framework which were easy to use by users of all levels, and designed with a good attention to detail. Whilst working at trumpo I worked with SVN, LAMP servers, testing environments and a simple agile development system.

Web Developer - Lyndos.net Ltd

July 2010 - March 2011

Due to fast growth Lyndos required an in-house UI/web developer to work alongside their existing IT team on front end / PHP projects. The IT team had developed an advanced phone system which fed in to a MySql database. My role was to build websites and interfaces that used the architecture in place to provide online billing and invoicing to business customers, and online top-ups to users of their mobiles. Skills used: PHP, HTML + CSS, MySQL, Linux server administration, SVN version control.

System Developer - Website Offer

October 2009 - December 2010

Website offer, an internet startup, wanted a system which would allow staff with little experience the ability to create small websites for sole traders and small businesses. I set up a dedicated LAMP server and built a system using PHP, MySql, HTML, CSS and jQuery which realised the business plan and helped the company in to profitability. After the initial build I stayed on as a part time consultant and trainer and have now developed the system’s usability to a point where no developer input is required.

Freelance Web Developer

Current

Throughout the last 5 years I’ve helped several businesses create online presences. This includes building websites themselves, as well as consultancy work helping decypher SEO, Social Media, Marketing and analytics. Projects have included:

1. Many brochure style & ecommerce websites using Wordpress and other CMSs
2. Property websites using my own CMS/CRM which allows simple management to letting and estate agents
3. Mobile websites using jQuery mobile, HTML5 and CSS3
4. SMS and MMS systems. One notable project was the development of a PHP system which accepted MMS messages via a shortcode and automatically generated a PDF of the photo with an overlyed frame. PDFs would be queued, printed and posted automatically. This was the first system of it’s kind in the UK and served as a pilot system for what eventually became a vodafone service.

Lecturer - Trafford College

September 2009 - July 2010

My role as a lecturer at trafford college was split in to 3 parts; helping A-level aged art students learn the necessary technical skills to become front end web designers, helping mature students gain the qualification required to enter university without previous education and teaching mature students looking to change career path the basics of how to get started as a web designer. Although my time here wasn’t strictly spent developing new skills in web design, I did gain a lot of experience which I have carried across to the professional workplace such as planning, organisation and project management. I also furthered my experience in working in a team, and would approach lessons in a “problem solving” manner rather than that of a teacher and student, treating the group as a virtual web design agency.

Web Designer - Promedia Advertising

March - July 2006

Promedia had launched their new web design department in the months prior to me joining, and had experienced teething problems from the offset. After the consistent failure of a large project Promedia hired 2 end-to-end developers capable of being client-facing and completing the brief on time and on spec. In the 4 months I spent at promedia I helped to launch the website and exposed myself to working as part of a team within a larger organisation. I used ASP, HTML and CSS to complete the project.

New Media Developer - Katatomic Ltd.

February 2005 - March 2006

Having only worked alone on freelance projects Katatomic offered me the chance to work as part of a successful agency offering bespoke systems to clients in various sectors.

My role at Katatomic was to act as the middle-man between graphic designers and web developers, turning flat graphics and artwork in to working front-ends for the developers to create systems for. The average project at Katatomic would be a bespoke system which required a developer, designer and interface designer. I would create screens for system users to easily update their websites or blogs without needing any technical knowledge using ASP, js, HTML and CSS.