About (written by a dear friend)

If you’re looking for any of the following profile descriptions, please redirect your efforts elsewhere:

  1. Introverted, socially awkward geek
  2. Cocky, patronizing, smug know-it-all
  3. Smarmy, arrogant corporate bully-boy
  4. Brown-nose, cringe-worthy client suck-up

Fact: Des* can not only direct, but he can inspire innovation within bleeding edge technologies. His charismatic and quietly confident persona reassures clients, informs planners, engages creatives and leads designers and creative technologists.

His corporate and independent experience have adequately equipped him to deal with pitches, chemistry meetings, crisis management and board level reporting.

It is pointless to list the many technologies he is familiar with. They will soon be outdated; due to the speed at which they evolve and merge.

He is at home acting corporately professionally, responding under pressure, casually talking through ideas and dancing down the local pub.

To not have known of him would leave rather a large gap in your life.

…did I mention he also produces music and plays various instruments?

* So, he was christened Derrick – get over it. It’s not the be all and end all.

Skills

Exposure to many API‘s including:

Approaches

Work History

digit, 2010 – Now

CTO/Creative Technologist. An all-encompassing roll centered around creative technology; leading and inspiring a team of talented developers to conceptualize, develop and deliver a wide range of projects using the following:

  • Agile software development
  • PHP 5 (OO)
  • MySQL
  • Actionscript 3 (OO) (see skills)
  • Web Standard XHTML and CSS (see skills)
  • JavaScript (see skills)
  • Many API’s (see skills)

digit, 2007 – 2010

Creative Technologist/Associate Technical Director. An all-encompassing roll centered around creative technology; leading and inspiring a team of talented developers to conceptualize, develop and deliver a wide range of projects using the following:

  • Agile software development
  • PHP 5 (OO)
  • MySQL
  • Actionscript 3 (OO) (see skills)
  • Web Standard XHTML and CSS (see skills)
  • JavaScript (see skills)
  • Many API’s (see skills)

glue, 2006 – 2007

Collaborated with all creative, design and technical departments to create and develop for a wide range of clients and media. Including the developement of the front and back end of glue’s corporate website.

  • Web development using PHP5 (OO), Actionscript 2 (OO), Web Standard XHTML/HTML and CSS
  • Intergrated website with windows-based business layer via SOAP
  • Development of CMS for team, job and newsletter management

Onetel, 2005 – 2006

Designed and developed the website, payment corridor and intranet CMS tools for UK integrated communications service provider.

  • Web development using PHP5 (OO), XML, Web Standard XHTML/HTML and CSS
  • Flash development of dynamic applications and online demos
  • Design and development of CMS intranet tools, website graphics and EDM‘s

Natural Associates, 2002 – 2005

As the head of this Design/Web agency’s New Media division I focused on the creation and management of websites, EDM design and management, online marketing, corporate reports, CDROMs, database integration and interactive development for a range of clients. Including: KPMG, BBC, Diageo, The Arts Council England, City Lit and Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF). Example projects are:

  • Search engine and dynamic CMS website – City Lit
    • PHP, MYSQL, JavaScript, HTML and CSS
  • Underwater interactive website with CMS – Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF)
    • ActionScript, PHP, MYSQL, JavaScript, HTML and CSS

Summerhouse Communications, 2001 – 2002

As a Junior Web Developer with this Design/Web agency I performed the following roles:

  • Coordination and development of the company’s online presence
  • SEO to achieve top five rank in three targeted search engines
  • CDROM tutorials for KPMG including updating reproduction and delivery
  • Online Diageo environmental reports for three consecutive years

Awards

  • FWA site of the day for impossiblestory.com
  • 4 stars in AbilityNet’s eighth quarterly e-Nation accessibility assessment for the re-branded Onetel website
  • IVCA Biz-net nominee 2005 (Public Information Prize)
  • European Illustrator Award 2000. Winning Illustrations exhibited in the EICH gallery

Education

1997 – 2000: BA (Hons.) Illustration, Lincolnshire and Humberside University, Hull.
1995 – 1997: Advanced GNVQ (level 3) Art and Design, West Notts School of Art and Design.

Interests

Playing guitar, recording and producing music.