Sharon Hinde - Web Site and Graphic Design C.V.

Ideal Role:

I am a conscientious web designer and developer who thrives in customer-focused teams aiming to close the gap between interface design and transactional code. Clear communication with the end user is one of my strengths. I aim to produce designs and processes that ensure people have a consistently positive website experience …and come back for more!

I have experience of leading web projects and am comfortable communicating at all levels. I enjoy team working but am self-motivated and able to work independently too. I particularly like to troubleshoot and solve problems - and I am resilient and can claim a good sense of humour.

You can download a full copy of my CV as a Microsoft Word file

Portfolio URL’s:

I currently have sites 3 online that highlight my abilities as a front end designer and other sites I have worked on are included later as links to images.

The Auchindrain Museum web site is a good example of my ability to work quickly while maintaining high design and development standards. As a friend of the museum's curator at that time, Joanne Howdle, I was asked to produce a complete new site on a short timescale with limited budget. Joanne supplied me with a pdf of a recently printed brochure and this became the source of all graphics and copy. The 6 page web site was completed over one weekend, and approved by Joanne to go online with minimal changes. I am proud to have this site in my portfolio as it shows how my straightforward approach to web site design can stand the test of time and updates from others.

Development Roles and Experience:

Software Developer - July 2009 to December 2009 - eDirectory Plc, Ulverston

www.shoppingbank.com

Achievements:

Major Rebranding and Integration with Partner Site - I had been working at Directory Technologies for a few weeks when we began a complete redesign of the site to bring the marketplace and social functions under the same branding. I had to quickly get to grips with a complex web infrastructure and adapt or recode it to the image concepts coming through from the designer. Working on all levels of the interface, including graphics, workflow and data manipulation, I made a strong contribution to the fresh new look, and both sites re-launched successfully in just 4 months.
Big Impact in a Short Time - Directory Technologies had to let me go for financial reasons but I know that I made a positive impression with my broad range of knowledge and willingness to get involved in all aspects of the business. Although I was employed as a Software Developer my manager had begun to make use of my IT Support skills so I could assist with the company's server and network infrastructure. I also created many of the new web sites graphics, using Photoshop, saving money and time for the company on a task that would have been outsourced.

Main Duties

Web site designer/developer using ASP/VBScript, HTML, XHTML, CSS, MSSQL, JavaScript/JQuery, Adobe Photoshop.
Bug fixing and new feature development on customer and product management system
Secondary support on office and web servers

Web Developer - October 2006 to February 2009 - Coordination Group Publications, Broughton-in-Furness

Achievements:

As the company's only web developer, I covered all aspects of website design and maintenance for the busy ecommerce website of the UK's highest selling educational publisher. Achievements included:

Establishment of CGP's main web presence in the United States (www.cgpeducation.com), including 3 major design revisions in 18 months. I developed online forums for news and discussions and used a highly customised ASP blog package to provide seamless integration with the main site.
Continual revision and amendments to CGP's UK website (www.cgpbooks.com), including addressing legacy issues with Visual Studio 6, outdated presentation and processing code. I pruned and streamlined the code intensively, particularly the HTML, CSS, ASP, VBScript.
(honestly, I did improve it - but they have very set ideas about look and feel)

Main Duties

Web site designer/developer using ASP/VBScript, HTML, XHTML, CSS, Adobe Photoshop,
SQL, JavaScript, Visual Basic 6, C# .NET.
Managing the Protx VSP Server internet payment system within the UK web site.
Web server support and administration in Windows, IIS and SQL.
Working closely with IT support, database administrators, graphic designers and copywriters to produce an exceptionally high standard of web experience.
Consulting and reporting with all levels of the business, including directors and external partners - making good use of my ability to discuss concepts in varying degrees of technicality (often during the same meeting).

Previous Role:

Barrow Council web site as image in new window

I.T. Support Officer - February 2003 to October 2006 - Barrow Borough Council

www.barrowbc.gov.uk

Achievements:

Promoted to work on the redevelopment of the Barrow Borough Council web site.
In this role, as the primary designer in a team of 3 developers, I used:

Knowledge of human-computer interaction to guide colour combinations and placement of elements such as navigation and search boxes.
Macromedia Dreamweaver and HTML-Kit (code level editor) to design and develop the page templates.
Adobe PhotoShop and Macromedia Fireworks to create the site graphics, including banners, home page and top level icons.
Digital photography and optimisation of images from original sources, including scanning from prints or slides.

From launch, in January 2004, user feedback has consistently praised the usability of this new design, which meets W3C standards for XHTML compliance and WAI level AAA on most pages.

forum twenty eight web site as image in new window

Design and development of partner web sites, including form twenty eight www.barrowbc.gov.uk/forum28

Main Duties:

Web site designer/developer using HTML, XHTML, CSS, ASP, VBScript and SQL on a content management system;
web infrastructure support and administration in Win2000-2003, active directory, IIS, SQL, Secure Certificate environment.
Interpretation and implementation of latest guidelines on usability and accessibility of web sites and other electronic services, e.g. W3C, WAI, RNIB and e-Gov.
Design and production of promotional material for publicity campaigns.
Digital photography and image manipulation for print and web.
General IT support and helpdesk for desktops (win95-XP, active directory) and servers (win2000-2003), anti-virus and firewall awareness for user and infrastructure support.
Service representation at internal and external meetings, at all levels. Liasing with contractors on projects and support issues.

Other Recent Work Experience:

Collections Technician - May 2001 to January 2003 - The Dock Museum, Barrow-in-Furness (Barrow Borough Council)

www.dockmuseum.org.uk

Achievements:

Offered a permanent position after one-year contract as Photographic Technician, to continue with active support of ongoing projects, including:

Refurbishment of a major exhibition space, with specific input on graphical displays.
Design input and implementation of the Dock Museum web site.

This role was varied and challenging, involving skills ranging from public relations and project development, through to practical work in the galleries and computer environment.

Main Duties:

Maintain and promote The Vickers Photographic Archive (see below).
Maintain and promote the Dock Museum web site.
Design and produce display graphics to accompany in-house exhibitions, and promotional material for exhibitions, collections and events.
Exhibition support, including object handling and display, and exhibitor/public liaison.

Photographic Technician (Vickers Photographic Archive) - May 2000 to May 2001 - The Dock Museum (Barrow Borough Council)

http://www.dockmuseum.org.uk/archive/index.asp

Achievements and Main Duties:

Conservation and computer digitisation of an archive of nine thousand historic images, plus involvement in the administration and promotion of the archive as a local and national resource.
Advised on the hardware and software issues that formed the technical criteria for the project, and implemented these decisions during the process of scanning, manipulating and archiving/printing to photo quality standards.

Formal Qualifications:

Undergraduate Certificate in Web Applications Development, CertWebApps(Open), The Open University:

2002 - 2005: undergraduate (levels 2 and 3) certificate comprising six modules in web design, database implementation and server infrastructure:
http://telemat.open.ac.uk/webapps/

HTML, CSS, usability, accessibility and interoperability.
JavaScript for error checking, validation and enhancement.
ASP and VBScript for dynamic pages and data processing.
ColdFusion and MySQL for data storage and processing.
PHP and MySQL, Open Source tools and applications.
Web Server Management, Performance and Tuning

B.T.E.C. National Certificate in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (ONC):

1991 – 1994: Furness College, Barrow-in-Furness.

G.C.S.E. / ‘O’ Level:

Mathematics, English Language, English Literature, Physics and Geography.

Skills:

Good sense of humour; focused team worker; also reliable to work alone; experience of taking the lead; I like to troubleshoot and solve problems.
Creative with graphics and ideas, I can see the wider scope of a task whilst still focusing on the details necessary for a high standard of work and timely completion.
5 years experience of scanning, image manipulation, and graphic design for print and web.
Used: ASP, Apache, PHP, MySQL, JavaScript and ColdFusion for web development.
Experience and training in Microsoft Windows, Server and SQL Server.
Spare time graphic / web design work – see www.byshaz.com

Training:

Accessibility and Usability, HTML/XHTML and CSS Workshop with www.nomensa.com
Independent Webmasters Association: www.iwanet.org/
- Illustrator Level 1
- Introduction to Java
Macromedia Dreamweaver, University of Central Lancashire Business Unit
Open College, Introduction to Computer Graphics Using Adobe Photoshop
City & Guilds, Web Page Design Level 2

Interests and Activities:

Reading and watching science fiction, playing computer games, trying to keep fit and “fair weather” gardening.
Making graphics for myself and friends to use on Internet forums:
http://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d176/shaz_wildcat/