What to expect
Honesty
I will always give my opinion where it bears on the quality of the work I am doing for you. If I think an approach you wish to take has risks, I will tell you those risks. If I think your idea could be improved, I will help you to work out how.
I am not ashamed to say “I don’t know”. The world of technology contains more than a few lifetimes’ worth of knowledge. No practitioner, however experienced, has all the answers. But more importantly: finding the right answers to particular problems is part of the work itself.
Dedication
I look for quality over quantity in client relationships, and I am loyal to my clients, who have entrusted me with their time, their money, and their business. Although I often do one-off projects, the most productive work is done when a relationship is built over time. Some of my clients go back a decade or more. I am not looking for big names or endless variety, just a select few who trust me to do the work and to listen carefully to their needs.
My intention is always to produce reliable work that builds trust over time, and a principal aim of mine is for my clients to know that they can rely on me now and into the future.
Craftsmanship
Building for the web is a craft, meaning that it is more like constructing a bespoke fitted wardrobe than assembling a flat-pack. General principles apply, but each piece is made to measure as far as time and money allow. I take great satisfaction in tailoring my work to each project, and in listening attentively in order to produce apt and thoughtful work that aligns with your priorities. This does not mean reinventing the wheel every time, or pursuing innovation, variety or novelty for their own sake. It means allowing the work to unfold naturally, never forcing things into an arbitrary shape, and heeding intuition trained by experience.
Economy
Although bespoke and thoughtful work inevitably costs money, I do not like to spend other people’s money for the sake of it. If there is a simple solution that would work as well as a complex one, I will choose the simple route. If I think an idea is too complex for what you are trying to achieve, or that it can be realised more simply and cheaply without sacrificing quality, I will let you know. I like to keep systems, designs, and conversations as simple as possible, while allowing them to become as complex as necessary.
Security
I take technical security very seriously. I follow best practices for hardening and securing web systems. I consider edge cases and plan around them where prudent. I think all the time about how things will break, in what exact way they will go wrong, and design accordingly.
