Projects

September 2015 - October 2015

The podcast was part of a marketing campaign, lasting for seven weeks, offering free audio books to help develop spoken English skills. I was asked if I could help create the podcast by the marketing team as it was something which hadn't been done before. I identified and requested the metadata neccessary for the podcast and created the XML podcast feed. I also combined audio files to create each podcast episode. I tested the feed using a staging environment and subsequently uploaded it to a live environment. I obtained approval from Apple to make the Podcast available in iTunes. I had responsibility for updating the feed during the campaign.

July 2015

I created wireframes and statements of work consisting of user stories and technical acceptance criteria. Agreed development tasks with the UK based app developer to meet Pearson's requirements and define the project scope. Worked using an agile contract based on incremental delivery milestones with approval responsibility at each milestone.

The game engines within the app were developed in HTML5 and CSS3 by an external games development team in India. I reviewed and approved their work to ensure integration with the platform. I provided support to a visual designer creating Adobe Edge animations and I created games using the game engine templates, managing creation and upload of 18 titles to the platform's authoring website. I used MS Project to track progress.

April 2015

Managed the vendor relationship, provding assets created by a visual designer in building a rebranded version of the Pearson Kids iOS App containing different content for the Poptropica product series. Launched before the Pearson Kids iOS app as there was only 6 titles to deliver.

An Android version was also developed and released in August 2015.

Jan 2015

I created and maintain a digital delivery website demonstrating the available digital platforms and associated components on which Pearson English digital products can be delivered. Coded using HTML5, Javascript and CSS3 using a Pearson branded version of the bootstrap framework.

December 2013

I was part of a six person team in the Pearson hackathon competition. The hackathon is a voluntary two day event, giving the opportunity to collaberate and work with people from different areas of the global business. Our team prototyped a new mobile geographic location challenge iOS app to supplement English language learning. As part of the submission, we presented in front of an audience of rival teams and judges and created and uploaded a video demonstration. We won the UK competition, being nominated for the worldwide title.

November 2013

I identified the technical requirements of the proposed site, and investigated the capabilities of the companies existing hosting environments in selecting something appropriate. I created wireframes using Balsamic Mockups software. After approval of the wireframes, I developed an alpha release using HTML5, CSS3 and PHP and uploaded to the staging environment via Filezilla FTP client. Feedback was integrated into development of the final release and once approved it was pushed to a live environment and publicised to the relvent stakeholders. The site was used to demonstrate the HTML5 components available for digital products.

January 2012 - July 2012

I led the development team creating Our Discovery Island ActiveTeach, a series of six digital products for one of Pearson's top selling primary brands. My team consisted of four multimedia technicians. To reduce pressure in achieving scope and timescales I planned and implemented training sessions for my team so I could delegate more complicated development tasks to them. Work included Flash actionscript coding, XML, and Photoshop. I had responsibility to manage development of the digital product, including gathering assets, managing technician workloads, assigning tasks, and motivating the team. I tracked the project using MS Project. All levels were completed within budget, on time and to scope using an agile methodology.

August 2012

I worked on integrating an online game's registration components into the companies existing web infrastructure. I was the only flash actionscript developer in a specialist team which was brought together to solve development issues which were critical to fix before the scheduled site deployment a week later. Working under high pressure with no room for error, specific challenges were getting the flash actionscript components exchanging data with the website's PHP and HTML components, getting these components exchanging data with the SQL database back-end and introducing a secure way of transfering user passwords using encryption alogorithms. The deadline was met and the site went live within minutes of midnight on the final day!

Janurary 2011 - July 2011

I was the lead developer on the ActivePlatform component of Speakout. A comprehensive six level general English Language course. Developed in association with BBC Worldwide and BBC Learning English. The course won the ESU English Language Book Award 2011 "The best course this year". The codebase was flash actionscript with XML.

Janurary 2009 - July 2009

Developed English Adventure Digital, a series of six digital products for one of Pearson's top selling brands, English Adventure. I produced sophisticated interactive design elements which incorporated Disney artwork. This required collaboration with Disney via review milestones during development, working to stringent approval criteria. Developed in flash actionscript with XML, with image preparation using Adobe Photoshop, Fireworks and Illustrator. All levels were delivered to scope, on-time and within budget.