Web Developer at CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Overview:

Casual Web Developer at CBC in Vancouver working on the CBC BC website. Create pages for special projects aired on CBC BC.

My Role

As a developer for the BC region, my role is to create pages to support special features aired on CBC TV & Radio. Develop designs designs in Illustrator and take approved designs to HTML and CSS. Responsible for all aspects of page creation from design to coding to finished product.

Challenges

All work had to fit within the global CBC design specifications. Coding with that template in mind and the various server-side includes required for each page created some conflicts at the individual page level. This is handled by meticulously troubleshooting each problem and writing CSS overrides for the page specific needs.

Tools

Dreamweaver, Photoshop & Illustrator.

Eatz: iPhone App Final Project

Overview:

Pitched industry project for the final term of my masters program; to create a restaurant finding application for the iPhone that combines the features that are found in current apps in our competitive field with features currently not available. Our goal was to create an application that lets users find restaurants, find food-related deals, and connect with their community (using Facebook, Twitter, etc). A sort of mashup between Groupon and Urbanspoon.

X-Statement:

Eatz is a location-aware restaurant search/finding iPhone application that will allow users to find local restaurants & deals. The application is targeting iPhone users; who want to know what’s open, find or discover restaurant deals, and store their favorite restaurants for future visits. Unlike other current coupon & food location applications, Eatz combines the best of food-finding features with available deals in one easy to use application.

My Role: Product Lead/Creative Director

I was responsible for the vision of the product: website & app. Facilitating the team in development of the feature list, defining the visual elements of the app, and ensuring proper integration between the technical aspects of the project and the artistic aspects of the project. Additionally, I was responsible for documenting the team’s progress on our website & blog.

Challenges:

The team was a multi-disciplinary and multi-ethnic team that has some members who will be graduating, and others who will be beginning internships at the completion of this term. Balancing the challenges of project timelines and needs with personal need, and the language challenges that working with a team from different countries and language groups creates an ideal situation for collaborative design. Making ideas visual is key. Our team rose to this challenge well.

Additionally the team is faced with many more ideas that man hours in the term. We have really had to be mindful of our scope this term and what are the most important aspects of the app get done by the end of this term. Since the goal of the project is to create the possibility to spin this project into a company, we want a viable prototype in a beta or v1.0 stage for the team members who remain with the company to pitch to investors at the end of the term.

Making It Work – Production Team

Overview:

Making it Work is an online, self-management tool that provides valuable guidelines for workers with inflammatory arthritis enrolled in the Making It Work program. Created by teams over the course of two terms and a summer internship, the goal of the project was to make a 300 page text manual into a stimulating and interactive online program. Users of the program would be delivered information to manage their health, environment and relationships to suit both their working needs and personal life in an interactive way.

X-Statement:

‘Arthritis and Employment: Making it Work’ is an online self-management tool that provides valuable guidelines for workers with inflammatory arthritis enrolled in the Making It Work program. MIW provides an e-learning environment that includes fun interactive elements that will allow the user to self-reflect and empower themselves, as opposed to the heavy text version, to plan positive actions in order to make meaningful changes in their lives.

My Role:

Being on the second team, our task was to produce the remaining 4 modules of the 5 module tool. I was the creative director, handling the refinement of the look and feel of the tool; layout designer, handling elements in Illustrator, Flash, and PowerPoint; and client relations, managing the clients needs and concerns as our team made their document digital.

Challenges:

Educating the client about digital media was one of the biggest challenges to this project. The translation of a text heavy document to an interactive web medium required the development of a number of assets, both visual and audio. Helping the client understand what does and does not work online was important. As a module was completed development, it was sent to the client for approval and feedback while other modules were being worked on. Minor feedback that pertained to all modules was incorporated into future modules while larger issues were left for revision after the client’s next round of user testing. The main goal was to have all 4 modules completed by the end of our term.

Alive History – Kelowna Museums Society

Overview:

The Kelowna Museums Society pitched a project to MDM to create an online portal which would allow users to create a collection which tells a story relevant to that person using images of the artifacts found in the archives of the Okanagan Heritage Museum. The working title was “Curate Your Own Collection”, and the Kelowna Museums Society’s goal was to create a site for user generated collections using photographs of artifacts from the Okanagan Heritage Museum. People visiting the site would be able to create collections that tell a story relevant to them.

When the project was initially assigned, we had a great degree of latitude. This was exciting, but also a challenge. Since the client was unsure of the specifics of what they were looking for, we as a team had to do some rapid prototyping and iterations to help clarify the project. As things have progressed, we created a framework that allowed for adaptability as needed. The tools that the team used allowed for many areas to be completed in parallel (and isolation from the other parts) and only required integrations at major milestones. The team used some of the AGILE development methodologies and this helped ensure that everyone was on track.

My Role:

My role for this project was primarily Producer, with a sub role in the art creation. I was the vision keeper, ensuring that what we were creating was actually in line with the client’s goals for the project. I help drive the team, develop the ideas, communicate with the client, and ensure that the team was following the right development path.

Challenges:

One of the major challenges to this project was geography. Our team was in Vancouver, but the client was in Kelowna. With the exception of one meeting, all of our client meetings were on Skype, and all other communication was via email. This did make client relations more difficult, but through proper communication pathways and documentation, we were able to ensure that all important elements were handled appropriately.

Another big challenge for the team has been the 2010 Winter Olympics. Since they were held in Vancouver, the travel challenges during the two weeks were of a concern. Planning solutions to allow for distance collaboration before the event ensured that this did not affect our productivity too much.