Michael Timms – Contract Web Developer (PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, MySQL)

Introduction

I've been passionate about technology, in particular computing, as long as I can remember. I'm particularly driven by the web and mobile applications. I've spent time both self employed and employed since leaving university with a BSc in Computer Science and have enjoyed both, each teaching me a different set of skills. I look forward to new technical challenges and with almost a decade of commercial experience behind me I am confident in meeting them.

Key Skills

Previous Employment

08/2014 - 10/2014 - Swift Managed Technology - Senior Developer (Contract)

• Key Skills: PHP, MVC, SQL Server, MySQL, ORM, Backbase, JavaScript, Smarty

Filling a gap in the business I was primarily responsible for extending existing data import and export processes (primarily creating XML output and defining appropriate XSDs), in Swift MT’s main product - Context (a warehouse management application).

The application is built on an in-house MVC PHP framework with in-house ORM, SQL Server database, Backbase framework (for front end components) and Smarty for templating.

Challenges included working with a novel MVC framework and ORM and Backbase, which is not very common (defining front end interaction in XML and XPath rather than JavaScript), as well as integrating with IBM Websphere MQ to provide data interchange to and from Context and client’s other systems.

In my position I was senior to 3 junior developers and would provide support as required. I also worked on another product, Swift QB, providing assistance with front-end JQuery components as well as back-end PHP and MySQL work to extend functionality within the system to allow users to define a hierarchical folder structure which was previously nonhierarchical.

11/2007 – 08/2014 – eKeeper Group Limited – Senior PHP Developer

• Key Skills: PHP, MVC, MySQL, Apache, XML web services, C#, Visual Basic, JavaScript, AJAX, CSS, AGILE/SCRUM, Account Management, Project Analysis and Quotation

I started at eKeeper as a junior developer, but quickly took on more responsibility working on key extensions to the businesses primary product - MortgageKeeper (a CRM for mortgage brokers and IFAs). The application is built around MVC concepts with a PHP backend and data abstraction layer for database independence and makes some use of Smarty for templating.

In my first few months I worked on AssuranceKeeper, an integration with a 3rd party via XML web services which provided assurance quotations based on client details, and within my first year began to manage the company’s largest client (the UK arm of an international bank), helping them develop bespoke structures within MortgageKeeper as well as developing the application to provide a better solution for their business - a relationship which lasted until my departure and increasingly became my sole responsibility.

Being part of a very small team I had to be responsive to changes in priorities and work requirements and was largely responsible for managing myself.

While I primarily worked with typical web technologies such as PHP, JavaScript, HTML and CSS I also had opportunities to undertake projects using client side languages such as Visual Basic, Visual Basic for Applications and C#.

In large part the use of these client side technologies was driven by the requirements of the banking client - for example extending an existing Excel spreadsheet used to calculate loan payments, to mirror the calculations in the bank’s lending system (VBA) or a larger project to create a replacement APR calculator/payment schedule generator for use both as a desktop application and via web service calls from MortgageKeeper (or other sources) (C#).

I also undertook to understand security concerns in web applications and to this end studied various attack vectors such as SQL Injection and XSS as they pertained to the system.

2005 - 2007 - Eye On MOGS (eyeonmogs.com) - Founder/Developer

• Key Skills: PHP, MySQL, MVC, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, AJAX, Google Adwords, SEO

At its core Eye On MOGS was a price comparison engine, allowing you to compare the price of the same goods from various sources. The key difference with Eye On MOGS was the market it targeted - virtual currency for massively multiplayer online games. In such games (World of Warcraft being the most successful example), players earn currency for actions in-game and they can use this currency to buy items within the game via characters or other players.

The difficulty is generating currency requires a lot of time and can be a dull, repetitive task. To address this fact companies setup with the goal of playing these games 24-7 just to generate currency - which they then sold for real money to other players. Some estimates around the time we started Eye On MOGS put the value of this market at $800 million p.a. or more world-wide.

While the site performed well and was well received (with numerous copycat sites appearing), the return simply wasn’t enough to continue the business long term. it was a great opportunity to polish technical skills and also to work with businesses around the world.

It even attracted an offer of investment, which I ultimately didn’t accept.

2004 - 2005 - InkspotMEDIA - Managing Director

• Key Skills: PHP, MySQL, Apache, JavaScript, HTML, CSS

InkspotMEDIA was a web development company I setup along with a fellow computer science graduate shortly after university, offering services to SMEs and individuals alike. It was a starting point for me in learning web technologies such as PHP and JavaScript, which I had little experience in previously (having studied Java at university).

It was also a great opportunity to learn how to manage myself and about building a business. Sadly, with little sales expertise and a highly competitive market the business didn’t profit enough for us to continue. It’s still one of the most enjoyable, if stressful at times, work experiences I have ever had though and I am glad to have tried and failed rather than simply to have never tried.

Education

• 2000-2003: Exeter University, Computer Science BSc. (Attained a 2:2)
• 1997-2000: North Devon College, A Levels (Attained A Levels in Computing [B], Physics [C] and Psychology [C])
• 1995-1997: Braunton School, GCSE (Attained 8 GCSEs at C or above)