My big news is that I'm now director and lead developer for Magnetic Phield, a company specializing in building content-rich, experience-led websites. That is to say: the company is brand new, and I ought to be honest and use the future tense; but Magnetic Phield is intended to both continue and crystallize the standards of web development I've always hoped I provide for clients.
In Magnetic Phield, I hope to be able to combine my two longstanding obsessions:
- Keeping content attractive. My background in publishing production and years of experience with migrations has left me with respect for good content and a desire to have it carefully preserved, faithfully transmitted and clearly presented. I want to continue to work on successful migration projects, and to provide structures and circumstances for content storage that permit the original meanings to really flex their muscles on screen.
- Opening up the user experience. I've always been keen to present site visitors with the best possible experience: fulfilling their needs first and foremost leads to happy users, stickier and more trusted websites, and the possibility of a genuine relationship between the site and its users. I want to continue to provide, and start to formalize, a whole UX toolkit, from simple "get it" testing, through to discovery-phase research and development of tools like personas and honest user stories.
In short, I want Magnetic Phield's projects to show respect for both the great content that editors work hard to produce, and the needs and wants of site visitors who encounter it.
If you're interested in the services I can provide then you should definitely get in touch. I'll also continue to offer a discretionary 10% discount for non-profits: how can you resist?
