Web application architect with over 10 years professional experience leading development on engaging, user-centric products. Currently working on a {global open-source digital learning project>, but always on the look-out for exciting new opportunities.

I love solving big problems with simple, elegant and well thought-out solutions, and thrive on the challenge of using new technologies to develop engaging products that put the user at the heart and give enjoyment in simply being used.

I have considerable experience in leadership roles both from a technical perspective heading up small development teams, and from a cross-discipline product ownership standpoint in coordinating the entire product development process from initial conception through to release and client support. I pride myself in my ability to develop lasting respectful relationships with my clients and team; a strong team bond has always been at the heart of my greatest successes.

Skills:
Web development: JS (ES6+, Node.js, React), NoSQL (MongoDB), HTML, CSS (& LESS), automated testing & TDD (CasperJS, Mocha), CI (Travis).
Misc: Requirements analysis, specification definition, software architecture, product ownership, project management, VCS (Git, Subversion), document preparation (LATEX).

Hobbies:
User experience, digital learning, ethical software practices, clean code

Interests:
Black coffee, photography, Japan, Leicester City F.C. fitness, PEZ, The Rebel Alliance.

Batchelor of Science University of Brighton, East Sussex.

Computer Science (Games) with first-class honours.

Major project: Exploration of academic machine learning techniques in a game context. Developed for iOS4 using Obj-C and Cocos2D. Source code at github/taylortom/cogito.

Modules studied: Concurrency and Client-Server Computing, Advanced AI, Computer Graphics Algorithms, Object-Oriented Software Design, Computer Systems Architecture, Mathematics, Human Computer Interaction, Requirements Analysis.

A-levels Wreake Valley Community College, Leicestershire.

A2: Graphics with Materials Technology (A), English Literature (B), Biology (C)
AS: Chemistry (C), General Studies (C).

GCSEs Wreake Valley Community College, Leicestershire.

Mathematics (A), Double Science (AA), English Literature (A), English Language (B), I.T. (A), Business & Communication Systems (A*), Business Studies (A), Graphic Products (A), R.E. (A), Music (B), French (B), German (C), Humanities (A)

Kineo

• [Jun 2019 - Present] Open-source Senior Technical Architect
• [Oct 2014 - Jun 2019] Open-source Learning Technologies Developer
• [May 2013 - Oct 2014] Technical Consultant
• [Jul 2012 - May 2013] Junior Technical Consultant
• [Jun 2010 - Jul 2011] Placement Student

Role as a lead developer on the Node.js-based Adapt authoring tool

I lead the development and product ownership both on the FOSS Adapt project and at Kineo. This means driving the roadmap and architecting new features/core changes, organising meetings, liaising with and managing contributors, and the development of features/bug-fixes. Internally at Kineo, I'm also regularly involved in proposal-level meetings to discuss requirements with clients, as well as maintaining client installs on our Linux servers.

Community engagement is another major aspect to my role. I am involved in on-boarding and training both internal and external staff, organising and presenting at community events and directly engaging the community to garner feedback and drive new feature development. This community aspect to my role is very important to me, as I get to have a unique relationship with our end-users.

Personal accomplishments

• Re-architected the authoring tool Node.js app, which involved identifying areas of weakness, proposing and documenting solutions, and implementing those solutions.
• Formalised Adapt's development workflow (based on elements of Agile & git flow). Also involved documenting 'rules', and enforcing these with CI tools where appropriate.
• Led Kineo's adoption of the Adapt authoring tool internally, which required considerable development work as well as both internal and external knowledge-sharing.

I get much enjoyment out of working on the Adapt project, due in part to its ethical core principles, but also the satisfaction of working on a product that's both valued by its users and also forcing a change in the learning industry as a whole.

I'm always looking for new opportunities, so feel free to contact me using the below.

Email: hello@tomtaylor.name
GitHub:@taylortom
LinkedIn: tomtaylor-uk