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Web development and design

Local Government Website Overhaul and Migration

I completed a large-scale project to redesign and migrate multiple council websites to a new platform called OpenCities — a Content Management System (CMS) designed to be 'codeless', which meant I had no direct access to the usual tools developers use, like HTML or CSS. Despite these limitations, I built fully custom designs and layouts, using advanced techniques like SCSS overrides, jQuery injections, and custom content configurations to make the platform do things it wasn’t built for, all while delivering a reliable and positive user experience.

Key technical and strategic wins

  • Built custom site themes from the ground up within a platform that didn’t allow traditional coding access.
  • Restructured over 4,000 pages of content overnight, improving navigation and usability based on real user feedback.
  • Completed full migration of all council sites in just 14 months, handling design, implementation, and testing solo.
  • Provided support for seven live websites, the internal staff intranet, and a new Councillor Portal.
  • Managed an emergency broadcast system across the Local Government Area (LGA) and responded to daily public and internal feedback.
  • Redesigned how customers engage with council services based on life-centred design principles, creating better relationships between staff and customers.
  • Delivered staff training on accessibility and experience design to help improve long-term content quality.

This project demanded a blend of design thinking, technical creativity, and problem-solving — all while working within a rigid system. I turned limitations into opportunities, delivering a faster, more accessible, and easier-to-navigate digital experience for hundreds of thousands of users.

Hand-Coded Portfolio: Built from the Ground Up

This website is entirely hand-coded - no CMS, no frameworks - just pure HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Hosted on Neocities (a modern nod to the classic Geocities), it reflects my ability to design and develop fully functional, accessible web experiences from scratch.

Unlike CMS-driven platforms, Neocities offers no built-in structure, templates, or safety nets. There are no guardrails - every line of code must be written manually and precisely. Ensuring performance, consistency, and accessibility across this portfolio site requires careful planning and deep technical understanding.

Making static HTML pages feel like a modern, dynamic website is a challenge that demands both creativity and clean, efficient code - and I’ve embraced that challenge fully. Every element, from the page structure and responsive styling to interactive features like galleries, modals, and accordions, has been custom-built.

While most of my professional work involves CMS platforms, I believe a truly capable web specialist should master the fundamentals. Building this site without a CMS allowed me to:

  • Sharpen core coding skills that often get bypassed in CMS workflows.
  • Demonstrate front-end proficiency in layout, interactivity, and performance.
  • Ensure full WCAG-compliant accessibility, written and tested by hand.
  • Apply rigorous development practices throughout a complex, long-term project.

This project not only showcases my technical range and problem-solving ability, but also highlights my commitment to quality, performance, and best practices - whether working within modern platforms or building from the ground up.

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