I am a junior web developer and content editor at the University of Edinburgh Business School.  Before starting this job in 2012, I was a freelance Web Designer and Web Developer and my biggest project launch to date with respect to these activities is Zaza Presents which is powered by my own Content Management System.  Web Design and Development has been my passion since 2006 and in my spare time I have studied and developed web sites and web applications in HTML, CSS, Javascript (both core and using jQuery), PHP and MySQL.  I have played around with Dreamweaver once or twice, but I can’t move away from Notepad++ which is my development environment of choice!

I have 7 years experience teaching English as a Second Language.  I worked at Berlitz Edinburgh language school from 2007 to 2012 and enjoyed the challenge of finding the way to teach new people all the time.  This job has had an incredible influence on my ability to communicate with people and my understanding of communication skills and how to use them.

As a graduate of Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics, I love anything to do with mathematics.  I enjoy reading mathematics texts (this isn’t a joke!) and I am fascinated by the possibility of integrating mathematics into programming.  Javascript and PHP are relatively new programming languages in the world of computers and I have a great interest in implementing mathematical techniques through code.

Zaza Presents | Luxury Handmade Art Gifts by an Edinburgh based Artist

Zaza Presents is the current flagship site for my web development work so far.  It features it’s own Content Management System which I developed for the website.  This Content Management System communicates with SlideshowPro Director for image management and is used to both manage the content of the site and to manage sales and the e-commerce functionality of the site.  The concept behind the creation of a unique Content Management System was to make updating the site with new products as simple as possible and to reduce database calls to the site itself and as a result, make the site perform as well as possible.

Zaza Shelley | Portrait, Stationery and Art Commissions by Zaza Shelley

Similar to Zaza Presents, Zaza Shelley is powered by my own custom Content Management System.  In order to manage image content and present the images through a Flash Slideshow, both SlideShowPro Player and  SlideshowPro Director have been implemented.  jQuery has been used in order to create a site where the user never has to leave the homepage which results in a smooth browsing experience.  However, a pure HTML / CSS site exists in the background for users who do not have javascript enabled and for the benefit of Search Engine Optimisation.

Berlitz Edinburgh | Language School

Berlitz Edinburgh is powered by WordPress and was created through heavy customisation of the WordPress Twenty Eleven theme.  The site uses both SlideshowPro Director and the built-in WordPress image management functionality in order to manage image content.

Berlitz Executive | UK Executive Language Training Programmes

Berlitz Executive is a web site that was commissioned with the design specification that the site should be a single page which offers a brief overview of Berlitz executive programmes and gives more details through the download of a PDF brochure.

Jolly Toper Tastings | Whisky Tastings in Edinburgh

Jolly Toper Tastings is powered by WordPress and was created by customising the Wp-Yoghourt theme.

Beds Bespoke | Custom Built Tailor Made Beds in Edinburgh

Beds Bespoke is powered by WordPress and was created by customising the Atahualpa theme.

You can reach me by sending an email to me@steventhompson.co.uk or by using the contact form below.  Thank you in advance for getting in touch!