Software applications built for quality

I have been a software developer for 30 years. For 20 of those, I have worked independently or as a contractor, providing development services to other software houses as well as directly to clients.

I have built a variety of systems in that time, from complex analysis tools designed to work over billions of rows of data to inventory management systems with portfolio generation built in. 

During my career, I've provided solutions and consultancy for companies from small wine wholesalers and other software companies, right up to larger clients like Tesco, Standard Life, and Sky.

I am equally comfortable as sole developer on complex engagements, as a technical lead within a larger team, or as a developer in a senior position providing additional resource and mentoring for junior developers on projects.

The services I offer include:

• Systems Analysis & Architecture Review

  Before you can get to what you need, you need to know what you already have. I can provide a detailed analysis of your existing system(s), how they fit together, how maintainable they are, and how they measure up against your actual requirements.

• Software Development Assistance

  I can provide additional resource as a sub-contractor; I work best independently or as part of small teams where I can deliver visible value.

• Technical Consultancy

  I can provide advice and guidance on what technologies are appropriate to meet your business needs, how those technologies can be most appropriately used to meet them, and how solutions should be implemented.

• Mentoring

  If you have more junior developers, I can help them understand the importance of software design, how to identify and resolve trade-offs when making technical decisions, and how to implement systems in a way that considers future needs as well as current requirements.

• Agentic Workflows

  These days, most developers build with agentic AI; it's difficult not to, given the productivity gains on offer. But simply asking Claude Code (other agents are available) to write code for you isn't a workflow, and is unlikely to get you what you want. I have a strict, spec-based workflow that I can share with your team; it might not be as quick as other methods, but you end up with a fully documented system that has a full spec for every piece of functionality written. While adopting this way of working I have also learned many of the pitfalls that await the unwary when working in this manner; specifically the types of assumptions that an AI agent may make, and how to avoid them.