All change!
Another of one of those (very) intermittent blog posts. Though now changing environments a bit, hoping to write a few more. More about that below...
Changing sectors
So, in case not on twitter/facebook - from next month I'll be working at Cardiff University!
The official job title is "Applications Development Manger" - essentially in charge of the web/mobile development and the applications integration at the university. I've been told there's some very talented people there, and marmite on toast available. So that's most bases covered.
It's going to be rather interesting to work in the public sector now - having worked in a a very formal kind of software engineering in a financial company for many, many years, then one of the giant outsourced consulting companies, and subsequently in a smaller web/agency type environments. That's pretty much the full set of company types. Hopefully can bring some of the good bits of all that experience, the rigorous quality side & getting stuff done approach, without too much of the red tape and still keeping things fun.
It's a bit of a return to the IBM world too - WebSphere Portal Sever features. How I've missed those Redbooks....
Will attempt to blog a bit more as the role starts, as it's probably a fairly interesting perspective from someone with new eyes to the sector. One of the nice initial things about the education area is it appears to be a little more open and collaborative with peer institutions, within reason. In corporate (particularly financial) places there's little you can say in public about projects sometimes, with all the various regulations in play.
Certainly looking forward to the new role - while under no illusions about the challenge, especially with budgets being squeezed everywhere, learning and education is a fascinating area to work in at the moment for IT.
Leaving Box UK
For the last year or so I've been working with some really great folk at Box UK. Learnt a lot from them, while they got to put up with my awful puns. If you're after a CMS, UX consultancy, or general PHP/Java/Mobile development, give 'em a look. The UI Sketcher iPad app's just been mentioned in the Webby awards too.
Lovely leaving card too (swears from Paul obscured for the sensitive). +1 for choosing the daftest card in the shop too.
