tl;dr. This site details my work as a fractional CTO that mooonlights as creative technologist.

I have a background as a software engineer, with a degree in architecture, having served time as a graphic designer, animator, and electronics tinkerer. This places me at the intersection of technology, art, and commerce where I specialize in solving highly complex problems with profitable technology that presents end users with beauty, elegance, and simplicity.

My work falls into four categories.

1. Leadership. I help creative companies by providing technical stewardship usually with the label of fractional CTO. I’m hired for a finite period of time with clearly defined, measurable goals, that often involve helping companies disrupt dysfunctional dogma. I frequently have a key focus on increasing revenue by refining marketing, pricing, sales, and innovation. I’ve written this short article to help you decide if hiring a fractional CTO is right for your company.

2. Physical computing. I tend to work on projects with a mixture of innovative hardware and software, with as much time spent with electronics as writing code. Featured projects include a ring-lit mirror popping up at dance parties and festivals, a new musical instrument to score horror films, and a hockey stick that counts your tap for Team Canada.

3. New product development. You’ve got a great idea for a new business, product, or service and you want to bring it to market. What you want next is to find out how much it will cost, and how long it will take to bring it to market. That’s where I step in to help with the iterative process of business model design, technical design, and prototyping. The goal is to spend as little of your money as possible to discover as much as possible as fast as possible so that you end up with a blueprint for success.

4. Public speaking. I’ve been a speaker at conferences and corporate events for more than 15 years, on topics with bias towards innovation through creative use of technology, and often labelled as motivational. I adore sharing what I’ve learned with others, especially when this contributes to them making progress in their own lives and careers.

In 2011 I was shortlisted by Apple to join their Human Interface Device Prototyping group — a small team of polymaths existing outside their traditional management structure, reporting directly to Steve Jobs and Jony Ive.

Specialties

• Winning new business
• Disruptive innovation
• Executive level technical leadership
• Building and leading technology teams
• Lean startup entrepreneurialism
• Motivational public speaking
• Decisive creative thinking to capitalize on obscured opportunities

Awards

While helping run creative organizations our work has received awards from Applied Arts, Cannes Cyber Lions, the Canadian Marketing Association, and the Webby Awards to name a few. I personally have received an Epica, was one of Creative Review’s Creative Futures, and Computer Arts featured me as a Design Icon.

• Best Online Film, Epica.
• Best Website, Scottish Advertising Awards.
• Best Viral, Scottish Advertising Awards.
• Creative Future, Creative Review.
• Scottish New Media Agency of the Year.
• Winner of Story Category at the Flash Film Festival, San Francisco.
• Commendation, Interactive Media category, Design Week Awards.
• Best Newcomer, Scottish Design Awards.