dev can helpSay hello

Developer · Digital maker · Helpful person

Hey, I’m Dave

I build websites, tools and digital experiences that make complicated things simple, useful and delightful.

I’m a developer and digital director with 15+ years of experience across CMS platforms, interactive content, marketing technology and the systems between them.

See what I’m working on Follow my career

How I approach the work

Make it simple

Clear away friction and explain the complicated bit.

Make it useful

Solve a real problem for the people doing the work.

Add delight

Use craft and interaction where they improve the experience.

Work projects

Useful things, made for real people.

I work across content platforms, interactive stories and the systems that connect them. These are the kinds of problems I like helping with.

Websites

CMS platforms people can actually use

Flexible WordPress and Gutenberg systems designed around the small marketing teams who use them every day.

Interactive experiences

Interactive stories that earn attention

Long-form experiences, quizzes and smaller interactions that make complicated subjects easier to understand.

Integrations & tools

Integrations that put data to work

Technical connections that reshape, score and deliver information to the right tools and people at the right time.

Companies I've made things for

  • AWS
  • Google
  • Lenovo
  • Ericsson
  • Informatica
  • Geotab

Personal projects

Always tinkering, sometimes shipping.

Publishing stuff is hard. Too many ideas stay half-finished, so I’m sharing mine here—hopefully the nudge I need to get them over the line

Live

WP AI Translations

A WordPress plugin that translates a Polylang site in one batch using DeepL, including the fiddly bits most tools leave behind.

Pages, ACF fields and blocks, menus and internal links, all in the same workflow. It’s now been used on several large-scale commercial sites.

  • WordPress
  • DeepL
  • Polylang
  • ACF
  • Automation
Read the project Visit the live project
View all projects

Career

A long time spent making the web more helpful.

From the first developer inside a small agency to leading digital experiences across a larger one—while staying close to the work.

See the full career
15+
years making for the web
8
largest team I’ve overseen
200+
guides and explainers written
7
promotions mentored

Kind words

Nice things people have said about me & the team

A few things people said while we were making websites, growing a dev team and making great things together.

This is a portrait of a fantastic manager, leader, colleague and contributor. You're what they call an Impact Player. You're smart, talented, sensitive, proactive, empathetic and full of beans—and universally loved across the agency.

Doug KesslerCreative Director · Manager and mentor

Just want to say you guys are total wizards. I've seen a lot of sites and I've never seen a site built to this standard ahead of going into QA. Epic work guys, thank you!

John DowningVelocity colleague

Your updates / 60s give me such a boost!! Love them. Thank you. And that import into sheets is genuinely exciting stuff. Magic.

Catherine RobsonVelocity colleague

Dude: that lunch talk was fantastic. Just what the whole company needed to hear right now. THAT is leadership, right there.

Doug KesslerCreative Director · Manager and mentor

Dave mate - you were awesome in that. Thanks for hyping up all the website work with so much passion.

You really reminded me of how much we've achieved under such insane circs.

Hannah AspreyVelocity colleague

You're fucking amazing at what you do. I can't think of anyone I've worked with in my career that has inspired so much respect, confidence and affection, from literally 360 degrees. You're a massive part of what makes Velocity special.

Doug KesslerCreative Director · Manager and mentor

You're the best boss I've ever had, and you're just an all round top guy to be around and work with. I've learned a ton being here and a lot of that I can attribute to you so thanks man for being the best guy!

Michael DesbruslaisDeveloper · Line report

Just wanted to say how truly amazing Jake and Joe are. Demandbase is literally in awe of everything they do and the clients are always SO complimentary and really love working with them. We have a TRES STRONG DEV TEAM AT THE MOMENT.

Jen Reddy-WeberVelocity colleague · Demandbase team

Dude! That content audit wizadry is amazing. I could kiss you

Chris CommerfordVelocity colleague

I just want to say how amazing you have been with managing the work load at the moment, and all of us in the team. You have been very patient with us and on top of things, and the way you treat all of us is top notch. You're a legend man, I hope you know that too! Velocity are very lucky to have you!

Michael DesbruslaisDeveloper · Line report

It has been an amazing year learning tons of things from you and other team members.

I appreciate your patience on me and trust in me. You are a great teacher. I will miss all the Velocity members terribly. You all are truly talented and amazing people. I am very fortunate to spend one year with you all. Thank you for everything you have done for me Dave.

Payel BanerjeeDeveloper · Line report

An excellent ship captain, providing us with a shitload of encouragement and support. All sites that launched recently are things of beauty that we can be super proud of and Dave being at the helm is a huge part of that success.

Jake Clegg-ReedDeveloper · Line report

Man, your guys are fucking killing it in all directions. I am blown away (almost weekly!). I credit the leader. Bra-fucking-vo, man.

Doug KesslerCreative Director · Manager and mentor

Kind words source screenshots

Have an idea?

Let’s make something helpful.

Especially if it involves a useful website, an awkward system, a complicated topic or an unusually ambitious spreadsheet.