Experience

Key Technologies

Mobile development is mostly on iOS with Swift and Objective-C but I've had some success creating certain types of apps in React Native and Flutter to support both iOS and Android.

I tend to favour React for front end web development but I don't really mind picking up any of the infinite alternatives.

Server and infrastructure decisions always depend on the type of project, but for large scale applications I love Phoenix and Elixir. For projects that need to get going quickly Google Firebase works well. This site is in Ruby on Rails which I first started using back in 2006.

Pick Me Up Exhibition App

This was the official app for Somerset House's exhibition in March 2012.

  • iPhone and iPad support
  • Schedule updatable from Rails-based web service
  • Content updatable from Amazon S3

Credits

  • We Are Everywhere (design)
  • Michael Forrest (build)

Snowfight! HTML5 Showcase for IE9

Throw snowballs at your Facebook friends

  • HTML5 Canvas animation
  • Extra features when running on IE9 (managed using Cucumber for automated testing)

Credits

  • Signal Noise (design)
  • Michael Forrest (front-end development)

Huffington Post: The Big Push Widget

Node.js / Meteor-based Twitter widget

  • Massively scaled Node.js deployment
  • D3.js and Meteor used

Credits

  • Michael Forrest (tech lead)
  • Signal Noise (design, dev)

PD3

Re-engineered this Wordpress customisation removing thousands of lines of over-complicated code and replacing with a theme that was easy for junior developers to work with.

  • HTML5 Wordpress theme

Credits

  • Signal Noise (design, build)
  • Michael Forrest (rescue)

Facebook Nioxin Journal

This Facebook app allowed users to track the course of their use of Nioxin over time.

  • Fully featured social network built in Rails
  • Bespoke commenting, likes etc...

Credits

  • Critical Mass (design)
  • Michael Forrest (build)

Fubuntu - Ubuntu Prototype

In-depth prototyping of Ubuntu, the open-source operating system fleshing out many features and interactions

  • In-depth subtle interactions
  • Many operating-system features
  • Distributed as Adobe AIR app

Credits

  • Canonical (ideas, design input)
  • Michael Forrest (build, UX)

Use Case Mapper

Natural Language prototyping system for Ubuntu specifications.

  • Ruby on Rails app
  • Content parsed from Google Docs
  • User journeys graphically mapped
  • Click-through interactive journeys created

Credits

  • Michael Forrest (design and build)

Sony Playstation

RIA development on Sony Playstation

  • Flash backgrounds
  • Bespoke Flash text replacement ("mikr")

Credits

  • LBi (Design)
  • Michael Forrest / RIA Team (build)

Philip Morris Photo Booth

Realtime video photo booth

  • Graffiti effect with dripping paint
  • Pencil-drawing and polaroid effects
  • Multiple simultaneous video effects

Credits

  • LBi (design)
  • Michael Forrest / RIA team (development)