Software Developer

Dave Clark Design

Senior Software Developer (Nov 2021 ~ May 2023)

Developed high-performance web applications with Node.js and React using TypeScript.
Contributed to the relational database design by writing scripts and Stored Procedures with SQL.
Optimised UI/UX by implementing a Storybook design system.
Increased test coverage from 20% to 94% by writing unit, integration and end-to-end tests using Jest, Mocha and Cypress to be run during the CI process.
Improved code quality and developer collaboration by implementing code formatting tools and creating/documenting coding standards, code review process and clean code principles & design patterns.

MediaWorks/Discovery

Agile Developer & Automation Specialist (Apr 2018 ~ Nov 2021)

Worked as a full stack developer specialising in Node.js, React and Amazon Web Services. As an Automation Specialist I was responsible for ensuring that the processes throughout the software development life cycle are automated wherever possible - focusing heavily on CI/Automation Testing.

I've spent the majority of my time at MediaWorks working on a number projects that deliver the video on-demand platform, ThreeNow. This includes the API, ThreeNow website, the CMS, the video-players various other livestream projects and integrations. Working on ThreeNow carries a significant responsibility as the platform can have upward of 100,000 users at any given time.

Career highlights

ThreeNow API: The heart of Threenow! The RESTful API drives all device endpoints (Android/iOS apps, web, smart TV's, Chromecast and Freeview).
Livestream Ad Insertion: Using AWS Elemental services and new video players to seemlessly stitch personalised digital advertising into broadcast livestreams.
ThreeNow Content Management System: A react built site for content, marketing and advertising teams at MediaWorks to publish content to the ThreeNow platform.
QMS Billboard Integration: A serverless solution that takes the 4pm news headlines and posts them to QMS billboards across the city with NewsHubs branding.

ElectroBall

ElectroBall is a cross-platform (iOS, Android, Windows PC) puzzle game!

Being my first app, I wanted to develop everything myself in order to gain experience and broaden my skill-set. This includes both front-end and back-end development, graphics, testing and publishing. Built with GameMaker Studio using GML (GameMaker Language) and packaged & published via Xcode and Android Studio.

The back-end for this app was originally written in PHP and used a SQL database. This has now been rebuilt in JavaScript and NoSQL in order to be serverless.

Details:

120 levels
High res graphics (pixel-perfect scaling based on device)
Contains ads (AdMob/Google Mobile Ads SDK)
Contains in-app purchases (via Google Play Store and Apple App Store)
Server/database integration (app configuration, custom analytics & notifications)
Encrypted loading/saving system

CryptoBot.nz

Discontinued due to the crypto currency market crash

Developed a crypto-currency bot that monitors the crypto currency market and makes transactions on behalf of a user based on their configuration. I also designed and built a web-app UI using React for users to manage their bot and view transactions.

Toolchain: React, AWS Lambda, AWS DynamoDB, AWS Cognito user pools.

Features:

Automatic buying & selling
Algorithm options
Alerts (via Discord)
User logs about the bots activity

CryptoBot screenshot - edit configuration

Recycle AKL

Recycle AKL is an artificially intelligent waste reduction chatbot mobile application published on both the Google Play and Apple App Store.

The chatbot uses a modified version of Auckland Council's database to respond to a user's query, providing the necessary information to help the user sort their waste.

This project was completed by a team of five developers as part of AUT’s final year course, Research and Development.

The purpose of this project was to expose the team to real-world clients and sponsors, demonstrate and further expand our understanding of project management and development methodologies and work as a professional development team in order to create a high-quality software product.

Details:

Overall grade: A
Project role: Project Manager (Scrum team)
Development-specific role: Lead front-end developer
Sponsor: Auckland Council's Waste Management and Innovation Fund (WMIF)
Toolchain: Ionic, TypeScript, Microsoft Azure, LUIS.ai, GitHub, Slack, Trello, Google Docs

AppSwitch

AppSwitch was created as an in-house mobile/windows app to test and manage the server-side processing of a number of application servers and databases.

Purpose:

Monitor and analyse user data (levels completed, app opened, device type etc.)
Manage user records (remove ads, reset, modify/delete/create etc.)
Test server health and server-messages

Studio Move

Studio Move is a dance studio located in West Auckland.

Not having any experience with a real-world client in terms of web development, I agreed to create and maintain the website in order to learn more about web-dev.

Update: The StudioMove site I built in 2018 has been replaced by a web builder, see the original site here.

Details:

Designed for mobile devices
Hosted on CPANEL
Uses Google Analytics

Other projects

2D Platform Game ▼

Prototype 2D platformer game for Windows, iOS and Android.
Built using GameMaker Studio using the GML language.

Source code: https://github.com/BenSmith123/SDP-Project