Meet Hérick, our Front-end Developer, who is passionate about crafting code to transform digital platforms .

Tell us about yourself and how you got to where you are now…

My web journey started over 20 years ago, when I worked in a college library, and I volunteered to update their intranet pages. This was in the pre-WYSIWYG days, so I taught myself to hand code HTML. I really enjoyed it, so, when the opportunity to manage the whole intranet arose, I grabbed it.

I quickly became responsible for the college’s entire digital output. Along with the intranet, I also managed:

• The main college website
• A variety of microsites
• The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)
• Regular staff and student online newsletters
• As well as advocating for, and then running, a CRM

Having been in a team of one at the college, it was great to join the web team of a Russell Group University. I spent nearly five years at the University, starting as a Web Officer and finishing as the Senior Front-end Developer.  It was an exciting time to be part of the web team, as we delivered a major digital transformation project. This project improved user journeys for prospective students and researchers. We also undertook a major project to improve the accessibility of the website, which began with an accessibility audit by HeX Productions.   

What does your average day consist of (at HeX)?

There really isn’t an average day at HeX. I get to work on many websites and on various platforms, using a variety of different frameworks. One day I might be buried in my code editor, crafting code for some new functionality. On another day, I’ll be using a range of methods to assess the accessibility of a website.

What’s the favourite part of your job (at HeX)?

The sheer variety of work is constantly throwing up opportunities to learn new things, which is really invigorating. However, I think the most important aspect of any job is the people you are working with. Fortunately, here at HeX, everyone combines being really good at what they do, with being warm and friendly.

Who do you admire?

There are so many people that I admire for different reasons that it’s hard to single anyone out. Professionally, I have been lucky to work with a few people I quickly came to admire, whether they were an architect, an oracle, an overlord, a queen, or the boss.

What is something few people know about you?

I used to present a monthly radio show for an internet radio station. The music that I played, and my presentational style, were inspired by John Peel – the man responsible for broadening my musical horizons. However, my musical curation skills were infinitely better than my presentation skills! I now scratch the same itch by doing a monthly 20-song playlist, based on what I’ve listened to the most that month.

What toppings would you choose on a pizza?

Anything but pineapple.

What are your top pet peeves?

I don’t get easily annoyed. But, if I do get annoyed, it’s likely to be due to either intolerance or a lack of curiosity.

If you could be anywhere, where would you be?

Somewhere warm by the ocean, with some good tunes being played.

Do you have a personal motto?

I don’t have a simple maxim which I live by. I just try to be considerate.