Zeke Weeks

My name's Zeke Weeks.

I create web experiences that inform and empower people.

I combine strategic business analysis with full stack web development to build high-quality applications.

I work with organizations driven by experimentation, inclusiveness, and leveraging technology for social benefit. I live in Denver, and work with innovators around the world.

Objectives

Above all else, I want to work with groups that share my drive to create great experiences on the web. Though I have broad experience on both the technical and entrepreneurial sides of innovation, I hope I'll never stop feeling like a beginner. I thrive in cultures where colleagues can't help but learn from each other's unique talents and perspectives.

Depending on the overall team, my skills fit into a few possible roles:

  • WordPress/Drupal Developer
  • Web Architect
  • Engineering Team Lead
  • Technical Consultant

Background

My specialty isn't in web project strategy or engineering individually,
but specifically in the combination of business and technical challenges.

Hmm, that was kind of vague.

Here's something more specific in chart form:

Technologies Experience Management

Flow width = relative amount of focus. Because technology experience involves many overlapping layers, they are separated by main layer of focus.

Development Skills

Programming Languages
Current:
  • PHP5
  • JavaScript
  • SQL (for SQL Server, MySQL, SQLite)
Previous:
  • COBFUSCATE# .NOBFUSCATEET
  • JaOBFUSCATEva
  • ColdFOBFUSCATEusion
  • VOBFUSCATEB .NOBFUSCATEET
Web Front Ends
  • HTML5
  • CSS3, Compass, LESS, Sass
  • JS frameworks (jQuery, Underscore, Prototype, etc.)
  • AJAX/JSON/SOAP/XHR
  • Responsive layout & adaptive techniques
  • Touch-conscious interfaces
  • User-first, content-first, or mobile-first
  • Mobile web strategy, implementation, testing
  • UI toolkits (jQuery UI+Mobile, Twitter Bootstrap, Dojo, etc.)
  • Interactive/vector/chart libraries (raphael.js, D3.js, Google Charts, etc.)
Content Management Systems
  • Drupal since 2010
    • Drupal 6, 7, 8
    • Scaffolding (Views, CCK, Panels, Context, Rules)
    • Sub-themes and base themes (Zen, Omega, etc.)
    • Custom modules
    • Customization with Hooks and Filters
    • Advanced template architecture (pages, views, nodes, blocks)
    • Feature modules for configuration re-use and iteration
    • Git-based development & deployment
    • Distributions & install profiles
    • Modern Platform-as-a-Service hosting (Acquia Cloud, Pantheon, Omega8, WebEnabled)
    • Drupal Commons
  • WordPress since 2005
    • Theme development (PSD to theme)
    • Theme frameworks and parent/child themes (Genesis, Canvas, etc.)
    • Custom plugins
    • Custom post types, fields, taxonomies, fields
    • Advanced infrastructure (caching, acceleration, optimization, profiling)
    • Modern Platform-as-a-Service hosting (Page.ly, WPEngine, WordPress.com, etc.)
    • Security & API best practices
  • Others: SharOBFUSCATEePoint, MagOBFUSCATEento, Squarespace, JooOBFUSCATEmla!, MaOBFUSCATEmbo, BloOBFUSCATEgger, MoOBFUSCATEvable TyOBFUSCATEpe
Other tools

Web server administration & optimization (Apache, Nginx, IIS), Linux/UNIX operating system administration, Cloud infrastructure implementation & management, Project/Issue management tools (JIRA, Basecamp, Trac), source collaboration tools (Github, Gitlab, Bitbucket, Trac), virtual team collaboration tools (Slack, Hangouts, IRC), external API integrations, e-commerce operations (PCI compliance, payment gateways, merchant accounts, ways out of needing merchant accounts, logistics integration, inventory, multi-jurisdictional taxation)

Management Skills

Product Lifecycle Management
  • Product ideation
  • Business analysis, monetization strategy
  • Software-as-a-Service
  • Minimum Viable Product development
  • Release cycle iteration: QA, bug fixes, functionality additions, testing
  • Project management through formal and hybrid methodologies
    • Agile
    • Scrum
    • Kanban
    • Waterfall
  • Formal project scope definition
  • Milestone planning & management
  • Technical sales bid estimation
  • Cross-functional team facilitation (Customer, management, creative, PR, engineering)
  • Account management
Systems Analysis & Design
  • Identification of business requirements
  • Translation of business rules into technical specifications
  • Conceptual & physical database modeling
  • Use cases
  • UML
  • UX engineering:
    • User Stories
    • Wireframing
    • Prototyping

Employment Experience

Blazing Wheel LLC

Proprietor, Web Consultant

2008 - Present

  • Provide web consulting services to governments, corporations, foundations, school districts, agencies, and non-profits
  • Focus on systems analysis and technical architecture from a "business needs first" perspective
  • Interface with executives, technical and creative staff, and customers to leverage and coordinate project efforts
  • Augment development resources for web and marketing agencies
  • Develop projects from scratch, support existing web applications, or modernize applications based on older versions of WordPress, Drupal, HTML, and CSS.
  • Selected clients/projects: Colorado.gov, Energy.gov/National Renewable Energy Lab, One Earth Future Foundation, St. Vrain Valley School District, Flatirons Running, Todd Reed Jewelers, Urban Interactive Studio
Colorado.gov

Drupal Developer & Architect

Aug. 2014 - Sept. 2015

  • Owned technical architecture for company's established and growing Drupal applications, including:
    • Company's custom Drupal-based platform, used to host websites for hundreds of state and local entities
    • Rebuild of http://www.colorado.gov on Drupal
    • Research & development of new products & development tools
  • Overhauled company's Agile development practices, increased release frequency, raised team communications transparency, improved technical review processes
  • Transformed an existing Drupal product from minimum viable product into a stable, scalable one
  • Created and implemented technical strategies with an emphasis on scalability, quality, and return on investment
CivicActions

Drupal Development Engineer

Aug. 2013 - Jun. 2014

  • Provided development services with a team known for quality and Agile proficiency
  • Performed custom Drupal engineering for several high-ranking members of the executive branch of the U.S. government
  • Transformed underperforming initiatives with project management process improvements and Agile practices
  • Championed initiatives for free/libre open source and open data in government and civic web applications
  • Followed rigorous security procedures and clearance processes (public trust, national security) when necessary
  • Collaborated with company partner Nuams in support of DKAN, the Drupal open data platform
  • Wrote successful proposals with sales staff, tailoring technical elements to fit prospects' unique needs
  • Advised non-profits on cost-effective improvements to their Drupal applications
  • Conducted all collaboration with coworkers and clients online as part of a fully distributed company
SpireMedia

Contract Web Developer

Jan. 2013 - May 2013

  • Developed custom Drupal 7 sites, modules, themes, and templates
  • Implemented advanced web front ends leveraging modern CSS3, HTML5, and JavaScript techniques
  • Consulted with cross-disciplinary creative, UX, and executive team, ensuring alignment of technical implementation with greater business requirements throughout the project lifecycle
  • Developed web applications both individually and with development teams
  • Advised UX team on modern data interactions during technical discovery phases
Urban Interactive Studio

Project Manager & Web Developer

Jan. - Dec. 2012

  • Managed quality review and complete refactoring of company’s previous flagship product
  • Became product manager of new flagship product; coordinated original ideation process, identified opportunities for initial product; managed quality assurance and feature additions of following release cycles
  • Headed definition and implementation of new product development workflow (including continuous integration, Git, quality assurance, release deployment to client install base)
  • Coordinated development of Software-as-a-Service products and custom applications
  • Directed design and quality assurance process for conversion of products to responsive mobile-first and content-first theme frameworks
  • Converted prototype projects to scalable, reusable, abstracted tools with quick turnarounds
  • Managed cross-functional team of onsite and remote members- 70% developers, 15% designers, 15% account managers
One Tribe Creative

Web Developer & Strategist

May 2010 - Nov. 2011

  • Leveraged WordPress and Drupal platforms (plus modern HTML/CSS/JavaScript) to build CMS applications from initial site maps and mockups
  • Revised the agency’s main Brand Foundation service to improve project specifications for improved development efficiency & cross-functional project communication
  • Developed onetribecreative.com agency portfolio from scratch in jQuery+HTML+CSS3
  • Served as technical coordinator for e-commerce operations of multiple national brands
Colorado State University College of Business

Web Developer

Aug. 2006 - Jan. 2010

  • Contributed to deployment of SharePoint Server on www.biz.colostate.edu
  • Performed data integration of SQL Server, Jet (Access), and WCF Web Services
  • Completed projects using Agile, Scrum, Iterative and Waterfall methodologies

Other Experience

Education

2010: B.S. Business Administration - Computer Information Science concentration
Colorado State University, Fort Collins
Spanish Language minor

2009: Certificates in Hispanic Studies and Spanish Language
University of Granada, Spain

Contact Zeke

Social

Email

hire AT zekeweeks DOT com