8 things you didn't know about me

Nascent author, IA, & friend Donna Maurer tagged me for the '8 things you didn't know about me' meme. The rules are simple:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules
2. List EIGHT random facts about yourself
3. Tag EIGHT people at the end of your post and list their names
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged

Some things you didn't know about me:

1. I can play a range of musical instruments (more or less rusty on each of them) including bass guitar, flute, clarinet, saxophone & trombone;
2. I practice calligraphy and have an interest in pens. My collection of fountain pens includes feather quills, retro '40s celluloid, some more conventional fountain pens and a glass stylus from Florence;
3. I once spent three weeks driving from Port Augusta in South Australia to Darwin in the Northern Territory, locating, surveying, photographing & documenting the colonial & indigenous artifacts at each of the telegraph repeater stations through the central Australian deserts.
4. When I was a boy I couldn't decide whether to be a doctor, mathematician or archaeologist. As an adult I've been able to try my hand at each of them.
5. As a 7yr old I set a record for shot-put for my local region. The record stood for 18 years.
6. I've nearly died twice - once during birth; once in 2002 (an infection had eaten a hole from my middle ear into my cranium).
7. I'd love to learn to speak French. As a nominally-educated person I feel the lack of a second language keenly. It would also allow me to read french literature.
   
8. My first car was a mini. I had it 5 months and then my older brother rolled it down a ditch and wrecked it (accidentally - he fell asleep).

Now for those 8 others I'd be interested to learn a little more about:

• Lisa Herrod - smart, chic usability chick, and her soon-to-be-husband Lachlan Hardy - a good & smart fellow in his own right.
• Shane Morris - because although I've known him a long time, I really don't know him much at all;
• Russ Weakley - so I know something other than what comes out during a drinks break at a WSG meeting
• David Malouf - any fan of both Stargate SG-1 & Battlestar Galactica is worthy of further scrutiny
  
• Pabini Gabriel-Petit - my editor at UXMatters of whom I know very little aside from her grammatical skills & penchant for sci-fi TV
• and the two Dans - Dan Saffer & Dan Brown - two of the IxD community leaders I'd like to know better

Backyard cricket

This is me 'playing' backyard cricket a few weeks back - 10 days after surgery to repair my achilles tendon.

Introducing Meld Consulting & looking forward to 2008

After nearly 9 years at Red Square - the last two years spent as Director, User Experience Strategy - I've finally decided to make the move and set up my own company. I've really enjoyed my time working at Red Square: I've had the opportunity to work with some of the brightest and best in Australia's Web industry; and worked on a lot of good projects (at last count I've contributed to just under 1,500 projects - large and small - in those nine years) for some great local and international clients.

During the past two years I've been able to start to build up a good portfolio of UX projects, working with small teams of UX professionals to create good designs to solve client problems. But the competing demands of delivering projects, managing the company, and bringing general work into the company has meant the UX side of things hasn't gone as far as I'd like.

Looking at the state of the local (and, for that matter, international) UX field, two things appear fairly consistent: a) a lot of organizations are engaging UX professionals and agencies to help them with their design & development projects; and b) everyone is finding it difficult to get experienced staff. As a combination, that's a good sign that the field is growing & healthy, and able to support a new, small, focused consultancy.

So a little over 6 weeks ago I notified Red Square that I was punching my card for the last time, and going it alone. 3 weeks ago Meld Consulting was born, but is still getting on its feet. Right at the moment I have a name; a domain name (meld.com.au) and applications in with the Australian Tax Office and various other institutions for the basics.

I also have my first proposal out with a prospective client; my first international trip being planned; and work lined up through most of the first quarter of 2008. All in all, a positive first 3 weeks.

Thanks go out to all those friends & family who've offered up their time, advice & support in helping me make the decision to start up Meld, and in getting it from an idea to a reality.

Finally, I wish you all well over the coming holiday season, wherever you are in the world. I hope you take the time to rest and relax ahead of what's looking to be an interesting 2008.

Merry Xmas