Diana Mounter
This is me, I work on the web.
During my introduction into the “real world” of work whilst doing an apprenticeship at a design and print centre, I toiled between creative versus technical career. I realised that the creative and technical elements of my job didn’t need to be enemies, they actually complimented each other, and saw that in web exists the most glorious arena to challenge the limits of both these facets. And so my path was made.
I am still a web newbee. I landed my job here at the Local Government Association (not agency) by impressing my director with my PowerPoint skills, of all things. At the time he hated the corporate website which had gone through a creative mish mash after an unsuccessful re-branding exercise, and the search seemed to work more like a random lottery number generator, and lets not even get into the accessibility issues. Luckily for me my Director decided I was the person they needed to sort this mess out, and thus sponsored me to stay in Australia (yep I was a pommy backpacker).
I found myself well and truly in the deep end and as the “web review” team diminished from 4 to just me for the most part, I spent many a late hour in the office and almost regretted my statement of “I like a challenge”. But we (the IT guy returned from his travels) got there in the end. I now look after 4 websites. I do a lot of the front end creative and project management. I really enjoy the variety of jobs that come across my desk, and I can truly say I love my job.
Most importantly, and what gives me the most satisfaction from working on the web, is being able to use my skills to help good causes. Caring for the Environment is very important to me and I’ve been able to help this cause on some great projects at work, and I’ve also been volunteering my web support and design skills to help out Sydney Environmental Educators Network. This has certainly tested my good will as the site runs off Joomla and has been causing me many headaches, this site was built before I was onboard and doesn’t exactly adhere to good practice web design, so I plan to re-design it next year, and I’ll be looking for volunteers (hint).
My newest project is to start up a Local Government web coordinators network (or something with a better name – suggestions please). There appears to be a huge gap of knowledge and support for the web people in councils in particular. My ambition is to help raise the standard of Local Government websites, particularly in accessibility, and provide a support structure for learning and sharing knowledge. So if you are interested please contact me.
Right now I’m inspired by meeting a whole new circle of webby friends. Hanging out at Agency Rainford has got my head buzzing with ideas. I’m getting back into coding again with the help of some well versed books (by Cam mostly). And I’m looking forward to meeting more IWOTW people at the upcoming gatherings like web directions, web jam, and of course the Nerf Palace web shack!
Something that pops into my head whilst writing this… I remember when I was about 15 discussing career options with my mum and she said something that’s stuck in my head ever since “you can’t do art for a job”. Well I’d like to think that I have somewhat proved her wrong. After all web can be art right?