I’m a reasonably laid-back architect and developer who wishes he did more coding than he gets time to. I spend my days with Java, XML, SOA, and a bunch of obscure legacy systems you’ve quite possibly never heard of. I can read IATCI EDIFACT without a data dictionary, if I’ve had enough coffee. There is no such thing as enough coffee.

I’m interested in writing less, better code; in how design (which may just be overdressed forethought) can help make applications and services easier to test; in how to reveal intent without dying of Word poisoning, and how to motivate and lead distributed and virtual design and development teams in unfamiliar territory.

I maintain (although that may be rather too strong a word) a personal blog, called darklooks, elsewhere; please note that contents are barely even my own opinions, should not be read by anyone under the age of 86, contain peanuts and, I’m afraid, phenylketonurics, also contain a source of phenylalanine. Forgive me. I studied what I think of as neo-modernist contemporary poetry for a year once and I’ve not been right since.