About McNab
My name is Robbie Donaldson. I am a 40 year old freelance web developer, I work for design agencies, freelance designers, and businesses.
I use open source PHP based systems to produce my work, and specialise in Magento and WordPress. I started out as a designer (back in the days when there was no real distinction between designer and developer), and I would say I am right in the middle of the designer/developer spectrum – a developer who really appreciates design and has a good reputation for pixel perfect work.
I’ve been building websites since 2003. Started out using Flash (which at the time seemed easier and better than learning HTML and CSS in the days when SEO was in it infancy), coded in ActionScript 2 for a couple of years. Discovered the beauty of CSS around 2005, and started using PHP in 2006 to build my own CMS. Since 2007 I have been working pretty much exclusively on open source PHP based CMS and have moved into E-commerce systems in the past few years.
I’ve freelanced for agencies in Scotland, England, the USA and Australia. I also contribute the written content for some clients, conduct SEO, handle hosting on Dedicated Servers, VPS and shared hosting accounts. I have consulted for companies and local authorities on online projects, and also have project management experience.
I am a director of Fairlie Sawmill Ltd. You can look through my online CV below for more information. Before you ask – no, I don’t want a job in London.
My Online CV
CMS - Web Development
I've built around 15+ Joomla! sites and 30+ Wordpress sites. The ones I've done as McNab are in my portfolio, there's a whole bunch I've done for agencies which can't be included (as I have to pretend they did them). Applications have included;
- Recruitment Systems
- Booking Systems
- Document Management Repositories
- CRM Systems
- Newsletter Databases
- Social Networks
- Reviews Systems
- Portals
- Business Directories
E-commerce Development
I've been building e-commerce sites for 3 years. From small stores with half a dozen products to large multi-currency stores shipping worldwide and turning over 7 figures in sales
My main tool of choice is Magento, but I have also built e-commerce systems using Shopp (Wordpress) and Tienda (Joomla!) as well as some experience working with SaaS e-commerce systems such as Shopify and EKM Powershop. I have produced e-commerce sites on my own and for agencies, and also worked on various sites with Magento specialists Edmonds Commerce.
View my Magento porfolio here
Business / Marketing Consultant
This has been borne from the developing relationship you have with a client during the process of building a website. Many of my clients have needed more than just a web developer / designer, and as my relationships with them have developed I've been involved in;
- Branding
- Advertising in traditional channels
- Sales meetings, and preparing proposals for larger contract pitches
- SEO
- Copy writing
I provide ongoing consultancy support to North Ayrshire Council, reviewing and advising on e-commerce projects that have failed to deliver commercially. I regularly take on the task of redoing the work and turning these projects around.
Project Management
I manage web development projects, pulling together the various individuals required to get a larger project off the ground. So managing designers, coders, copy writers, photographers, hosting, training, the client (that's the hard bit). You know the drill....
My Magnum Opus in terms of project management was my successful building of a surface coatings plant in Malaysia for Norman Hay plc. They said it couldn't be done....seriously, they actually did. It was a crazy endeavour, I went out there on my own and tunred an old warehouse into a full sclae surface coating plant for the oil and gas industry. Highlights include;
- Responsible for the planning, commissioning and build of the facility.
- Conducted the competitive tendering, appointed suppliers, scheduled the installation and supervised the project execution.
- Main point of contact for all three main clients Aker Solutions, and FMC and Cameron
- Managed all finances for the project
- Handled the corporate governance of the new formed subsidiary
- Managed all governmental approvals
- Oversaw the advertising and recruitment
- Handled and passed all client audits upon completion
