James Basoo - Front-end developer
I am a creative front‑end developer with 15 years of experience, specialising in e‑commerce and web performance, currently focused on accessibility.
- Email: jamesbasoo@gmail.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-basoo/
- Phone: Available on request
- Website: https://jamesbasoo.com
- Location: London, UK. 10 years experience working remotely.
Experience
GPMD (E‑commerce Agency) - Front End Developer (2013 - Present)
I have contributed to innumerable D2C and B2B e‑commerce websites across many sectors, working with clients new to e‑commerce, ones looking to re-platform, and those needing to refresh their online presence. Some of the brands I have worked with include Muji, Japan Centre, NIP+FAB, Aram, Soho Home and Fenwick.
I often take the lead in research and development to keep us competitive in the ever changing technical landscape, and to upskill the team. In recent years I have been focused on web performance and accessibility, advising our clients on how best to serve their users and comply with regulations, as well as providing long‑term, technical strategy.
- Developing bespoke themes and plugins/apps tailored to each client's specific e‑commerce needs
- Developing in‑house starter themes and component libraries with common features to increase client theme development velocity
- Creating and configuring automated developer tooling such as task runners, bundlers, and CI/CD
- Auditing client websites to advise on how to improve user experience, reduce technical issues, and increase conversion rates
- Collaborating with UI/UX designers, reviewing their designs to ensure technical and accessibility standards are met
- Evaluating third-party plugins/apps to determine if they meet performance and accessibility requirements
- Writing technical documentation for smoother team collaboration and user guides to help site editors create content
- Mentoring and onboarding junior developers to help them improve through shadowing and pair-programming
- Exploring the potential of apps/plugins as a secondary revenue stream, researching gaps in the market and developing proofs of concept
EstatesIT (Software/IT/Web Development) - Support Agent + Web Designer (2010 - 2013)
Initially my role included phone and online support for software for estate agents, as well as the hardware for local branches. This evolved into a design/development position where I was responsible for creating automated print media such as brochures and adverts for properties. This was where I re-discovered web design and joined the web team designing and developing websites driven by the in‑house software.
- Responding to phone calls and emails, assisting customers with software bugs and knowledge gaps
- Installing hardware including computers and networking gear, attending on-site call-outs to diagnose and address problems
- Designing and building custom websites for estate agents to display available properties using legacy tools such as ASP and jQuery mobile