Web Developer VS Pumpkin (Q&A with Ash Kwil)

A spooky, All Hallows’ Eve-themed Q&A with our terrifying full stack web developer Ash.

This month, our web developer/demonic child Ash jumps into the hot seat to spill the hot gossip (and pumpkin guts). Read on to discover Ash’s top website features, web design advice and biggest fears.

Who are you?

My name is Ashley Kwil, I’m a full stack developer at Splitpixel (most people call me Ash or Kwil). Right now, I’m carving a pumpkin real good. My hands are sticky! I don’t like it.

How long have you worked at Splitpixel?

I’ve worked here for about six and a half years now. I started on my placement year at university and I carried on working here through my final year and I’ve been here ever since.

What inspired you to become a web developer?

I started building websites and online games when I was in my early teens. It’s always been an interest. But when I started at Splitpixel, I was studying product design, so I joined the team as a designer.

I only started developing again when we had so much work on that I could alleviate some of that by helping the dev team – but then over the years I’ve grown into a web developer role and I don’t actually do much design anymore. Web development fits with me better because it’s methodical and logical.

What specialism do you bring to the team?

I’m the most tech-savvy person in the office – I build and fix people’s PCs, helping out with all sorts of IT issues. This extends into what I do as a developer – I handle a lot of the technical aspects of web development like Google map integrations, APIs, converting data from one place to another.

There’s plenty of behind the scenes activity that clients aren’t aware of – that’s a lot of what I do. Getting the technical side spot on is what makes for a seamless web project.

Which cutting-edge feature do you wish more websites would use?

One of the technologies I like to use when we’re designing and building websites is SVGs (Scalable Vector Graphics). Rather than using large JPEG images that take up a lot of space, we like to use SVGs that can scale to the size you need – be it a tiny image or a really large image. It helps to optimise the site, improving loading times.

Anywhere I can use an SVG, I’m happy. Here at Splitpixel, the dev team and design team work really closely (literally a few metres apart) so if I ever need an image in SVG format, I roll over to ask Rob or Amy. It makes it easier when we’re optimising the site – the client gets a faster site. It’s a no-brainer.

What do people often overlook when building a new website?

Often the technical side and the content is overlooked. Clients can get caught up with the design, and approving the look, but you’ve really got to consider the build and the copy. Does it read well? Does the site function well?

It’s okay to get caught up in the design sometimes – our team of specialists are working away in the background making sure the copy and marketing is effective, and that it all ties together to improve your chances of generating leads.

What makes Splitpixel special?

Splitpixel are a small team of specialists (digital marketing, SEO, design and web development) offering comprehensive digital services – we’re all on the same page and have the same goals. If you were to get multiple businesses working on each of the services you need, you’d probably see clashes of ideas and approaches. It just wouldn’t work as well.

Why do you enjoy working at Splitpixel?

I work with my best mates – I see them all day, every day. I play games with them on an evening, we hang out on weekends (there’s just no escape). Everyone gets on like a house on fire and it really shows in the dedication to help each other out and come together to deliver a quality project.

Do you have any hobbies?

I’ve got a small woodworking business, which is great fun. I also play a lot of video games and I’m a bit of a watch enthusiast. And of course, I love carving pumpkins, it’s… smashing.

Biggest fear?

If you want to discover the thing that scares Ash the most, you’ll have to watch our video! Any web developer or digital expert is sure to have nightmares…

Ready to meet the whole team? From web development to design and marketing, we’ve got you covered. Learn a little more about the Splitpixel squad here.