Web Developer, Designer & IT Support
Name: David Barnett
Job Title: Web Developer, Designer & IT Support
Address: Richmond, Tasman New Zealand
Phone: 021 1755436
Email: kia-kaha@hotmail.co.nz
I’m a web developer, designer, and IT professional based in Richmond, Tasman, with a rare combination of hands-on technical skill and genuine people skills. I spend my week building responsive, mobile-friendly websites with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Vue, creating digital design work, managing IT and hosting infrastructure, and tutoring people of all ages and abilities in computing. I enjoy the detective work of diagnosing a tricky problem just as much as translating technical concepts into plain English for non-technical clients. Patient, personable, and calm under pressure, I’m comfortable across Windows and Mac environments and dependable working independently or in a team. If you’re after someone who’s easy to work with, detail-focused, and committed to getting things right, that’s where I do my best work.
Sep 2023 Present
Web Developer, Designer & IT Support
Design, build, and maintain responsive, mobile-friendly websites using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Vue, while managing the wider IT and hosting infrastructure. I troubleshoot hardware, software, email, and hosting issues as they arise, and provide plain-English technical guidance to non-technical colleagues and clients.
Oct 2024 Present
Computer Trainer
Tutor students one-on-one across a wide range of ages, abilities, and confidence levels, from complete beginners to advanced users, breaking down complex computing topics into clear, jargon-free explanations tailored to each learner's pace.
Oct 2017 Dec 2020
Researcher / Surveyor
Conducted face-to-face field research with the public, building rapport quickly with people from all walks of life and handling hesitant or resistant participants with patience and empathy.
2019 2022
Open Polytechnic, Wellington
A comprehensive degree covering software development, web technologies, databases, and systems analysis, building the foundation for full-stack thinking and modern development workflows.
2004 2005
Computer Power Institute
Hands-on training in systems and network fundamentals, hardware and software troubleshooting, and the practical IT support skills still core to my work today.
2014 2014
Open Polytechnic, Wellington
Study in communication, empathy, and supporting people through difficulty — skills that translate directly into patient, people-focused technical training and client support.
2016 2016
UCOL, Palmerston North
Formal music training that complements around two years of guitar teaching experience — more transferable instructional practice for breaking skills down step by step.
Html5 & Css3
Advanced
Custom-coded, no-CMS site architecture with responsive design and cross-breakpoint testing. Clean, semantic markup and layouts that hold up across browsers and devices.
Javascript
Fundamentals through advanced
Comfortable with closures, async/await, destructuring, and array methods. Consuming and designing REST APIs, plus JWT auth and CRUD app development.
Backend Development
Node.js & Express
Building backends with Node and Express, backed by MongoDB or Supabase. Environment and secrets management, JWT auth, and bcrypt password hashing.
Vue.js
Established skill
Component-based, reactive development with Vue, plus Shopify theme work (Dawn-based, CLI) and AI-assisted development with Claude Code and Copilot.
Git & GitHub
Daily workflow
Version control with branching and pull-request workflows, NPM for tooling and dependencies, and a frontend/backend separation mindset on every project.
Databases
MongoDB, SQL & Supabase
Query development and CRUD app data models, MongoDB Atlas security configuration, and Supabase-backed apps with proper environment config.
Cloud & Deployment
Cloudflare & DNS
Cloudflare Pages, Workers, and the Wrangler CLI, plus domain and DNS management, secrets handling, and SPF/DKIM/DMARC email authentication auditing.
UI/UX & Design
Adobe Creative Cloud & Figma
Prototyping and UI design in Figma; graphic work in the Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, InDesign) — promotional posters, banners and social graphics, plus client branding and logo design from first concept to delivery.
IT Support & Networking
Windows & Mac
Cross-platform troubleshooting, networking fundamentals (Wi-Fi, mesh, routers, IP/DNS, tracert), Google Workspace admin, and systematic root-cause debugging.
Content & Marketing
Copy, content & local presence
Plain-English copywriting, blog and website content, and promotional collateral for print and social, plus Google Business Profile and wider digital-presence audits for clients.
For the full picture, this profile lists every tool, platform, and capability across web development, backend, IT support, AI-assisted development, design, and training.
Download full skills profile (PDF)A selection of recent website projects, each designed and built solo.
Solo build · WordPress
Marketing and services website for a Nelson–Tasman property management company. Rental listings, separate service sections for owners and tenants, team profiles, testimonials, and lead-capture contact forms.
Solo build · WordPress + Elementor
Marketing and lead-generation site for a Nelson–Tasman fire-safety company covering suppression systems, extinguishers, and smoke alarms. Industry-application pages, certification and trust badges, embedded video, and quote-request forms.
Solo build · Static site
“Coming soon” teaser landing page for a narrative art project — a modern-day dark fairytale. A single, atmospheric, copy-led page built to hold attention ahead of launch.
Solo build
One-page site for a Nelson-based singer and pianist who performs at weddings, functions, and corporate events. Moody gradient design with an embedded music player, artist bio, testimonials, and a contact section.
Live site link coming soon.
Solo build · Online store
Website for an independent Queenstown music store — an online shop with Afterpay checkout, alongside pages for lessons, in-store services, the team, and contact.
Live site link coming soon.
Solo build · Full-stack app
A custom personal finance and banking tracker built from scratch to develop backend, API, and data-handling skills. Account and transaction management with a REST API, plus research into Akahu open-banking integration against New Zealand's Consumer Data Right requirements.
Full-stack app — pending completion.
Alongside web development, I create digital art and photo-composite pieces in Photoshop — blending multiple photographs into a single seamless, surreal scene. Here is a selection of that work.
Photo retouching and compositing — double exposure, dispersion, glitch and type effects — alongside marketing collateral for print and social, including promotional posters and banners.
A short animated sky-replacement composite — a sign revealed from behind moving cloud cover.