About Me
I'm James, a DevOps Engineer based in the West Midlands. I help teams work more efficiently by automating repetitive tasks and writing documentation that people actually use.
How I Work
My approach is calm, methodical, and grounded in real experience. I prefer to show rather than tell, and I aim to create an environment where people feel confident to explore and learn — with just enough structure to support them.
What motivates me is solving practical problems, whether that's:
- Automating those daily tasks that quietly waste hours
- Writing documentation that's clear, to the point, and frequently referenced
- Turning a weekend idea into a working tool
- Helping teams release software with less friction
My Background
Like many in DevOps, I didn’t follow a straight line. I studied Communication and Media, spent a few years teaching (which was demanding but formative), and gradually shifted toward infrastructure, scripting, and cloud automation.
That teaching experience gave me a solid base in:
- Breaking down complex problems into manageable parts
- Communicating clearly with different audiences
- Staying focused when multiple things are going wrong
- Helping others build confidence in unfamiliar territory
What I'm Like
I tend to deep-dive into interests before moving on to the next challenge. It keeps things interesting. Current and recurring themes include:
- Board games – Prefer strategy to chance
- 3D printing – Often fixing problems I didn’t realise needed fixing
- Tech tinkering – Raspberry Pi setups, retro consoles, automation projects
- Baking bread – Like good code, it's about getting the process right
- Cycling and running – Useful time for problem solving, too
People say I have a tendency to go off on tangents when discussing problems — I think of it as exploring the space thoroughly.
The bottom line: I like solving problems, explaining things clearly, and helping teams work smarter. If you prefer steady, practical progress over flashy promises, we’ll probably get along.