I like writing about things that empower and inspire people, covering topics such as design, development, becoming productive, and the business of being a freelancer.
To get the third-party perspective, you can check out the following interviews:
You can also check out the list of favorite posts in the right sidebar for a small sampling of what I've written...that's a pretty good way to get a sense of what I'm into. Or just browse the site!
Enjoy your visit to the site! :-)
Dave
I am currently booked through November 2008. I do, however, have a few one-hour consulting blocks available every month. Contact me for more information.
I'm an investigative designer based in the Southern New Hampshire / Metro Boston North area. I specialize in clarifying information and ideas. I'm also interested in networking with experienced, talented, and conscientious freelancers. Do you enjoy discussing, sharing, and making cool stuff? Give me a call!
But enough about what I want...
What Kind of Work Have I Done?
Lots of Writing -- Here on the blog, I cover topics related to productivity, design, technology, and personal interest. I'm open to any new writing opportunities. And this is freaky: I like writing documentation and proposals.
Information Graphic Design --The Printable CEO is a good example of my design philosophy and approach. You can also browse my Portfolio on Flickr.
Interactive Design -- Development of Kiosks, CD-ROMs, Web Interactives, Online Training, and so on. Examples: The programming, design, and interface for kiosks at The Boston Museum of Science, show-floor interactives for tradeshows, and online web seminars. Flash and Director.
ActionScript 2.0 programming -- I was the lead programmer and co-designer on Intel Education's online thinking tool Showing Evidence.
User Interface Design. I favor designs that maximize context of information and continuity of workflow. The award-winning Sky & Telescope Sky Chart redefined online star gazing, and is my design. More recently I've done internal work for the United Nations Development Programme for the Office of Budgeting and Planning.
GUI Skin Graphics -- Making something look interesting. Specializing in game-like metallic interfaces. Specialty: creating graphics elements for direct use by programmers.
Teaching and Training. I recently taught graphics for the web at the Center for Digital Imaging Arts in Waltham, MA. I like one-on-one training in particular, and developing curriculum materials.
I do a bit of motion graphics work, but find that I work best when teamed with another strong creative. I also like editing sound and video, but I don't do this professionally.
I know my way around HTML / CSS / Javascript / PHP, in support of my own web site. I also make the occassional website template in Dreamweaver for clients who want to edit content themselves without a CMS
Why Do People Like Working With Me?
Hm, that's a good question. Here are some plausible answers:
I am an innovative thinker who emphasizes building "real stuff". The integration of theory, practice, communication, and storytelling are the four pillars supporting my work philosophy.
I have both a tech and a visual design background, so I can talk shop with engineers and designers. And I speak enough "Manager" and "Executive" to translate between all four disciplines.
I know a lot about digital media technology, production, and development because of my video game development background.
I'll go through large quantities of data to extract the critical elements, so we can frame the challenge as clearly as possible. For example, absorbing the drug testing clinical trials process so we could animate the entire thing in Flash.
I am very good at deconstructing things down to the component level, so I can reconstruct my understanding from the ground up.
I know how to ask questions and get the answers I need. In the absense of answers, I can synthesize new guidelines and principles as needed. That's the fun part.
I possess the arcane knowledge to find what I want on the Internet.
I love making diagrams and documenting processes. I type fast, too.
I love theory and perfection, but I've learned to love implementation more.
I'm a meticulous and conscientous project manager / client relationship contact / negotiator when I need be. I can self-manage, but prefer to maintain a close relationship with an working partner, manager, or other stakeholder directly involved with the project.
I'm a good listener and an objective counselor. I'm also an excellent teacher with a flair for analogy and demonstration. So I've been told, by almost everyone I spend time with.
I enjoy debugging, debugging tools, and the idiosyncracies of computer languages down to the machine language level.
I like good food. I won't stop us from having that delicious lunch, and if the gig is going well it'll even be on me.
I am generous with my knowledge and experience. I wouldn't be here today if others had not been the same with me, so I pass it forward.
I am a student of leadership.
I am not afraid to say I don't know.
Want to Know More?
Through The Phone
- My business line is 603-889-3589.
Through AOL Instant Messenger
- My public screenname is DaveSeahContact.
Through FAX
- FAX me at 603-889-3275, but tell me you're FAXing before you send so I know to look out for it.
As a freelancer, I love the freedom but miss the contact with other hu-mans who know their stuff.
So, a number of us have established a creative organization that is less about business/networking and more about hanging out and sharing our work. It's not so much a user group with formal presentations--we tried that once--it's more about creative fellowship with your peers. That's the direction we appear to be heading, anyway.
Topics covered: Digital Media, Interactive Design, Theatre, Graphic Design, Music, The Arts, Flash, Photoshop, Video... we are an eclectic group of people.
For lack of a better name, we call it the New Media Group New England. We're mostly serving Southern New Hampshire and the Greater Boston Area / North, and meet regularly in locations convenient to I-93. The Barnes and Noble in Manchester, NH (right off exit 1 on I-293) has been one place we've been meeting, as it's within a 30 minutes of Nashua, Concord and Portsmouth. It's even easy to get to from Boston, about 45 minutes.
UPDATE
The group has been in hiatus for a while, but will likely re-emerge in Spring 2007 Summer 2008 in a different form. If you're interested in finding out more, shoot me an email!
I'm Dave Seah, and I'm a freelance Digital Media Architect. In other words, I am skilled in creating computer graphics for interactive computer systems. I've been making graphics since 1981, back when computer art, well, required a lot more imagination to see.
My educational background is slightly unusual in that I have degrees in both Electrical Engineering (interest in digital electronics) and Computer Graphics Design (fine arts). It's a useful combination of skills to have.
Prior to getting into New Media, I worked in video games. My favorite stint was with startup Qualia, where we made our bid to become a 3rd party developer in 1994-1997 with a 5-man team and a game called Crixa. Other games I've worked on are Star Reach, NCAA Football 99, and DuelTris in various artist or manager positions. This period was exhausting, and I was quite burned out by the age of 32.
I got into New Media during the heady bubble days of 1999 and 2000. I worked on a number of small interactive projects for companies Interactive Factory and Active Edge New Media, specializing mostly in Director and Flash, with a healthy pinch of project management thrown in. I designed the GUI for an interactive sky chart, made the 2001 MIMC award show animation, some tradeshow kiosk work, some Flash-based product demos, and a couple of interactive kiosks for the Boston Museum of Science.
In 2003, I needed to take a break. That break become an extended sabbatical as I reassessed my goals. The reason I got into computers at all was because I wanted to deliver interesting experience that wasn't possible in the real world. This could be games, it could be something else. I'm pretty sure it won't be through through corporate multimedia or web services. I need to find my own voice.
In the meantime, I've been doing some education and web projects. The first one is Showing Evidence, created with learning science specialists Inquirium. Showing Evidence wrapped in July and is now out in the field on Intel's Thinking Tools website. The main code is ActionScript 2.0, architected and coded in great part by myself, with project management and code support provided by Inquirium.
My current focus is to get back into development using C++ and similar languages, with an eye toward Windows application development. And maybe back to games, this time of a smaller and more personal nature.
Though I'm distancing myself from Internet and New Media Design in order to redevelop my programming chops, I still take on projects from people who still have that personal "sense of mission". The whole point of this blog is to establish a rapport with people who get that. What Sean Kernan has to say about creativity and career seems spot on.
Dave
09.2004
