Tomos Hillman

Skills

XML and XSLT Technologies

I have eight years of experience working with a variety of XML data models and technologies:

• I was in charge of Oxford University Press’ custom DTD data models for six years.
• I was highly influential in implementing Schematron at Oxford University Press.
• I provided expert support to the rest of the team for XSLT work; I wrote a pipelining system in XSLT to work with a particularly restrictive system, and pioneered a framework for collaborative XSLT written across our team to maximise code reuse and applicability.
• I pioneered the use of new technologies at Oxford University Press, including XSpec unit testing for XSLT, NVDL validation, and XProc.

XML Databases and XQuery

I was in charge of administering the MarkLogic back end of Oxford University Press' legal "citator", as well as writing and editing various XQuery scripts: at one point I was able to reduce a problematic three minute page load to only three seconds using MarkLogic search functions. I encouraged the use of XML databases for problem solving and analysis of large data sets within the team, including eXist and BaseX. I was also involved in large scale data fixes in MarkLogic, using combinations of xmlsh, corb, XQuery and XSLT, as well as MarkLogic features such as collections and roll-back.

Communication and Training

An important part of my role at OUP was explaining technical issues to non-technical staff, often as part of a requirements gathering process. I helped stakeholders frame their requirements in a sensible way, and to understand the implications of what was being asked for. Consequences of unfeasible requests can be explained while offering a workable alternative. As well as the conferences and summer school mentioned above, I had responsibility for a variety of internal training at Oxford University Press.

Experience

Managing Director, eXpertML Ltd – 2016 onwards

eXpertML offers XML consultancy and freelance work, advice and expertise relating to XML, XSLT, Xquery, XML Schema and DTDs, quality control, publishing workflows, and related technologies.

Senior Content Architect, Oxford University Press – 2008-2016

From appraisal feedback: “Tom is very much the "ideas factory" of the team, and is able to apply a huge breadth of technical knowledge and years of digital publishing experience in order to propose realistic ways in which processes and systems can improve (and also to implement them).”

Senior Technician, School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, Cardiff University – 2006-2008

Combining support and technical administration, one of my major responsibilities was for publishing workflow systems and IT infrastructure for the newspaper MA course.

IT Officer, Keble College, Oxford University – 2003-2006

IT support and administration role.

FR HiTemp – 2002-2003

Having started working at the aeronautics company as a temporary worker testing microswitches, by the time I left nine months later, I had re-written all of the actuator team’s ‘Product Acceptance Test’ documentation.

Education

MPhys (Master’s degree in Physics)

University of Wales, Swansea, 2002.

Publications and Teaching