Accessibility is foundational
Semantic structure, keyboard access, visible focus and readable contrast are part of the build—not an afterthought.
Software engineering · Frontend · Digital product
Digital products built to work, last and make sense.
I’m Phil Forster, a software engineering manager, frontend developer and digital product specialist based in Elgin, Scotland. I build accessible interfaces, practical tools and dependable systems around real operational needs.
- Approach
- Accessible, secure and maintainable
- Perspective
- Engineering leadership with design capability
- Location
- Elgin, Scotland · Remote capable
Selected work
Projects that best represent the work
Project ecosystem
Follow the work beyond the portfolio
The portfolio presents the strongest evidence first. The project hubs then provide a deeper route into related systems, live applications and development records.
Working principles
Professional by design, practical by default
Security informs the interface
Trustworthy products require careful data handling, restrained dependencies and predictable user feedback.
Maintainability matters
Clear architecture, documented decisions and reusable systems reduce friction long after launch.
Design serves the task
Visual identity should improve orientation, confidence and comprehension rather than compete for attention.
Leadership feedback
Trusted to steady teams and deliver
“Thrown into the deep end, Phil not only swam but prospered. He managed the team during the challenge of lockdown, helped engineers adjust to new processes, and maintained the legacy frontend.”
Portfolio
Selected work, followed by the wider archive
The strongest projects appear first as detailed entry points. The complete archive remains available beneath them for broader exploration.
Featured
Six projects with the clearest professional signal
Archive
Complete project catalogue
Loading projects…
Project ecosystem
Five hubs provide the deeper route through the work
Each hub groups related projects by purpose. Visitors can stop at the portfolio overview or continue into live systems, project directories and development records.
Navigation model
A clear path from overview to evidence
- 01Portfolio
Establish professional focus and surface the strongest work.
- 02Project hub
Group related systems by audience, purpose or working discipline.
- 03Individual project
Open the live application, website or detailed project route.
- 04Development record
Follow the deeper context where a project log or archive entry exists.
Directory
Explore the project hubs
Loading hubs…
Why this structure
Depth without overwhelming the first visit
The main site remains concise and professional, while the hubs demonstrate the scale, organisation and continuity of the wider project ecosystem. New projects can be added to the appropriate hub without forcing another homepage redesign.
Experience
Leadership, engineering and continued development
My career progressed from safety-critical technical work, through hands-on software delivery, into engineering leadership and end-to-end digital product ownership.
Earlier career · Royal Air Force
Safety, detail and reliability under real consequences
More than a decade working with survival equipment established a professional baseline built around inspection discipline, traceability, procedural accuracy and responsibility for systems that must work when needed.
The Football Pools · Technical lead and engineering manager
Calm direction across people, products and legacy systems
I progressed from technical leadership into management of the frontend team, combining delivery oversight, engineer support, legacy maintenance, process change and cross-functional coordination.
- Led and supported frontend engineers through organisational and process change.
- Balanced technical debt, delivery priorities and operational stability.
- Mentored developers and translated technical constraints for wider stakeholders.
Independent, client and community work · Current portfolio
End-to-end ownership from problem definition to deployment
My current work covers operational applications, browser tools, commercial websites, accessible museum systems, branding and technical documentation. It includes requirements gathering, architecture, interface design, implementation, deployment and live support.
Qualifications and training
Formal study supported by continual learning
BA (Hons) Interactive Media
Digital design, user-interface theory, animation, interactive storytelling and multimedia production.
BSc Computing
Software engineering, databases, systems analysis, cybersecurity and full-stack development.
Mini MBA
Business leadership across strategy, marketing, finance, people and organisational decision-making.
View additional professional and online training
About
A technical career built on reliability, clarity and useful design
I’m Phil Forster—a former Royal Air Force Survival Equipment Fitter turned software engineering manager, frontend developer and digital product specialist.
My RAF background taught me to treat detail, safety and accountability as operating requirements. That mindset now informs how I build software: understand the task, identify the risks, document the decisions and deliver something people can rely on.
After completing degrees in Interactive Media and Computing, I moved through hands-on development into technical leadership and software engineering management. I have worked across commercial products, education, heritage and community organisations, often bridging the gap between technical implementation and clear visual communication.
Alongside professional work, I support Morayvia, a volunteer-run aviation museum in Scotland. That work has included operational software, interactive displays, digital infrastructure, branding and exhibit design—practical systems built around the needs of volunteers and visitors.
Professional values
Precision without unnecessary complexity
ReliableAccessibleDocumentedSecurePracticalHuman-centred
Contact
Start with the problem you need to solve
For websites, internal tools, interface work, branding or technical collaboration, send the essential details below. We can then establish whether the project is a suitable fit.