Mäd Team: Kieran.

Mundane and Mäd are polar opposites to us. But, weekly work surely requires a degree of repetitiveness or habits shaped to maximize success- we decided to explore the routines of our team, to share our industry insights and introduce the colorful characters behind our work.

Today, we caught up with Kieran Glover - Senior Web Designer/Developer.

Introduce Yourself.

I'm a designer who codes.

Web design and development are often seen as two separate jobs yet are intricately interconnected. In order to ensure a smooth project, both the designer and the developer need to have a mutual understanding of what's feasible and what's not.

A key benefit of being able to do both is the ability to maneuver around all the miscommunications, ensuring the smoothest process from start to finish.

Kieran's versatility allows him to understand key client requirements across multiple sections of a project. Having a deeper understanding that is cross-functional ensures that the work we build meets varying criteria effectively.  

Quick-Fire Questions.

Hobbies? Music and sharing my knowledge of the tools and technology I use at work through Youtube and Blog.
Proud achievements? Played rugby for Austria Under-18.
Favorite place? Anywhere in nature!
Favorite software? Webflow.
Personality type? ISTJ.
Favorite weekend drink? Hand drip coffee.

What've you been reading recently?

I recently read 'Anything You Want' by Derek Sivers. Despite being just over 80 pages in length, the 40 lessons it contained were so gripping–I finished it in one sitting.

It is unlike any business book I've ever read.

Everything from Sivers humbling opening lesson asking what's your compass, to the real legacy that his company CD Baby will continue to lead through the Independent Musicians Charitable Remainder Unitrust and the admirable "stay small" mindset.

A particularly captivating quote was in the second to last lesson:"Most of all, I get the constant priceless reminder that I have enough."

In a similar tone, the very final lesson titled you make your perfect world perfectly rounded off this read as it came full circle to the opening points in the what's your compass lesson in which Sivers writes: "When you make a company, you make a utopia. It's where you design your perfect world".

What does your daily task list tend to look like?

First and foremost, I check Bloo, our project management tool that we use internally within Mäd as well as externally with our clients to keep everyone aligned. After gaining a full picture of my To-Do(s), what's urgent, what's not as urgent; I start prioritizing my tasks for the day.

I like to utilize what's known as a 'Work Block' where I break down all the tasks that I need to do for the day with the goal to complete it by the end of the day.

By blocking a specific time for each task, I am able to focus with zero distraction. Getting one task done also motivates me to get another task done.

It looks something like this:

Daily Work Blocks
□ 0930 ISI Group
  □ CSR Collection in KH and CH
□ 1100 Admin
  □ Mail
  □ Bloo
□ 1300 MN
  □ FYT Blog stuff
  □ DocuHub updates
□ 1400 Webflow building training session
□ 1600 Admin
  □ Emails
  □ Bloo
□ 1630 JLC Go-Live

I categorize all the tasks from most urgent -> least urgent. Aside from practical reasons, once i get the most urgent tasks done, everything else feels like an added bonus psychologically.

Depending on how motivated I feel, sometimes I take this work block to another level with what's known as a 'Pomodoro Technique'. More famously known for being a kitchen timer in the shape of a pomodoro (Italian for tomato); the pomodoro technique breaks down tasks into intervals of 25 minutes, separated by short breaks. Rather than using the actual Pomodoro, I use Forest, which is just a kitchen timer repackaged as a mobile app, that plant trees when you're focused!

These are all the tricks that help me get my daily tasks done.

What's your biggest achievement at Mäd, so far?

I recently designed and developed the website for Canadia Bank–the largest bank in Cambodia.

The case study says it all. But to give you a personalized context, I was able to design and develop the website, launching it live all within 8 weeks–something that would normally take 6 to 12 months.

Discover more on our Canadia Bank project via our dedicated case study, available here:

Canadia Bank Case Study

We helped Cambodia’s largest bank become a digital powerhouse.

Mäd • Make It Happen.™Emanuele Faja

How did you discover Mäd?

Before moving to Cambodia 3+ years ago, I had already begun building up my freelance portfolio and web side-projects, off the back of my Masters degree in User Experience Design.

After discovering Mäd', I began to research the client list and work culture, it seemed to be perfectly aligned with my career vision. Everything just fell into place from there. I always say, if I were to ever run my own company, I would want to do it like Mäd; the more I work here, the more that rings true.