Frontend Design
Two decades of systems,
UX and leadership experience —
now applied to AI.
Who I Am
I'm Julian Taverner — a systems-minded problem solver with three years as a General Manager, over a decade in systems information design and administration, and hands-on UX/UI experience across web and enterprise platforms.
I bring a collaborative, adaptable approach shaped by staff leadership, crisis response, and a genuine commitment to ongoing learning — currently deepening that with postgraduate study in Applied AI.
Leadership
Three years as General Manager of a boutique Health & Beauty clinic — site leasing, marketing planning, recruitment, payroll, and general business operations.
Systems & Information Design
Over ten years' experience in systems information design and administration, from CMS platforms to enterprise web infrastructure.
UX / UI
Twenty months of focused UX/UI practice — user research, prototyping, interaction and visual design — built on a much longer web design career.
Adaptability & Learning
A calm head under pressure and a genuine commitment to ongoing development — currently completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied AI.
What I Do
My experience spans systems, design and leadership — with AI now part of the toolkit.
From enterprise CMS platforms to UX research to running a business day-to-day, here's where two decades of hands-on work have taken me.
UX / UI Design & Research
User research, prototyping (paper, lo-fi and web-based), interaction and visual design, and usability testing — developed across roles at Farmside and CPIT.
Web & Systems Development
Full-stack web development across ASP, PHP, HTML/CSS/JS, Bootstrap and jQuery, spanning two decades of hands-on build work.
CMS & Systems Administration
Server and platform migrations (ASP → PHP → Squiz Matrix → virtualised infrastructure), CMS integration, and systems information design and administration.
Business & Systems Analysis
Co-authoring RFI/RFPs, gathering business requirements, developing information hierarchies, and consulting across business units.
Leadership & Operations
General management experience covering staff leadership, recruitment, payroll, marketing, and day-to-day business operations.
Applied AI
Currently completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied AI (AUT) and an AI Micro-credential for Business Leaders, alongside considered use of AI tools in the workplace.
Employment History
Two decades of hands-on experience across UX, web development, systems administration, and business leadership.
From boutique business management to enterprise CMS platforms — here's the journey so far.
General Manager — MJ Exposé Health & Beauty
Jan 2022 – Jul 2025Ran a boutique Health & Beauty clinic end-to-end: site leasing, marketing planning, website design & development, social media, IT systems evaluation, product development, recruitment, payroll, logistics, and considered use of AI tools.
Apiarist — Taverner & Keil Apiaries
Sep 2014 – Nov 2019Self-employed beekeeping across up to 800+ hives — redesigning hiveware, developing faster construction techniques, reducing costs, and improving workflows and scheduling.
UX/UI Designer — Farmside (BayCity Communications Ltd)
Oct 2012 – May 2014User research, business analysis, prototyping, and interaction/visual design for Farmside and the wider TeamTalk Group. Delivered a new invoice layout, farm-specific weather modules, a corporate account dashboard, and led the move of farmside.co.nz to a responsive framework (Bootstrap, jQuery, HTML5).
Senior Web Developer — Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT)
Dec 2004 – Oct 2012Sole maintainer and developer of CPIT's web environment (20,000+ user sessions/week) — requirements gathering, information architecture, server migrations (ASP → PHP → Squiz Matrix), CMS integration, analytics, and mentoring interns. Presented at Squiz user conferences in NZ, Hobart, and Melbourne.
Contract Web Developer — CPIT / Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce
Nov 2003 – Dec 2004Developed online course materials, supported the CPIT website redevelopment, and assisted with information design for the CECC website.
Internship: eLearning & Web Support — CPIT
Jul 2002 – Jul 2003Updated and developed new sites, and investigated emerging web technologies.
Casino Dealer — Carnival Cruise Lines / Christchurch Casino
Oct 1994 – May 1999Extensive experience dealing with people, especially in high-pressure, stressful situations.
Qualifications & Current Study
Current Study
Postgraduate Diploma in Applied AI — Auckland University of
Technology (AUT), in progress
Artificial Intelligence for Business Leaders (Micro-credential)
— Open Polytechnic, in progress
Qualifications
Graduate Diploma in eCommerce, specialising in Programming
(with Distinction) — CPIT
Diploma in Internet Technology — National College of Design
and Technology
Some Of My Work
A few projects.
Feel free to check them out.
MJ Exposé Health & Beauty
A small independent Skin Clinic specializing in addressing complex skincare challenges with personalized treatments & cutting–edge aesthetic technologies
- Frontend Design
- Backend Development
- Marketing
AI for Small Business
An interactive AI data lifecycle case study for a small skincare business, exploring how to find the most effective ad spend — which services to advertise and which channels to advertise on. Postgraduate Diploma in Applied AI, AUT.
- Applied AI
Displaying semantically related content with MySource Matrix
A conference presentation I gave in Melbourne at the Squiz conference in 2010
- Conference presentation
- Information architecture
- Information design
Community involvement
I've volunteered over the past 25 years for Civil Defence & NZ Red Cross. Where I have held leadership roles as a Team leader & Rescue instructor
- Swiftwater Technician
- Rope Rescue Responder
- Flood Responder
- Storm Responder
Apiarist
Self-employed — Taverner & Keil Apiaries.
- Redesigning bee hiveware.
- Develop faster hive construction techniques
- Reduce hive costs
- Improving workflows
- Managing & scheduling hive movements and inspections
Casino Dealer
Both roles developed my ability to communicate effectively with people in demanding situations.
Referees
Contact details and additional referees available on request.