Case Studies

Here are four projects that demonstrate the range of challenges I’ve solved and the outcomes delivered.

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ATYP: Two Office Relocations, Minimal Downtime

Organisation: Australian Theatre for Young People
Role: Technology Lead and Systems Consultant
Duration: 2014–2025

The Challenge

ATYP relocated twice during my tenure. Each move required migrating infrastructure, maintaining business continuity, and ensuring zero disruption to artistic, administrative, and financial operations.

The Approach

• Planned phased migrations with rollback contingencies
• Coordinated with department heads to schedule around critical activities
• Implemented hybrid infrastructure that supported both locations during transition
• Tested all systems before cutover

The Outcome

• Minimal downtime across both relocations
• No loss of data or interruption to ticketing, finance, or production systems
• Staff reported smooth transitions with clear communication throughout

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ATYP: COVID-19 Remote Transition in Under 72 Hours

Organisation: Australian Theatre for Young People
Role: Technology Lead and Systems Consultant
Date: March 2020

The Challenge

When COVID-19 lockdowns were announced, ATYP needed to transition its entire workforce to remote operations immediately—without losing access to critical systems or compromising security.

The Approach

• Activated pre-existing remote access infrastructure (VPN, cloud services)
• Prioritised essential systems (email, file access, finance, communication tools)
• Delivered rapid plain-language guidance for staff unfamiliar with remote tools
• Maintained support availability throughout the transition

The Outcome

• Full remote capability in <72 hours
• Zero security incidents during the transition
• Staff able to continue work without interruption
• Infrastructure proved resilient enough to support remote operations for years afterward

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ATYP: Backup Migration & Cost Reduction

Organisation: Australian Theatre for Young People
Role: Technology Lead and Systems Consultant

The Challenge

ATYP’s off-site backup solution was costing approximately $800(AUD)/month. The system worked, but the cost was difficult to justify for a non-profit organisation.

The Approach

• Audited existing backup requirements and retention policies
• Researched alternative providers and architectures
• Migrated from cloud-based backup to off-site physical backup solution
• Verified backup integrity and recovery procedures post-migration

The Outcome

• 62% cost reduction
• Improved recovery time objectives
• Maintained equivalent or better data protection standards
• Annual savings redirected to programme delivery

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WWF Australia: EarthHour Platform Scaling

Organisation: World Wide Fund for Nature Australia
Role: Technical Digital Producer
Date: 2012–2014

The Challenge

The EarthHour campaign website needed to handle massive traffic spikes during the annual event—far exceeding normal operational loads. Downtime during the event would have significant reputational and fundraising impact.

The Approach

• Implemented Rackspace elastic WordPress hosting with auto-scaling
• Configured caching and CDN for static asset delivery
• Load-tested infrastructure before the event
• Monitored performance in real-time during the campaign

The Outcome

• Zero downtime during EarthHour event
• Successfully handled traffic spikes without manual intervention
• Platform remained responsive throughout peak periods
• Donor data integrity maintained with strict privacy compliance

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