About / Stephen Lockhart

Stephen is a director of Float. He and Tim met while studying for Masters Degrees in Interactive Multimedia, and they set up Float together in 2003.

Stephen worked for many years as a visiting lecturer at Bath Spa University, encouraging students to embrace multimedia.

He has also set up and runs Gigger - a website for people to share their experiences of live gigs through videos, photos, reviews and listings.

Biggest kick you get out of work?

Making things work. This could be technical, or planning a process to achieve a task, however making things work is what I like to do!

Three words to describe Float

Expert, small, personable.

Why specialise in Education?

It’s one of the most forward thinking and exciting areas to work in. Universities, for instance, have to engage with their core audience group of 17 – 21 year olds - and this group is the most ‘internet savvy’ of all user types. Therefore, websites need to be forward thinking, interactive, engage with students through a variety of media types (photos, video, audio, blogs), be socially aware and integrate with the Social Networks where these users ‘hang out’.

What makes people in the Education sector come to Float?

Our knowledge and experience
Our credibility in this sector (based on clients and previous work)
We’re award winners (BETT Award, 2008)

And once they’ve initially come to us, hopefully clients stay because of the way we work - with them, rather than for them.

Most effective way to learn?

I think I learn best by doing. So reading (either book or website) and then trying to work through what it is I’m trying to learn using real examples. For instance, if I’m trying to learn a new technical skill I’ll have the book or webpage open beside me as I work through the learning processes.

Biggest mistake web designers make?

Lots! I’d pick not listening to clients, or not working with them closely enough to really understand their needs.

Our role is to listen, understand, and then advise on a best way forward (which might not be what the client thinks is the best way forward). Therefore our role is also to educate the client. Not always easy!!

What would you most like to learn?

Different languages – Italian and Spanish. I feel rather ignorant only being able to speak English.

Favourite building?

I like buildings that have scale and space.

The Sage in Gateshead
This Abandoned Palace On Beekman Street, New York
The Nou Camp in Barcelona

It's more about an emotional response than anything else. Walking out into the Nou Camp for the first time was just breathtaking. And I just love the scale of buildings when walking through the streets of New York, or Budapest, apparently rising up for miles.