My name is Patrick McNeil and I pursue many passions revolving around web design and development. As much as I love absorbing design I can just as easily get wrapped up in code. This is perhaps the most appealing aspect of the web; how it so completely merges design, coding and technology.
I love design and have a formal education in studio art and art history. My primary outlets for this passion are my blog Design Meltdown, my books, and my monthly column for .net magazine. I have also worked with numerous agencies as liaison between the design and development world. It’s a role I really enjoy. I am also lucky enough to get invited to speak from time to time on the topic of design (usually design trend oriented), for example I am speaking at the HOW Conference in June.
I also love coding; in particular I have a love for CSS and front end code, but have also done my share of back end work (mostly in asp.net). In particular I have come to love establishing the framework and structure for a site, ensuring the resulting code is true to the designers intentions.
I started my tech career as a network guy; configuring routers, servers and such. As a result I have have touched pretty much every aspect that goes into a web site, from soup to nuts you might say.
I like to think that my diverse interests and keen love for pragmatic approaches to getting things done gives me a clear view of the industry. This combined with obsessive cataloging I have established an extensive exposure to trends and patterns online.
You can read more about me on my personal site PMcNeil.com or check out my main blog DesignMeltdown.com.
