A custom design that needs to be built
I turn it into a responsive, accessible website or interface, then test it with real content before launch.
About Chris
Developer. Designer. Problem-solver. Possibilitarian.
I stay close to the work from the first questions through production.
A journalist’s brain, a designer’s eye, a builder’s heart
Hi, I’m Chris Spurlock. I spent my early career in journalism, where a lecture on interactive storytelling lit a fire that never really burned out. There was no formal training track, so I built one: learning D3, jQuery, and CSS on nights and weekends.
More than a decade later, my work often starts in stakeholder conversations and ends in production code. I use workflows and prototypes to test the experience before building the front end. Feedback and analytics tell us what needs another pass.
I explain technical decisions in plain language and write down the reasoning so others can follow it. When the work proves an assumption wrong, I say so and change course. I also help other engineers take ownership of difficult pieces.
I work full-time as a senior UX/UI engineer and take on only a few independent website, front-end, and consulting projects at a time, so I have time to do the work myself.
Where I’m most useful
When design and engineering need to work together
A website with more than marketing pages
I build sites that need structured content, member accounts, interactive maps, dashboards, third-party integrations, or other data-heavy interfaces.
A front end that has become inconsistent or hard to change
Before changing code, I find the patterns causing the most friction. That tells me whether the team needs clearer documentation or a shared component.
A project that crosses design, engineering, and product
I help the team define the problem and make the technical tradeoffs clear. That gives everyone enough context to decide what comes next.
In their words
What collaborators say about working with me
Chris brings a rare combination of technical expertise and creative insight to every phase of a project, from discovery and UX/UI design through development and launch. His development work is consistently polished, thoughtful, and nearly flawless.
Erin Muzughi
Digital Project Lead & Web Strategist
He grasps the ‘why’ behind each project, ensuring his solutions are both elegant and effective in achieving client goals. His attention to detail and creative problem-solving don’t just result in beautiful, functional websites, they elevate the work of everyone around him.
Alex Linek
Senior Web Developer
Chris is a coveted member of any team and a genuinely delightful human to be around. His technical know-how is top-tier, and I’d bring him any challenge—technical or organizational—knowing he’d offer not just a thoughtful solution, but a fresh perspective.
Bob Schuster
Agency Owner & Creative Director
He’s skilled at turning requirements into clear deliverables and leading his team through execution with confidence. His ability to communicate clearly—especially when things shift mid-project—is a major asset to any digital initiative.
Jason Yingling
Director of Development, HLK
Direct, practical collaboration
I work closely with clients and alongside teams at agencies or larger organizations. Sometimes I lead from early planning through launch. Other times I set the front-end direction or take on a problem that involves product decisions as well as design and engineering. When priorities or scope shift mid-project, I keep the tradeoffs clear so the team can adjust without losing momentum.
Make the problem concrete. Turn broad concerns into a decision the team can test.
Set and document direction. Write down the decision and why the team made it so others can act on it and revise it later.
Stay close to the work. Review what gets built and give other engineers enough context to own difficult pieces.
What I build with
See the tools I useI work mainly between design and front-end development. That has meant custom WordPress systems, React and Vue interfaces, design systems, API integrations, and plenty of accessibility and performance work. I choose tools based on the project and build the parts a standard theme or plug-in cannot handle.
Outside of work, I’m usually with my wife and kids or out on a long run.
Tell me what you’re working on