James Hall: From Graduate to Technical Team Lead
When James Hall joined Evoluted back in June 2016, he was fresh out of university, had just moved in with his partner and was looking to start his career without leaving Sheffield.
“I’d studied computer science at Sheffield University and I really wanted to stay in the city,” he says. “There were lots of development jobs around, but I liked the idea of agency work. The variety really appealed to me.”
Nearly a decade on, James is now a Technical Team Lead, managing a team of engineers, shaping technical delivery and still spending time doing what first drew him to the industry. Writing code and solving problems.
From Graduate to Team Lead
James joined Evoluted as a Graduate Engineer and progressed through Engineer and Senior Engineer before becoming Technical Team Lead. While the title has changed, much of the day to day still feels familiar.
“In many ways, the role hasn’t changed at all,” he says. “I still work on development, learn new technologies, share experience with the team and try to create a genuinely nice place to work.”
What has changed is his responsibility. Today, James focuses on ensuring his team has what it needs to work effectively and that projects stay technically on track.
“Some people might say I’ve just got louder and bolder,” he adds. “But I think that comes from confidence. I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t across a lot of very different projects.”
Growing With the Company
When James joined, Evoluted had around 15 people and worked primarily with clients in Sheffield. Since then, the agency has grown significantly, both in size and reach, now delivering projects nationally.
Support systems have also matured, especially as remote working has become the norm. What was once informal is now underpinned by processes that help people collaborate in ways that suit them.
Projects That Leave a Mark
James enjoys working with clients who understand their industries deeply. These relationships allow for productive conversations and meaningful outcomes. He is particularly drawn to projects that appear simple on the surface but involve complex services underneath.
One of his proudest achievements was contributing to Evoluted’s e-commerce platform for its older CMS. Built over several years, it taught him how to manage scale, optimise performance and collaborate across teams. Although the platform is no longer in use, the experience continues to inform how he evaluates solutions today.
He also helped introduce merge requests and define the Git flow used across most Evoluted projects. These processes improved code quality, reduced bugs and gave everyone a clear view of progress. While standard now, they were far less common when he joined.
Learning Through Challenge
One of James’s most challenging projects combined an e-commerce platform with a warehouse management system. The complexity of user journeys and the business-critical nature of the systems demanded careful planning and phased delivery.
“Breaking something that complex down into achievable phases is something I still use every day, on projects of every size,” he says.
An Industry in Motion
The biggest shift James has seen in the industry is the move to remote working. It has changed how teams plan, document and communicate, but it has also created opportunities for more focused and efficient collaboration.
Cloud services and the growth of frameworks have also transformed delivery.
“We can share progress seamlessly now,” he says. “There’s almost always a solid foundation to build from, which means we can get value in front of clients much quicker.”
Motivation and What Comes Next
James has always been motivated by problem solving. Over time, that motivation has expanded beyond his own work.
“I still love solving technical problems,” he says. “But now I get just as much satisfaction from helping others solve theirs.”
Looking ahead, he believes AI will reshape how Evoluted supports clients. While it can tackle general problems, the agency’s value lies in solving niche, business-specific challenges where experience and judgement are crucial. James is personally excited to explore how AI can uncover patterns in bespoke data systems and improve decision making.
If James could give one piece of advice to his younger self, it would be simple:
“Get involved,” he says. “Don’t wait to be invited. Ask questions, help people out and put yourself forward. You’ll learn so much faster.”
A Steady Influence
James has grown alongside Evoluted, shaped by the people he has worked with and the challenges he has faced. Today, he plays a key role in supporting both the technology and the team behind it.
As Evoluted continues to evolve, James’s focus remains clear: deliver thoughtful solutions, support the people around him, and keep learning. Although he may have joined as a graduate, over the years James Hall has become one of Evoluted’s pillars, shaping both the team and the technology we deliver.
