From time to time, I also help with more specialised, one-off tasks that don’t fit neatly into the main service categories.
These are usually practical, detail-focused pieces of work where care, organisation, and clear thinking matter more than speed or scale. They’re not services I actively promote, but they are things I’m happy to discuss when there’s a genuine need.
This kind of work can include:
Document imaging and data capture
Helping turn paper records into clear, usable digital files — for example:
- Scanning and organising documents
- Creating sensible folder structures
- Making information easier to search, store, and access
This is often useful where paperwork has built up over time and needs bringing under control.
Digital records and inventories
Creating clear, structured records where accuracy matters, such as:
- Household or insurance contents inventories
- Device and equipment records
- Simple digital logs that can be shared with insurers, family members, or advisers if needed
The aim is clarity and completeness, not over-engineering.
Assistance with family history and personal archives
Practical help with the digital side of personal research projects, including:
- Organising photos, documents, and scanned records
- Helping make sense of existing digital material
- Supporting careful, methodical work where patience is important
This isn’t about replacing specialist researchers — it’s about helping you work with the information you already have.
One-off or unusual technology tasks
Occasionally, people need help with something that doesn’t quite fit a standard description — but still benefits from calm, practical support.
If you’re unsure whether something falls within my scope, you’re welcome to ask.
Software and small coding tasks
I can also help with small, self-contained software tasks where understanding existing code, reasoning about behaviour, and making careful changes are more important than ongoing development work.
This can include:
- Reviewing and explaining how an existing piece of software works
- Identifying likely causes of bugs or unexpected behaviour
- Making limited, well-defined changes where appropriate
- Helping decide whether a system can be sensibly maintained, adapted, or should be replaced
I’m most comfortable working with C#–based projects and Visual Studio, and I also have experience supporting older Visual Basic–based systems where they’re still in use.
I don’t take on open-ended development work or long-term ownership of codebases, and I’ll always be clear about what I can — and can’t — reasonably support.
A note on expectations
These kinds of tasks are:
- Discussed in advance
- Scoped realistically
- Approached carefully, without rushing
If something isn’t a good fit, I’ll always say so — and where possible, suggest a more appropriate approach.
Getting in touch
If you’d like to talk through a specific situation, feel free to get in touch.
You don’t need to have it fully defined — explaining the situation in your own words is enough, and we can take it from there.