Tom Oliver
I design and build apps, games and websites. This brain is from Relay, one of my apps. Every region opens a project.
Point at a region to light it. Click to open it.
The Good Kids
Website · Surf-punk band
Booking agent Website design & build
Surf-punk sing-alongs from Sydney’s Northern Beaches. I book the band’s shows, and I designed and built their new website, soon to be their official home online.
See the full website
A collection of things
I wanted to exist.
Some began with a problem of my own.
Others began with someone I care about.
Ascend
Training · Nutrition · Progress
Build a stronger everyday.
- I started building Ascend for a mate. I wanted to give him one place for his training, food and progress.
- Follow a training plan, log weights and reps, and pick up an unfinished workout.
- Bring food logging, body trends and weekly check-ins into one clear daily routine.
HEED
Tasks · Focus · Follow-through
For the things I meant to do.
- My memory is like a goldfish sometimes. I get distracted and forget things I genuinely meant to do. I wanted somewhere that would keep them in front of me.
- Sort tasks into Soon, Pressing and Critical, with urgency that grows when something sits untouched.
- Turn a brain dump into tasks, break work into steps, and use Focus or Sweep to keep moving.
- A new calendar that plans ahead: a Next 14 days strip, “Get ready” reminders a week before events, and a Coming up widget for the Home and Lock Screens.
INTELLIGENCE
Learning · Articulation · Recall
Think clearly. Keep what you learn.
- I wanted to get better at articulating myself: explaining what I mean clearly and sounding more professional, without using big words for the sake of it.
- Practise vocabulary, reasoning and explanations in short, focused learning sessions.
- Revisit what you learn through recall exercises, a retention orbit and an evolving visual record of your activity.
Relay
Reflection · Check-ins · Support
A little space to come back to.
- I’m sober myself. A mate asked me to make a sobriety app because he was struggling. He was half joking, but I could tell he meant it. So I started building it for him.
- Keep a private journal and optional check-ins for mood, sleep and cravings, stored on your device.
- Look back through your days, return to useful reading and keep support contacts close.
Atlas Circuit
Runner · Exploration · Game design
A familiar city. A different rush.
- Subway Surfers used to be my favourite game. I wanted to make my own kind of runner, starting with the places I know around Sydney.
- Run, jump and slide through city routes, from Sydney’s harbour and coastline to Tokyo’s rooftops and neon streets.
- Explore scenic detours, collect discoveries and capture favourite views as you move through the world.
Found & Made
Materials · Projects · Craft
From a good find to a finished piece.
- I made this for my brother: one place to keep track of the materials he finds and the furniture he makes.
- Keep a photographed material inventory, record each piece’s history and plan what to make with it.
- Follow builds at the Bench, find sourcing leads with Radar, and keep practical workshop guidance in the Almanac.
Personal ideas.
Considered execution.
I’m Tom, 27, a designer and developer in Sydney. I’ve always been creative: I’ve published a poetry book, Still Fire, which is on Amazon now, and I’ve released my own songs on Spotify.
For the past year I’ve been designing and building websites, for local businesses and for bands like The Good Kids. In my spare time I make apps: the things I wish I had, and the things people close to me need.
I enjoy the whole process: finding the useful idea, designing how it feels, and building the details that make it work.
If you have an idea for an app or a website, I’d love to hear what you’re thinking.
Start a conversation