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I joined the IT industry in 1969 and, apart from a brief time with the Electrical Research Association, my experience has been gained in the commercial, local government and health sectors.
I spent my early years as a programmer and systems analyst, using various languages including ASSEMBLER, COBOL and FORTRAN generally in a multi-user environment.
In 1980 I became more involved in the wider issues of business analysis and the management of projects from the first ‘identifying the need’ through to the live use of the solution. It was also at this time I started using UNIX and DOS, whichever was the most appropriate to the business case we were resolving.
During the 1987, I joined Foundation Systems Limited (FSL), an independent computer company in Norwich. Here I took on the role of project manager for a major system for Norfolk County Council, designed and written to manage the assessment and payment of grants and fees for students attending university or college. I then led the department that ‘packaged’ the system and developed the product to become the current UK market leader. This involved me in sales presentations, training users, specification of modifications to the system (including DFEE directives) and the management of the installation process.
In 1995 I became freelance to bring more variety back into my work and better combine my technical and interpersonal skills. I still do some contract work with FSL where they have an excess workload or where my considerable knowledge of the original system can be useful.
My more recent work has involved systems design and development in Microsoft ACCESS, EXCEL and Informix 4GL & SQL. The Microsoft projects include a stand alone Marketing Database, Sub-Contractors Ledger and Electronic Referrals system as well as sub-systems integrated with packaged UNIX software in order to make the data more accessible to the user. The Informix work has involved, generating a 'data warehouse' that collects information from various sources and is then used to produce monthly management reports as well as writing various reports supplementing those available in the standard packaged software in use.
One on my major customers in the last 3 years has been a local health authority, who has been installing an upgrade and Y2K compliant version of a vertical market product. My role initially was to problem solve the aspects of the installation which were not covered by their hardware or software suppliers and to liase with them where necessary. This involved; writing reports not included in the standard software, files being automatically transferred between UNIX and DOS, downloading of data capture devices and assisting on the help desk for the new product. There is also a considerable quantity of bespoke software associated with the package, which has needed checking for millennium compliance and, where necessary modifying and testing.
Electronic mail address:- scr@netcom.co.uk
Office Address:- Norwich, Norfolk, UK
Office Telephone:- 07713 157351
April 4th 2000