To present: Chair of Real Time Study Group design study for delivery
of improved Public Service Management: regulation, development and alerting with
a distributed Data Warehouse, supporting Data Marts and Data Mine. Consultation
with Public Authorities in Central and Local Government and Health Authorities.
From HM Treasury data estimated possible minimum of 52% waste in U.K. Public
Expenditure because of non-compliance with best practice. Elected to Council of
the Cybernetics Society (CS). First presented to CS Annual Conference, "Axioms
from Interactions of Actors Theory" is now in a longer draft.
2000-2002: Expression of Interest for Treasury ISB funding of Public
Service Alerting, Modelling and Real-Time Audit (AMART) pilot project approved
DETR July 2000 and by DTLR July 2001. Detailed implementation plan produced for
HM Treasury. Seminar to Senior Adviser HMT Public Expenditure General Policy
Team and Cabinet Office. Consulting in IT Various clients including City and
Guilds, Incepto ltd and BeeBeep.com, Indigo Media Design ltd. Founded Web Design
Partners for trainee web designers and Cybernetics Associates.
1996-1999: Research at University of Wales Department of Computer
Science with Professor Antonia Jones setting up a new Evolutionary and Neural
Computing Group. Contributed to development of the Gamma Test of time series
determinism and error in smooth models. Proof now published by Royal Society
(Proc. Roy. Soc. A 2759-2799, 2002). Constructed experimental neural net models
of e.g. earthquakes, diabetes, cocoa futures, gold prices, solar system,
anaesthesia threshold and supported work on river flooding, intensive care.
Developed automatic modelling algorithm. Programming mostly C and VB. Produced
simulation software for pilot training and prediction of fuel consumption for
Richard Branson’s Global Challenger non-stop round-the-world balloon record
attempt, featured on News at Ten.
Chaired and founded (1997) Real Time Study Group a team of world class
academic and industry experts in database and information systems technology,
statistical modelling and management to promote improved use of statistics in
government for better management.
1993-1996: Partner Pask Associates Management Consultancy. Principle
client Hydro Aluminium for major innovation and re-orientation programme, Club
of Rome, Architecture Association. Preliminary work on programme for London
Underground Transport. The late Gordon Pask was the world's leading
cybernetician ("Mister Cybernetics- the cybernetician's cybernetician" Heinz von
Foerster, more correctly Professor Dr Dr Dr Pask), Wiener Medal holder and
multiple honours, awards and many books and papers. Assisted with his Research
in Cybernetics: axiomatic Interactions of Actors. Models for concurrent
computation. Syntegrity Workshops for developing better management practice.
Proposed electroanalytic instrument for general purpose quantitative chemical
analysis. Initial study supported by Greenpeace International at Imperial
College Department of Electronics.
1982-1993: Designer, consultant of Compunet and ultimately Managing
Director and Chairman of Compunet Teleservices Ltd. Designed secure modem for
Commodore 64. Compunet was a major project through which I became a Chartered
Software Engineer. It was a precursor to the World Wide Web featuring searchable
database of text, graphics, sounds and software, e-mail and chat. World Firsts
included secure file transfer, multi-user games, applets, real-time quality
control, and on-line user debit and credit accounts. Many of the accounting and
quality control features are still unavailable on the World Wide Web. Real-time
management reporting of database and sales activity was routine. Compunet's ease
of use enabled a self-organising character made formal with user voting on file
quality to guide uploaded user file deletion. This was derived from the great
("You've done it", Norbert Wiener) Stafford Beer's Viable System Model (the
foundation for Management Cybernetics) and supported C64, Amiga, Atari ST and
PC. Tim Berners-Lee please note.
Produced video "Using Compunet" with Marina Baker and Director Kara Taub.
Technical support on "Microcomputers in Industry and Education" with Oscar
winning Designer Anton Furst, Bond movies and Tomorrows World.
Consulted with President of University of Hollywood, a university for
professors, on curriculum for a "University of Transports" with Gordon Pask.
Awarded only PhD given and after period as Cybernetician-in-Waiting made
Governor for Europe (with two heralds at official events!)
1978-1981: Software Manager Commodore Business Machines (UK) Ltd.
First publisher of mass-market "shrink-wrapped" software: Games, Teaching
Software, Word Processing, Spreadsheet, Database, Payroll and Accounts products.
As Special Projects Manager Organised Conferences, Exhibitions, Publications and
product launches and promotions. 1982 Prototyped Compunet demonstrating
self-organising features. "PETNET" with David Parkinson and Mike Bolley of
Ariadne Software Ltd. Published "PETNET: A Data Transmission System" Commodore
in Education Conference "Microcomputers in Education" Ellis Horwood 1982.
1975-1978: Programmer at System Research Ltd for Prof. Gordon Pask
contract for US Army (ARI Europe) "Decision Making under Information Overload".
Assisted in research in cognition and concept modelling, administering and
analysing subject/participant tests for "Innovation in Design" for USAAF (ARI
Europe), SERC Research into "Human Learning and Cognition in Schools and
Colleges" and "Spy Ring" test of learning styles.
1966-1974: Brunel University Department of Cybernetics, Essex
University, Liverpool Cable TV Project and Community Development, Teaching
Liverpool Further Education Institute. Post Graduate Research in Analytical
Chemistry applied to Chemical Oceanography at Liverpool University. Papers on
analysis of sulphate and carbonate, quartz and opal estimation with Infra Red
spectroscopy in sedimentary rocks and lead, mercury, zinc, copper, nickel and
iron in seawater using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. Published J Geol Chem and
J Chem Geol. 1967 with Dr. Roy Chester
Captain Sailing Club University of Liverpool, Blue and Half-blue. Played Tom
in Living Theatre emulation of Jack Gelber's "The Apple". Captain Liverpool
Collegiate School A levels in Maths, Physics and Chemistry. Editor School
Magazine, played Shakespeare's Henry IV. Nine O Levels including French and
German. Healtherlea and Rosewood Preparatory Schools.
Education
BSc (Hons) Liverpool University 1965
FCybS Fellow Cybernetics Society 1980
MBCS Member of British Computer Society 1986
CEng Chartered Software Engineer 1990
