Over many years, I have worked on a variety of free lance contracts monstly concerned with Sage/Tetra Chameleon/CS3 Accounts but also investigating feasibility and providing specifications for postcode anaylsis and HSE issues!   Subsequently I have worked on three legal cases, two of which involved retail sales.   I have also worked on telephone bill accounting for a major company and am aware of the complexities both technically and strategically, including Data Protection Act and copyright in programs and data.

My particular skills in Forensic work or ITT/Supplier Selection are rarely mentioned in advertisements but are particularly useful for some short term requirements.   I have attended a conversion course for Woolf rules (including the new SJE role).   One case involved identifying the similarities/differences in a large amount of data and programs.

Accounts Experience & Implementation Project Management
I have implemented many accounting packages (often linked to special applications), usually in a project leader role with prime responsibility in many types of business both small and large..

Contractual Negotiation, Licencing & Configuration Management
For many clients, I negotiated contractual terms following replies to my ITT and, in some cases, evaluated alternative solutions involving the utilisation of existing or legacy systems.   I am aware of licencing, copyright and other implications.  I have prepared legal reports for some clients, including copyright.  I review vendors' capacity planning.

Many clients have systems delivered in a standard working configuration as they are too small to justify sophisticated controls.  However at my last three Unix sites, I have had to take an increasing role in such matters, partly because of the size & complexity of connecting networks but also to increase the performance of Unix and other software.   I have also liased with the people responsible for the DOS & Windows networks tuning.

Avoiding Millennium Mayhem (Year 2000 Issues)
The dti asked Business Links to raise awareness of this issue. I attended several national events, organised local seminars & spoken to numerous groups on the subject. I am aware of the issues of embedded systems and the need for extremely careful project management through the planning, inventory, triage, remedy & testing stages. I produced 7 issues of a technical newsletter which received national recognition.   I was a facilitator for Action 2000's occasional "Last Chance" workshops.

General Management
Currently at Staffordshire University, I have direct line responsibility for 4 members of staff and dotted line responsibility for the actions of 2 academic supervisors and over 50 visit tutors. 

Professional Development
I am very active in several British Computer Society groups, including acting as an assessor at interviews for professional membership grading where we ensure that candidates meet the various criteria laid down in the Industry Standard Model.   I regularly attend meetings on Project Management, Electronic Publishing and Legal matters.   I am Treasurer of both Internet and the recently founded Bridging specialist groups.   I have been a member of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators since undertaking Expert Witness training in 1988 and continue to update those skills.

Personal Qualities
You should be aware that I am a "doer" as well as a leader.   If I cannot get the right people to do the job, then I will roll up my sleeves and do it myself, whether setting up parameters, reports or just keying a list of names & addresses or balances at midnight etc. I take precautions to ensure that I am doing the right actions and rigorously document them.   I try to plan for all eventualities but am not afraid to take pragmatic decisions instantly when needed. My time at ICI also proved my qualities both as leader and as team member.   I had to motivate some 20 staff for whom I had no direct line responsibility and who had several different objectives!

Presentation & Communication Skills
I write reports, user guides, minutes, newsletters etc in a style appropriate to the particular audience. All generally avoiding jargon that would be unintelligible to the particular reader. As a trainer, I am experienced both in speaking to audiences of 200+ and conducting small discussion groups. I can relate well to all levels from Director, through technician to junior clerk.

I have considerable experience of chairing meetings, ranging from project working groups at ICI to my voluntary activities as Rotary District Vocational Chairman and Training Board Chairman of The Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers. I held this position for 17 years, being re-elected annually by 20 people with whom I worked directly and have built from less than 100 to more than 470 instructors world-wide. I have initiated and encouraged others to initiate many special projects.

Litigation Work: I have been involved in 30 cases, ranging from simple or preliminary investigations, preparing reports for Counsel, to giving evidence in court and am now on several official registers
Relevant referees have been provided to both British Computer and Law Societies' Registers but can be contacted directly with moderation if necessary.    This has involved copyright, professional practices, paedophilia as well as commercial contract disputes.

Chronological Summary of Projects - can be found
at http://www.a-b.co.uk/pps/colincv.htm

I would stress that one of my qualities is flexibility and the ability to get up to speed rapidly. I am willing to retrain but I am told that at Analyst level the conversion from Informix to Oracle or other relational databases is comparatively simple and that a client might find that my general strengths and breadth of knowledge far outweigh my lack of specific experience.