Articles and Presentations

Why you need real options - Sometimes it pays to be decisive.  At least as often, it pays to keep your options open.  Econsultancy, April 2013

Perceptions of Agile Governance - Slides from my talk on agile governance at Unicom's "Agile in the Public Sector" conference in London on 8 Mar 2013.

Why you need to avoid governance vacuums - If you avoid discussing governance, vacuums and standoffs become entrenched.  Econsultancy, Mar 2013

Why do IT projects fail? - Slides from my project review simulation at itSMF in Glasgow, 5 Mar 2013.

Moving to the Cloud - Slides from my Oxfam case study, talk given to the BCS on 12 Feb 2013.

Pause, observe and take decisive action - The OODA loop works as well for social marketeers as it does for tennis players or pilots.  Marketing, Feb 2013

How we buy technology - Organisations like to pretend they're objective.  It's not that simple.  Econsultancy, Feb 2013

Projects fail when... - Slides from my talk to the APM on 31 Jan 2013.

Big Data: Teams not Technology - Big data may be tough on our technology stacks, but the real challenges lie elsewhere.  Econsultancy, Jan 2013

Internet of Things - My column for Marketing magazine explores what Internet of Things might mean for marketeers.  Marketing, Jan 2013

What makes a good project reviewer? - Reviews help project teams keep in touch with reality. But what are you looking for when you're looking for people to conduct reviews?  APM PMO SIG, Jan 2013

APM Masterclass -- Project Reviews, Assurance & the PMO - Notes from the masterclass I did for the APM PMO SIG in December are online.  APM PMO SIG, Dec 2012

Big data needs teams not technology - There's a lot of hype behind Big Data, but there's also something real there: whenever I explore data, I often find value. Getting to that value is mostly a team problem, not a technical one.  Web Managers Group, Dec 2012

Web Teams: Make it visible - When work is invisible, a spiral of death builds up. How can we break that cycle?  Econsultancy, Dec 2012

Is "best practice" really best? - Sometimes the best practice is simply to be flexible and adapt your response to the situation in hand.  Do standards get in the way of this?  Econsultancy, Nov 2012

Writing a business case - Tutorial on how to write a business case. Looks at this from the perspective of winning support from the people you'll need throughout the project, not just creating a document. Presented at JBoye Aarhus, Nov 2012

Kanban for Web Operations -- LSE's experience - Case study of kanban work I've been doing with the web operations team at London School of Economics. Presented at JBoye Aarhus, Nov 2012

Does the device matter? - Innovation is increasingly going to shift from the device to interaction between multiple devices. Econsultancy, Oct 2012

The fortress will not hold - Security doesn't come from building castles. It comes from people taking action to defend themselves. Econsultancy, Sep 2012

What's governance got to do with effective software development? - Governance doesn't have to end in bureaucracy. Maintain and refine your governance structures to reap the rewards of improved decision-making. StickyMinds, Aug 2012

Slow decisions - Good decision making isn't about appearing decisive. It's about managing the context so we achieve the outcomes we desire. Econsultancy, Aug 2012

Six challenges for big data - Big data is about more than Hadoop and a bunch of fancy technology. There are some very real organisational barriers too. Econsultancy, July 2012

What big data means to marketers - What is Big Data?  What do you need to do to address it?  Marketing, June 2012

How will organisations evolve in the face of mobile interaction patterns? - Small, frequent, fine-grained interactions erode organisational boundaries. How will organisations evolve as mobile interactions increase? Econsultancy, June 2012

What happens when you can't meet demand? - When a team can't meet customer demand, that demand starts to go underground. This can have unintended side effects.  Econsultancy, May 2012

Lessons from a coalmine - Contracts are important, but it's the actual, achieved service levels that really matter.  EvaluationCentre.com, Apr 2012

Big Data: It's not just about social media - Data is kind of like alligators. When you're surrounded by too much of it, it's easy to lose sight of your original purpose. Business Computing World, April 2012

Why online projects fail - Problems rarely kill projects. What kills them is failure to recognise and address problems.  Econsultancy, April 2012

Project Reviews, Assurance and the PMO - The secret to success is to learn from experience, and to identify incipient failures before they become catastrophic. The PMO can play a vital role in doing this.  APM blogs, Mar 2012

Dull and Cloudy? - Saving money is the least interesting aspect of the cloud.  EvaluationCentre.com, Mar 2012

Service and the seam of coal - Service level agreements get broken all the time. That's as true in the physical economy as it is in the digital one.  Econsultancy, Mar 2012

Get Real! - Sometimes the model fits reality. Sometimes it doesn't. Projects aren't the only way to organise work.  EvaluationCentre.com, Feb 2012

Does the Cloud have to be grey and dull? - If the Cloud is just about cost savings, then it's pretty dull.  It could be about so much more.  Econsultancy, Feb 2012

Long live the Integration Team - IT is less about technology and more about integration and teamwork.  But can IT departments make the transition?  EvaluationCentre.com, Jan 2012

Anarchy is governance too - Good governance requires trade-offs, e.g. between centralised and devolved control. In the right circumstances, anarchy can be a good model. Business Computing World, Jan 2012

What is governance anyway? - You need to decide and act quickly. That's what governance is about. Business Computing World, Jan 2012

Project or flow? - Projects don't come about through some law of nature. They're a mental construct. If the construct doesn't fit with reality, go with reality. Econsultancy, Jan 2012

Making good decisions about information - Most people see "information governance" as being about compliance and bureaucracy. But really it's about making good business decisions. Government Technology, Dec 2011

Where to start when you don't know where to start - My interview with Bill Fox is now live on the 5 Minutes to Process Improvement Success site, Dec 2011.

The death of IT? - IT departments can create a lot of value when they engage with the messiness, human and technical, of integrating systems. If they sit behind their firewalls chanting verses from the ITIL, they will die. Econsultancy, Dec 2011

Cloud allows Oxfam to focus on the front line - Discussion with The Cloud Circle about my work with Oxfam GB. This case study describes some the thinking behind their shift into the cloud.  (See also the comments in Cloud Circle's Industry Trends report.)  The Cloud Circle, Dec 2011

Too tired to decide - Another take on decision fatigue and how you might manage it.  EvaluationCentre.com, Dec 2011

How's your decision energy? - Making decisions requires mental energy. When your energy is low, decision fatigue sets in and some fairly predictable biases result. Econsultancy, Dec 2011

Moving to the Cloud: Oxfam's experience - Case study of my work with Oxfam GB, helping them to move their web systems into the Cloud. Fundraising, Nov 2011

If it Hurts - 'Ignore it and it'll go away' is a fantasy. Painful testing & integration are signs that something isn't working. It's worth addressing the pain points as soon as possible. EvaluationCentre.com, Nov 2011

Far from the Madding Crowd - Crowdsourcing works when you have the right problem and the right relationship with your audience. But you need to be prepared to invest time, thought and credibility to make it work. Business Computing World, Nov 2011

The illusion of strategy - The problem is, even in retrospect it's hard to recognise a good strategy. As often as not, we end up creating a myth. Econsultancy, Oct 2011

Slowly does it - Many projects feel like a full frontal assault. In our obsession with speed, we often fail to spend time looking for less showy but more effective options. EvaluationCentre.com, Oct 2011

More pain please - Pain is a sign that new information is available. If we want to improve, we need to accept and deal with that information. Econsultancy, Sep 2011

How solid is the cloud? - One of Amazon’s data centres goes down and it’s like the entire cloud has vanished in a puff of smoke. Let's look at some basic truths about system reliability. EvaluationCentre.com, Sep 2011

9 Steps to Good Governance - Some factors to be considered when setting up governance structures for your projects. EvaluationCentre.com, Aug 2011

Has open source software's day finally arrived? - Open source has many attractions for the public sector. But there are also several bottlenecks that are preventing adoption. Government Technology, August 2011

Governance: 9 steps to good decision making - Organisations that avoid discussing governance end up spending a lot of time on it. They define it afresh for each decision. Econsultancy, August 2011

How reliable is the cloud? - Datacentres go down. It doesn’t matter who runs them, nor how much redundancy you build into them, eventually something happens that takes them down. Econsultancy, July 2011

Cloud is a management model - Cloud isn't about technology. It's about management. If you're not thinking about how to manage resources, then you may be stuck in the grey fuzz. EvaluationCentre.com, July 2011

Governance: Central or Devolved? - Say the word "governance" and what springs to mind? For a lot of us, it's bureaucracy. It doesn't have to be that way. Econsultancy, July 2011

Overview of Oversight - Architectural oversight is tough: it's about balancing different perspectives. Should oversight be centralised or devolved? EvaluationCentre.com, June 2011

Where do the cost savings lie? - Is Free and Open Source Software the best way to reduce costs? I think you're better off looking to use it to mitigate some common risks. e.manager, May 2011

How to specify cloud infrastructure - When resources are scarce, you grab them and hold on to them. Managing the cloud requires a different approach. Econsultancy, May 2011

Locking up the Cloud - Security is about the entire system. That includes the people. When you look at what people actually do, the cloud might be more secure than most datacentres. EvaluationCentre.com, May 2011

Why should I care about governance? - Organisations that don't address governance end up spending a lot of time on it. They discuss it over and over again for each decision. Econsultancy, May 2011

How real is the Cloud? - The Cloud is indeed like the electricity grid. The electricity grid of the 19th century. Until standards stabilise, you need to be careful about what you commit to. Computing, April 2011

A fool with a tool - Tools rarely address the things that really kill our projects. As often as not, they get in the way and divert us from the real issues. EvaluationCentre.com, April 2011

Risk Avoidance Creates Risks - The mindset that you can identify, understand and mitigate every risk before you initiate a project is itself a pretty big risk factor. EvaluationCentre.com, March 2011

The Cloud - How safe is your data? - Security is the dark lining to the silvery cloud. Or is it? How safe is your data where it's currently stored? B2B Marketing, March 2011

How safe is your data? - More discussion on security in the cloud. bytestart, March 2011

Breaking down the barrier between IT and Marketing - "Professionalism" is great, but we need organisational practices not departmental ones. Computing, February 2011

Content: is the King dead? - More discussion on social media and its role in reducing the effects of "information obesity". Business Computing World, February 2011

Where do the cost savings lie? - Another article discussing the benefits of open source software. Business Computing World, February 2011

Free or False Economy - Choose open source to save licence costs and it may be a false economy.  Choose it to reduce risk and you'll probably save money. EvaluationCentre.com, February 2011

How social media democratised content - Social media has a key role in helping us deal with the effects of "information obesity".  U Talk Marketing, February 2011

The benefits of open source software for small business - The biggest benefit of open source may not be in reduced licence costs.  Instead, think of it as a risk mitigation strategy.  bytestart, February 2011

Good quality content in the age of social media - Social media hasn't reduced the importance of good quality content. But it has changed the way we find it.  bytestart, February 2011

Lies, Damned Lies and ROI - "Now it all comes down to personal preference, prejudice and shouting matches." Ever been on a project like that? What are ROI calculations really for? EvaluationCentre.com, January 2011

Free and Open Source Software: will it reduce costs? - Will open source software reduce my costs?  If so, where do the cost savings lie?  Computing, January 2011

9 Steps for Information Governance - The BCS has published a summary of my article on information governance.  BCS, December 2010

Why Projects Fail - Projects fall apart when they lose touch with reality. How can we prevent this? EvaluationCentre.com, December 2010

Information Governance - Computer Weekly has published my white paper on Information Governance, based on my chapter in the TIMAF book Information Management Best Practices. December 2010

JBoye 2010 Aarhus - The slides from my sessions at JBoye 2010 Aarhus are available from the conference site. JBoye 2010 Aarhus, November 2010

Open Source Document and Content Management - Here are the slides from my talk at the Plone Conference on 26 Oct. Plone Conference, Bristol, October 2010

The Real Question - Estimation or negotiation? What is really going on when you discuss dates and resources? EvaluationCentre.com, November 2010

Open Source Content Management in the Public Sector - Here are the slides from my talk to BCS Manchester on 7 Oct. BCS Manchester, Oct 2010

Too Small To SOA - Can you be too small to develop a Service Oriented Architecture? Maybe not, but you need to be clear about just what you mean by "SOA". EvaluationCentre.com, September 2010

Blame Game - When projects start to go wrong, people start to think about ownership and accountability.  If they did that sooner, fewer projects might go wrong. EvaluationCentre.com, August 2010

Oracle Enterprise 2.0 Event - Coverage of my discussion on security, culture and Enterprise 2.0.  Computer Business Review

Avoiding Pain - Projects are messy: we get things wrong more often than we get them right.  To succeed, we need to engage with the mess and learn from it.  EvaluationCentre.com, July 2010

Team Talk - To build a coherent architecture, focus on building effective teams.  EvaluationCentre.com, April 2010

Steps in the Dark - Every time we create a new service, we intervene in a complex socio-technical system.  To do this effectively, we need to consider unintended consequences.  EvaluationCentre.com, Mar 2010

Strategy is Myth - Much of the time when we discuss strategy, we're really telling ourselves stories.  Is that so bad? EvaluationCentre.com, Feb 2010

Economies of Service - Software development may be moving to a place where economies of flow matter more than economies of scale. EvaluationCentre.com, Dec 2009

One person at a time - How does change happen? One person at a time. If you lose sight of the individuals, you're unlikely to get the change you're looking for. EvaluationCentre.com, Nov 2009

Four steps for sharpening up data management - ZDNet picks up several pointers from me in a recent article on data and content management. ZDNet.co.uk, Nov 2009

Why web projects fail - Projects fail. In order to succeed, we need to understand the root causes for these failures. Talk given to JBoye Aarhus, Nov 2009

Information Governance: Making the right decisions - Organisations make poor decisions for many reasons. Clear governance can help address many of these reasons. Talk given to HartmanEVENT , Oct 2009

Where are all the Service Managers? - Some companies just build great products. What do we need to do to build great services? EvaluationCentre.com, Sep 2009

Integration in a time of Data Pollution - Why do integrators need to take more care when integrating data?. www.channelweb.co.uk, 17 Sep 2009.

Information Governance - Interview with Erik Hartman on why information management projects fail, and how better information governance can help resolve the issues (in Dutch). www.computable.nl, 10 Sep 2009.

Power Games - Why do we estimate? There are rationale reasons, but there's also a lot of other stuff going on. EvaluationCentre.com, Aug 2009

Silver Lining - Clouds are grey fuzzy things that rain on you. Where is the real potential in the Cloud? EvaluationCentre.com, June 2009

Earthquakes in the project portfolio - Why do patterns of project slippage look like earthquakes? What does this say about the psychology of project managers? Conspectus, May 2009

Data Pollution - As we integrate data, we don't just make it more valuable: we also make it more vulnerable. EvaluationCentre.com, May 2009

Costs of Indecision - Deferring decisions is good. For example, it lets you buy information before committing. But it also has costs, which you need to understand if you are to deal with resistance. EvaluationCentre.com, April 2009

Open Source for Business - How can you use open source software in your business? How can you build a business on open source software? Talk given to BCS, April 2009

Why can't IT projects be insured? - You can buy completion bonds for many projects, but not for IT projects. How might the availability of completion bonds change IT projects? Project Manager Today, March 2009

Cloud for Project Management - What do project managers need to watch out for when using Cloud-based tools for their projects? Debate in Project magazine, March 2009

The Ability to Execute - The best strategy may not be about vision and roadmaps. Sometimes you just need to focus on becoming better at execution. EvaluationCentre.com, March 2009

Earthquakes in the project portfolio - Why do patterns of project slippage look like earthquakes? What does this say about the psychology of project managers? EvaluationCentre.com, Feb 2009

Don't make IT simpler than it needs to be - Complexity is the enemy of flexibility. But trying to create fake simplicity doesn't help either. As Einstein said, "Make everything as simple as possible, but no simpler." Financial Times, 27 Jan 2009.

Good Governance - Governance is often framed in terms of compliance and controls. Framing it as a learning process could make it a lot more powerful. EvaluationCentre.com, January 2009

Trust Architecture - Customers often apply pressure to squeeze functionality into the next release because they don't trust the development process, not because they need it immediately. EvaluationCentre.com, December 2008

SOA Maturity Models - The problem with maturity models is that an organisation often needs to be pretty mature before they can use them effectively. EvaluationCentre.com, November 2008

Procuring a CMS - seven factors to consider when procuring a CMS, presented at JBoye08, November 2008

Good strategy through good governance - a discussion of models and tools for web governance, presented at JBoye08, November 2008

Core incompetencies - Many organisations try to avoid the things they're bad at. That may not be the best strategy. EvaluationCentre.com, October 2008

We have the power - Measures of power consumption in the datacentre conceal as much as they reveal. To truly be green, IT needs to think holistically. Financial Times, 29 Sep 2008.

Governance - good strategy through good decision making - What is governance? How does thinking about governance help us to define and deliver strategy more effectively? Presented at J.Boye Communities of Practice, 23 Sep 2008.

Can web projects be Insured? - What would it mean if we could give "completion bonds" on our web projects, assuring our customers that they'll be delivered on time and on budget? Presented at J.Boye seminar, 22 Sep 2008.

Enjoying the service - What can SOA learn from the iPhone? In most markets, you need more than functionality to succeed. EvaluationCentre.com, Aug 2008

PCG ISO 9001 - The PCG has produced a case study on my experience with ISO 9001 certification under their scheme. PCG, August 2008

Agile 2008. My workshop presentation and outputs are now available.

PCG ISO 9001 - Here are the slides from my talk on my experience with the PCG ISO 9001 scheme, presented to the BCS on 3 July. BCS Quality Specialist Group, July 2008

Gaps in governance - Governance is all the rage. But all the governance software in the world is useless if the wrong people are making the decisions. EvaluationCentre.com, July 2008

In praise of inflexibility - Agility seems like a great idea. But so does "steadfastness of purpose". Getting the right balance is what really counts. EvaluationCentre.com, June 2008

Wish upon a cloud - There are a number of reasons why cloud computing makes sense. There are also a number of traps to be managed. EvaluationCentre.com, May 2008

Why can't IT project be Insured? - Many small and medium-sized organisations are avoiding IT, or doing the bare minimum, because they fear the complexity and risk that IT projects bring. Are completion bonds the answer? Computer Weekly, May 2008

Not negotiable - You don't define requirements: you negotiate them. By paying attention to this negotiation, you may uncover solutions that provide benefits to all parties. EvaluationCentre.com, April 2008

Earthquakes in the project portfolio - My article on project reviews in the games industry has been republished by EE Publishers in South Africa. EE Publishers, March 2008

How green is your SOA? - The trend for environmentally sound IT doesn't just affect datacentres. To gain real benefits, we need to think about building the right applications too. EvaluationCentre.com, March 2008

Can IT Projects be Insured? - Could we give "completion bonds" on IT projects, to assure customers they'll be delivered on time and budget? What would we need to do to make the premiums reasonable? Presented at Agile Approaches for Delivering Business Value, Feb 2008

Known Unknowns - Competitive advantage often lies in complex and chaotic domains. Do traditional analysis methods serve us well here? EvaluationCentre.com, Jan 2008

Science Fact - Imagine a computer that reads your brain waves and adjusts its behaviour accordingly. It's in the research labs now. How does this change the way we integrate applications? EvaluationCentre.com, Dec 2007

One plus One - Web and CMS consolidation is in vogue. What questions should you ask before starting to consolidate? cmf2007, Nov 2007

Sleep Easily - Projects begin to fail when they lose touch with reality. This presentation discussed the role of project reviews and assurance in the delivery of web and enterprise content management projects. cmf2007, Nov 2007

Role of the Architect - It's people who integrate systems, and the architect is at the core of this activity. So why is the role of the architect so poorly defined? EvaluationCentre.com, Nov 2007

Fit or Fatigued? - How does "change fatigue" affect your attempts to become more agile? EvaluationCentre.com, Oct 2007

Change Fatigue - Many organisations complain of "change fatigue". Are they undergoing too much change, or do they need to do more to build their fitness? CM Pros Newsletter , Sep 2007

Screen Test - Some more thoughts about project and service guarantees. EvaluationCentre.com, Sep 2007

IT Project Insurance - Software development is often compared to film production. What could we learn from the movie industry about project guarantees? Business 550 , July 2007

Earthquakes in the project portfolio - Projects can only succeed when they deal with reality. This article looks at my experience of using project reviews to support the reflection and dialogue necessary to keep in touch with reality. British Computer Society, July 2007

A necessary evil? - Could the open source movement survive without Microsoft? Sometimes we need to live with paradoxes. EvaluationCentre.com, July 2007

e-Teaching -- teamwork and the new technology - What is the role of teaching in the brave new world of personalised learning and e-learning technologies? Teaching Times, July 2007

Assuring Agile Projects - Agile teams can deliver value very quickly. However, they are also very vulnerable to pressures on the "gatekeeper" roles (e.g. product owners and project managers). Independent review and assurance teams may help bridge gaps and promote agile adoption. Agile and Test Driven Development, July 2007

It doesn't pay to be too tidy - Web and CMS consolidation is in vogue. This article in the Financial Times identifies the questions you should ask before starting to consolidate. Financial Times Digital Business, 13 June 2007

Let me count the ways - What do sonnets and Service Oriented Architectures have in common? It's all to do with standards. EvaluationCentre.com, June 2007

Service, Process or Collaboration? - The combination of SOA and BPM could be a viable approach to delivering business flexibility. But is it be too late? EvaluationCentre.com, May 2007

Too many tools - How do you choose the right tool for the job? How do you make best use of the tools you've chosen? I like to keep it simple. EvaluationCentre.com, April 2007

Question CMS Consolidation - When your CIO starts to get excited about the cost savings that CMS consolidation will release, what questions should you be asking?. CMS Watch , March 2007

A two-way street? - What is a commodity? Just as people were starting to say “IT is infrastructure - why do you need a special department to run it, you don’t have a director of electricity?”, electricity started to find its way into boardroom conversation. What other services might go the same way? EvaluationCentre.com, March 2007

Tragedy of the Commons - Many companies are developing new web services, but users can’t find services to do what they want - and don’t fully trust the ones they can find. EvaluationCentre.com, Jan 2007

Keeping in touch with reality - Projects and programmes begin to fail when they lose touch with reality. Reviews can help them keep in touch, if you set up the reviews appropriately. A podcast on Controlling Chaos , Jan 2007

Test Drivers - Test driven development is catching on. Is it primarily a tool for developers, or can we also use it to communicate confidence to our customers? EvaluationCentre.com, Dec 2006

Creating a Managed Website, Part 2 - Final part of my series on web content management: selecting a CMS, installing it, setting up and promoting your site. Free Software Magazine, Dec 2006

Where have all the managers gone? - Offshore development can save you money, but over time the risks may begin to dominate the cost savings. Are you managing your skills pipeline? EvaluationCentre.com, Nov 2006

Portals, Processes and People - "Portal" means different things to different people. Worse, portal projects often assume technology will deliver benefits in itself. Focus on people and processes for real success. cmf2006, Nov 2006

The Paradox of Control - Controlling software development seems like a good idea. But if your control framework ignores the critical data in spreadsheets, then rigid controls may actually increase risk. EvaluationCentre.com, Oct 2006

Creating a Managed Website, Part 1 - Focus on the message, not the tools. Set up a content management system to manage your site. First part of a series on web content management. Free Software Magazine, Oct 2006

You can't buy Governance - Governance is sexy. The word was barely on our radars five years ago, yet now every vendor is selling it. But Governance is something you have to work at. EvaluationCentre.com, Sep 2006

Introduction to Content Management Systems - What is a content management system? How have they evolved? Who uses them? How is open source software changing the way we manage the web? Free Software Magazine, Aug 2006

Power to the People - The world is changing. People are driving adoption of technology in very different ways to those which caused the growth of the corporate datacentre. Can IT keep up? EvaluationCentre.com, July 2006

There's no success like failure - How pervasive is project failure? This article in the Financial Times explores the reality and discusses how you can make the most of your projects. Financial Times Digital Business, 11 July 2006

Keep in touch with Reality: Effective Project Assurance - Projects fail for one reason above all others: people lose touch with reality. This article discusses the role of project reviews in keeping in touch with reality, and gives some tips for setting up effective project reviews. APM Project magazine, July, 2006

National Savings & Investments Case Study - Enterprise Architecture Conference Europe 2006, 12-14 June, 2006

Aligning Projects, Processes and Infrastructure - Process 2006, 25-26 April, 2006

Work in Progress: Local authorities and eGovernment - Computing, 23 March, 2006

Open Source for SMEs - ICT Forum Wales, 21 November, 2005

Assurance of Open Source Projects - Drug Information Association, 9 November, 2005

Building a Culture of Integration - Conspectus, October, 2005

A Framework for Information Governance - Association for Imaging and Information Management, 26 October, 2005

What does a good Customer Relationship Management strategy look like? - CA Magazine, September, 2005

Selling Knowledge - European Pharmaceutical Executive, May/June, 2005

Why Do People Buy? - The Evaluation Centre, May, 2005

Enterprise Application and Data Integration Round Table - Conspectus, November, 2004

News...

"Can IT Projects be Insured?" - I will be presenting a workshop at Agile2008 in August.

Ready to battle the IT big boys - Graham Oakes Ltd has been selected as a finalist in the BCS IT Consultancy of the Year Awards. How can a small consultancy compete with the big players? Manchester Evening News, Nov 2007

IT Consultancy of the Year Awards . Graham Oakes Ltd has been selected as a finalist for the BCS IT Consultancy of the Year awards. Our entry was based on the work we've been doing for Oxfam (assisting procurement and implementation of e-commerce systems) and the Council of Europe (defining requirements and architecture for document management and e-learning systems). Winners will be announced on 6 Dec.

I will be speaking at the "Key Steps to Successful Programme and Project Management" conference in November. This conference aims to promote the essentials for achieving market leadership and performance excellence for the project and the organisation.

"Project Reviews, Assurance and Governance". I have signed a contract with Gower Publishing to write a book on project and programme reviews and assurance. Watch for more information.

2007 dates for my seminar on "Running Effective Project Reviews" have been announced by Unicom. The course gives a practical, hands-on view of some of the issues of running project reviews and assurance, and helps participants to think about ways to address these issues.

Oxfam appoints Graham Oakes to help strengthen its online presence - September 2006

Graham Oakes speaking at CMF2006 - 7-9 November, 2006

Graham Oakes speaking on project governance - 7 November, 2006

Graham Oakes runs workshop on Project Assurance - 6 November, 2006

Graham Oakes organises "Open Source and Agile Development" at BCS - 25 April, 2006

Graham Oakes speaking at Enterprise Architecture Conference Europe 2006 - 12-14 June, 2006

Graham Oakes speaking at Process 2006 - 25-26 April, 2006

Graham Oakes Ltd achieves ISO9001:2000 certification - November, 2005

Turning CRM into success - February, 2005