11/07/2012

Career Stories: From Masters to Architect ….and beyond


Topic: Career Stories: From Masters to Architect ….and beyond

Abstract: Join us for some mid-career reflections from an MBA graduate, Linda Chandler. Linda will tell the story of her varied 20-year career path to her current role as an Enterprise Architect at Microsoft, what excites her and what skills she brings to the role, and also how she sees the next 20 years unfolding ahead of her.

Speaker: Linda is an experienced technology leader with a passion for strategy combined with a pragmatism that makes it a reality. With nearly 20 years in the technology sector, she has experienced many facets of the IT industry, having worked for systems integrators, large independent software vendors, start-ups and customer organisations. She also recently completed a 3-year term as a co-optee for the charity Mind.

13/06/2012

RIM: Applications and Impact by Wireless Technologies


Topic: Research in Motion (RIM): Applications and impact by wireless technologies

Synopsis: Research in Motion (RIM) is a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionised the mobile industry with the introduction of the blackberry solution in 1999. The blackberry family offers the forefront technologies for mobile access to emails, applications and virtual real time communication so you can stay in touch with people wherever you are and whenever you need. BlackBerry solutions have brought success to various industries such as healthcare and life sciences, professional services and legal, distribution and transportation, education, finance and insurance, government and public sectors, manufacturing and technology, public safety, real estate and construction, retail and wholesale and more worldwide. Dr Hart is going to give the insights of RIM innovation and how it impacts the business performances such as improving return of investment, enhance productivity, achieve business goals of an organisation via wireless deployment.

About the speaker: Dr Veronica Hart is the Director of EMEA IT Operations in RIM UK. As a direction, she is responsible for delivering corporate IT services to all RIM employees and locations across Europe, Middle East and Africa.  Working closely with the business units and a diverse internal customer base that spans from corporate functions to R&D and Customer Service Operations, Veronica oversees deployment and support of IT equipment and corporate systems/applications in region to enable efficient functions of RIM business.  Prior to joining RIM in 2008, Veronica worked at AT&T for 10 years where she held a number of technical leadership positions in IT outsourcing, managed services in server administration, network security, hosting and data centre management.  Veronica holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Fudan University, Shanghai, China and a PhD in BioElectrochemistry from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom.

14/05/2012

Embracing the Customisation of IT - Microsoft Jump Start

The culture of work is changing. People want the freedom to work anywhere—at home, in the office, on the road—and they want instant access to everything they would typically have at their office desk. They want to bring their own PCs, slates, and smartphones to work. Not to mention, everyone's more connected than ever with use of social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) at work and for work as well as work-related collaboration using cloud applications like web mail, cloud storage, and web apps. It’s time to give people the freedom to get things done their way. In return, you’ll unleash passion and productivity like never before.

Day 1: Device Management
    Module 1: Keynote: Enabling the Consumerization of IT
    Module 2: End-to-End Security & Access
    Module 3: User-Centric Application Delivery
    Module 4: Mobile Device Management

Day 2: Data Access
    Module 5: Productive with Office 365
    Module 6: Information Protection
    Module 7: Cloud Security and Management
    Module 8: Desktop Virtualization

David Tesar | Technical Evangelist | Microsoft
Andy O’Donald | Product Manager, Exchange | Microsoft
Adam Carter | Product Marketing Manager | Microsoft
Josh Heller | Senior Product Manager | Microsoft

13/04/2012

Services, Servitisation and Service Science

Speaker: Mr Steve Street of IBM
Topic: Services, Servitisation and Service Science
Abstract: The seminar exams the key drivers behind the interest in 'Service Science' or 'Service Science Management and Engineering' (SSME) shown by corporations such as IBM, discussing how they are rooted in fundamental Global Shifts in Economic activity that have directly affected both nations and corporations and how, combined with the emergence of new technology opportunities and new problems rooted in  'complex service systems', these shifts are driving the need for 'new people' and skills and a new 'Science of Services'. The seminar will discuss where we are in the evolution of this 'new Science' and present a number of practical examples of activities that have taken place to address 'complex service system' problems, together with several examples of recent 'Service Science' research that begin to pose the question of how 'adoption' of research back into practice will take place, as well as discussing potential current and future directions for 'Service Science'.

25/01/2012

Business Analysis within the Business Change Lifecycle

Speaker: Debra Paul
Topic: Business Analysis within the Business Change Lifecycle
Abstract: The drivers for business analysis are sometimes forgotten given the passage of time. However, it is always worthwhile revisiting these drivers as this helps inform how we conduct business analysis today. Further, while business analysis can offer significant benefits to business change projects, in practice this is often not the case. Debbie Paul will discuss the rationale and aims of business analysis, how it fits in the business change lifecycle and why the potential benefits may not be achieved. Particular focus will be given to the mechanistic application of methods/techniques and the incidence of 'new approach evangelism'.

24/01/2012

Emergency Information Systems and Risk Management

Speaker: Dr Lili Yang
Topic: Emergency Information Systems and Risk Management
Abstract: The ability and efficiency of responding to crises and unexpected events have become increasingly important throughout the world. The September 11th attacks on the World Trade Centre and London bombings are etched in memory in which humans were ill-equipped to respond. The slow and inadequate responses have led to many people death and the loss of property. Procuring the right information at the right time, in the right format, and to get it to the right people is a challenge in any emergency management and response system design. Poor designs can lead to response systems that are not used, ineffective, and in some cases dangerous to the emergency personnel. The faster the emergency responders are able to gather, analyse, and act on key information, the more effective their response will be, the better the needs will be met, and the greater the benefit to all affected people. This talk will summarize the research works on emergency information systems and risk management completed or being carried out by Dr Yang’s research team.

18/01/2012

Service Innovation: Research Challenges in Information Systems

Speaker: Professor Linda A Macaulay
Topic: Service Innovation: Research Challenges in Information Systems
Abstract: Economies have become dominated by service sectors. Services depend critically on people working together and with technology to provide value for others, consequently new skills are required for integrating business, people and technology. Such innovative skills will be required across the economy, since services are not just the concern of service sectors. This seminar introduces Service Innovation through the use of two examples, the first illustrates the need for innovation in response to customer dissatisfaction with an existing service, and the second illustrates service innovation driven by the adoption of a new technology. The seminar concludes by discussing the role of Information Systems research in Service Innovation and suggests a number of research challenges.