In this page you get an idea of the types of industries that John had been involved in. This is split into three columns: the centre gives one or two examples of projects worked on with a client whose business sector is titled in the left-hand. The right-hand gives one or two examples of projects prior to T750. 
 

Manufacturing

T750 had been engaged in a number of projects in the Manufacturing sector, typically engaging with SME businesses of bespoke and small batch production, rather than mass production typical of larger organisations. 

Projects have mainly been of two varieties - business planning and funding, or manufacturing systems. A long term assignment with Glenhead Engineering had involved both of these.

In earlier days, the involvement in manufacturing was at a factory-based computer systems level, involving an understanding of the processes and mapping these to an optimised systems development, such as when John was employed by Ciba-Geigy and Levi Strauss - see Career Summary. Also within employment with Cognos, John was involved with various short consultancy projects involving manufacturing systems.

Technology

Within the Technology sector, T750 had been engaged in a number of projects, particularly relating to computer software and manufacturing businesses. This varies from funding/planning projects for innovation and expansion with API Software to system specification projects for Alienation Digital.

Since University days, John has been involved in the technology of computer software systems, initially learning Alogol 68 on the University's English Electric KDF9 mainframe. Since then there has always been an involvement with computer systems and interfaces throughout, such as bar-coded job tracking and automated pattern cutting in Levi Strauss or computer telephony Integration (CTI) with Initiative, which involved interfacing with telephony switches from companies such as (then) Lucent Technologies and Mitel.

Financial Services

For projects within the Financial Services sector these involved projects related to funding expansion for businesses supplying financial services facilitated through contact centres, such as RestEazy.

Previous to T750, involvement was mainly with contact centres servicing this sector. With Compertum customers it was funding projects, but with Initiative customers it was setting up scripting and CTI interfacing with customer databases.
A separate instance was the ongoing management of a fulfilment service provided by Newstel (when owned by Compertum) for Lloyds TSB. 

Construction

The one project in this sector that T750 had been the engagement by Ballyconnelly Construction to build a business plan and funding package for the factory build of Affordable Energy-efficient Eco-Housing modules - the Enkelt Project.

A long time ago, the involvement in Construction was temporary unskilled jobs whilst a student, such as labouring on construction sites and road surfacing jobs.

Energy

Although there had been no direct project with an energy sector company, there was a good indirect knowledge with Enkelt and Glenhead Engineering. The former relating to energy efficiency and the latter with the provision of engineered products to companies in the Oil & Gas industry. Indeed with Glenhead, this included assistance on being included in the team on their Offshore Europe 2013 stand in Aberdeen.

Particularly within Cognos, John had clients in the Oil & Gas industries in Aberdeen and surrounds, including Shell and BP, plus smaller supply chain businesses in the area.

Public 

T750 had been engaged in projects in the Public sector.

From 2013 to 2015, John was a part-time Growth Adviser for Business Gateway, West Dunbartonshire, advising growing SME on business and funding strategies.
With the SQA, the project was to investigate the (then) perceived low uptake of Contact Centre industry related Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs), compared with the number of people employed in the sector in Scotland.
Whilst, Fife Council's Fife Rights Forum was the design and specification of on-line web database systems.

Prior to T750, there have been a number of projects involving the Public Sector. The two most notable were with Cognos and Initiative Software. The first was when the Community Charge was introduced in the UK in the late 1980's and Cognos won the contract to lead the project to develop the system for (the then) Dumfries & Galloway Regional Council. John lead the Cognos team and architected the system. There were two further engagements with John whilst employed by Task Systems and in the early days of Initiative to upgrade the system design to reflect changes in legislation.
Initiative was founded in 1990 to develop a productised CRM system tailored to the needs of UK local economic development organisations. In under ten years it had become the dominant supplier to Business Links and (the then) Training and Enterprise Councils in England and Wales.

Art & Design

T750 has been engaged in two projects in the Arts sector, Dufi Art and JCCJ. The Dufi project was for system requirements gathering, selection and implementing of a cloud-based financial system. With JCCJ it involved assistance with the start-up prior to T750, and continued with the on-going minor admin of the remaining UK side of the business until closure.   

The only involvement before T750 with the Art and Design business world was the setting up of JCCJ, a jewellery design & make business, and the administration thereof.