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Simon Grant

E-mail:	asimongrant.org
Web site:	http://www.simongrant.org/home.html
Mobile phone:	+44 (0) 7710031657
Birth:	1956 Cumberland, England
Location:	High Peak, south-east of Manchester

Current career profile

E-portfolio and other information systems and strategy consultant; visionary; specialist in interoperability for e-portfolio and Personal Development Planning information systems; expert in human interfaces and usability; Chartered Information Systems Practitioner (MBCS); Internet information systems and e-business professional: consultant, adviser, analyst, designer, problem solver, researcher, trainer and educator. I can design and build prototype innovative systems for information and communication on the Web.

Principal transferable skills profile

excellent creative innovation and problem-solving
highly interdisciplinary including human and technical aspects
strong general analytical skill
good research and supervisory skills
effective project management
general applications programming
competent administration
(but not a graphic designer)

Computing skills

have worked with Zope
extensive work in PHP and MySQL web programming
training experience in introductory HTML
was experienced in C and CGI web programming
past large programs written in C
a little past experience in Smalltalk, Pascal, Prolog, PostScript
extremely versatile, very fast pick up of new programming languages, paradigms, methods

Educational skills

generally excellent teaching, training and tuition
university teaching experience in systems analysis and design
course design experience in usability and human-computer interaction, e-commerce

Main consultancy, projects and related achievements

relevant dates	work done
1998 - now	Consultancy for various business on e-portfolio, e-business, human interfaces, strategy.
2002 - now	Work in the area of Personal Development Planning, supporting e-portfolios and other ICT systems, and interoperability under the management of the Centre for Recording Achievment in collaboration with CETIS for and funded by JISC.
2005 - now	Joint coordinator of the JISC-CETIS Portfolio Special Interest Group (formerly LIPSIG).
2004-5	Skills Profiling Web Service, part of the JISC e-Learning Programme.
2004	Web Services for Reflective Learning, part of the JISC e-Learning Programme.
2004	part of team drafting UKLeaP - BS 8788 - for the BSI
2003 - 2005	Lifelong Learning Support Project, part of the JISC's MLEs for Lifelong Learning Programme
2003 - 2005	Transfer of Portfolios Assisting Lifelong Learning, part of the JISC's MLEs for Lifelong Learning Programme
2002	Information systems strategy consultancy and development for a Merseyside project in the creative industries.
2000 - 2001	Part of team conceiving, formulating, specifying and developing a radical new software product range based on combined human information and technical insights for start-up company (on a venture equity basis).
2001	Delivered e-business strategy advice to 27 small businesses under a contract from Business Link Merseyside, under the scheme which was known as UKOnlineforbusiness.
1997 - 2000	LUSID http://lusid.liv.ac.uk/ Government-commissioned development project for recording and profiling student employability skills, along with evidence and achievements. Joint author of the ideas; chief information architect and interaction designer, managed IT systems development.
1998 - 1999	Consultancy for a small Merseyside-based business. Advised on the design and construction and business approach of a sophisticated interactive web site offering on-line career-related psychological profiles.
1997 - 1999	E-commerce course authoring and development for Connect, the Internet Centre for Merseyside Business. Researched e-commerce and developed a pioneering course single-handed.
1996 - 1999	Developed prototype of a two-way matching program aimed at eventual commercial exploitation.
1991	Worked as part of a team at Loughborough University building an innovative interface for BT Research Labs. Involved generating ideas and implementing them in PostScript.
1974	During "gap" year worked for the Ordnance Survey effectively doing small consultancy jobs for the Deputy Director, Planning and Development.

Employment responsibilities

relevant dates	work done
Now	self-employed
1996 - 1999	Connect, University of Liverpool (Department of Computer Science): lecturer: research; writing and delivering training courses to business and unemployed.
1994 - 1996	European Commission Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy: post-doctoral researcher in cognitive science.
1991 - 1994	City University: Lecturer in Business Computing. Taught human-computer interaction (author of undergraduate module); systems analysis and design principles. Administered admissions for the department's main MSc course.
1978 - 1986	Teaching physics, maths etc.; also self-employed as tutor and hypnotherapist.

Knowledge base and how acquired

E-portfolio principles and tools: LUSID has many aspects of an e-portfolio system. Work for the JISC involved much investigation of e-portfolio systems and definitions, and interaction with e-portfolio projects. Attended several ePortfolio conferences, 2003 onwards.
Interoperability specifications and standards: Work on BS 8788 (UKLeaP - core member of team) and IMS ePortfolio.
E-business principles and techniques: Originating from detailed study of books, articles and Internet resources and extensive discussions with vendors and practitioners at e-commerce shows, developed by research, consultancy and discussion with many small businesses while giving introductory e-commerce course, and then independent paid consultancy. Wide ranging consultations with leading public and private sector figures in Merseyside.
Management principles: From 1987 PGDipIT course, added to from management training courses, and practical experience of managing projects.
Principles of usability, human factors and human-computer interaction: From PhD study, extended through course teaching and development, and practical project work.
Business information systems analysis and design: From 1987 course at Bristol Polytechnic, developed through teaching the subject at City University and associated student projects.
Cognitive science: From PhD, and subsequent research work in Italy, including collaboration with several European network partners researching in the area.

Professional membership

Full professional member of the British Computer Society, MBCS.

Education

relevant dates	qualifications and institution
1987 - 1991	PhD, University of Strathclyde, "Modelling cognitive aspects of complex control tasks". In Computer Science department, supervised by a psychologist, worked with AI researchers.
1987	Post-Graduate Diploma in Information Technology, Bristol Polytechnic: distinction (top in year). Subjects included systems analysis and design, programming, management.
1977 - 1978	Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (for secondary school physics teaching), University of Oxford.
1974 - 1977	BA Physics and Philosophy, University of Oxford
1969 - 1974	Scholar at Winchester College

Other skills, interests and responsibilities

Professional-related main interest: personally-held values; personal ethical development; ethical alignment.
Languages: good Italian; some French and German. Learning Finnish (slowly!)
Full clean UK driving licence. Also driven extensively on the continent.
Voluntary responsibilities: several roles within the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).
Main hobby: singing in good small choirs or other small groups. Walking.
Prospective hobby: paragliding.