The principal consultant - John Giles (MBIT, Grad Dip App Info Sys, FACS)

Skill areas

John has a broad range of skills addressing most phases of systems development, from strategic through to hands-on delivery. Some key areas are listed below.

Work at the corporate strategic level to maximise the business benefits from investment in technology. Specific areas include:

• Business Process Reengineering
  • Workshop Facilitation
  • Strategic Planning
• Data Modelling and Database Design. John is the author and presenter of industry courses on data modelling as well as an active practitioner. In 2005, he was selected as one of 19 international data modellers that formed a panel to support PhD research into data model styles.
• Object Oriented Analysis & Design. While having a solid background in traditional requirements analysis and systems design, since the 1990s John has also been active in the application of object-oriented techniques, including use of the Unified Modeling Language (UML). He has also developed education material that has been used widely to assist traditional developers more easily make the shift to the OO paradigm.
• Project Management. John has a proven track record of consistently meeting project expectations regarding functionality, schedule and budget.
• Data Warehousing. John has presented and published in this arena as well as being responsible for implementation projects.
• Data Quality. This is not about "quality processes", but rather objective measurement of data quality combined with root cause analysis and process correction.
• Training & Mentoring. John has frequently been engaged specifically to perform a skills transfer to in-house staff.

Professional Association

Member of the Australian Computer Society since 1991.
Re-graded as a Fellow in 2005.

Formal qualifications

RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) University

1994 - Graduate Diploma in Applied Information Systems, with distinction.

• Top student in graduating cohort

2001 - Master in Business (Information Technology)

• High distinctions in all graded subjects
• Minor thesis received the '2001 Master in Business (Information Technology) Award for Excellence', based on the minor thesis judged to be the most outstanding

Publications

• Acknowledged contributor to "Data Modeling Essentials", by Graeme Simsion, Graham Witt, 2005.
• "Is Data Warehousing only First Aid?" Database Programming & Design. July 1998
  
• "Do-It-Yourself Object Oriented for Traditionalists" included in the Australian Computer Society's
• IT Trends Study Guide". 1996, 1997 (based on similar source material as the Software Magazine article below)
• "Do-It-Yourself Object Oriented for Traditionalists" Software Magazine. Sept - Dec. 1995
• "Fourth Generation Languages: 'Vital Part' of DP set-up", Computing Australia, 1989
• "CASE - The Foundation For Corporate and DP Productivity", Proceedings of Australian Computer Conference, 1988
• "ACI Backs CASE Push", Computerworld Australia, 1987
  
• "Gains in productivity are real and dramatic", Computerworld Australia, 1985
  
• Papers in 4 of the 5 Proceedings of Australian Conferences on Fourth Generation Languages and Systems, as presented by MTE (Management Technology Education) Pty Ltd (1983 - 1987

Seminar presentations

• "Model Driven Architecture", Keeping Ahead, 2003.
• "Identity Management, Data Management", Australian IT Security Forum, 2002
• "Pushing the E-comm Boundaries", Mt Eliza Business School, 2001.
• "Data Management Influence in Data Warehousing - Use it or lose it!", DAMA, 1999.
• "Data Modelling Masterclass" (Data Modelling for Data Warehouses session only), DAMA,
• 1999.
• "Do-it-yourself Object Oriented for Traditionalists", Australian Computer Society (ACS), 1997
• "Objects for Oldies", Australian Computer Society (ACS), 1995
• "Bridge Builders Kit - Traditional to OO migration", Object World, 1995
• Data Quality workshop, ACS Victorian Branch Annual Conference, 1995
• "OO Concepts" ACS OO Special Interest Group (SIG), 1994
• "CASE/Productivity Tools". ACS Young Professionals/Students SIG, circa 1993
• Presentation at Productivity Forum, sponsored by Ferntree Computer Services, circa 1990
• ACS - Debate with Charles Brodley, 1990
• CASE Seminar at Jupiter's Casino, Surfers Paradise in 1988 for Cincom
• CASE Seminar at Swinburne Institute, 1988
• Fourth Generation Languages and Systems (refer to "Publications" below), 1983 - 1987

Training courses

• Developed and presented the "Business Modelling using UML" course for Monash IT and the Australian Computer Society.
  
• Developed and presented a tailored in-house courses on the application of the Unified Modeling Language (UML) and Rational Unified Process (RUP), for Wijojo and the Salvation Army.
  
• Co-developed and presented the Simsion Bowles' Data Quality course
• Researched, developed and presented a course on object oriented concepts, specifically targeted as a "bridge-builder" for IT practitioners with experience in traditional technologies
  
• Presented the Simsion Bowles Consulting Skills course
  
• Developed and presented a tailored in-house course for Bunge Australia (Melbourne) in the use of ECT (a CASE tool) as applied to data modelling
  
• Developed and presented nationally a series of workshops on the use of ECT (a CASE tool) and MANTIS (a 4GL)
  
• Researched, developed and presented nationally a course on data modelling.

Associates

John is the sole IT consultant employed by Country Endeavours. However, over his decades of IT experience, John has built up a significant network of associates. It is this network that enables Country Endeavours to offer the formation of a team tailored to client specific requirements.