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19-7-1994 / 24-6-1999
Business Systems Analyst
(CSO4)
Business Systems Analysis (BSA),
Driver & Vehicle Policy & Regulation (DVPR).
26-6-1990 / 18-7-1994
Expert System Officer
(CSO4), Planning and Quality
Task as a Business Systems Analyst were;-
- Preliminary
investigation and analysis
of technological
opportunities to
meet corporate needs.
- Then
were applicable subsequent
preparation of several
business cases and
project briefs.
- Writing then administering the letting of tenders for various projects.
- Continuing
watches on technology of
interest to the authority
(including Smart Cards,
2D & 3D barcodes,
Intelligent Transport
Systems etc.)
- Assistance in Technology Strategic Planning.
Task as the Expert System Officer were;-
- Project management & team leadership of the ProFiSy Expert System Development.
- Popularising of Artificial Intelligence & Knowledge Processing concerns and techniques.
- Development of Graphic User Interface standards.
- Initial business case and connection of the Authority to the Internet.
- Continuing
watch of developments in the
areas of knowledge
processing
and multi-media
presentation technology.
- Assistance in Technology Strategic Planning.
Understanding of
Contemporary Developments,
Preliminary Investigation &
Analysis of Technological
Opportunities to meet Corporate
Needs.
In
both the roles of Expert System
Officer and Business Systems
Analyst I was required to stay
abreast of the latest advances
in information and knowledge
processing technologies. Then
identifying and analysing
opportunities presented by
latest technological
developments as to the
applicability of these to Road
Traffic Authority (RTA). This
appreciation coupled with
practical experience in many of
these areas has been vital to
evaluating the feasibility and
appropriateness of various
advance technology proposals.
An all to easy trap is "if
I have a hammer all my problems
can look like nails". This
work involved me in
investigations of (among other
things);-
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Intellectual Property Rights, Copyright (on & off the net), Trade-Marks & Patents
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Authentication in Cyberspace, Digital Signatures, Biometric Identification (finger-print scanners)
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Encryption technologies (on & off the net), Electronic Commerce, Electronic Cash & Cheques,
- Smart Cards. I had a
watching brief on this
technology for a number of
years. attending
conference, providing
feasibility / desirability
advice to a number of
sections in DVPR about this
technology.
- Machine Readable
Coding (2D barcodes,
transponders etc.), leading
to 'Invitation for,
Expression of Interest for
2D Barcodes
on Registration &
Licensing Accreditations for
the Roads and Traffic
Authority of New South Wales
(RTA)'
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Hypertext, Hypermedia and the 'On-Line Manuals project'.
-
Knowledge Encapsulation in Cyberspace.
-
Standards, Languages & Architectures for delivering the above.
(X, SGML, HTML,
XML, CKML (Conceptual
Knowledge Markup Language),
PDF, CORBA (Common
Object Resource Broker
Architecture), MPEG, Java,
OO methodologies etc.)
- A major focus was ITS
(Intelligent Transport
Systems), covering
issues Electronic Road
Pricing, Number-Plate
Recognition &
Decoding, WIM (Weight
In Motion) recorders
'Question about,
& Directions for ,
Weigh-in-Motion (WIM)'.
Experience in the development of Information Strategies and Policies.
-
Wrote the paper on 'Graphics for Data Analysis with Expert Systems'.
- Responsible for the
overseeing of the 'C
Programming' chapter of
the 'Standards and
Guide-lines for Application
Development'.
-
Authored the 'GUI (Graphical User Interface ) Draft Policy & Guide-lines'.
-
Developed formal plans and strategies for the implementation phase of various hardware and software projects.
- Consulted and devised
informal strategies for the
introduction of X
(Unix windowing
interface technology), of AI
(artificial
intelligence) and
Expert Systems within the
RTA.
- Investigation of
Mobile Registries for the
country, and the automation
of Bell & Mt. Boyce
heavy vehicle checking
stations.
-
Worked on DVPR's contribution to the RTA Technology Strategy
(circa 1997).
- Worked on the Vehicle
Regulation's development of
a Technology Plan
for incorporation to
the Vehicle Regulation's
Strategy.
Demonstrated achievement in
developing innovative
solutions/services to
capitalise on business
opportunities.
Project Evaluations, AI, HMI, GUI.
From
joining the RTA my role was
originally as a participant in
the reviews of deliverables
from outside contractors, and
researching related MMI (Man
Machine Interfaces, now called
HMI = Human Machine Interface)
issues, then to look at GUI
(Graphic User Interface ) in
some detail. Most of this work
was done within the Desktop
Management sub-committee, and
for the implementation of
ProFiSy (Project Fitting
System) Expert System (for
Major Road Project Selection).
Other AI (Artificial
Intelligence) system
opportunities were also
examined while in Planning
& Control.
The Internet & X.
From
development needs identified
during the building of ProFiSy
I was instrumental in proposing
the RTA initial (circa 1992-93)
connection to the internet,
developing the business case,
then implementing the service
through MHSnet. My analysis
work and standards writing for
the Desktop Management
sub-committee, highlighted the
need for common graphic
technology for use on the RTA
various computing platforms.
After examining the various
competing solutions at the time
I articulated the case for
X/Motif technology that was
then adopted by the RTA.
Customer Information System / Kiosks/ the Web.
Flowing
out of the GUI work and my
graphic design experience, I
was included as a technical
consultant on the Customer
Information System (CIS) pilot
project. For the interface
design, and system evaluation
trials of the RTA's first point
of sale, customer kiosks
project. The successful CIS
pilot was followed by tendering
for further units from an
outside supplier. The CIS
content & layout was
eventual migrated as the
functional template for the
RTA's initial web-site.
Following
the CIS development I was
recruited to BSA primarily for
my AI & MM (multi-media)
expertise. This being
incorporated in my drafting of
the RFP (Request For
Participation) for a new Driver
Knowledge Test (DKT) system.
Which was tendered-out, having
since been successful
implemented state-wide.
One-Stop-Shop
Was
the NSW State Governments
policy initiative for utilising
the internet network and
information kiosks to deliver
whole of government services to
remote / rural NSW at common
access terminals, central
located and easily accessible
to the local communities. With
the RTA's Freedom of
Information Officer, I was
involved in discussion
developing this concept with
the Premiers Department, Public
Works Department and the Health
Department
On-Line Manuals project
An
investigation dealing with the
strategic and conceptual
problems involved in the
directorate moving then
maintain large information
repositories concurrently in
both paper and electronic
forms. The intrinsically
perceptional differences of
media access and concurrence
being a significant issue of
the study. Automatic conversion
of Word .doc files to html was
found to be feasible though
less than optimal as a
presentation strategy.
Machine Readable Coding project
A
concurrent investigation (to
the On-line manuals) surveyed
the various technology offering
in the market at the time, and
in research with short-term
potential release. The strength
and weakness of various
contending solutions were then
matched against the identified
needs for such technology
with-in the directorate. An EOI
(Expression Of Interest) for
"2D Barcodes on Registration
& Licensing" with
accompanying executive brief
and draft business case was
then prepared.
Technology for Safety in Long Hours & Distance Driving.
'Technology
for Safety in Long Hours &
Distance Driving' and 'Trucking
Industry Long Trip Databases'
reports, were the outputs of an
investigation I under-took,
commissioned by the director of
DVPR. Of particular attention
was concepts for Smart-card
based logbooks, and internet /
extranet information sharing.
From the report I then became
involved as an RTA technical
adviser on the on-going
National Roads Transport
Commission's, Driver Specific
Monitoring Device (DSMD)
project. The DSMD project has
now defined a set of standards
and guidelines for the
introduction of DSMD as defacto
electronic logbooks.
Congestion Pricing demonstration on ANTTS infrastructure.
The
most innovative project was the
development of conceptual
models for the "Using ANTTS as
an Information Skeleton for
Arterial Road Pricing". For the
DVPR's Pricing Group, I
projected managed Traffic
Technology Branch's Feasibility
Study of the various scenarios
I had developed. Traffic
Technology Branch finally built
a demonstration systems
operating between Centennial
Plaza offices to Rosebery
offices, that communicated with
an appropriately equipped
vehicle.
'Incentives for Transaction of Registration Renewals Remote from Motor Registries'
As
a continuation of the CIS &
Machine Readable Coding, I was
asked to speculate on option
for encouraging customers to
transact business with the
authority through alternative
delivery mediums such as,
kiosks, IVR, the web, post etc.
Personal experience out-side the RTA with exhibitions on the Web.
Concurrently
with my work in the RTA, I have
for a number of years continued
in the production of paintings
and sculptures. Mounting an
exhibition of my works "To Hunt
Data in Arcadia" at Urban Exile
Gallery, Newtown between the 6
Dec. 1995 - 4 Jan. 1996 . This
whole exhibition from my
specifications was put up on
the World Wide Web ( reference
http://www.artoz.com/ ). I have
since rebuilt part of this show
on my GeoCities space, and put
other works and papers on my
homepage at
http://www.pnc.com.au/~grayx3 .
VRML (Virtual Reality Markup Language) 3D-worlds at my company site http://www.auzgnosis.com .
Methodologies :-
Traditional Automatic Data Processing Methodologies :-
The
Australian Bureau of Statistics
used a Standard Development
Methodology derived from the
Spectrum Methodology. It laid
out specific Analysis &
Design techniques, to be used
during the project life-cycle.
Most of my experience was with
the final phases of User
Acceptance Testing,
Documentation, and on-going
enhancements.
Knowledge Based Systems Methodologies :-
The
Knowledge Base System
Development Methodology
developed by Expert Solutions
Australia (ESA) in consultation
with myself, is broader than a
standard Automatic Data
Processing (ADP) Methodology
because it also deals with
strategic and philosophical
issues ;-
- The Appropriateness of the Technology.
- Philosophical nature of Knowledge - What is it?
- Physiological perspective - How does one Think about it?
- Techniques peculiar to KBS', Knowledge gathering & Codification procedures.
Familiarity with Quality Control Techniques. :-
On
most of the projects listed
above, standard quality
assurance techniques like, Code
Testing Suits, Testing and
Sign-off Procedures, Peer
Reviews, Structured
Walk-throughs, Formal Progress
Reviews, have been conducted.
The RTA is commendable in
having an on-going commitment
to formalized standards that
provide clear directions on
style and procedural issues for
efficient maintainable of
products.
Report-writing & Other Formal Writing Skills.
This is best illustrated by the reports, papers and documentation I have already written, these include:-
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Business Cases, Specification, Request For Participation, Contracts and other Business Systems Analysis documentation.
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Numerous status and strategic reports in my roll as the Expert Systems Officer.
- Authored, co-wrote and
edited, Specification,
Tenders, System
Manuals, Programmers
& User Manuals for the
applications at both the
RTA & ABS.
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