Celebrating IT and IT professionalism
Another year has zoomed by - so
it’s time to celebrate another good year of interesting, informative and popular NLB
events focused on the world of IT and IT professionalism!
We’ve continued to use the
successful NLB multi-presenter formula at most of our events to ensure we get coverage of
different views about a topic, plus discussion forums and informal networking to encourage
attendees to learn more and meet others.
As usual for us, unlike most BCS groups
we’ve run events most months of the year, with just one month’s summer holiday
break in August 2007. We included a number of ‘soft skills’ initiatives to
broaden our range of ‘IT-specific’ event topics. Our year has seen 12 events, 41
presenters and great audiences including many ‘regulars’. Plus some very useful
sponsorship from other organisations (shown as ‘In Association’ in the events
list below). And a lot of enthusiastic and supportive feedback from organisations,
presenters and attendees who appreciated the value and benefits of our activities - thank
you! Events
Below is a look back at the past year’s events. How
many did you attend and enjoy?
| 2007 events |
June ‘Your Career - Plan IT to Succeed!’
[4 presenters] In association with womenintechnology.co.uk. Why do some people have a
satisfying successful career and others, with the same talent and expertise, do not? How
can you pro-actively take charge of your career and direct it as you wish?
July
‘ICT for Economic Development’ [3 presenters]. Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT) such as the PC, mobile phone and Internet have revolutionised the way
people in the ‘developed world’ live. Can ICT have a similar effect in the
‘developing world’, with the potential to reduce poverty?
September
‘Code IT’ [4 presenters] In association with SUPINFO. What are the choices in
modern programming languages? Views from people who really know. No, not the vendors, but
users!
October ’CTO Talk - Andy Mulholland: IT’s A Mashup - the
end of Business As Usual’ [1 presenter] In association with SUPINFO. The very nature
of business changing. Home users are becoming more sophisticated drivers of technology
than traditional businesses. How to use the growing availability of easy-build web-based
technology as dynamic, customisable components for products and services.
‘DRM On -
The World Beyond Digital Rights Management’ [1 presenter] In association with SUPINFO
and BCS Publications launch of the book by Jude Umeh. The complexity, international
dimensions and potential nightmares of digital media and intellectual property issues that
are often in the news. Aspects of the background and future of the technology, standards
and applications.
November ‘ITIL Deliver - Can You Manage IT?’
[2 presenters] In association with Learning Tree International] About good service
delivery and support using ITIL3, and good project delivery using efficient project |
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| 2008 events |
January ‘AudIT to BenefIT - 6 sides of the
dice’ [6 presenters] In association with Gotham Digital Science, ISACA London Chapter
, IT Faculty of the ICAEW, SUPINFO. What do you think of IT Audit and what it can achieve
for your organisation? Six aspects of IT audit in action, with guidance and illustrations
about how you could use your audits to advantage.
February
‘IT’s Going Going.. Going Green!’ [3 presenters] In association with
SUPINFO. Is there a black-and-white blueprint for the future? Global warming, climate
change, time’s running out. At last we’re much more focused on Green issues - in
the news at least. And IT has a major role to play in helping to shape our future, and the
future shape of our home planet.
March ‘Discovery - The Next
Generation!’ [5 presenters]. The future of search and discovery technologies, the
challenges and their application.
April ‘Women in IT - Making a
Difference’ [4 presenters] In association with Ernst & Young. Women in IT, as in
other areas of business, can make a significant difference, adding new dimensions and
perspectives. What are the main drivers and differentiators that women bring to the
business world - in psychological, social, commercial, environmental and other aspects?
May
‘e-Books’ [5 presenters] The humble book seems to be holding its own against its
digital equivalents, in a way that say 35mm film and CD have not. Is this really the case?
What does the future hold for the e-book? |
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Teamwork, learning and knowledge-sharing
The driving team behind the
success and popularity of these events and of our Branch is the NLB committee of
enthusiastic volunteers - plus of course the support of many BCS staff and other
volunteers. The NLB committee currently includes Rebecca King (Secretary), Celeste Rush
(Treasurer), Patrick Roberts (Webmaster, Publicity + Membership Officer), Stephen Cameron
(Academic Liaison Officer); committee members Alex Beisser, Chris Hunnings, Elaine Hickey,
Jude Umeh and Richard Tandoh; plus committee helper Amanda Symonds.
During the past year
we’ve actively supported BCS initiatives such as trying to attract more women to the
IT profession. As usual our involvement has been dynamic and innovative. As well as
running our April event ‘Women in IT - Making a Difference’ and liaising with
women’s networking groups, I’m pleased to say that 50% of the committee listed
above are female, reflecting our commitment to encouraging more women in IT in NLB.
We
hope that you will join us at many future activities of the dynamic North London Branch -
and bring your colleagues/contacts too. Look out for more news at our web-site
www.nlondon.bcs.org.
Did you know that there’s a ‘treasure trove’ of
information available via the NLB website? As well as providing a registration mechanism
for future events and information about other BCS groups and external organisations,
there’s an IT glossary and an expanding knowledge library of past event presentations
and presenter profiles. Have you benefitted from this rich source of information yet?
I
hope you’ll agree that the NLB offers a good environment for learning, networking,
knowledge-sharing and enjoyment. Come and join us - let’s celebrate the future!
Onward!
Dalim Basu FBCS, CITP, Chairman, BCS North London Branch
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