Business

Business Experience

Although my work directing Nexus Alpha Ltd (NAL) included some specific things, namely;

• Industrial Design
• Software Development

There were also other more general issues I dealt with, that are common to nearly all businesses;

• Quality Management
• Health & Safety
• Business Cases
• Project Management
• Personnel
• Law

The systems and methods I used are very efficient are quite applicable today. Click on any of the links for details.

Business Background

I have 12 years experience of business, in technology and design. I was a co-founder and director of Nexus Alpha Ltd bespoke transport information systems.

Over 13 years I and my business partner took our business, Nexus Alpha, from the back room, to a limited company (in 1994) to 25 employees and a turnover of £1.5 million in 2005 when I sold my half of the company to him. Nexus Alpha Ltd (NAL) remains an important supplier of transport information hardware and software to all the UK rail companies, some county councils and some other organisations.

Quality Management

I developed and implemented the quality system to surpass our ISO9001:2000 requirement. We passed ISO on our first attempt in 2002 and continued to pass while I was at Nexus Alpha Ltd (NAL).

The quality system is composed of documents known as "standards" each of which provides audited guidance and rules in relation to a particular subject. I have written standards for;

ISO 9001:2000 fulfilment, defect management, business cases, business profiling, health & safety, requirements management, specification and design, project management, purchasing, supply, document handling and filing systems.

More about Quality Management.

Health & Safety

I developed and implemented the health and safety standard which generated specific risk control standards for genuine risks in the company including;

specific equipment, substance and sites hazards.

Guidance and rules were laid down in relation to;

signage, inspection, testing, maintenance, information, training, supervision, protection, containers, fire, electricity and first aid.

More about Health & Safety.

Business Cases

I developed a business case standard to take products and services through a five stage process.

Evaluation - The opportunity is evaluated. Definition - The product or service, its development, support, marketing, sales and other things are defined sufficiently to allow commitment to execution. Development - The product or service is developed and any pre-marketing is done. Trials - The product or service is tried or tested against the defining documents. Production or Provision - The product or service is available for sale, is marketed and is supported once sold, any defects are corrected.

More about Business Cases .

Project Management

I project managed production and upgrading of outdoor displays and builds for a number of contracts using the job kits system I developed which broke the work down into simple jobs that could be done reliably with casual labour and also made stock control very easy. In addition I managed the R&D software development for the Tyrell1, Tyrell2 and Tyrell3 products described under programming above.

I managed the submission of a large tender to Hampshire County Council in February 2002 in which we scored 27 out of 30 for the quality. One of my primary objectives was to pilot a component based tender submission process that could be delegated and standardised. The resulting submitted document can be viewed on request.

More about Project Management.

Personnel

I recruited over three quarters of the staff that worked for Nexus Alpha Ltd conducting over a hundred interviews for technical, artistic and administrative employees in the business. I have fired three people for misconduct, terminated one persons employment during the trial period and assisted a number to find work else where by mutual agreement and without bad feeling. I have also provided personal support where staff have requested it.

More about Personnel.

Law

I wrote the company's Contract of Supply and the Employment Contract. I read all purchasing contracts and provided legal commentary to help others understand the issues. I negotiated with customer's solicitors directly including London Underground Limited, Network Rail and many other companies. I examined the issues of escrow agreements and how they do and do not protect purchasers and suppliers of software and also looked at the issue of whether transport information could be considered intellectual property. It cannot. I have read and understood many statutes and statutory instruments.

More about Law.

Project Tendering

Although I have been involved in many tender submissions primarily doing legal and technical work, I managed the submission of a large tender to Hampshire County Council in February 2002 in which we scored 27 out of 30 for the quality. One of my primary objectives was to pilot a component based tender submission process that could be delegated and standardised. The resulting submitted document can be viewed on request with the permission of NAL.

Industrial Design

I designed all but the electronics of the beautiful ultra rugged outdoor flat screen display LCD1, intended to fit in with the modern stainless steel architecture. The thermal management required significant research.

I also designed a very low radio emission and vibration proof industrial PC enclosure known as Zeus. I did many other less significant bits.

More about Industrial Design.

Electronic Engineering

I developed and implemented a parts tracking and fault record process for engineering staff, I did radio emission pre-testing for CE mark and other radio communications work. I managed and directed electronic design work for our display's environmental control systems. I managed and participated in electronic engineering until March 2001 at which point I continued to direct some of the work.

Mechanical Engineering

I designed and subcontracted manufacture of sheet metal and machined components for displays. Designs were done using SolidWorks 3d CAD software.

Production I developed and implemented the process for controlling component stock levels for builds and spares so as to avoid stock taking between building each batch of displays. I worked on and managed builds of up to twenty displays at a time optimising the working methods. I developed a "job kits system" which broke the work down into simple jobs that could be done reliably with casual labour and also made stock control very easy.