Dr C James Bacon's IT career has been full and varied. From consulting roles in the City and on Wall Street to university lecturing, he has worked as far afield as Australia and New Zealand.
In my first role after graduating from the London School of Economics, I was responsible for business processes for a small company. The company decided to install a new computer and began programming without any real business needs analysis, largely intent on automating their existing systems. By working alongside the programmers and influencing the project, I was able to ensure that the needs of the business were put first, he said.
A successful IT consulting career in the City followed. The family then moved to New York, where Dr Bacon became a systems consultant on Wall Street. Recognising the value of business-IT alignment, he developed an IT investment approval process for the New York Stock Exchange. He also successfully managed an IT agility project for Merrill Lynch.
A lifestyle change saw the family relocate to New Zealand and a senior lectureship for James at the University of Canterbury, where he taught programming, systems analysis, strategic information systems and management accounting. He also completed his PhD.
When the family moved back to the UK, Dr Bacon took a temporary teaching post at the University of Bath School of Management. He now works as an independent management, training and research consultant.
He cites his biggest challenge as the effective use of time, so we asked him why he made the time to join BCS. A friend of mine who was a BCS member recommended membership to me. I saw it as a great opportunity to give knowledge and to receive it, he said.
It's also important that I don't become isolated in my thinking. The BCS has opened up a wide range of networking opportunities providing access to like-minded professionals from all IT sectors with whom I can exchange opinions and ideas.
Dr Bacon is actively involved in branch meetings and says these provide an insight into perspectives other than his own.
He said: I think that if you want to be considered a professional, it's important to join your professional body. BCS helps me keep abreast with current developments in the field and has added interest and satisfaction not only professionally but socially as well.
As part of the research for his book in progress, The JUMP Model: Joining Up Business and IT, Dr Bacon is holding seminar workshops with business and professional groups, including his own BCS Oxford Branch, which enable him to receive ongoing feedback as the book develops.
