The Nimblestar Group, Incorporated
An IBM/Rational Business Partner
|
The Nimblestar Group, Incorporated An IBM/Rational Business Partner |
|
|
Professional summary I focus my knowledge and experience to help IBM / Rational Customers roll out Enterprise level customized processes and the Rational toolset at the Enterprise level for 200 to 3500 IT staff. I work with companies in a project or program manager capacity to help their IT organizations through the complex organizational change management process required to help IT staffs understand and use the Rational Tools and Methodology. I am a Master Project Manager and Business Process Architect with 32 years of both hands on and senior management experience, involved in defining and implementing IT strategy, enhancing and reorganizing IT departments, and successfully managing systems development projects--in highly competitive, time critical commercial software environments across multiple platforms. I am proficient as a methodologist and process engineer who can utilize either the Method Composer or EPF tools to define content and structure for custom methodologies used by companies adopting RUP or other methodologies. I mentor and coach staffs in the adoption of RUP and/or other current methods like SCRUM and the tools and train appropriately on the tools and disciplines required by these agile process. I am trained in agile processes, and in particular, certified in SCRUM. I am also aware of and promote use of OPENUP, UP, CMMI, LEAN and the Agile Unified Process. I have worked with Microsoft’s Solution Framework for Agile Development. Skills Agile Enterprise Process Engineer, Chief Methodologist · Lead effort as Program Manager or Project Manager for Enterprise-level rollouts of Rational Unified Process and Rational tools · Provide gap analysis, lead requirements gathering, develop adoption strategies, develop an enterprise-wide process architecture · Provide organizational change management skills for adoption · Advanced Rational Method Composer (Ver. 7.5) Skills · Advanced EPF (Ver. 1.5.0) Skills Rational Software Process and Tool Mentor / RUP Mentor and Coach · Integrates Eclipse based tools with Agile processes: Method Composer, Websphere Business Modeler (WBM), Rational Software Modeler (RSM), Rational Application Developer (RAD), Rational Software Architect (RSA), Functional Tester, and Rational Team Concert · Integrates legacy tools with Agile processes: ROSE, ClearCase, ClearQuest, RequisitePro, Project Console, Test Manager, Robot Trainer of and Supports Enterprise adoption of: · Business Modeling · Requirements with Use Cases · Unified Modeling Language (UML) for process modeling · Iterative / agile project management methodologies like RUP, Scrum, LEAN
Professional experience 04/08 to 06/09 – AAA-Northern California, Nevada and Utah Process Engineer Agile and Iterative Mentor and Methodologist I was engaged by the Enterprise Project Management Office to document their current in-house methodology utilizing the Rational Method Composer (RMC) product and participate in the long term customization, adoption and enterprise rollout of a customized RUP process. AAA_NCNU is approximately a 1,000 person IT shop. I am also involved as lead Mentor and Educator / Trainer of early adopter teams of the Unified Process adoption, and as of January, 2009 by all projects within IT. I was involved as the process mentor to the EPMO for adoption and enablement of the adapted Unified Process and also SCRUM for agile teams. I organized and direct the work of additional mentors assigned similar tasks. I worked closely with the governance groups to embed controls and measurements to achieve compliance with various standards (COBIT, CMMI, ISO 9000) and audit recommendations regarding security and compliance that are a concern to the senior management of the company. 07/07 – 03/08 – State Street Financial Process Engineer and Methodologist I was engaged by the Enterprise Methodology team to participate in the enterprise rollout of a customized RUP process, supporting themes of Global Development and Distribution. This involved daily use of the Rational Method Composer (RMC) product to author the enterprise methodology and its different variations. I was also involved as a process engineer to audit compliance of early adopter teams and mentoring teams regarding Unified Process adoption. State Street IT is approximately a 3500 person development organization doing global development and deployment (GDD). 03/07 – 06/07 – Lincoln Financial Group Process Engineer and Methodologist I was engaged in defining process solutions for the Lincoln Financial Group. I defined the methodology collaboratively with the SOA Architecture team, and the Project leads. I documented the methodology utilizing the Rational Method Composer product to define new software development and deployment processes. This is approximately a 300 person IT organization. 09/06 – 11/06 - BCBS-FL Process Engineer and RUP Mentor / Coach I was engaged in defining process solutions adopting the RUP process and Rational tools to the enterprise IT division of BCBS-FL. I worked with the Rational Method Composer product to define new processes. I also worked as a RUP Mentor directly with pilot teams to lead and guide them through RUP adoption. BC/BS-FL is approximately a 1600 person IT staff. 07/06 – 08/06 – Costco Senior Methodologist for US Technologies at Costco I was engaged in defining a solution for an internal e-commerce group utilizing Microsoft Solutions Framework and .NET who need to coordinate their methodology with the rest of the company adopting the RUP and the Rational tool set. The results of the effort were an alignment on shorter iterations, better use of tools automation for projects (for requirements management, software modeling and project management), and more focus on iterative versus waterfall approaches for defining bundles of work. 07/05 – 6/06 – Highmark (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of PA) Project Manager and RUP/Tools Mentor I was engaged as a project manager responsible for the 12 person team conducting a rollout of a modified RUP and the tools platform to automate it. We implemented the new Eclipse toolset (Software Modeler, Software Architect, and Rational Application Developer) plus some of the legacy tools like RequisitePro, ClearCase, Clearquest, SoDA and Project Console. The target audience for the tools and process is a 1700 person IT organization and a 500 person contractor staff. We used iterative project management techniques to run this rollout project. Small quick iterations and specific deliverables allowed us to provide for continuous delivery of templates and process improvements to the company. We overlapped several teams delivering different types of content and training such that it seemed from the business customers’ point of view that we were providing delivery once every two weeks. We used a 6 week cycle to deliver content from differing areas like; tools templates, process customization to the RUP website (plug-ins like SOX, ITIL, and SOA), training courses and mentoring. 6/04 – 05/05 – The Westfield Group (Farmers Insurance of Ohio) RUP and Tools Project Manager and MentorI was Project Manager, RUP Mentor and Trainer for a $1.5B Insurance company. I was involved as project manager of a 12 person team involved in rolling out the RUP methodology to 300+ IT specialists. We were focused on multiple pilot projects which adopted certain disciplines of the RUP Methodology. I was also involved in the requirements management for tool selection and implementation of an integrated suite of tools. I managed the project and served as chair of the RUP Steering committee and worked as a mentor for projects and the RUP team on how to accomplish rolling out the RUP disciplines. We used iterative project management techniques to run this rollout project. We focused on adoption by pilot projects of two main disciplines, Requirements Management and Iterative Project Management. The goal and focus was faster delivery of higher quality products and services from the IT group. 10/03 to 5/04 – Sears Roebuck and Co RUP and Tools Project Manager and MentorProject Manager for the Environment Team (32 people), that was responsible for the rollout of the Rational tool set and customized RUP content to approximately 1600 Sears Technical associates. This included RequisitePro, ClearCase, ClearQuest, UCM, ROSE, Project Console and SoDA. My team was responsible for the implementation and customization of the products. We created the System Architecture (hardware and software) for the Rational tool production environment. We also implemented a business rule utility to capture and write formalized business rules directly to RequisitePro. Last we were responsible for customizing and deploying the Rational Unified Process. We used RUP Modeler RUP Builder, RUP Organizer (The Project Workbench tools) to do so. I organized, trained and deployed a staff of 6 (called the “SDF Factory”) to handle the massive changes to the RUP required by Sears. 8/03 to 9/03 – McDonalds Corporation Rational Trainer Created and delivered training materials for the Rational toolset selected by McDonalds. These include RequisitePro, ClearCase and ClearQuest in a UCM environment and Project Console. I gave the training to high level staff who will become product champions and mentors at a later date. 12/02 to 7/03 – Grainger.com Project Office Rational Process and Tools Mentor Was project manager for Grainger.com – a highly successful Business to Business e-Commerce company who needed help defining end to end traceability of requirements to delivery utilizing the Rational Toolset and process. Toolset included: RequisitePro, ClearCase, ClearQuest, ROSE, Project Console, Test Manager, Robot, RobotJ. Process is a customized version of the Rational Unified Process. I was involved in first demonstrating how to integrate the Rational Toolset to provide end to end traceability from requirements to deployment, and then implement the tools and process across the 300 person organization. 7/02 – 8/02 MKS, Inc. Director of North Americas Professional Services Professional Services Director MKS is a Change and Configuration Management Software company. My responsibilities included managing the after sales consulting practice for national accounts to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction with the IT workflow and software configuration management software tools. 10/01 to 6/02 – BP / Amoco Change and Configuration Management Transition Team SCM Expert – Rational Tool Mentor I worked as part of Configuration and Change Management Group to assist an SAP Project team of 400 staff reach CMM Level 2 and beyond utilizing the Rational Toolset (ClearCase, ClearQuest, RequisitePro, Test Manager and ROSE). Was involved in defining process and designing how the Rational tools work within the process. I collaborated with senior management, program and project management to assure the best possible rollout of the tools and process. I rolled out ClearCase, ClearQuest, RequisitePro and Test Manager / Robot. Also in use and supported by us were ROSE and the UML. 5/01 to 10/01 - Wisconsin Department of Work Development Rational Process / Tool Mentor and Business Analyst I was engaged as a team leader for a group of 10 business analysts. We focused on the creation of analysis and design specifications for a replacement Unemployment Insurance System for the state of Wisconsin. I was also one of three thought leaders for the team regarding mentoring on RUP Artifacts and process. 12/00 to 3/01 – DriveLogic, Inc. Rational Tool and Process Mentor I mentored Project Office, Development and QA staff at a start-up dot com company in an enterprise-wide rollout of the Rational Unified Process (RUP) and several of the Rational Software development tools 7/00-11/00 Daniels and Associates Technologist and Architect Developed a Palm Pilot based just in time knowledgebase system for various disciplines. 4/00 – 7/00 – The William Wrigley Jr. Company Organizational Change Management Consultant and Mentor I was engaged in a management consulting role to assist the IS Director for the North Americas in defining a new organizational structure for her division. 11/99 – 3/00 American Bar Association Master Project Manager, Mentor and Development Manager I ran the Development organization of the American Bar Association. This organization consisted of approx. 30 staff and 40 contractors. I was hired to replace a less than effective manager in the two months prior to a Y2K conversion. Newcourt Leasing – 4/99 – 9/99 Y2k Remediation Tester This testing engagement was a Y2K remediation testing project. I utilized automated testing tools and techniques. American Bar Association – 1/99 – 3/99 Network Manager I introduced RequisitePro and the concept of Requirements Management to the ABA. Crawford Risk Sciences Group – 3/97 – 12/98 Rational Tool Mentor – QA Manager – SCM Manager, Rational Tools Mentor For approximately two years, I was involved in a large scale commercial software General Insurance Claims project for large self-insuring companies that included leading the adoption of Rational tools, training and mentoring staff on their use and setting development and maintenance standards and implementing a MAKE and BUILD process. METAMOR Technologies, Inc. – 7/95 – 10/96 Managing Consultant I worked in a team with two other managing principals to lead outsourced staff of 120 for Development, Support and Data Center Operations. Staff responsible for the daily operations of the largest Chicago based Health Management business, UHC-Illinois and their staff of 1200. Professional History Prior to Consulting RolesPrior to working as a senior consultant, I worked in management positions at several commercial software and Fortune 200 companies. I was a Senior IT Management Specialist with both hands on and management experience; 17 years in highly competitive, time critical commercial software environments. Melson Technologies, Inc. April 1993 to October 1994 October 1993 to May 1994 - Acting General Manager Vice President, Development and Client Services LPC a Pitney Bowes Co. (Now known as Pitney Bowes Software Systems) June 1991 to April 1993 General Manager Director, Software Services and Operations. Represent LPC as Chief Technologist PANSOPHIC Systems Inc. May 1982 to June 1991 Director, Development -- TELON Products. Director, Applications Control Systems -- Development and Customer Service. Manager, Systems Quality Assurance 1977 – 1982 Prior to Pansophic Systems, I worked in various programming and technical roles at U.S. Gypsum, Inc. Health Care Services Corp. (BCBS-IL) and the Illinois Central Railroad for a total of 6 years. Professional certifications IBM · IBM Certified Solution Designer - IBM Rational Unified Process V7.0 (2007)
Other Agile Scrummaster (2004) · Co-Chair of the Chicago Rational User's Group for 2008 / 2009 · Contributing member of the Rational Global User Group Council · Founding member of the Chicago Quality Assurance Association – CQAA
Education
Publications and presentations "Software Development Worst Practices: Cautionary Tales from the Front" - Tom Weinberger and Kurt Bittner - North Americas CTO of Ivar Jacobsen Consulting co-presented to the 2009 - Rational Developer's User Conference “Recycling Old Tools to New Uses…” – Presentation to Arizona Rational Users Group March, 2009 - I examined the benefits and shortcomings of managing requirements for an agile project method (specifically SCRUM) utilizing the Rational Requisite Pro tool. We looked at the opportunity to manage burn down lists and user stories as two of the important SCRUM process elements, and see how this “Old” tool can support “New” tricks. “RUP Process and Evaluation” – Presentation to Arizona Rational Users Group September 2008 – An examination of the Rational Unified Process, and why it provides value to an IT organization. “How to achieve an Enterprise-wide IT Methodology” - Presentation to Arizona Rational Users Group July 2008 – A definition of a roadmap for achieving the adoption of an enterprise–wide adoption of a new / modified IT methodology. “The RUP Quality Review Process and Using ClearQuest® as an automation tool” – Presentation to the Chicago Rational Users Group March 2007 regarding inserting quality control points and associated reviews into a Rational Unified Process based methodology and utilizing ClearQuest as a mechanized support tool for the process.
|
|
Send mail to
thomasweinberger@nimblestar.com with
questions or comments about this web site. |
