@Work Consultants Ltd
Andrew has recently formed @Work Consultants Ltd, an IT company providing advice on data networks and in particular use of Internet and Intranet technologies for business benefit and competitive advantage. Prior to this he had worked at CCTA for 11 years, leaving it on 1 October 1996 to concentrate on work with his new company. [CCTA is the UK Government Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency, an executive agency of the Cabinet Office].
1996: Consultant, Special Advisor's Unit
Before leaving CCTA, Andrew was part of the CCTA Special Advisor's Unit. He provided consultancy advice to government departments, agencies and local government; undertook a user requirements analysis for the new CCTA corporate IT system; and designed the internal CCTA Intranet information service.
1995: Project Manager, Superhighways Testbed Network
Andrew was responsible for the design, procurement and implementation of the CCTA Superhighways Testbed Network. The project investigated the potential application of ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) based networks to the desktop over conventional LAN copper wiring as well as high-speed Internet access over the wide-area (via SuperJANET) utilising cable TV infrastructure. Further information about this project is available.
He was also involved in continuing to promote use of the Internet within the UK public sector and assisted other CCTA projects that were Internet-related. These projects included the development of the CCTA Common Access Terminal (a prototype Information Kiosk providing Internet access and other services) and the CCTA email directory..
1994: Project Coordinator, UK Government Information Superhighways Initiative & The Internet
Andrew produced the UK Government Consultative report "Information Superhighways: Opportunities for application within the UK public sector", printed by HMSO in May'94, and assisted with the drafting of replies to related Parliamentary Questions and ministers' correspondence as well as preparing ministerial briefings.
Also in 1994, Andrew developed a number of "proof of concept" web pages to help persuade Government officials to support use of the Internet and to establish a UK Government web site. That web site, www.open.gov.uk, subsequently went online in October 1994.
In this year, Andrew also gave many Superhighway and Internet related presentations at Government conferences and other events in the UK and abroad.
1990-1993: Technical Architect, Open Systems
Andrew provided consultancy advice to numerous government departments on areas relating to Open Systems standards, EC public procurement legislation and IT architecture strategies.
Andrew was technical architect of the CCTA Open Systems Profile and developed the draft profile aimed at assisting departments to map IS/IT service requirements onto lower level technical specifications and solutions for procurement. He contributed material to the Government Open Systems Interconnection Profile (GOSIP), selected and managed numerous consultants to assist in the development of GOSIP and chaired a number of GOSIP Taskforces comprising supplier and departmental representatives to develop specifications to assist interoperability between different vendor systems.
Andrew participated in numerous European Commission supported IT standards groups in Brussels and was involved in international meetings to harmonise UK Government IT procurement profiles with those of USA and other European Governments.
1985-1989: Technical Advisor on Unix, POSIX, X/Open & TCP/IP networking
Andrew joined CCTA in 1985 and became involved in promoting the use of Unix-based operating systems across Government departments as a way of increasing vendor-independence and stimulating greater competition in the procurement choice of (otherwise) mainframe/mini system suppliers. Prior to the introduction of CCTA's corporate IT system in 1986, Andrew procured and managed a number of Unix-based systems, implementing a distributed office automation system with shared diaries and Internet-based email facilities for his Branch which was co-located in CCTA's London and Norwich offices.
In 1986, he assisted in the creation of the Government Unix Group and produced technical briefing reports for the Group on issues relating to Unix security and systems administration. The Group was created to provide a closed forum in which departments could discuss problems encountered with systems, applications and TCP/IP-based networks.
In 1987, Andrew met with many departments and suppliers to develop CCTA's advice to departments on Open Systems and the X/Open Common Applications Environment. He produced comparison reports analysing the differences between X/Open and IEEE POSIX Open System specifications.
In 1988/9, he concentrated on providing guidance and support to government departments on many aspects of Open Systems to minimise the potential of vendor/supplier lock-in.
My interests include: Walking, driving, skiing, swimming, tennis, technology, watching my guitars collect dust, oh, and housework !!
Ok, here's an experiment - I have lost touch with quite a few friends over the years, let's see if some of them are out there. If you are one of the following friends of mine from the distant past and you see this, then please get in touch:
Postscript: Well done to Adrian for being the first to get in touch - is anyone else out there ?
Andrew Mewes
email: amewes@work.co.uk
