The IOM branch of the BCS is delighted to announce they have the privilege of having as their next speaker Tony Collins, author, broadcaster and former Executive Editor of Computer Weekly. Holder of 26 awards for journalism, he has reported, since the 1980s, on what can be learnt from IT-related failures. He has been questioned by several Parliamentary committees and quoted in their reports. He believes that posterity can learn more from failure than success.
Mr Collins has been at the forefront of investigative journalism in the IT sector for the past two decades. His credits include alerts about the FADEC software problems implicated in the 1994 Mull of Kintyre Chinook crash, the ongoing failings of the £12.7 billion NHS NpfIT programme, and countless other examples of public and private sector IT initiatives that have not worked out as desired. He is probably the single most influential journalist in the arena of Professional IT in the UK, and has uncovered and broken many stories which would otherwise have been unreported or covered up. The scrutiny he has brought to the world of government and corporate IT has undoubtedly raised standards within the IT profession and has stimulated mass-media reporting and parliamentary investigation into the underexposed back office IT functions of government and business that affect the majority of citizens in the UK.
His Computer Weekly IT Projects blog can be viewed at: http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/tony_collins/
Mr Collins is visiting the Isle of Man as one of the primary speakers at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference on the theme of "Technology and Democracy". He will be addressing delegates from the parliaments of the UK, Isle of Man and many of the other Island members of the Commonwealth; and the Isle of Man BCS are very grateful to have captured some of his time to speak whilst he's here.
The talk is to be held on the 12th May 2010 at the Sanderson Suite, Claremont Hotel, Douglas Promenade, Douglas. Open at 6:00pm for a 6:30pm start. The talk will be approximately 30-45 minutes long and there will be opportunities to ask questions. The event is expected to complete by 8:00pm.There is no attendance charge.
If you intend to attend, please leave a message for Publicity on the BCS contact form to confirm they have enough seating and refreshments.
