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Author: Mark Whitfield
Welcome to my site!
After graduating in Computing in 1990, I accepted a position as a programmer at a Runcorn based software house specialising in electronic banking software, namely sp/ARCHITECT-BANK on Tandem Computers (now HPE NonStop). This was before the internet became more prevalent and so the notion of enabling desktop access to company accounts for inter-account transfers and book keeping was still quite a cutting edge idea (and smartphones only ever hinted at in Space 1999). The company was called The Software Partnership (which was taken over by Deluxe Data in 1994).
I spent 5 years in Runcorn developing code for SP/ARCHITECT for various banks like TSB, Bank of Scotland, Rabobank and Girofon (Denmark) to name but a few. I then moved onto a software house in Salford Quays for further bank facing projects. After a further 23 years in the IT industry and now a Senior IT Project Manager (both Agile and Waterfall delivery), I thought I would echo out my Career Profile in this corner of the internet for quick and easy access.
Minutes of Meeting (MoM), or MOM, is the official written record of a project meeting, capturing critical discussions, decisions made, and assigned action items.
In project management, MOM serves as a single source of truth to hold team members accountable, track project requirements, and provide a legal paper trail to prevent disputes over scope, timeline, or budget.
Essential Elements of an Effective MOM
To be effective, your meeting minutes should always contain the following core components:
Meeting Overview: Project name, meeting title, date, time, and location (or virtual platform).
Attendees & Absentees: A clear list of who was present (and their roles) and who gave apologies for being unable to attend.
Agenda: The topics scheduled for discussion.
Key Discussion Points: A concise summary of what was debated and the context behind decisions.
Decisions Made: Clear, unambiguous notes on agreements, approvals, or rejections.
Action Items: The most critical section. Every task must include a description, the Person in Charge (PIC), and a Due Date.
Next Meeting: The date, time, and objective of the follow-up meeting.
Best Practices for Project Managers
Draft Immediately: Write or format your minutes within the first hour post-meeting while the discussions are still fresh.
Distribute for Sign-Off: Circulate the finalized document to all stakeholders to ensure everyone’s understanding matches and to allow for corrections.
Store Securely: Maintain a chronological, searchable digital repository for all project meetings.
Mark Whitfield is a UK-based, SC-cleared Senior IT Project Manager and Engagement Manager whose career spans over three decades of evolution within the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and project delivery areas.
Graduating with a Distinction level Higher National Diploma (HND) in Computing from the University of Bolton (formerly the Bolton Institute of Higher Education, BIHE), his professional journey documents a foundational shift from hands-on mainframe engineering to managing enterprise-scale cloud migrations and API-led integration ecosystems.
His professional transformation reflects broader shifts across four technological eras and political-economic landscapes:
1. Mainframe & Early Electronic Banking (1990–1995)
Technology Era: Dominated by localized infrastructure, Tandem Mainframe Computers (now HPE NonStop), COBOL, C, C++, TAL, PATHWAY, and Jackson Structured Programming (JSP).
Political & Economic Landscape: The aftermath of Thatcherite deregulation (the 1986 “Big Bang”) triggered intense competition in retail banking. Financial institutions aggressively adopted bespoke desktop and telephone banking applications to acquire market share.
Role & Projects: Working as a Programmer and Lead Analyst for The Software Partnership (acquired by Deluxe Data International in 1994), Whitfield engineered core software architectures like sp/ARCHITECT-BANK. He spent significant time on-site at Knutsford and Poole (Dorset) delivering the Barclays Business Master II (BBM II) platform, pushing desktop corporate banking into reality before the commercial internet matured.
2. Infrastructure Middleware & System Monitoring (1995–2013)
Technology Era: Shift toward web-enabled browser monitoring, middleware solutions, client-server architectures, and automated system diagnostics.
Political & Economic Landscape: The rise of New Labour, globalisation, and cross-border European integration. Financial sectors faced stricter service levels and skyrocketing volumes due to the growing ubiquity of ATMs, Point-of-Sale (POS) systems, and cross-border settlement demands.
Role & Projects: Joining Insider Technologies Limited (ITL) at Salford Quays (Manchester), Whitfield ascended from a Senior Programmer to an IT Project Manager overseeing strategic technical initiatives.
He co-developed system diagnostic modules for the Reflex platform.
He famously secured the first HP OpenView Operations Enterprise Manager 2-way Smart Plug-In (SPI) certification for HPE NonStop platforms.
Managing structured Waterfall frameworks, he led high-volume automated transaction deployments (notably BASE24 Classic and EPS) via the browser-enabled RTLX (Real-Time Log eXtraction) Reactor for heavyweights like HSBC, Alliance & Leicester, and Standard Chartered.
Technology Era: The definitive mass pivot from rigid Waterfall, PRINCE2 models toward Agile Scrum frameworks, mobile applications (iOS, Android), and multi-vendor hybrid software integration.
Political & Economic Landscape: Post-2008 financial crash regulatory overhauls paired with UK coalition government-driven austerity. High-street legacy architectures required rapid rationalization, while private entertainment industries (like consumer gambling) exploded due to mobile deregulation.
Role & Projects:
Wincor Nixdorf (2013–2014): Served as an award winning Agile IT PM modernizing legacy ATM networks and deploying multi-vendor software integrations (PC/E Enterprise, Oracle, Windows 7) for Lloyds Banking Group.
Betfred (2014–2016): Pivoted to the gambling sector as a Senior IT Project Manager. He spearheaded multiple complex Agile release cycles to take mobile sportsbook components, virtual gaming, and secure fraud-detection payment gateways live.
4. Enterprise Cloud, Security, & API Integration (2016–Present)
Technology Era: Modern hybrid cloud platforms (Azure, AWS), SaaS, MuleSoft Anypoint Platform, API-led connectivity, and microservices.
Political & Economic Landscape: The post-Brexit geopolitical landscape coupled with heightened national security frameworks. Public and private sectors faced mounting mandates for secure, interoperable architectures, requiring professionals to carry strict government Security Clearance (SC) credentials to manage critical infrastructure.
The MediaCityUK Photographic Build Timeline Journal is an extensive, long-term documentary project created by Mark Whitfield. It captures the transformation of Salford Quays from an empty dockland into a major UK media hub.
Working nearby as an IT Project Manager, Whitfield utilized his close proximity to the site to methodically photograph the construction lifecycle literally from the ground up.
MediaCityUK Photographic Build Timeline Journal is an extensive, long-term documentary project created by Mark Whitfield
Project Overview and Scope
Timeframe: The photographic project formally spans from May 2007 through 2010 for its core construction phase, with continuous updates extending into later developments.
Volume: The total project comprises a massive archive of over 15,000 to 16,000 photographs.
Curated Journal: An abridged timeline consisting of roughly 200 high-resolution selections was published to highlight key structural milestones chronologically.
Perspectives: Photos were captured weekly from multiple high-vantage reference points, including the Imperial War Museum North, the local Designer Outlet, and Broadway.
MediaCityUK BBC North, Salford Quays
Core Phases Documented
The Blank Canvas (Mid-2007): Captures the initial flat, unused grassland and docklands just before the first diggers arrived on site in June 2007.
The Structural Rise (2008–2009): Documents the erection of massive tower cranes and the core framework of the studio blocks rising over Salford Quays.
The Final Fit and Branding (2010–2011): Details the external completion of the main blocks, the installation of the iconic BBC North logos, the construction of the public piazza, and the implementation of the media tram stop.
Community and Media Discussions
Whitfield’s timeline served as a primary public and professional visual archive during the build. He actively managed a linked professional LinkedIn Group that grew to thousands of members. This space was widely used by industry professionals, media researchers, and regional planners to discuss ongoing jobs, architectural layouts, and local infrastructure impacts.
His updates were also featured directly on BBC corporate blogs to give incoming staff an authentic glimpse of their new northern headquarters.
Between 1988 and 1990, IT Project Manager Mark Whitfield completed a BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in Computer Studies at the Bolton Institute of Higher Education (BIHE). He graduated with a Distinction and achieved the overall first place across the entire two years of the course.
Bolton Institute of Higher Education now University of Greater Manchester
The institution has since evolved, later becoming the University of Bolton and subsequently rebranding as the University of Greater Manchester.
PROject Templates 