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.

Questions to Answer Before Any Project Kickoff

Before launching any project, answering key questions during the initiation phase ensures alignment, prevents scope creep, and sets the foundation for success. These questions help define the “why,” “what,” and “how” of the project, often formalized in a project charter or statement of work (SOW).

Overview: The 5 Ws of Pre-Kickoff

The most effective pre-kickoff approach centers on the 5 Ws + H:

Why: What is the business purpose, problem to solve, or opportunity?
What: What are the high-level objectives, scope, and deliverables?
Who: Who are the stakeholders, sponsors, and team members?
When: What are the milestones, hard deadlines, and time constraints?
Where: Where will work take place (e.g., remote, onsite, systems used)?
How: How will success be measured and how will communication work?

Detailed Description of Essential Pre-Kickoff Questions

1. Context & Rationale (“Why”)

What is the core problem or opportunity? Define the “pain point” triggering this project.
How does this align with company strategy? Understand why this project matters now compared to other priorities.
What happens if we fail or do nothing? This identifies the true urgency.

2. Objectives & Success Criteria (“What”)

What are the measurable goals? Define success (e.g., specific KPIs, revenue increase, time reduction) rather than just stating “improved efficiency”.
What is explicitly in-scope? List the key deliverables.
What is out of scope? Crucial for preventing scope creep—list items that won’t be delivered.
What is the “Minimum Viable Product” (MVP)? What is the absolute bare minimum needed to launch?

3. Stakeholders & Roles (“Who”)

Who is the Project Sponsor? Who is championing the project and ultimately accountable?
Who has final sign-off authority? Identify the key decision-makers to avoid bottlenecks.
Who is the target audience/end-user? Who is this being built for?
Do we have the right skills on the team? Assess the need for external resources or specialized training.

4. Constraints & Logistics (“When” & “Where”)

Is the deadline fixed or flexible? Are there immovable external dates (e.g., conferences, legal compliance)?
What is the rough budget? Have all funds been secured?
What are the key milestones? Identify early dependencies.

5. Risks & Dependencies

What are the major threats? Identify risks to the schedule, budget, or quality early.
What dependencies exist? What outside factors (e.g., vendor delivery, legal approval) must happen first?

6. Operating Model (“How”)

How will the team communicate? Define tools (e.g., Slack, email) and meeting cadence (e.g., weekly, daily standups).
How will we track progress? Where will documentation and tasks be stored (e.g., Jira, Asana)?

Summary Checklist for Pre-Kickoff Success

Business Case Approved: Does a charter exist?
Goals Aligned: Do stakeholders agree on what success looks like?
Constraints Known: Deadline and budget are understood.
Risks Documented: A preliminary risk list is started.
Dependencies Identified: Known bottlenecks are mapped.
Team Identified: Key players are assigned.

Tip: Before the main kickoff, hold one-on-one “sanity check” conversations with key stakeholders to identify unspoken concerns.

Project Leaders Driving Vision, Alignment and Results

Top FREE AI Courses for Project Managers

Data Engineering Summary

Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) is a foundational data integration process that consolidates raw data from multiple disparate sources—such as CRM systems, databases, and APIs—into a single, centralized destination, typically a data warehouse or data lake. It is crucial for ensuring that data is clean, consistent, and ready for analytics, BI reporting, and machine learning.

Core ETL Process Steps

Extract: Raw data is pulled from varied sources (structured or unstructured) into an intermediate staging area.
Transform: The staged data is cleaned, formatted, and combined based on business rules to ensure consistency.
Load: The prepared data is moved from the staging area into the final target data warehouse.

Key Benefits

Data Quality & Consistency: Standardizes formats (e.g., date formats, currency) and cleans up errors.
Historical Context: Combines legacy data with new information for long-term analysis.
Automation: Automates recurring data processing tasks, saving time for data engineers.

ETL vs. ELT

ETL (Transform before Loading): Transforms data on a separate processing server before loading, ideal for complex, heavy transformations.
ELT (Load then Transform): Loads raw data directly into the target warehouse (e.g., Snowflake, BigQuery) and transforms it using the warehouse’s power. This is better for large, unstructured datasets.

Detailed Summary

1. Extract

Extraction is the first phase, where raw data is gathered from various heterogeneous sources.

Sources: SQL servers, NoSQL databases, SaaS applications (CRM/ERP), JSON/XML files, and IoT sensors.
Methods:
- Full Extraction: The entire source is copied; best for small tables.
- Incremental Extraction: Only data modified since the last run is extracted.
- Update Notification: Source system alerts the ETL tool of a change.
Staging Area: Extracted data is temporarily stored in a “staging area” (or landing zone) to avoid placing heavy loads on production systems during transformation.

2. Transform

This is the most compute-intensive phase, where raw data is converted into a usable format.

Cleansing: Mapping NULL values to 0, removing duplicates, and fixing errors.
Standardization: Converting character sets, date/time formats, or measurement units (e.g., kilograms to pounds).
Data Aggregation: Summarizing data (e.g., total sales per store per day).
Enrichment/Derivation: Creating new calculated values (e.g., calculating profit from revenue and cost).
Encryption/Masking: Anonymizing PII (Personally Identifiable Information) to comply with GDPR/HIPAA regulations.

3. Load

The final phase transfers the cleaned and transformed data into the target destination.

Target Systems: Data warehouses (e.g., Amazon Redshift, Snowflake, Google BigQuery) or Data Lakes.
Loading Methods:
- Full Load: Wiping and replacing all data in the target.
- Incremental Load: Only loading new/updated data (the “delta”) to the target at regular intervals.
Automation: The process is typically automated to run during off-hours, ensuring the data is ready for morning reports.

Modern Trends and Tools

Cloud-Native ETL: Tools like AWS Glue, Azure Data Factory, and Google Cloud Dataflow allow for serverless, scalable data integration.
Reverse ETL: Moving transformed data from the warehouse back to operational systems (like Salesforce) to activate insights.
Streaming ETL: Processing data in real-time as it arrives, rather than waiting for batch updates, using tools like Apache Kafka.
DataOps: Applying DevOps principles (automation, testing) to data pipelines to ensure reliability and faster deployment.

When to Choose ETL vs. ELT

Choose ETL when: You need to comply with strict data security, perform complex transformations before data hits the warehouse, or have limited computing power in your target database.
Choose ELT when: You are using a cloud warehouse, dealing with massive unstructured data volume, or need high-speed ingestion.

Steps to Write a Project Plan

Campus Serge Kampf Les Fontaines, in Gouvieux-Chantilly near Paris

The Campus Serge Kampf Les Fontaines, located in Gouvieux-Chantilly near Paris, is a premier corporate seminar and training center owned by Capgemini. Originally a 19th-century Rothschild estate, it was transformed into a “Campus” for learning, innovation, and reflection, blending historic architecture with modern, sustainable meeting facilities.

Detailed History Timeline

18th Century: Romantic Origins

Late 18th Century: Jacques Berthault acquired a 28-hectare plot, developing a romantic-style garden around a lake, featuring small “follies” (decorative buildings).

19th Century: The Rothschild Era

1878: Baron Nathan James Edouard de Rothschild purchased the estate, increasing it to 52 hectares.
1879–1882: Construction of the Château des Fontaines took place, designed by architect Félix Langlais in an eclectic mix of styles (medieval, 17th-century, Louis XIV). It served as a summer residence and venue for lavish receptions.

20th Century: War and the Jesuits

1931: Baroness Thérèse von Rothschild died, after which the property was passed to her son, Henri.
World War II (1939–1945): Occupied by the German army; utilized by the Luftwaffe as an observation base with a hidden bunker.
1946: The Jesuits acquired the estate to create a cultural and spiritual center, including a vast private library.
1970: The facility was formally established as the Centre Culturel des Fontaines.

Late 20th Century: Acquisition by Capgemini

1997: Facing high maintenance costs, the Jesuits decided to sell the property.
1998: Capgemini bought the estate to create a dedicated international training and seminar campus.
1999–2002: Major redevelopment took place under architects Valode & Pistre to create the campus facilities.

21st Century: The Campus Serge Kampf Les Fontaines

January 2003: Campus Les Fontaines opened its doors.
2003–Present: The campus hosts around 275 events annually, serving as a hub for Capgemini University, international meetings, and corporate training.
November 2017: Renamed to “Campus Serge Kampf Les Fontaines” to honor the recently deceased founder of Capgemini.
2020: The lounges of the Château were fully refurbished.

Key Features and Role

Architecture: Combines the historic 19th-century Rothschild château with the “Forum,” a modern, circular 300-room campus building.
Sustainability: Focused on environmental responsibility with a strong commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of events for over 20 years.
Capacity: 50 meeting rooms, including a 500-seat auditorium.

About Serge Kampf

Serge Kampf (1934–2016) was a French entrepreneur who founded Sogeti in 1967, which became Capgemini. He was known for his dedication to client relationships and nurturing entrepreneurial talent.

Campus Serge Kampf Les Fontaines, in Gouvieux-Chantilly near Paris

Capgemini – Campus – Serge Kampf Les Fontaines, Chantilly, France – Advanced EM Course – November 2017 Class

November 2017 – Advanced Engagement Management Course – Level 2 Exam

Charts Every Project Manager Should Master

SAFe Scaled Agile Framework

Degree 53 was a Manchester-based digital agency specializing in user experience, design & software development

Degree 53 is a Manchester-based digital agency specializing in user experience (UX), design, and software development, primarily for the online gambling and sports betting industries.

Founded by Andrew Daniels in 2013, the agency has built a reputation for developing high-stakes transactional mobile apps and websites for major operators like Betfred and Scientific Games.

Following its acquisition by Bally’s Corporation in 2021, it now serves as the Sports Product Studio for Bally’s Interactive, focusing on North American gaming products.

Comprehensive Evaluation Timeline

2013: Founding and Launch
- Andrew Daniels, a former Betfred employee, founded Degree 53 Limited on May 21, 2013, with initial backing from Betfred founder Fred Done.
- The agency initially established its office at The Sharp Project in Manchester.
2015: Regulatory Milestone
- In April 2015, the agency secured a Remote Gambling Software license from the UK Gambling Commission, a rare credential for a digital agency that allowed them to build bespoke transactional gambling platforms.
2016 – 2017: Rapid Expansion
- In 2017, the agency moved to a new HQ in Steam Packet House, Manchester, after recruiting over 30 new staff members, bringing its total headcount to 75.
- The firm diversified its portfolio during this period, developing products for non-gambling clients like Vibe Tickets.
2020: Sharp Gaming Spin-Off
- Founder Andrew Daniels launched Sharp Gaming, a B2B gambling technology business, with £25 million in investment from Fred Done.
- While Sharp Gaming focused on full-stack platform services, Degree 53 continued its focus on UX and front-end development under new Managing Director Richard Wagstaff.
2021: Acquisition by Bally’s Corporation
- On October 27, 2021, Bally’s Corporation acquired Degree 53 to bolster its internal technical unit for the launch of products like Bally Bet 2.0.
- The team of 54 experts was integrated into Bally’s Interactive but remained based in their Manchester studio.
2024 – 2026: Consolidation and Leadership Changes
- The agency remains an active subsidiary of Bally’s. Recent regulatory filings indicate leadership transitions, such as the appointment of Raja B-Sheikh as a director in August 2025.

Summary of Key Services

Bespoke Development: Building native mobile applications (iOS, Android) and responsive web platforms.
UX/UI Specialization: User-centered design approach, including mapping customer journeys and conducting user testing.
Industry Expertise: Complex system integrations, data feed management, and API development specifically for the betting, gaming, and lottery sectors.

Key Areas Summarised

Core Focus: High-quality digital solutions for complex, regulated industries.
Key Services: UX/UI Design, Native iOS & Android Apps, Web Development, API Integrations, and Digital Strategy.
Strengths: Strong focus on user journey and engagement, particularly in betting platforms. They are noted for bringing high-quality digital solutions at competitive prices.
Impact: A significant player in the Manchester digital scene, moving to larger premises to accommodate growth from 50 to 75+ staff between 2014 and 2017.
Acquisition: In 2021, Degree 53 became the Sports Product Studio for Bally’s Interactive, supporting its North American expansion.

Key Clients and Projects

Betfred/Totesport: Mobile betting apps and websites.
Bally’s Interactive: Currently developing sports products.
Vibe Tickets: Developed a secure ticket-selling app.
Sofology: ‘My Account’ functionality.
Other projects: Ready for School, Football Acca, Horse Tracker.

Degree 53 Logo

Key Company Facts

Acquisition: Acquired by Bally’s Corporation in October 2021 to advance its global sportsbook and mobile platforms.
Specialties: Mobile app development, UX/UI design, Bespoke .NET development, and API integrations.
Major Clients: Historically has worked with Betfred, Scientific Games, and Gamesys brands like Rainbow Riches.
Office Location: They are currently based at 60 Spring Gardens in Manchester city centre. Previous locations included Steam Packet House and The Sharp Project.

Mark Whitfield involvement 2014 – 2015 :

In late 2014, I joined Betfred as a Senior IT Project Manager in the Gambling and Casinos industry delivering multiple projects for both Betfred online and mobile (iOS, Android and Windows) using the Agile SCRUM framework. Project deliveries covered payment gateways and methods, sportsbook for football and horse racing amongst others and the online virtual (computer generated) gaming components.

As a major part of this allocation, I also linked into Degree 53 for project/ app status and aid in the setting of priorities for their Betfred specific software delivery.

Degree 53 was a Manchester-based digital agency specializing in user experience (UX), design, and software development — at Degree 53 Manchester office, 2015

Projects varied in size and cost and extended over multiple phases requiring the management of many software suppliers, each delivering different aspects of the solution from fraud detection, frontend, middleware, payment services and mobile apps.

Key Product Owner Terms

Agile Scrum Overview and Evolution Timeline

Agile Scrum is a widely adopted, iterative, and incremental framework designed to manage complex product development and software projects.

It breaks down large, daunting projects into small, manageable units called sprints—fixed-length iterations typically lasting 1–4 weeks—to deliver functional components faster and adapt to changing requirements.

Detailed Summary of the Scrum Framework

Scrum relies on three pillars—transparency, inspection, and adaptation—and is defined by specific roles, events, and artifacts.

1. The Scrum Team (Roles)

Product Owner (PO): Maximizes the value of the product by managing the Product Backlog. They define “what” is built.
Scrum Master: A servant-leader who helps the team follow Scrum theory and removes impediments.
Developers: The cross-functional team members responsible for creating the increment each sprint.

2. Scrum Events (Ceremonies)

Sprint Planning: Defines the Sprint Goal and the work to be done during the sprint.
Daily Scrum: A 15-minute daily meeting for developers to synchronize activities and plan the next 24 hours.
Sprint Review: Held at the end of the sprint to showcase the increment to stakeholders and gather feedback.
Sprint Retrospective: The team reflects on the process and identifies improvements for the next sprint.

3. Scrum Artifacts

Product Backlog: An ordered list of everything required in the product.
Sprint Backlog: The set of Product Backlog items selected for the sprint, plus the plan for delivering them.
Increment: The usable, working product increment produced at the end of a sprint.

Evolution of Scrum Over the Years

Scrum was developed in the early 1990s as a response to the failures of the linear “waterfall” approach.

1986 (Concept Origins): Takeuchi and Nonaka publish “The New New Product Development Game,” comparing traditional relay-race product development to a rugby “scrum” team.
1993 (First Implementation): Jeff Sutherland, John Scumniotales, and Jeff McKenna implement the first Scrum team at Easel Corporation.
1995 (Public Introduction): Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland formalize Scrum and present “The Scrum Development Process” at the OOPSLA ’95 conference.
2001 (Agile Manifesto): Sutherland and Schwaber become signatories of the Agile Manifesto, cementing Scrum as a major Agile methodology.
2010 (The Scrum Guide): The first official Scrum Guide is released to standardize the framework worldwide.
2011–2017 (Refinements): The guide is updated to clarify roles and events, including strengthening the role of the Scrum Master and introducing self-organizing teams.
2020 (The Modern Scrum Guide): A major update makes the guide less prescriptive, focusing on a single Scrum Team (removing “development team” and “scrum team” split), introducing the Product Goal for long-term focus, and focusing on one team working towards one product.

Key Resources and Links

The Official Scrum Guide (2020) – The definitive rules.
Scrum.org Resources – Education and blog posts from Ken Schwaber.
Scrum Alliance – History and articles from Jeff Sutherland.
Agile Alliance Practices Timeline – Historical overview of Agile practices.

Agile Scrum Overview and Evolution Timeline

CrestCo Ltd, now Euroclear UK & International (EUI)

CrestCo Ltd, now operating as Euroclear UK & International (EUI), is the central securities depository (CSD) for the United Kingdom and Ireland, responsible for the electronic settlement of securities transactions.

Founded in the mid-1990s, CrestCo revolutionized London’s financial markets by moving them from paper-based share certificates to a “dematerialised” (electronic) system, thereby significantly reducing settlement times, risks, and costs.

Worked on-site at CrestCo in 1997 coding volume testing software

Detailed Overview: CREST and CrestCo

Purpose: The CREST system (Certificateless Registry for Electronic Share Transfer) enables electronic, real-time settlement of securities.
Services: It handles settlement of UK and Irish equities, gilts (government bonds), and various other corporate securities.
Key Functions:
- Dematerialisation: Eliminating the need for physical share certificates.
- Real-time Settlement: Reducing operational and credit risk.
- Corporate Actions: Managing dividend payments and other corporate events.
- CDIs: Utilizing CREST Depositary Interests (CDIs) to facilitate trading of international securities.
Transformation: In 2002, CrestCo was acquired by Euroclear and later renamed Euroclear UK & Ireland Ltd (EUI).

Comprehensive Timeline by Year

1993: The Bank of England initiates the CREST project to replace the aborted TAURUS system (Transfer and Automated Registration of Uncertified Stock), aiming to digitize London’s settlement.
1996: CrestCo Ltd is officially founded and the CREST system goes live, beginning the shift from paper-based settlements to electronic transfers.
1997-1998: Rapid adoption of the system by market participants, facilitating faster settlement cycles.
1999: Introduction of automated “settlement discipline” regimes, including league tables and fines to incentivize performance.
2002: Euroclear merges with CrestCo. CrestCo is integrated into the Euroclear group, marking its transformation into a larger, internationally integrated entity.
2007 (July 1): CRESTCo Ltd officially changes its name to Euroclear UK & Ireland Ltd (EUI).
2010 (September 1): EUI merges with EMX Company Limited, enhancing its ability to handle investment funds and expanding its network.
2016: CISI reports that CREST has successfully provided 20 years of secure, efficient settlement, solidifying its role in UK financial infrastructure.
2020s: Continued enhancement of the system, including improved digital security and adaptation to evolving European Union and UK regulatory standards.
2024: Continued operation as a premier infrastructure provider under Euroclear.
2026 (April): Euroclear UK & International Ltd continues to operate as the leading CSD in London, with ongoing focus on digital asset security and efficient settlement.

Key Impacts on London Financial Markets

Risk Reduction: Shifted settlement risk from days to near real-time.
Efficiency: Drastically reduced manual processing (“mundane practices”) and associated costs.
Integration: Facilitated the integration of UK markets into the broader European infrastructure.

CrestCo Ltd, now operating as Euroclear UK & International (EUI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Overview and Detailed Timeline Evolution

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the branch of computer science dedicated to creating systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as reasoning, learning, problem-solving, and perception. As of 2026, AI has transitioned from experimental research to widespread deployment as foundational infrastructure, with focus shifting from mere generative models to agentic, autonomous systems capable of executing complex, multi-step workflows.

Detailed Overview of AI in 2026

Core Capabilities: Modern AI combines large language models (LLMs), multimodal understanding (text, image, audio), and autonomous agents that can plan, remember, and act independently.
Agentic AI: A significant shift is the proliferation of AI agents that act as “digital coworkers” rather than just tools, handling tasks within business environments.
Democratization & Open Source: The open-source movement has accelerated, placing powerful AI capabilities in the hands of many, reducing dependence on single providers.
Regulation and Ethics: Following frameworks like the EU AI Act, 2026 is marked by the implementation of laws focusing on safety, transparency, and accountability, including AI watermarking to curb misinformation.
Major Trends: Key trends include standardized AI performance benchmarks (e.g., Machine Intelligence Quotient), interoperability between different AI agents, and integration of AI into physical robotics.

Historic Timeline and Evolution of AI (1950–2026)

I. The Foundations (1950–1956)

1950: Alan Turing publishes “Computing Machinery and Intelligence”, proposing the “Turing Test” to measure machine intelligence.
1956: The term “Artificial Intelligence” is coined by John McCarthy at the Dartmouth Conference, establishing AI as a formal field of study.

II. Early Enthusiasm and First Winter (1960s–1970s)

1966: Joseph Weizenbaum develops ELIZA, the first chatbot capable of simulating conversation.
1970s: AI progress slows due to limited computer power, leading to reduced funding—known as the first “AI Winter”.

III. Expert Systems and Second Winter (1980s–1990s)

1980: Expert systems (e.g., XCON) emerge, bringing AI back into commercial use.
1986: Geoffrey Hinton and others popularize backpropagation, enabling neural network training.
1997: IBM’s Deep Blue defeats world chess champion Garry Kasparov, showcasing the power of strategic AI.

IV. The Rise of Big Data and Deep Learning (2000s–2010s)

2006: Geoffrey Hinton publishes work reigniting interest in neural networks through “deep learning”.
2011: IBM Watson wins Jeopardy!, showcasing advances in natural language processing.
2012: AlexNet wins the ImageNet competition, proving the efficiency of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs).
2014: Ian Goodfellow invents Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), enabling AI to create realistic images.
2016: DeepMind’s AlphaGo defeats Lee Sedol, mastering the complex game of Go.
2017: Google researchers introduce Transformers, the architecture underpinning modern LLMs.

V. Generative AI and Agentic Era (2020s–2026)

2020: OpenAI releases GPT-3, demonstrating unprecedented language generation capabilities.
2022: The public release of ChatGPT marks the mainstream breakthrough of Generative AI.
2024: OpenAI releases o1 (formerly Strawberry), focusing on advanced reasoning.
2025–2026: AI becomes “Agentic,” shifting from chatbots that create content to autonomous agents that plan, execute, and interact across software systems.

Key References for Further Reading

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Overview and Detailed Timeline Evolution