IT Mark Whitfield, SC Cleared Senior Project Manager

Mark Whitfield is a highly experienced SC cleared Senior IT Project Manager and Engagement Manager with over 30 years in the IT industry, specializing in both Agile and Waterfall delivery for large-scale blue-chip companies, digital projects, and payment systems. After starting as a programmer, he transitioned into project management, eventually working with Capgemini and establishing a professional templates resource site. 

SC cleared Senior IT Project Manager and Engagement Manager

IT Project Management Overview

  • Key Expertise: Senior IT Project Management (Agile / Scrum / Waterfall / PRINCE2), Delivery Management, Business Transformation, and SC clearance.
  • Sector Focus: Banking, Finance, Transportation (Heathrow, NATS), Retail, Government (Local Regional Government – LRG), Aerospace & Defence, and Gambling.
  • Technical Background: Programming in COBOL85, Tandem TAL, SQL, C, C++, Java, and experience with HPE NonStop (BASE24) systems.
Tandem TAL Programming certificate, 1995
  • Tools & Methodologies: PRINCE2, Agile SCRUM, Microsoft Project (MPP), Excel RAID logs, and Jira.
  • Value Proposition: Focuses on improving revenue, cost, and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) through structured SDLC methodologies. 

Detailed Historical Timeline

Era 1: Programming & Technical Development (1990–1995) 

  • 1990: Graduated in Computing and joined The Software Partnership (later Deluxe Data) in Runcorn as a programmer specializing in electronic banking software (sp/ARCHITECT) on Tandem Computers (now HPE NonStop).
  • 1990-1995: Developed code (COBOL85/NonStop SQL) for major banks, including TSB, Bank of Scotland, Rabobank, and Girofon.
  • 1993 (May): Completed Tandem Guardian Principles Course.
Tandem Guardian Principles Course, 1993
  • 1994: Deluxe Electronic Payment Systems acquired The Software Partnership.
  • 1995 (June): Completed HP NonStop Performance Analysis and Tuning.
Deluxe Electronic Payment Systems acquired The Software Partnership in 1994
HP NonStop Performance Analysis and Tuning, 1995

Era 2: Specialized Software & Product Management (1995–2013) 

Insider Technologies Limited (ITL) in Salford Quays
  • 1995 (August): Joined Insider Technologies Limited (ITL) in Salford Quays as a senior programmer, later moving into product / project management.
  • 1995-2013: Focused on monitoring (Reflex) and batch scheduling (MultiBatch) software for HPE NonStop systems, serving clients like Barclays and Alliance & Leicester.
  • 2000 (May): Completed Microsoft Project ’98 Certification and began training other ITL project managers on scheduling best practices.
  • 2007: Insider Technologies products (Reflex) integrated into FIS solutions.
  • 2013: Published work in the HP NonStop journal “The Connection”. 
HPE NonStop journal “The Connection” – article for the Insider Technologies product, RTLX

Era 3: Senior IT Project Management (2013–2016) 

  • 2013-2014: Worked at Wincor Nixdorf as an IT Project Manager (PRINCE2 / Agile Scrum) on a £5m+ LBG Self-Service Software Replacement (SSSR) program for Lloyds Banking Group, migrating ATM systems from HP NonStop to AIX.
  • 2014-2016: Joined Betfred as a Senior Project Manager, delivering payment gateways, sportsbook, and virtual gaming projects in Agile SCRUM for mobile and online platforms. 

Era 4: Engagement Management & Public Sector (2016–Present) 

  • 2016 (January): Joined Capgemini UK as a client-facing Engagement Manager (SC cleared).
  • 2016 (August): Founded Mark Whitfield Consultancy Ltd, managing independent IT, network, and improvement projects.
  • 2016-2018: Led Waterfall / Agile projects for automotive, local government, and postal services.
  • 2018-2019: Augmented into MuleSoft as a Delivery Manager for the Anypoint Platform.
  • 2023-2024 (Nov-Feb): Served as Technical Delivery Manager for a UK Government account, overseeing a £1m+ Fish Export Service (FES) to Common Entry Health Document (CHED) Inspection Portal (CHIP) project.
  • 2026: Continued to provide project management thought leadership and template resources for Agile/Scrum/PRINCE2. 
Agile Scrum Burn down Chart template in Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Project MPP MSP Project Plan Template examples
Plan On a Page POaP templates plus MPP MS Project and MS Excel Project Plan templates

Key Projects & Clients

  • UK Gov / Capgemini: Fish Export Service (FES) Cloud Migration.
  • MuleSoft: Anypoint Platform.
  • Wincor Nixdorf/Lloyds: ATM/Self-Service Software Replacement.
  • Jaguar Landrover (JLR), Heathrow, Royal Mail Group, NATS, Euroclear: Various IT and Digital projects.
  • Banking: Rabobank, Barclays, HSBC, Bank of England, Standard Chartered. 

IT Mark Whitfield, SC Cleared Senior Project Manager

Claude AI Overview and Detailed Historic Timeline by Era and Year

Claude is a family of large language models (LLMs) developed by Anthropic, a company founded in 2021 by former OpenAI executives Daniela and Dario Amodei with a core focus on AI safety and “Constitutional AI”. Known for its high-quality writing, advanced reasoning, massive context windows, and “Artifacts” interface, Claude has rapidly evolved from a safe conversational chatbot into an agentic tool capable of coding, computer use, and complex data analysis. 

Overview of Claude AI

  • Constitutional AI (CAI): Anthropic trains Claude using a set of principles (“constitution”) rather than relying only on human feedback. This makes Claude generally more cautious, more likely to refuse harmful requests, and transparent in its reasoning.
  • Model Family (Haiku, Sonnet, Opus): Claude models are released in three tiers:
    • Haiku: Fastest and most cost-effective.
    • Sonnet: Balanced for speed and intelligence (general-purpose).
    • Opus: Most intelligent, designed for complex tasks.
  • Key Features:
    • Context Window: Early adoption of long-context, moving from 100k to 200k tokens (roughly 500 pages of text).
    • Artifacts: A dedicated UI window that displays rendered code, websites, and documents in real-time.
    • Computer Use: A specialized capability allowing Claude 3.5 Sonnet to control a computer’s desktop environment—moving the cursor, clicking, and typing.
    • Claude Code: Agentic coding tool introduced in 2025/2026 for automated software engineering. 

Historic Timeline by Era and Year

Era 1: Foundation and Early Models (2021–2022)

  • 2021: Anthropic is founded by Dario and Daniela Amodei, focusing on AI safety and “Constitutional AI”.
  • Late 2022: Initial versions of Claude are released to select research partners for safety testing. 

Era 2: Public Launch and Rapid Scaling (2023) 

  • March 2023: Claude 1 and Claude Instant are released for testing.
  • July 2023: Claude 2 is released to the general public, featuring improvements in reasoning and coding.
  • November 2023: Claude 2.1 is launched, doubling the context window to 200,000 tokens.

Era 3: The Claude 3 Family and Agentic AI (2024) 

  • March 2024: Claude 3 Family (Haiku, Sonnet, Opus) is launched, showcasing near-human intelligence, advanced vision capabilities, and high-speed processing.
  • June 2024: Claude 3.5 Sonnet is released, outperforming the larger 3 Opus model and introducing the Artifacts feature for UI rendering.
  • October 2024: Claude 3.5 Haiku and an upgraded 3.5 Sonnet are released. Anthropic launches the “computer use” public beta, allowing the AI to interact with software and browsers. 

Era 4: Claude 4 and Agentic Workflows (2025–2026) 

  • February 2025: Claude Code is introduced as an agentic tool for developers.
  • May 2025: Claude 4 Family (Opus 4 & Sonnet 4) is launched, featuring improved multi-modal reasoning and deep context processing.
  • August 2025: Opus 4.1 is released with tighter safety controls for abusive conversations.
  • November 2025: Opus 4.5 is released, focusing on enhanced coding and workplace tasks, alongside “Infinite Chats”.
  • February 2026: Claude Opus 4.6 and Sonnet 4.6 are released, adding native “Agent Team” collaboration and 1M-token context.
  • April 2026: Claude Mythos Preview is announced, designed for high-level cybersecurity vulnerability detection. 

Key Differentiators

As of early 2026, Claude is considered a market leader in agentic AI development, particularly through its “Computer Use” feature, which allows it to act as an Autonomous agent rather than just a chatbot. While competitors like OpenAI focus on multimodal LLMs, Anthropic’s Claude continues to differentiate by prioritizing safety, long-context understanding, and specialized agentic coding tools. 

Claude AI Overview and Detailed Historic Timeline by Era and Year

How Project Managers use Claude AI to run projects
How PMs use Claude AI to run projects

Claude Artificial Intelligence AI technology insight

Claude is a family of large language models (LLMs) developed by Anthropic, an AI safety and research company. As of early 2026, the technology has evolved from a conversational chatbot into a suite of “agentic” tools capable of performing complex software engineering, cybersecurity, and workplace automation tasks. 

Core Technology & Architecture

  • Constitutional AI: Claude’s unique training method, which uses a set of principles (a “constitution”) to guide the model’s self-critique and alignment. This is intended to make Claude more ethical, harmless, and less prone to bias.
  • Model Tiers: Claude is typically released in three sizes—Haiku (fastest/cheapest), Sonnet (balanced), and Opus (most powerful for deep reasoning).
  • Context Window: Recent models like Claude 4.6 and Sonnet 4.5 support massive context windows of up to 1 million tokens, allowing them to process entire codebases or long legal documents in a single prompt.
  • Extended Thinking: A feature that allows the model to “think” longer on complex problems before responding, using advanced step-by-step reasoning. 

Key Features & Innovations

  • Artifacts: A dedicated UI feature that lets users view and interact with generated code, websites, and diagrams in real-time.
  • Claude Code: A command-line interface (CLI) that functions as an agentic software engineer, capable of searching your system, editing files, running tests, and fixing bugs autonomously.
  • Claude Code Security: A specialized tool released in early 2026 for scanning codebases to identify and fix high-severity vulnerabilities.
  • Computer Use: A beta capability allowing Claude to interpret screen content and simulate mouse and keyboard actions to perform tasks across multiple apps.
  • Integrations: Claude now connects directly to enterprise tools like Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Zoom to automate report generation and meeting follow-ups. 

Impact & Performance

  • Coding Excellence: Claude is widely regarded as one of the best models for programming, often used to build entire applications through “vibe coding” (conversational development).
  • Productivity Gains: Internal and external studies suggest Claude can reduce task completion time by up to 80% for complex tasks like legal research and software engineering.
  • Cybersecurity Breakthroughs: The Claude Mythos model (currently in limited release) has reportedly discovered thousands of zero-day vulnerabilities in major operating systems like Linux and OpenBSD.

Claude Code Project structure :

Claude Code Project structure

The .claude folder is a hidden directory used by Claude Code (an AI-powered terminal assistant) to store local state, configuration, and memory, allowing it to remember project details across sessions. It functions as a local workspace for Claude to manage instructions, custom commands, permission rules, and auto-memory. 

Key Components of the .claude Folder:

  • CLAUDE.md (Crucial): A markdown file that acts as the primary instruction manual, containing rules, project context, and coding standards.
  • settings.json (Configuration): Controls permissions, defining which tools Claude can use and what files it can read.
  • commands/ (Custom Tools): A folder for storing markdown files that create custom shell commands (e.g., /project:review).
  • rules/ (Specialized Guidance): Contains specific coding conventions or guidelines that supplement CLAUDE.md.
  • skills/ (Actionable Workflows): Used to store multi-step workflows that Claude can execute, such as code analysis or formatting.
  • agents/ (Subagents): Defines specialized AI subagents with specific system prompts and tool access.
  • memory/ (Persistent State): Stores auto-generated notes and context about the project’s codebase, architecture, and previous tasks. 

Two Types of .claude Directories:

  1. Project-Level (.claude/): Created at the root of a project, shared with the team via git.
  2. Global-Level (~/.claude/): Located in the user’s home directory, storing personal configurations and memory that apply across all projects. 

Important Notes:

  • Safety: It is safe to delete, but doing so resets the model’s memory of the project.
  • Gitignore: It is highly recommended to add the .claude folder to .gitignore to avoid committing local environment state.
  • Structure: It is recommended to keep CLAUDE.md under 200–300 lines to maintain high adherence.

How to use Claude:

How Project Managers use Claude AI to run projects

How Project Managers use Claude AI to run projects

Project Management Methodologies Summarised

Project Management Methodologies Summarised

Product Management mindset approaches for success

Product Management mindset approaches for success

Business Analyst and Running UAT User Acceptance Testing

Business Analyst and Running User Acceptance Testing UAT

Project Cycle Management PCM

PCM Project Cycle Management

Difference between Scrum Master and Project Manager

Difference between Scrum Master and Project Manager

Agile Scrum, difference between Capacity and Velocity

Agile Scrum, difference between Capacity and Velocity

HPE NonStop Data Definition Language (DDL) dictionary overview and timeline

The HPE NonStop Data Definition Language (DDL) dictionary is a specialized subsystem used to define and manage data objects for Enscribe files and translate those definitions into source code for various programming languages. It serves as a central repository for metadata, ensuring consistent data structures across applications written in C, COBOL, TAL, or TACL. 

Program Summary

The DDL dictionary program functions as a metadata management tool. Key capabilities include: 

  • Centralised Definition: Defines records, fields, and file attributes in a hierarchical structure.
  • Code Generation: Translates DDL definitions into language-specific source code (e.g., COBOL copybooks or C headers).
  • Dictionary Maintenance: Allows users to create, examine, and update dictionaries to reflect changes in data structures.
  • Interoperability: Modern tools like Ddl2Bean convert dictionary files into Java Beans or XML, enabling cross-language and cross-platform use. 

Future Outlook

The future of HPE NonStop DDL focuses on modernisation and integration rather than replacement. 

  • Data Virtualization: Integration with AI factories and object storage platforms to expose legacy metadata in open-table formats like Apache Iceberg.
  • API Centricity: Enhancements to the NonStop API Gateway will likely use DDL metadata to automate REST/JSON service orchestration.
  • Real-time Analytics: Native streaming of NonStop data into platforms like Kafka, using DDL definitions to map real-time changes into analytics-ready formats. 

Internet Links & Manuals

HPE NonStop Data Definition Language (DDL) dictionary overview and timeline

HPE NonStop PATHCOM, interactive management interface, Pathway transaction processing environment

HPE NonStop PATHCOM is the interactive management interface for the Pathway transaction processing environment. It allows administrators to configure, monitor, and control PATHMON-governed objects such as serverclasses, TCPs (Terminal Control Processes), and links. 

Historical Timeline: The Evolution of Pathway & PATHCOM

The history of PATHCOM is inseparable from the Tandem NonStop platform, which pioneered fault-tolerant Online Transaction Processing (OLTP). 

The Tandem Era (1974 – 1997) 

  • 1974 – 1976: Tandem Computers is founded. The first NonStop I system ships in 1976.
  • 1983: Tandem introduces Pathway software alongside the Transaction Monitoring Facility (TMF). This milestone removes the requirement for developers to manually code fault tolerance into applications, as the Pathway infrastructure (managed via PATHCOM) handles it automatically.
  • Early 1990s: The platform migrates from proprietary stack machines to MIPS RISC processors (TNS/R architecture). PATHCOM evolves to manage more complex distributed environments.
  • 1994Open System Services (OSS) is introduced, allowing NonStop to support a Unix-like POSIX environment. 

The Compaq & Early HP Era (1997 – 2014) 

  • 1997Compaq acquires Tandem.
  • 2002HP merges with Compaq.
  • 2005: Migration from MIPS to Intel Itanium (Integrity NonStop) begins.
  • 2010s: Pathway evolves into HPE NonStop Pathway with TS/MP (Transaction Services/Massive Parallelism), enabling near-linear scalability for massive OLTP workloads. 

The Modern HPE Era (2014 – Present)

  • 2014NonStop X is introduced, migrating the architecture to Intel x86-64 processors.
  • 2015: Hewlett-Packard splits; the platform continues under Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE).
  • 2020 – 2024: Focus shifts toward virtualisation and hybrid cloud. Modern Pathway/TS environments now support massive scaling up to 24,480 cores in a single system image.
Summary of PATHCOM Functionality

Future of NonStop Pathway

HPE’s roadmap for NonStop focuses on integrating mission-critical reliability with modern data centre technologies:

  • Modernisation: Support for Kubernetes Helm deployments and cloud-native frameworks.
  • Hardware Advancements: New NS9 X5 and NS5 X5 platforms offer double the memory capacity and 2x faster system interconnects.
  • Open Integration: Continued emphasis on open application development environments and open-source frameworks.
  • Hybrid Cloud: Positioning NonStop as a key component of HPE GreenLake for mission-critical workloads in the cloud.

HPE NonStop PATHCOM, interactive management interface, Pathway transaction processing environment

HPE NonStop Spoolcom subsystem Spooler Command Language program Overview and Timeline

The HPE NonStop Spoolcom (Spooler Command Language) program is the administrative interface for managing the Spooler subsystem on HPE NonStop systems. It allows operators to configure, monitor, and control print jobs, collectors, and print processes. 

Program Summary

  • Purpose: Used to define and manage spooler objects such as collectors, devices, and jobs.
  • Key Functions: Starting/stopping the spooler, modifying device attributes, and controlling job states (e.g., hold, release, delete).
  • Architecture: Operates within the Guardian environment, communicating with the Spooler supervisor process to maintain 24/7 fault-tolerant printing operations. 

Historical Timeline by Era

1. The Tandem Era (1974–1997) 

  • 1976: Introduction of the Tandem NonStop system; basic spooling capabilities were essential for early OLTP (Online Transaction Processing).
  • 1980s: The Spooler evolved to handle complex routing and multiple collectors to support growing enterprise needs.
  • 1997: Spooler D41 released, providing stable management for the MIPS-based architecture. 

2. The Compaq & Early HP Era (1997–2014)

  • 1999–2000: Release of Spooler D46, enhancing device ownership and virtual device support.
  • 2001–2002: Spooler D48 released during the transition to the HP Integrity NonStop (Itanium) platform.
  • 2012: Major updates to Spooler D48 to support H01 and H02 RVUs, improving scalability for high-end systems. 

3. The Modern HPE Era (2014–Present)

  • 2014NonStop X (x86-64) introduced. Spoolcom adapted to support the new architecture and virtualised environments.
  • 2018–2020: Focus shifted toward modernised interfaces. While Spoolcom remains the CLI standard, graphical alternatives like MultiBatch began gaining traction for batch management.
  • 2023–2024: Continued integration with HPE GreenLake and hybrid cloud models, ensuring spooling services are available in private cloud deployments. 

Futures and Roadmap

  • Modernisation: HPE is pushing toward “modernisation through tradition,” which includes better integration of legacy tools like Spoolcom with modern DevSecOps and cloud-native frameworks.
  • Kernel-Level Threading (KLT): Future updates aim to leverage KLT to improve the performance and scale-up capabilities of management processes.
  • Data-Centric Security: Integration with security platforms like TAMUNIO for field-level tokenization ensures that printed data remains compliant with PCI DSS 4.0 and GDPR. 

Useful Resources

HPE NonStop Spoolcom subsystem Spooler Command Language program – Overview and Timeline

HPE NonStop Inspect debugger Overview and timeline by year

HPE NonStop Inspect is the primary symbolic, source-level debugger for applications running on the HPE NonStop (formerly Tandem) operating system. It allows developers to interactively control program execution, examine and change data variables, and debug complex multi-process applications in both the Guardian and Open System Services (OSS) environments. 

Program Summary

The Inspect debugger family facilitates high-availability software development through several specialized versions: 

  • Inspect (Legacy): A command-line tool for TNS, TNS/R, and TNS/E systems.
  • Native Inspect (eInspect/xInspect): Adapted from GDB for Itanium and x86 architectures; it provides a command-line interface with scripting capabilities.
  • Visual Inspect: A Windows-hosted GUI debugger that provides “point-and-click” efficiency for setting breakpoints and displaying variables.
  • NSDEE (Eclipse): Modern debugging integrated into the Eclipse-based development environment, supporting NonStop Application, Attach Process, and Snapshot debug configurations. 

Historic Timeline by Era

The evolution of the NonStop debugger mirrors the platform’s hardware transitions over five decades.

The Tandem Era (1974 – 1997) 

  • 1974: Tandem Computers is founded; the platform begins with T/16 (NonStop I).
  • 1980s: Inspect is introduced as the standard interactive debugger for the TNS (Tandem Network Strategy) CISC architecture.
  • Early 1990s: Migration to MIPS-based TNS/R systems; Inspect is updated to support RISC instruction sets and optimized compilers. 

The Compaq & Early HP Era (1997 – 2014)

  • 1997: Compaq acquires Tandem.
  • 2002: HP acquires Compaq; migration to TNS/E (Intel Itanium) architecture begins.
  • 2005 – 2010: Visual Inspect becomes a staple for developers seeking a GUI experience on Windows.
  • 2013: Release of the Inspect H01 Manual, documenting full support for TNS/R and TNS/E concurrent debugging. 

The Modern HPE Era (2014 – Present)

  • 2014: Introduction of NonStop X (x86-64 architecture). Native Inspect (xInspect) is launched, based on GDB, to support the move away from Itanium.
  • 2015: HPE is formed; focus shifts to the NonStop Development Environment for Eclipse (NSDEE).
  • 2020 – 2024: Enhancements in NSDEE include improved OSS process handling and support for large-scale application debugging.
  • 2025: HPE celebrates 50 years of NonStop; updates to the OS introduce greater development and debugging flexibility for named processes on NS5 X5 and NS9 X5 platforms

Future Outlook

HPE’s roadmap for NonStop focuses on modernisation through tradition, ensuring that legacy tools like Inspect remain compatible while transitioning to cloud-native and virtualized environments. 

  • Virtualized NonStop (vNS): Debugging tools are being adapted to work seamlessly within enterprise private clouds and HPE GreenLake consumption models.
  • AI Integration: Future enhancements likely include AI-driven diagnostics and automation within the debugger infrastructure to manage the complexity of modern REST/JSON API gateways and Kafka messaging buses.

HPE NonStop Inspect debugger Overview and timeline by year

Jackson Structured Programming JSP is a program design methodology, overview and timeline

Jackson Structured Programming (JSP) is a program design methodology developed by British software consultant Michael A. Jackson in the 1970s. It focuses on mapping the structure of a problem—specifically its data structures—directly onto the structure of the program used to solve it. 

Overview of Jackson Structured Programming

JSP is designed to create programs that are easy to maintain and modify because the program’s control structure naturally handles the input and output data structures. 

  • Core Principle: Requirement changes are typically minor tweaks to existing data structures. By aligning program structure with data structure, small changes to inputs or outputs translate into small, manageable changes in the code.
  • Methodology: The technique involves analyzing the structure of input files and output files, constructing diagrammatic representations of these, and then creating a program structure that handles both.
  • Key Constructs: JSP utilizes three basic structures for both data and programs, which can be visualized as a form of regular expression:
    • Sequence: A series of operations performed in order.
    • Iteration: The repetition of operations until a specific condition is met.
    • Selection: Choosing between different operations based on a condition.
  • Diagrams: JSP uses structure diagrams rather than flowcharts to represent the design, breaking down complex tasks into smaller, simpler parts. 
Excerpts from my HND project which made use of Jackson Structured Programming (JSP) as part of the program design phase

Detailed Historical Timeline

Early Years (1960s–1974): Conceptualization and Founding

  • 1960s: Michael A. Jackson works in data processing, encountering limitations in program reliability and seeking more systematic approaches to software design.
  • 1968: Jackson contributes to the early modular programming movement, collaborating with other pioneers.
  • 1970: Jackson leaves John Hoskyns & Company to found Michael Jackson Systems Limited, aimed at fully developing a new design methodology.
  • 1971: JSP becomes the core product of Michael Jackson Systems Limited, offering consultancy and training services.
  • 1974: The name “Jackson Structured Programming” is coined by a Swedish licensee of the company.

Established Method (1975–1979): Documentation and Adoption

  • 1975: Jackson publishes “Principles of Program Design,” the definitive text documenting JSP.
  • 1975: Michael Jackson Systems Ltd. begins offering software tools to support JSP design for COBOL programs.
  • 1977: JSP is widely recognized and adopted in Europe, the US, and Asia.
  • Late 1970s: The UK government adopts JSP (under the name “SDM” – System Development Methodology) as its standard program design method.
  • Late 1970s: The World Health Organization adopts JSP as a standard for program specification. 

Evolution into System Design (1980s): JSD

  • Early 1980s: Building on the principles of JSP, Jackson develops Jackson System Development (JSD) to address the design of entire information systems, not just individual programs.
  • 1983: Jackson publishes “System Development,” formally introducing JSD.
  • 1983-1989: JSD continues to evolve, with new features introduced in subsequent publications and manuals. 

Maturity and Retrospective (1990s–Present)

  • 1990s: Jackson develops the Problem Frames Approach, his third major methodology focusing on requirements analysis.
  • 1997: Jackson receives the Stevens Award for Software Development Methods.
  • 1998: Jackson receives the British Computer Society Lovelace Medal.
  • 2001: At a conference, Jackson provides a retrospective analysis of JSP’s driving forces and its relevance to modern software engineering.
  • Present: While overshadowed by object-oriented and agile methods, JSP principles remain useful for programming “in the small” and handling specific batch processing or embedded software tasks.

Jackson Structured Programming JSP is a program design methodology, overview and timeline

Stakeholder Requirements and Clarifying what is required

Stakeholder Requirements and Clarifying what is required

Daily Planning for Agile Scrum Teams on a page

Daily Planning for Agile Scrum Teams on a page

C-Deep for Transaction Monitoring & Sentinel for HPE NonStop Monitoring

The Insider RTLX product at ETI-NET is now called C-Deep for Transaction Monitoring;

The Insider Reflex product at ETI-NET is now called Sentinel for NonStop Monitoring;

C-Deep for Transaction Monitoring & Sentinel for HPE NonStop Monitoring

Agile Framework Methodology Key Criteria for Selecting

Agile Framework Methodology Key Criteria for Selecting

Senior IT Project Manager & Project Templates author – Mark Whitfield

Mark Whitfield is a highly experienced SC-cleared Senior IT Project Manager and Engagement Manager with over 30 years of experience in the software development lifecycle (SDLC), specializing in Agile and Waterfall delivery for financial, automotive, and public sector clients. He has a strong background in HP NonStop (Tandem) systems and currently works for Capgemini. 

Mark Whitfield, Senior IT PM and Project templates author

Comprehensive Career Timeline

Early Career & Foundations (1988–1995) 

  • 1988–1990: Completed Higher National Diploma (HND) in Computing at Bolton Institute of Higher Education (BIHE).
  • 1990–1994: The Software Partnership (Runcorn): Programmer specializing in electronic banking software (sp/ARCHITECT-BANK) on Tandem Computers.
  • 1994–1995: Deluxe Data (formerly TSP): Lead Analyst/Programmer, focusing on software investigation, design, coding, and on-site installation for clients like TSB, Bank of Scotland, and Rabobank. 

Development & Technical Specialization (1995–2013) 

  • 1995–2013: Insider Technologies Limited: Spent 18 years progressing from Senior Development Engineer to Project Manager for Strategic Technical Initiatives.
  • Key Roles: Managed Reflex 80:20 and Reflex ONE24 product development, technical pre-sales, and consultancy. Developed diagnostic software for monitoring payment systems (BASE24).
  • Notable Project: Managed a bid to replace legacy ATM tools at LloydsTSB (5000 ATMs) with Reflex ONE24. 

Banking & Digital Project Management (2013–2016) 

  • 2013–2014: Wincor Nixdorf: Project Manager in the Professional Services Banking Division, managing a £5m+ work stream for Lloyds Banking Group’s Self-Service Software Replacement (SSSR) programme.
  • 2014–2016: Betfred: Senior Digital Project Manager for the Online and Mobile Division, delivering payment gateways and sportsbooks for iOS, Android, and Windows. 

Senior Engagement Management (2016–Present)

  • 2016–Present: Capgemini UK: Engagement Project Manager responsible for delivering both Waterfall and Agile digital projects.
  • 2016 (Approx.): Assigned to a UK-wide Air Traffic organization (NATS) for Apple iOS app delivery.
  • 2018–2019: MuleSoft (Secondment): Served as a Delivery Manager for the Anypoint Platform.
  • Current Focus: Cloud Migration (Hybrid) of 130 apps for UK Government. 

Client & Colleague Recommendations

Mark Whitfield is noted for being a detail-oriented manager who provides a strong barrier between developers and difficult clients, while maintaining a friendly, professional, and diplomatical approach. 

  • Agile Management: “Mark provided an excellent barrier between us (developers) and a difficult client…ensuring that we followed the agile principles” — Callum Marriage (Developer).
  • MuleSoft/Capgemini Engagement: “Customers loved him. His was extremely detailed oriented and understood the often-complex needs…never became flustered in high pressure situations” — Delivery Manager, MuleSoft.
  • Betfred (2015): “I would highly recommend Mark for his ability to successfully multi-task under significant pressure… [he] produced a very comprehensive handover document” — IT Compliance Analyst, Betfred.
  • Capgemini/JLR Project: “Mark was able to do a good planning, with the correct resources, on time delivery and with good relationship between stakeholders” — Head of Integration Development

Key Areas of Expertise

  • Methodologies: PRINCE2 Practitioner, Agile SCRUM, ITIL, ISO9001:2008.
  • Tools: MS Project, MS Excel/Office, RAID logs.
  • Technical Background: HP NonStop (Tandem) Systems, BASE24, C++, TAL, COBOL.
  • Industries: Financial/Banking, Aerospace & Defence, Government, Automotive, Gambling. 

Mark Whitfield’s website (mark-whitfield.com) serves as a professional portfolio and resource hub for his 30+ year career as a SC-cleared Senior IT Project Manager. It offers over 200 editable project management templates for Agile, Waterfall, and PRINCE2 methodologies, alongside career insights and project experience. 

Website & Content Overview

  • Project Management Resources: The site, often known as PROject Templates, provides downloadable templates for planning, scheduling (Gantt charts), project initiation (PID), and project control.
  • Methodology Focus: Resources are tailored for PRINCE2 (including Agile Scrum), and Agile/Waterfall delivery methods.
  • Career Portfolio: Features his work history as a Senior IT Project Manager, including roles at Capgemini, Betfred, and various financial institutions.
  • Technical Specialization: Highlights expertise in HP NonStop systems, digital projects, and payment/transaction systems.
  • Professional Background: Mentions his experience with major clients such as Jaguar Landrover, Heathrow, Royal Mail, and various banks. 

The site is designed for project managers looking for templates to speed up project documentation and for clients looking to review his career accomplishments. 

Senior IT Project Manager & Project Templates author – Mark Whitfield

Templates sold on this website are designed for Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and MS Project (MPP) and are used for tracking and planning software development lifecycle (SDLC) projects. 

Template Breakdown

The templates, often sold in a bundle, include over 200+ editable items aimed at project delivery. Key components include: 

  • Project Planning (MS Project & Excel): Detailed Waterfall project planners with Gantt views, Agile Sprint plans, and Plan on a Page (POaP) examples.
  • RAID Logs (Risk, Action, Issue, Dependency): Comprehensive Excel trackers for managing risks, issues, assumptions, and dependencies.
  • Financial & Resource Management: Project finance trackers (forecasts, actuals, variance) and resource trackers for tracking team members and costs.
  • Project Governance (Word & PowerPoint): Project initiation documentation (PID), status reports, RACI matrices (responsible, accountable, consulted, informed), and project organization charts.
  • Agile/Scrum Tools: Burn-down and burn-up charts, story dependency trackers, and Kanban templates.
  • Closeout: Lessons learned logs and benefit realization analysis trackers. 

Where to Buy

  • Official Website: mark-whitfield.com (PROject Templates) is the primary source, offering a bundle with free lifetime upgrades.
  • Etsy: Mark Whitfield’s templates are available for purchase here, particularly for those needing alternative payment methods.
  • Eloquens: He maintains a channel on Eloquens for downloading professional templates. 

The templates are fully editable, allowing users to tailor them to specific project requirements. 

Project Manager vs Product Manager, key differences overview

Project Manager vs Product Manager, key differences overview