Tutor Spotlight

DAVE IN THE HOTSEAT…..

What was the first training course you ever ran?

My first training course - I was literally 'in at the deep end'. I worked for a training company in The Midlands, and my remit was to deliver the training programme that had been set up for NatWest bank. Day one in my new post was on site in London and I was given a crash introduction to the training materials by the previous temporary trainer.

After a two day handover it was all mine. I delivered a ten day “Structured Systems Analysis” course and the all things considered the reviews were pretty good!

Any training disasters?

I once delivered a three day tailored project management course for a pharmaceutical company in the West Midlands. The course topics had been agreed between the training company (not Pentland I might add) and representatives from the pharmaceutical company. I duly compiled all the materials required and arrived on day one, at the wrong location ! I had been given the wrong directions by the training company and so had to determine where the course was to run (a further 1 hour travelling time), I arrived 30 minutes after the course start time and set up the course and started to introduce the course topics. “We don’t want this” was the cry from the audience,” it’s not what we feel we need”. After a quick call to the training company - they agreed I could deliver what they needed. So after ascertaining what exactly they were looking for - I delivered a 3 day course on exactly what they needed. Phew!

Best project management and Business Analysis advice you have ever been given?

Common Sense and pragmatism will take you a long way.

Do you have a word or phrase that you are known for?

‘Use it or Lose it’

QUICK FIRE:

Facebook or Twitter - Facebook

iPhone or Blackberry - Blackberry

Mac or PC - PC

Favourite Blog – Engadget.com

Favourite Book – Any Tom Sharpe Novel

Favourite Software – Enterprise Architect

Project Management Tool of Choice – MS Project

QUALIFICATIONS:

SSADM – COP

PRINCE2 Practitioner 2001 – 2006

ISEB Certificate in Requirements Engineering

ISEB Certificate in Organisational Context