Stuart Barker

I've previously worked as a Java Developer for IBM Global Services in the UK. Having worked on several Java projects, including an Intranet Based Document Management System, Flight Info Display System, a Java GUI port for the IBM DirectTalk? product and bid work on the computerisation of the Ministry of Transport's vehicle test procedures. My last role with IBM was HCI development for the Parcelforce Collection & Delivery Management system and completing their Intranet Parcel Tracking App using WebSphere.

Since IBM, I've worked for Equant Application Services (now SITA Advanced Travel), which involved a secondment to the fair State of Connecticut with Priceline.com. Here I introduced a couple of XP practices, test-first and pair programming for the JMS/MQSeries project being implemented. A very positive experience. After 3 months at that, I returned to the UK and began introducing Agile Development to the rest of Equant AS, before they realised I needed to be billable again and sent me off to work on putting together the Vizzavi France website using Weblogic Portal Server. Needing a break from being sent from pillar to post, I decided to finish at Equant and take up an in-house role within the UK's leading home improvements chain, B&Q. Here I was Technical Architect for their B2C site, www.diy.com and then a Technical Architect for all things Presentation Services (e.g. Portal, Web) and Application Services (e.g. J2EE, .Net) working under the direction of MartinCooke. Having spent almost exactly 4.5 years with B&Q/Kingfisher, I decided to move back to the Consultancy/Professional Services world with Practiv, a consultancy providing services into the insurance industry.

I've previously contributed toward the ComponentDesignPatterns pages authored by KyleBrown, PhilipEskelin and NatPryce, including the ComponentManagedPersistence page.

I was introduced to Patterns and these pages by BruceAnderson, who was also my University tutor.

Another page I had a hand in was ObjectMoment, recollecting the point in time when I first saw the light!

Skills and technology experience I've acquired over the years include

J2EE
XML, XSLT
WML, HTML
MQSeries and Asynch Messaging concepts
WebSphere, WebLogic, ATG Dynamo and Tomcat
SQL
Oracle, DB2
JUnit, Ant
Eclipse
XP and agile practices
Team Leading, Mentoring, and Consultancy
J2EE Architecting
HCI design and concepts
eRetail
Mobile Internet

Anybody wishing to contact me can do so on

Personal Email: mailto:stuartjbarker@btopenworld(dot)com

Work Email: mailto:stuart.barker@practiv(dot)com

MESSAGES

Small world - I used to work for Equant in the days when it was Novus Systems Technology (to be precise, the subsidiary Novus Networks). I'd be interested to hear how things are going down in Godalming, whether anyone remembers me, and how you get on with XP. Did you ever make it to an XTC meeting? -- SvenHowarth?

mailto:sven(dot)howarth@iname(dot)com

http://www.xpdeveloper.com

On CompareDsdmAndXp, you mentioned you were about to read JenniferStapleton's book, DSDM: The Method In Practice - I'm very curious: any opinions already? Should I buy the book? -- ArieVanDeursen

The book is essentially an overview of the process (you can gather just as much from the DSDM website) followed by several case studies. The variety of case studies make an interesting read and does indicate the flexibility of the process.

UPDATE

I've just begun working for Practiv, a consultancy providing IT services into the insurance industry. They appear very keen on the agile approach to development, which is a big plus. I'll be working with them as a Solutions Architect, where I'll be assisting on delivering an SOA approach for solutions to clients such as Friends Provident here in the UK.

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