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System  -  Author's Projects 4
Author (of AZMAT System)

Continued . . . .

8.  The author started work at another company; the problems which the company faced were explained to him in about 25 minutes.  The company had a very large spreadsheet calculation model developed by dealers themselves over a period of several years.  That spreadsheet model was the focus of their working day as it was used round-the-clock in London, New York and Tokyo; the company's global business had become totally dependent on that one exceptionally large spreadsheet calculation model.  There were also some macro programs written. 

However, the spreadsheet had become so large that the calculation time had become unacceptable and although the spreadsheet program could in theory handle much larger spreadsheets, in practice that spreadsheet was testing the limits of both the operating system and the spreadsheet program.  What brought matters to a head was the fact that the company was going to employ more dealers in less than a month and their existing spreadsheet calculation model could not cope with any more dealers.  As the new dealers' jobs were very highly paid, the company simply could not have a situation whereby those dealers were unable to work.  The author was hired at that stage to provide a working solution.  It was another typical project for the author though; he was quite used to working under pressure.  What made it more challenging and interesting for him, was the fact that the system had to be developed while it was being used round-the-clock in the financial markets of London, New York and Tokyo.  Normally a system is developed and tested in the background, before it is installed on the users' computers.  The author did not have that luxury in that project; it really was a very challenging project. 

As deals worth millions of dollars were being carried out using that spreadsheet calculation model, everybody had become almost afraid of (doing something wrong to) that spreadsheet.  For example, the author spotted a very obvious mistake which he pointed out to them.  He was told that they were aware of the mistake, for the past 18 months, but nobody felt confident enough to do anything about it; they were really afraid that they might get the blame if something unexpected happened to the spreadsheet, as a result of their effort.  So they all worked allowing for that mistake; that spreadsheet certainly had an aura about it.  The author later corrected the mistake in a few minutes while the system was being used.  

The author began work and analysed the client's spreadsheet calculation model for the very first time.  Within two hours he came up with 3 possible solutions and explained to the client pros and cons of each of his three solutions.  He also mentioned which of the three was his preferred solution and why, but left the final decision up to the client.  The client agreed with the author's choice.  The author designed and developed a spreadsheet calculation model which was half the size of the original spreadsheet but could handle twice the number of bonds.   It could also calculate in half the original time.  Thus the new spreadsheet calculation model was 4 times more efficient than the original and it could cope with any number of dealers. 

The author then began work on program code.   Originally, there were more than a dozen program routines which had to be carried out by the users in a certain order and at specific times during their working day.   The author could see how confusing it was for the users.  If a single program was either missed or 'run' at the wrong time it really messed up quite a few things, since millions of dollars worth of business was being carried out.  The original system also depended heavily on the presence, knowledge and experience of certain individuals. 

The author observed the users and their original system, and began to work on the design and development of a new simple system.  He quietly began programming work to simplify the whole working procedure.  His final solution had only 3 commands; two in the morning and one at the end of each working day.   The new system could be used by any user confidently; the dealers really were very pleased with it.  The author had taken the complexity of their original system, out of their daily working life and ensured that his programming code and spreadsheet design took care of it.  Furthermore, as the original system was in use for several years the dealers had no idea that their complex system could be replaced by a system which was so simple to use.  The new system was immediately put into use in London, New York and Tokyo dealing rooms of that company.  

9.  AZMAT System has been designed and developed by the author, working 12 to 15 hours per day, seven days a week, for nearly three and a half calendar years. This is equivalent to more than eight man-years' work.  At various stages during its development he showed AZMAT System to practising dealers and other personnel working at several international financial institutions, and incorporated their comments, suggestions, feedback and 'wish-lists'.  Thus AZMAT System represents, at almost every level, what a typical user would want in such a system. 



Early Career 
The author studied Civil Engineering initially and while working full-time as a Civil Engineer, he began studying part-time with the Open University in February 1979.  On a week's summer school as part of the Technology foundation course, he was introduced to computer programming - the actual computing element of that initial course was no more than a few hours.   However he became so fascinated with computers and computer programming that he began to spend all his free time in the computer centre - writing and testing various programs till 1a.m. almost every day.  That fascination has lasted to date. 

In December 1981, the author got his BA degree from the Open University in UK where he studied mainly Mathematics and Computer Science subjects.  Then in May 1982, he changed his career from Civil Engineering to Information Technology. Within Information Technology he has specialised in financial systems design and development. He has also designed and taught various courses in computing and computers to over 500 people, at four Adult Education Institutes in London, on a part-time basis over a period of two academic years. He has 17 years' work experience in Information Technology, including 14 years in financial systems design and development.


To be continued . . . .


System  -  Author's Projects 4

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