Cobent is a leading innovator of software for learning and compliance management – allowing organisations to distribute content, capture knowledge and obtain greater information control, at price points that provide a rapid return on investment.

Using a portal system, that was created entirely with .net technologies, my task for the four weeks, were as follows:

Create an additional question type.
Create a drag and drop question.
Create an import tool, which would decompress a zip file full of questions.

My first task was to create an additional question type, so that administrators could create a new question type called ‘drag and drop’. This involved adding the question type to the SQL Server database and then adding the additional entry to the drop down box on the respective aspx page.

Cobent used a be-spoke tool they had developed in C#, which created all there business and database layers within the visual studio solution. This executable was run against the database, and created business and database layer object/classes against any new entries in the database. For example, creating the additional entry in the Question_Type table, lead to an additional field in the question_type class, both in the business layer and the database layer. This tool had to be run each time any additions were made to the database so that they would be reflected in the solution. Any changes made to the database had to be scripted and uploaded to the central repository.

Using a combination of Javascript and VB.NET, my next task was to create a drag and drop question. There where two sides, one for the administrator to create the question, and the other for the user to use the question.

The drag and drop functionality, allowed the user to drag items from a one area on the screen, to a drop area in the order that they user deemed to be correct. For example – ‘Please place these items in Alphabetic Sequence?’

Once the user has placed the items, the course was then scored and feedback was given to user indicating their overall score.

The third task was to create an import tool that would automatically decompress a zip file containing questions from specific clients and incorporate the contents of each file into the system ready to be used within a course for the respective clients.

Using .NET technologies to develop a incentives credit card system. Worked along side the DBA and the systems architect to produce the system.

Worked to tight deadlines and was based at home, going into the office once a week for review meetings.

Duties: Development
Developed bespoke applications for n-tier systems
Development is done within an ASP environment using a scripting language
Frameworks, SQL scripts, and 4GL tools
SQL Server 2000 databases created and customised
All development was fully documented
All preliminary testing was conducted on-site with client involvement

Installation and Configuration
Installed and configured SQL Server 2000 databases
Installed and configured bespoke BACSTEL-IP applications
Configured Windows services
Configured Internet and Extranet connections to BACS
Installed and configured High Security Machines and Smart cards (data-signing hardware)

Training
Provided training to groups of staff within client organisations
Created customer-specific training manuals

Environment
BACS data-files, remittance advices, printer/fax/Email services and cheques.
Clients: I dealt with large financial organisations and businesses throughout the UK
Examples: JP Morgan Chase, HSBC, Lloyds Of Shore, Cheshire Building Society, Wanadoo, PC World, MBNA.
High level of responsibility: everything had to work with 100% accuracy.
The systems I implemented dealt with transactions worth many millions each week
High pressure: I worked to tight deadlines and on my own at the customer site
Travel: covered entire UK on a regular basis
Client-facing: about 50% of my time was spent in a client-facing environment

Duties: Employed solely, to convert current packaging management application (Webnosys), which was developed in Microsoft Access 2000, into a .net web application. Ongoing maintenance of existing live application/s was required, whilst requirements for the new system were being gathered.

Responsible for the creation of a web based support site using .NET, that would provide ASDA project managers the facility to report any issues relating to the current packaging management application. The launch of this application reduced the amount of support phone calls received.

Carried out system analysis for Webnosys V2. The requirements gathering process took several months to complete and consisted of meetings being held with key personnel from ASDA (Leeds head office), Buralls of Wisbech (Wisbech) and Trading Labels project manager and Company Director (Warrington).

Meetings involved collating current frailties and problems with current version of Webnosys and establishing the new functionality that was required.

All requirements were documented and signed off before any development commenced, this process allowed the users to be more specific about their requirements enabling the project to meet all deadlines specified.

The first part of development was to construct, test, and alter the SQL 2000 database that was going to be used as the back-end mechanism for storing all customer and product information. The database consisted of 50 tables constructed using full normalization techniques, and roughly around 70 stored procedures. Test scripts were written to test the validity of the database against user requirements.

Webnosys is an internal workflow tool developed using .net technologies, which provide active support to the Imagenet packaging development process, which is the internal art studio within the Burall Company. Webnosys provides a semi-automated process for the creation of multi-line projects with dynamically generated critical paths & user roles.

The web application provides active updates to all users within a secure environment, with tools to allow the users to manage projects and lines through the prescribed business process.

The aim of the tool is to provide a constant and accurate flow of work into the artwork studio whilst tracking all exceptions and amends. The output of the system will be confirmation of a dispatched Repro file and an export report detailing all outbound charges.

Predominately working remotely Webnosys V2 was constructed and developed using .NET technologies, following business specifications closely.