Main software used: MS Word, Assembler

See February 2006: Called back to analyse yet more undocumented Assembler code.

Main software used: MVS, Roscoe, COBOL, Assembler, TSO/ISPF, MS Word, VSAM, JCL

Engaged as a Senior Developer to collaborate in the design, code, testing and documentation phases of a new system to facilitate client portfolio management.

Main software used: MVS, Roscoe, COBOL, Assembler, TSO/ISPF, MS Word, VSAM, JCL

Engaged as a Senior Developer to collaborate in the design, code, testing and documentation phases of a ‘faater payments’ system.

Main software used: MS Word, Assembler

Called in to analyse and document a turgid mass of complex legacy Assembler code with a view to redeveloping its functionality in a replacement system.

Main software used: MVS, Roscoe, Assembler, COBOL, TSO/ISPF,QSAM, VSAM, JCL, MS Word

Engaged as a Senior Developer to design, code, test and document pension-related applications. Handled the conversion of COBOL-based data from external systems to interface with the client’s own Assembler applications. Significantly involved in staff training and ad hoc firefighting on behalf of operational systems. A major contributor to successful client and policy data migration consequent to the merger with Bank of Scotland.

Main software used: MVS, Endevor, COBOL MVS, FOCUS, TSO/ISPF, VSAM, JCL, SAS

A short-term assignment to assist the client in implementing migration following merger with Norwich Union. Taken on for COBOL skills but unexpectedly exposed to FOCUS and SAS as well.

Working on a number of personal projects. These include development of Task Estimation software soon to go into distribution, and publication in ‘Computing’ of a series of articles on Quality Assurance and related topics. Conducted a BCS workshop on Task Estimation.

Main software used: MVS, Panvalet, COBOL, MVS, Assembler, VSAM, TSO/ISPF, JCL, MS Word

Initially advising on Change Management & Version Control; subsequently as a Y2K analyst & troubleshooter. The client had outsourced all Y2K investigation and amendment to a major software house and my main responsibilities were to sight-check the quality of the amended code. This required a deep understanding of the data-handling requirements of COBOL/Assembler interfaces.

WDR is a division of the Swiss Bank Corporation; I discovered that software I developed for SBC (see 1986 to 1988) was still in regular use.

Main software used: MVS, CICS, COBOL, Sybase, JCL

A short-term exercise requiring me to create data extracts as part of EMU preparation for a client bank. This involved the analysis of a Sybase database followed by the design, code and test of COBOL retrieval programs, an assignment that was completed ahead of schedule.

Main software used: MVS, CICS, COBOL, TSO/ISPF, VSAM, JCL, Roscoe, Datacom, Librarian

Recommending COBOLII standards. Programming for the implementation of a new Life Assurance bonus award/clawback system which went live on time and within budget. Providing ad hoc response to problems & technical support for the client’s user community based on typically large, over-maintained and undocumented legacy systems. Developed interfaces between COBOL and Datacom systems.