James A. Ward, PMP

Principal Consultant

James A. Ward & Associates, Inc.

Information Technology Project Management and Quality Improvement Consulting

 

100 Boardwalk Drive, Suite 821

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 32082 USA

Phone and FAX:  (904) 273-8777

e-mail: soozward@earthlink.net

web site: www.JamesAWard.com

 

CONSULTING SERVICES

 

·         Information Systems Project Management, PMI Certified

·         Information Technology Project Management Office (PMO) Implementation

·         Interim InformationTechnology Management

·         Quality (TQM), Capability Maturity Model (CMM) and Process Improvement Initiatives

·         Business Systems Analysis, Requirements Definition, Business Process Reengineering (BPR)

·         Preparation of Formal Proposals and RFPs

 

EDUCATION

 

      MBA in Finance, University of Chicago

      BA in Economics and Mathematics, University of Minnesota

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

Member of the Auerbach Publications editorial board.  Authored a column on Software Quality and Project Management in Information Systems for Auerbach’s Information Systems Management journal.

 

“TQM And The Year 2000 Crisis” Information Systems Management, Spring 1998

“Implementing Employee Empowerment” Information Systems Management, Winter 1997

“Measurement Management” Information Systems Management, Winter 1996

“Project Pitfalls” Information Systems Management, Winter 1995, reprinted by PMI, 1999

“Meeting Customer Requirements” Information Systems Management, Summer 1994

“Continuous Process Improvement” Information Systems Management, Spring 1994

“Productivity Through Project Management” Information Systems Management, Winter 1994

 

PRESENTATIONS AND SPEECHES

 

“It’s Still the Requirements: Getting Software Requirements Right – First Time and Every Time”

      14th International Conference on Software Quality, Orlando, 2004

“Software Project Risk Management: Keep It Simple to Enhance Project Success” 14th International Conference on Software Quality, Orlando, 2004

“Starting A PMO – Where’s the WIIFM?” Lavacon International Conference on Project Management, New Orleans, 2004

“The Project Manager as Houdini – Escaping the Triple Constraint” Lavacon International Conference on Project Management, New Orleans, 2004

“The Key Project Constraints” 13th International Conference on Software Quality, Dallas, 2003

“Customer Requirements Management” New Jersey SPIN and Philadelphia SPIN, 2001

“Software Quality Strategies” South Jersey ASQ and SPIN, 2001

“Managing Project Constraints, Relationships and Tradeoffs” PMI, Philadelphia, 2001

“Implementing TQM in Information Systems” APICS International Conference, San Antonio, 1993

“Analyst Development Through MBO” Info ’75 Data Processing Conference, New York, 1975

TRAINING CLASSES

 

I teach a comprehensive three day Project Management Seminar and Workshop, providing training in a proven project management methodology that has been used successfully by some of the world’s leading consulting organizations.

 

Classes, seminars and workshops offered in:

-         Project Management (fully PMI compatible)

-         Information Systems Requirements Definition

-         Information Technology Project Risk Management

-         Microsoft Project

 

Working with a firm in India to develop an e-Learning Project Management class for the pharmaceutical industry.

 

Formally trained in Quality Strategy and Philip Crosby’s Quality Improvement Processes methodology. Successfully completed Gerald M. Weinberg’s five day Problem Solving Leadership workshop and seven day Congruent Leadership Change Shop workshop. Worked with clients in the Information Technology, Aerospace, Financial Services, Pharmaceutical and Health Care industries to implement Total Quality Management and Process Improvement initiatives. Provide TQM and Process Improvement training, seminars and workshops.

 

REPRESENTATIVE CLIENT ENGAGEMENTS

 

FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY

 

AMERICAN EXPRESS: Working as a consultant to the Y2K PMO, managed three projects to perform Year 2000 risk assessment for this $18 billion world wide financial services organization.  Worked with top management to identify and mitigate potential Year 2000 risks.  Modeled and documented all business processes and work flows used for delivery of all credit card products and services offered by the organization. Developed methodology used to assess risk to the organization’s international banking subsidiary.

 

BROWN BROTHERS, HARRIMAN: Managed the development of an automated trade management system for  this prestigious private international investment bank, enabling fully automated trading of domestic and international equities, mutual funds and options through proprietary networks (VPNs), public networks and the World Wide Web with direct interface to the bank’s settlement and custody systems.

 

CAPITAL ONE: As a Project Manager, managed monthly releases of credit card applications for the sixth largest credit card issuer in the country. Initiated process improvement efforts directed toward achieving CMM level 2 and level 3 compliance.

 

CITICORP:  As a Project Manager in the Card Technologies PMO, managed multiple projects, including introduction of new credit card products and services, legal and compliance projects and web services for small business enterprises.

 

MERRILL LYNCH: Served as Project Management Office (PMO) Manager for implementation of an Equities Trading System that managed $350 billion in worldwide mutual fund assets. Responsibilities included establishing a Project Management Office (PMO), implementation and training for project management processes, tools and methodologies.

PHARMACEUTICAL AND HEALTH CARE INDUSTRIES

 

            JOHNSON & JOHNSON: As a consultant, I worked on product design and was responsible for requirements definition for an information system to support the delivery of a wellness program targeted at employees of large corporations and members of HMOs.

 

MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL: Consulted with the largest hospital in Massachusetts on membership, billing, claims processing and risk management for Medicare patients under a new capitated Medicare Risk contract.

 

MERCK-MEDCO: Managed implementation of a prescription order processing system for the country’s largest Pharmaceutical Benefits Management (PBM). Installed the system in several mail order pharmacies across the country, processing 1.5 million prescriptions per week, and greatly increasing processing efficiencies and quality.

 

MET LIFE: Working with the Group Health Division of one of the country's largest insurance companies, I managed the development of a Provider Payments and Funds Management System. This system managed over 200 provider contracts nationwide, responsible for controlling over $60 million in capitation and risk sharing payments annually.

 

OMNICARE CLINICAL RESEARCH: Served as interim Manager of the Customer Systems department for this rapidly expanding Clinical Research Organization  (CRO).  Employed a variety of advanced technologies, including Web based systems, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Systems and Imaging Systems.  Managed all efforts from development of proposals, pricing, software requirements definition, design, implementation and ongoing maintenance.  Created and managed the Y2K Project Management Office (PMO).

 

PCS HEALTH SYSTEMS (Subsidiary of McKesson, Inc.): Managed a project for this PBM and prescription clearing house to develop Assignment of Benefits and claims processing capabilities for prescription claims for new biotech drugs.

 

            SCHERING-PLOUGH:  Managed a Year 2000 Compliance project for the research division of one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturers.  Coordinated interdivisional activities, developed plans and schedules, initiated standards and quality assurance for the project

 

SOUTHERN HEALTH SERVICES HMO: As a consultant for an aggressive and growing doctor owned HMO, I worked closely with the management of all business functions to develop a comprehensive information systems requirements document and issue an RFP for obtaining a totally integrated Managed Care Information System.

 

OTHER POSITIONS HELD

 

A. T. KEARNEY MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS, Management Consultant

CAP GEMINI CONSULTING, South Florida Manager/Marketing Representative

GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE CORPORATION, Systems Development Manager

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CENTERS HMO, Director Of Systems

LUTHERAN GENERAL HOSPITAL, Systems Development Manager

TRANS UNION SYSTEMS CORPORATION, Manager Of Systems