Issue #06
FREE SUMMER 2012 Issue 6 q STARTUPS 06 q DIGITAL FUTURES 15 q iFACTorY 17 Northern Ireland’s Technology, Science & Innovation Community q LEADERSHIP TRAINING 18
Virtual learning for real success @ SWC
08 Northgate Northgate awarded £302,000 contract
12 Citi Citi’s Technology Academy
This edition: Focusing on Learning and Development in Northern Ireland www.syncni.com FRIDAY BELFAST 22ND JUNE HARLEQUINS 2012 AT 5PM RUGBY CLUB
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Registered charity NIO49930 www.nicfc.com Inland Revenue no. XR29768 SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012 3
Welcome to the Summer
Northern Ireland’s Technology, Science & Innovation Community
edition of the SyncNi magazine EDITORIAL SyncNi Team Phone: 028 90820944 Email: [email protected] content foreword Emma Leahy Email:emma.leahy@syncni. from Dr Stephen Farry MLA - Minister for com ADVERTISING Employment and Learning Sales and Marketing: Email:[email protected]
SUBSCRIPTIONS Email: [email protected] DESIGN Graphic Design: Niall Mooney Email:[email protected] ur people and their skills are is supported as there continue to be real GENERAL ENQUIRIES our greatest resource. A high opportunities in innovative and technology Postal Address and appropriately skilled flexible driven businesses. Ensuring that we have a Sync NI Northern Ireland Science Park workforce has a crucial role to steady flow of appropriately skilled employees Queen’s Island Belfast play in a modern, knowledge to enable us to maximise this potential is BT3 9DT intensive, export driven economy. Continuing vital. Phone: 028 90820944 O Email: [email protected] to develop this workforce is the aim of the Website: www.syncni.com Northern Ireland Skills Strategy, known My Department has recently collaborated as ‘Success through Skills – Transforming with South Eastern Regional College and Futures’. The strategy examines the skills we local ICT employers to develop and deliver are likely to need in the future to grow the a Software Testers Academy to meet the economy in line with the Executive’s economic specific demands of industry in Northern vision. Ireland. Last March, 19 participants graduated from this pilot programme, which included These areas include: eight weeks of off the job training and a • the need for more people with higher level six week job placement, with all but one skills; gaining employment in the sector. Tailoring • the need to up-skill the existing workforce; training in this way to the specific needs of • the need to address subject imbalances, local business is an important element of particularly in relation to science, technology, my Department’s work and the success of engineering and mathematics; this pilot has led to a second cohort being COPYRIGHT No part of this publication • the need to increase management and announced. may be reproduced without leadership skills; and the written permission of the copyholder and • the need to attract a moderate level of As we seek to facilitate the economic publisher. SyncNi accepts no responsibility for the accuracy skilled labour. growth to which we aspire we must seek of contributed articles or to focus on developing the skills base of statements appearing in this magazine and any views or We cannot rely on the flow of young our population. I believe that Government, opinions expressed are not necessarily those of SyncNi , people into our workforce to provide these employers, individuals and education unless otherwise indicated. skills – more must be done to ensure that providers must work together to ensure we No responsibility for loss or distress associated to any those already in the workforce continue to can develop and utilise our best resource person acting or refraining from acting as a result of the develop their skills in line with future needs - our people. It is that approach which will material in this magazine can of employers to enable companies, and provide the best foundation for growth as we be accepted by the authors, contributors, editors or our economy, to adapt in an increasingly seek to transform the futures of individuals, publishers. SyncNi does not endorse any goods or services competitive environment. businesses, and Northern Ireland as a whole. advertised, nor any claims or representations made in any advertisement in this Recently, I have been focusing the work of Dr Stephen Farry MLA magazine. The recruitment agencies listed are acting my Department on a number of key sectors. I Minister for Employment and Learning as employment agencies on am determined to ensure that the ICT sector behalf of their clients. 4 SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012
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contents 12 03 Foreword 06 Startups - Farset Labs 07 Meeting Astute Labs 08 Northgate new contract 10 (IPR) - It’s Your Business 11 Is formal training obsolete? 11 Developing Developers 12 Citi’s Technology Academy 14 N.I. Cancer Fund for Children 15 Digital Futures 16 NORIBIC helps boost growth 17 iFactory 18 Leadership training 20 South West College 22 Flacknite & Upcoming Events
22 I ’ M TALKIN’ ABOUT
A four day festival of digital culture and technologies 29 August - 1 September 2012 Derry City, N. Ireland
SYNC NI readers save £10 off the ticket price! Use discount code syncni02 www.culturetech.co 6 SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012 Startups Introducing: Farset Labs q Who are Farset Labs? working in the technology industry technological leaders. Farset Labs is a hackerspace involves wrote learning, contrived that provides a hub of creativity, non-problems, outdated resources and q You recently organised and hosted technological innovation and techniques, and being pushed into Flaknight, what is next for Farset Labs? entrepreneurship for local professionals, working in overloaded groups about Frankly we’re trying to find our students and interested hobbyists in problems or projects that are of no pattern! For a community like this, Belfast City Centre. interest to most of the group. with such a diverse membership, it’s important to begin to establish some q What has been the biggest challenge Outside of academia, professionals regularity in our events programme. that you have faced since starting up in often end up pigeonholed in their Events such as Flacknite and the Open Spring? particular area of ‘expertise’, which Data Playground will be regular monthly Time; We soft-launched at the ends up with them stagnating both as Farset Labs events, and we’re hoping to
beginning of the Easter academic a productive team member but as a maintain our relationship with Digital holidays, which made it significantly person. Circle to host their #Bloc54 gaming easier to get volunteers to donate meetups for the coming months. In their time to developing our space and These factors make education and terms of expansion, we’ve always got programme, but that has driven us into gaining any wide-raging, continued an eye on the September period, where (and through) exam time, where it is experience difficult; Farset Labs we can grab new university starts and very difficult for anyone to find time. provides open and accessible get them to contribute and share in our Add to this that the three directors workshops, education days, and community. (David, Eoghan and Andrew) are all in domain-specific short-courses covering full time study, volunteering their time; a wide range of topics that are run by q What advice would you give a start- the fact that we’re up and running at all the community, for the community. up company? is amazing! We aim to educate and enlighten Don’t spend 9 months filling in forms our members with enthusiastic peer that could be spent building a product. q Farset Labs provides a supportive support networks, rapid prototyping learning environment for technologists and implementation of ‘crazy’ ideas; q Finally, if you could sum up your and professionals, how important do a welcoming hub for discussion company ethos in 1 word what would you think that is in this industry? and critique; and a community in that be? 90% of the academic preparation for which to grow the next generation of Hackerspace. SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012 7
Meeting: Astute Labs q Who are Astute labs? has to be engaging and fun and relevant. Astute Labs is a Belfast-based start-up q Can you tell us more about your publishing specialising in the education sector. We are tool, School App Kit, and some of the work you the makers of the School App Kit – a one- have been doing with it recently? stop communication platform for schools to School App Kit has grown out of my publish from anywhere to everywhere using experience as a parent. I was tired of losing app technology. crumpled notes about term dates or standing in the supermarket wondering what I had Since earning E-Synergy funding and private to buy for my daughters’ school trip when investment in early 2012, Astute Labs’ client the information was pinned to the fridge at list has grown internationally, with schools home. With more and more people using now using School App Kit to communicate smartphones to access the Internet, it with parents, engage with students using makes sense for schools to put this sort smartphones and iPads and to make it of information in parents’ hands. Also, my easier for teachers to update the school’s wife is a teacher and she commented that it information channels online and on mobile. was difficult to upload information to some Astute Labs was founded by CEO Richard schools’ websites, which is why it never got Johnston. updated on a regular basis. q What has been the biggest challenge that School App Kit is a solution that saves time you have faced since starting up? for teachers and engages parents and pupils It is easy to think you know what your with the school community. We have had customer wants or needs, but it is important great feedback from the schools, and have to take the time to actually talk to them and just released Version 2.0, which is a faster find out who they are, how they buy, what and fresher system for schools. Our constant they need, how your product will fit into their aim is to make School App Kit as simple as daily lives. possible to use while providing features that make a difference to the end users. This can be slower than actually building the product but it is really beneficial. It is one q What advice would you give a start- up thing to have technology but another thing to company? know what to do with it. Plan for everything to take four times longer than you initially think. And talk to q How important is it that organisations keep your customers as early as possible in the up to date and utilize the latest technologies development stage. for Learning and Development? It is important because students need to q Finally, if you could sum up your company learn with today’s tools, not yesterday’s. But it ethos in 1 word what would that be? is as important that technology is used well. It Astute. 8 SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012
Northgate awarded £302,000 contract by Hugh Christie About Northgate
Northgate Managed Services College provides infrastructure services ewtownabbey-based Commenting on the contract, Jon to both public and private sector Northgate Managed Services Barker, Executive Principal, said, ”We organisations and specialist (Northgate), a proven are delighted to renew our contract managed services in the education, leader in the provision of with Northgate, whose managed government and utilities sectors. Neducation-based ICT services and services and cloud-based solutions solutions, has been awarded a two have enabled us to save over 20% year contract extension worth over on capital costs – an estimated £300,000 by Hugh Christie Technology £40,000 per annum. The partnership College in Kent. we have with Northgate is strong and has bought significant benefits, The award will enable Northgate to enhancing the educational impact of further its work for the college over teaching and learning opportunities the last three years by continuing throughout the school.We are to deliver efficient managed also very much looking forward to services while also providing more working with Northgate to extend its innovative ways to make ICT provision managed services into local primaries sustainable. Long Mead and Kemsing and to realise shared objectives to develop The news follows on from community partnerships that will Northgate’s recent success in benefit children and their families.” Northern Ireland where it was awarded a £170million contract by C2K My-School is an online learning to design, implement, manage and portal developed by Northgate, which support Europe’s first Education Cloud allows students and teachers to environment for schools across the access school’s on-line systems and province. applications 24 x 7 from any device We work in partnership with with internet access. The learning our customers to gain a deep Included as part of the package platform is a cloud based application understanding of their objectives for the Hugh Christie College will be offering on demand pay per user to design, implement and deliver Northgate’s My-School cloud-based licensing costs which schools can services and solutions to meet online learning environment which deploy without further investment in these needs. Our goal is to promotes independent learning and IT infrastructure. make IT work harder for our Arcadu, a personalised homework customers, delivering efficiencies and revision solution covering 14 Concluding, Chris Wiseman, Sales and unlocking the potential of national curriculum subjects, which Director, Northgate Managed Services, IT to transform organisations. uses arcade quality games to educate, said, “The extension of our contract entertain and engage students. with Hugh Christie is an endorsement Northgate Managed Services to Northgate’s ability to not only have partnerships with leading An upgraded wireless infrastructure provide efficient managed services but technology organisations to improve speed and reliability of to provide exciting and innovative ICT including Microsoft, Compuware, service, particularly with the increase solutions which promote engaging, VMWare, Symantec, Cisco, in mobile users, will also be provided, relevant and personalised learning. Citrix, Sun, HP and DELL. and work will commence on a We are delighted to extend our joint project to deliver Northgate’s partnership with the College and we We have over 1000 staff managed services to neighbouring will work closely together to ensure across the UK with offices in primary schools, Long Mead and the services delivered meet the England, Scotland and Ireland. Kemsing. challenges of the school.” Belfast Technology Community welcomes
to titanic Belfast
April saw Brightwater NI host two of the biggest names in the global IT industry at the Titanic Building. Oracle’s Simon Ritter and Professor Mark Little, CTO of JBoss at Red Hat, were keynote speakers at The Titans Are Coming event. Both are regular speakers at the biggest IT conferences globally but had never before spoken in NI. “From what I’ve seen of the Northern Irish technology sector it seems to be growing rapidly”, commented Professor Little. “The people I’ve met today have the right skills to compete with pretty much anybody in the many regions around the world that I have people working in. The evening has been great.”
Award-winning local talent The evening also saw BCS Belfast Branch present the prestigious “IT Professional of the Year” award. Beating off stiff competition, the recipient was founder and CEO of Maildistiller, Colm McGoldrick. The accolade was awarded to Fermanagh-born Colm, by BCS Director for Professionalism, Adam Thilthorpe who also gave a thoroughly entertaining presentation to the packed house. “The IT sector in Northern Ireland is wonderful at the minute”, commented McGoldrick. “There’s a wonderful start-up eco-system that is really helping new businesses get up and running, get the funding that they need, plant ideas and take these ideas to an international field. IT is an export business and it’s the best thing for Northern Ireland”. He continued, “This event has been a long time coming and I’m glad that Brightwater have taken the IT sector and shaken it up. The local technology sector has been crying out for a pivotal point to enable companies to L to R: Barbara McGrath - Director of Brightwater, Mairead Fleming - Managing come together, meet speakers like those who were brought here Director of Brightwater, Prof. Mark Little, Simon Ritter and Michelle Kearns - tonight and allow ourselves to stand on an international stage”. Commercial Director of Brightwater NI.
Overwhelming response Driving the economic regeneration of Almost 300 of the province’s top software development talent Northern Ireland packed the room and there was also a lively Twitter feed “The IT community in Northern Ireland is thriving right now” throughout. The room was buzzing with positivity about what comments Michelle Kearns, Commercial Director of Brightwater NI has to offer from both large enterprises but also tech start- NI, the province’s leading IT recruitment specialists who ups. Paul Mooney of Bluewave Technology commented, “It’s an organised the event. “Our world-class technology innovators are exciting time to be in Belfast; it has a really bright future in the the key drivers in the economic regeneration of Northern Ireland. technology space. It’s fantastic that Brightwater put this together Brightwater along with our IT Events Network Belfast partners, bringing in industry known speakers to talk in a non sales pitch BCS Belfast Branch and Sync NI, has definitely taken on board manner to discuss their technologies, take questions and talk the huge demand to have the biggest names on the international about how they see trends evolving over the next 10 years. It’s a stage come to Belfast and to share what’s going on with our credit to Brightwater for taking the time to get everyone together brightest and best”. for an evening of pure education”. Mike Robinson, Head of Deloitte’s National Solutions Centre commented, “The turnout this To see more about this and future events in Brightwater’s ITE series, evening has been phenomenal. I go to events across the UK and visit brightwaterNI.com and the Brightwater NI Facebook page to even in London it’s unusual to get numbers like this”. view slides and exclusive video content. 10 c SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012ontemporary magazine month 20XX
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) - It’s Your Business Why should I care about IPR and managing it?
PR is at the hub of any creative or Protecting IPR innovative business and can be Having identified your intellectual among its most valuable assets. property, how much of it is really worth It can help you grow markets for protecting? products or services and, most Iimportantly, give you an advantage Not all IPR may be worth protecting. by preventing your competitors from You can often decide whether it is or making use of the technology and other not by considering its potential value to IPR that you own or have developed. others; generally ”if it’s worth copying then it’s worth protecting”. Gillian Shaw Cleaver Fulton Rankin Effective intellectual property management can help ensure that you Protecting, developing and exploiting legal advice to assess what options are have the right protections in place to those ideas of value is a fundamental available. effectively exploit the IPR that your part of effective IPR management. business has invested in creating. Deciding what methods of protection Exploiting IPR are most appropriate depends on: Once you have identified and Identifying IPR protected your IPR, you can exploit it by Conduct an intellectual property • the type of IPR you have; manufacturing or selling products which audit to identify the key IPR that • if it can be registered; and incorporate that alternatively, you might your business owns. There are many • your business aspirations. license or assign your IPR to another different types of IPR including business so that it can exploit it as part copyright, patents, trademarks, design Some forms of IPR such as copyright of a commercial deal. Franchising your rights, moral rights, database rights and automatically arise on a work’s creation business to independent franchisees even know-how (trade secrets) may and do not require registration. can also be an effective and lower risk form an important element of an IPR However it is important to be aware way of exploiting your brand and know- portfolio. that such rights are arising and to put how. in place the appropriate contracts, How might I recognise my business’ policies and statements (especially with Ultimately, properly drafted IPR? employees and contractors) to further commercial contracts which reflect Typically IPR includes innovative protect them and assert ownership your business aspirations are essential products, designs, novel processes since without such measures the to ensure that your IPR is controlled and technology. IPR may also include default position is that the ”creator” and exploited effectively. For further aspects of your brand such as brand owns the copyright in a work not the information or training on managing names, trademarks and logos that you person who paid for it. IPR in connection with your business use to identify your business. Copyright please do get in touch with Gilian Shaw can attach to a wide range of items You also need to remain vigilant to at: [email protected] such as, instruction manuals and protect the value of your IPR. There technical reports, computer programs may be a risk that other businesses Disclaimer and code diagrams as well as more will infringe your rights and it is up to Please note the content of this article is for obvious artistic, literary or musical you to identify infringers and to take information purposes only and further advice works and even photographs of your action against them. If infringement should be sought from a professional advisor products. happens you should seek specialist IPR before any action is taken. SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012 11
Formal training in the workplace: Is it obsolete? ormal training is now very low on the list of worker’s remains a preferred style with many organizations still preferred learning methods. This is a key finding developing staff in the more traditional way. This is not only Fof a recent survey by the Centre for Learning and expensive in terms of time and money but ineffective in Performance Technologies into how people learn best in the that stand-alone classroom learning can make its practical workplace. application sometimes obsolete.
It revealed how workers are swapping traditional Blended, more flexible, learning techniques are often methods, such as attending conferences, for more informal an effective solution. It gives employees independence; continuous approaches. The appetite now is for interactivity the freedom to fit it into their own schedules and a more - online research, participating in social networks, engaging, interactive learning environment. Clients stand conversing with colleagues, team meetings, on-line videos, to benefit too with the availability of bespoke training on webinars and searching the learning management system company products and services through engaging eLearning among others. content and Learning Portals.
New methods in the world of Learning and Development Logicearth provides advice and services for IT and provide organizations not only with a more effective business skills training courses, eLearning content modern learning toolkit that can deliver better results but it development, off-the-shelf eLearning and learning can be more cost effective too. This reinforces the 70/20/10 technologies. For more info visit: www.logicearth.com learning model, which states that 70 percent of learning within the organization comes from on-the-job experiences, tasks, and problem solving, 20 percent from feedback & worked examples and approximately 10 percent from formal courses and reading. Despite this evidence; formal training Developing Developers Across the Globe t Instil, training is more than just about delivering of it earned over many years of hard-won experience. canned course-ware, it’s about getting under the skin Aof a technology, learning its do’s and don’ts, learning “We are first and foremost a bunch of developers who just its culture and ultimately finding a better way of doing like to share what we’ve learned.” explains Tara Simpson, things. Invariably all technologies bring their share of noise CEO of Instil. “We bring lessons direct from the coal-face. It and dogma. Instillers filter out the noise and instead focus keeps our training fresh and most importantly relevant.” on the things that matter most, allowing developers to quickly start on creating value. This desire to give something back to the community, led to the creation of ‘Bash!’ a successful developer event Central to the Instil philosophy is a focus on developer focused on upcoming trends within the industry. As well discipline and technique. Learning syntax is the easy part. as placing Instil at the heart of the developer learning Learning how to program effectively and productively experience in Belfast, ‘Bash!’ has enabled Instil to bring requires a huge amount of basic engineering know-how, industry-renowned domain experts to speak to local and it’s in this area that Instil has particularly helped developers but also provide high-end specialist training in companies and developers from across the globe really niche areas such as performance programming and agile grow and improve. Indeed much of Instils reputation for development. This has attracted developers from London excellence has been built around its ‘discipline’ offerings and beyond to attend their courses. - advanced unit-testing and engineering principles, etc. These courses offer knowledge that is hard to Google, much For more information visit: www.instil.co 12 c SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012 Citi’s Technology Academy
t is that time of year. The exams exciting technology challenges and a are done and the results will soon commitment from the employer that be posted on the universities’ they are going to continue to develop notice boards. For hundreds of our the graduate and push them along undergraduates it is an anxious time throughout their career. Iof year as they wait to see if they have got the degree classification that that Here at Citi we are in the third year of they were hoping for, and for most of our Technology Academy. We realised them they will be thinking forward to that the old model of hiring in great starting their new careers in IT. talent and then putting those people straight to work without any context of There has never been a better time what it is to work in financial services for graduates to start a career in technology and without the technology technology. Companies large and small skills to be successful from the start improvement at all levels, including our have been falling over themselves was not sustainable. We sat down and new graduates. to attract the brightest and the best evaluated what it is that we needed for to apply for the roles within their our graduates to make an impact and The Citi Technology Academy provides companies, and for many employers from that developed a programme that an unrivalled opportunity to build a there has been an added step this has been so successful for both Citi and career in technology. The programme year of convincing prospective new the graduates that we have exported is designed to attract graduates from employees why it is that their offer of it from Belfast across the globe within Technology, Science, Engineering and a job that the graduate should accept Citi. Maths disciplines, but also those from rather than one of the several others any technical discipline with relevant that they may well have. The supply Citi in Belfast has grown since it experience who aspire to work in of suitably skilled graduates for IT does opened in 2005 from the original plan technology and build a career with Citi. not meet the demand from the buoyant to have 375 people working here in technology sector in Northern Ireland. technology jobs to where we are today The Citi Technology Academy with 700 people employed working participants benefit from a bespoke The biggest differentiator that an across application development, programme of ‘best in class’ technical employer can bring to the table is the production support and infrastructure and business training which is delivered prospect of getting a graduate’s career teams. Technology within Citi is by a local training provider, and off to the best possible start. At its seen as key to delivering competitive this training provides a platform of most basic that means an attractive advantage by delivering the most knowledge and experience upon which salary package, but much more efficient and effective platforms in the our new graduate build their career with importantly it means the opportunity financial services industry, and we do Citi. to work on exciting projects with that through a culture of continuous SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012 13
The Citi Technology Academy valuable training programme for the identify those who will be successful comprises an initial 6 week training participants. in the Academy. Importantly it also period covering an Introduction offers the graduate the opportunity to to Investment Banking, Operating There are four core components learn more about Citi and meet people Systems, Database Technology and • Introduction to Citi and Capital who already work here. Software Development and soft skills Markets training. The remaining 5 weeks of • Operating Systems The Technology Academy has been the programme is set up to allow • Java Foundation a huge success for Citi here in Belfast. participants to focus on training in • Database Technology – SQL The Citi brand is now well recognised either Advanced Programming or Programming and Scripting on campus and the calibre of student Application Support. Along the way On successful completion of the applying to join is exceptional. the graduates on the programme training, Academy participants are given the opportunity to obtain begin their career in Programming, The scalable model of hiring and relevant technical certifications before Application Support or Quality training has allowed us to build a joining a business area to gain direct Assurance in one of the technology strong pipeline of talent to join the experience within Citi. teams in Citi. technology groups and the investment The selection process to join the that we have made in our graduates The Citi Technology Academy uses Technology Academy is rigorous and pays dividends in terms of the quality classroom based technical training, comprises interviews, technical testing of the work that is delivered and the practical application sessions, and a group exercise. This may look fulfilment of the graduates who are project work, team building sessions like a lot to undergraduates studying fully prepared for their careers within and guest speakers to ensure the and preparing for exams, but we Citi. delivery of a comprehensive and believe that this process helps us to 14 c SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012ontemporary magazine month 20XX Q>A Darren McKinley: Youth and Community Worker for Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children Q>What does your role involve?
I work with children and young people aged 8-24 A What are the biggest rewards of the job? And the Q>biggest challenges? The most rewarding part is when the young people Darren McKinley A Digital Futures: Mobile Learning Award-winning e-learning company, Aurion Learning talks to SyncNI about the growing demand for mobile learning solutions. hen we started the business the road who needs to check safe back in 1999, we focused guarding procedures, a community Won custom e-learning – nurse who wants to double check working with clients who wanted to records management procedures, or deliver existing classroom training a maintenance worker who wants to online. Since then we’ve extended our read about the latest techniques for service offering to include learning repairs. We develop mobile learning management systems, online learning content, tools and applications to job, at the very moment they are portals, training on how to develop your help employees access information delivering a service, or on the train on own e-learning, and more recently, and training when and where they the way home. They can also share mobile learning tools. Clients want need it, and to improve organisational their knowledge with co-workers, take to be able to access learning content performance. The real advantage of control of their own learning, and have 24/7, from their laptop, tablet or phone, mobile learning is that it’s flexible, self- supported decision making. All round – and the demand for mobile learning paced and self-directed.” a win, win situation.” solutions is really taking off, says Dr. Maureen Murphy, Managing Director of Learning by phone? Good-bye classrooms? Aurion Learning. Mobile learning is supported by ”Some people argue that mobile a variety of mobile devices and learning signals the end of the ”This has brought its own challenges technologies that facilitate the traditional classroom but it’s unlikely because in the past we used flash for delivery of documents, presentations, that’s going to happen overnight”, interactivity in e-learning programmes. multimedia, notifications, news, states Dr. Murphy. “There are certain But now to ensure our mobile learning assignments, quizzes and educational benefits to group learning and works on all mobile platforms, our courseware. These can include: smart sharing learning experiences in a live designers use HTML5, JQuery and phones, laptops, tablets, ipods, Kindle, environment – but a lot of training is responsive design.” personal media players, and gaming now delivered via virtual classrooms devices. rather than face to face. One thing I What is mobile learning? am certain about though is that the Mobile learning or m-learning is Rising Popularity importance of mobile learning is going learning that you can take with you The rising popularity in mobile to grow exponentially over the next and access whenever and wherever learning can be attributed to better few years – and people who are not you need it. You’re probably already internet networks and increased use of connected will be missing out.” m-learning without even realising mobile devices according to Dr. Murphy. it - any time you use your laptop or ”Mobile learning has been around for a smartphone to access Wikipedia or a while but it’s only now that we have 3G reference site to check a fact or get networks that it’s really taking off. More information – you are mobile learning. of us are using handheld, portable and mobile devices such as smartphones Dr. Murphy goes on to explain, and tablets every day, with fast internet ”Aurion Learning develops mobile connections. Delivering work-based learning to support job performance training via these devices is convenient – so imagine a social worker out on for workers – they can learn on the 16 c SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012ontemporary magazine month 20XX NORIBIC helps boost growth for Northern Ireland’s Digital Media businesses ORIBIC is the North’s only dedicated EU Business Innovation Centre. Founded in 1986, it provides a core support function for the growth and development of entrepreneurs and SMEs Nthroughout NI. Since 2004, NORIBIC’s Digital Media Works incubator (NI’s first digital multi-media sector-specific incubator) located in Derry’s North West Regional College, has supported pre and early-stage digital businesses through the provision of a co-working environment, offering technology and business support, desk space, hardware and software facilities. With clear evidence that economic growth is best supported provided us with invaluable peer-to-peer knowledge, by the development of new business, we asked some of expertise, advice and support especially in identifying how the current occupants of NORIBIC’s Digital Media space we could use trans-media platforms to tell the ZOMBIES about their current projects and the benefit of the support HI story through multiple channels. Interacting with digital provided. media enthusiasts with different business and technical backgrounds has been really beneficial for us! We feel Troll Inc is a video games studio developing for mobile. like a family and we all work in support of each other and They’re a young team of game developers working together having tailored specialist support from NORIBIC is a required to create a unique experience for gamers across the world. bonus.” They’re hoping that their debut title, Jellyflug, due for release in June via the Appstore, will be the first of many success The Employable team also based in NORIBIC have a multi- stories. Jim Murray of Troll Inc explains, faceted approach to their business development and their soon to be launched platform for the self-starter, Startacus, ”NORIBIC has supported us from concept through to has been shortlisted for a national start-up competition. development by providing invaluable advice on setting up Their website www.TheEmployable.com offers empowering our business, provision of incubation facilities which have careers advice and they’re soon to release their first eBook. allowed us to work together in an office environment to the provision of mentoring support.” For them, NORIBIC provides that essential business element - a proper work-space. Alastair Cameron, of Such mentoring is a fundamental benefit of any business TheEmployable comments; ”Along with the benefits that a innovation space. Having a good idea or creative project shared office space gives you - support, advice, and a bit of is all well and good; however, it is essential to learn and well-intentioned banter, it also allows us the space to act develop business skills too - a fact which is often missed by and think like a business, having that mentality and rigour is young businesses who start up without any real business key to our future success.” support at their disposal. Dr Bernard Toal, CEO of NORIBIC has the greatest Another company, benefiting greatly from NORIBIC’s admiration for these young entrepreneurs: ”It never ceases hands on business support is UPROAR COMICS. Initially to amaze me that so much talent exists in this city. I am known for the ‘ZOMBIES HI’ series of paper-based comics proud that NORIBIC, through our Digital Media Works they have now diversified into a trans-media company: Incubator, is able to provide support to these growing digital developing apps; exploring the options of film; and also businesses, to help translate that talent into successful actively promoting the Comic scene, both locally and further businesses that will help drive forward the economy locally”. afield. For further details contact: Kevin Logue of UPROAR remarks ”Co-working has W: www.noribic.com E:[email protected] T: 028 7126 4242 c SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012o 17 iFactory – Pushing the Message of Innovation to achieve Business Growth ORIBIC, the Northern Ireland Business and After initial meetings with the business mentor, we Innovation Centre, is currently delivering realised that, although our idea was a good one and the iFactory, a business and innovation support brand we had developed looked well, in order to make this programme - part financed by the European a viable profitable business would be an uphill struggle and, Union’s European Regional Development even with a massive amount of effort, it still may not deliver NFund through the INTERREG IVa Cross Border Programme enough revenue to sustain the business. managed by the Special EU Programmes Body. iFactory provides a bespoke innovation development plan to eligible We took time out and looked at the platform we had small businesses with the potential for growth. created from data capture to user management and decided to pivot our idea and develop the platform into Its tailored support provides a mix of consulting, technical an aggregator tool for social media, sms, email and web mentoring, market research and world class best practice content delivery branded as MessagePush. seminars for small companies throughout Northern Ireland and the Border Counties. The added value for participants on iFactory is they are assigned an individual Innovation Agent that will work with the company to ensure the implementation of the mix of support received is embedded within the company. Clare McGee, Senior Business Consultant with NORIBIC explains, “An Innovation Agent develops a close working relationship with the business owner, motivating the Since then, and with iFactory support, we have developed business to grow and jointly developing an Innovation the brand, identified customers and secured an R&D grant Action Plan over 18 months with continual adjustment to from Invest NI. The product is currently in private beta test.” provide the optimum support to the business. We identify any deficits in knowledge, technology and expertise, and Raymond concludes, “Without the iFactory programme work with the business owner to address those deficits for support, we would not have achieved so much in the short the benefit of the business.” period of time.” North West based Arrant Technology, a software business Dr Bernard Toal, Chief Executive of NORIBIC and iFactory specialising in the development of websites and bespoke Programme Director, encourages businesses in the region applications for SMEs and public sector clients, have been to get involved in iFactory to unlock their innovation benefiting from iFactory support over the last 12 months. potential. “iFactory provides that additional knowledge, Raymond Lyttle, Director, Arrant Technologies explains, expertise and, perhaps most importantly, experience for SME owners to assist them to grow their businesses in “We initially approached the iFactory programme with the most effective way. Our pool of over 120 professional an idea for delivering an event-based system focusing on mentors brings a wealth of support across many areas city areas, after meeting with the client representatives and will help and equip the client to make those important from NORIBIC, we established our goals and a plan of action business breakthroughs on the road to success.” for delivering the skills we didn’t have in house, such as business planning and sales and marketing. From this, we For further details on support offered visit were assigned two mentors who had extensive experience www.noribic.com/ifactory or contact us in the areas we were lacking. E:[email protected] T: 028 7126 4242 18 c SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012 Leadership training matters by Linda Brown, Director of IoD Northern Ireland pointed to low levels of investment in Already 50 Northern Ireland business leadership and management training leaders have gained Chartered Director here. Has this position changed in the status and are happy to share their past two years? Well certainly business experience of the process as well as the leaders are investing in the IoD’s value their qualification brings to their flagship Chartered Director Programme organisations with other leaders. – both north and south of the border. Many people seem to think that The six module Programme corporate governance is only relevant Linda Brown addresses the core competencies that for large, listed companies, but in Director of IoD Northern Ireland company stakeholders would expect fact the global financial crisis should their board members to possess: such remind us of the need to improve board t is hardly surprising that, as the as comprehending their strategic role, practices in all businesses. Learning only representative business duties and responsibilities; having a about and applying the principles organisation focussed on the sound understanding of financial terms, of good corporate governance can professional development of concepts and boardroom financial contribute to creating a profitable and individual business leaders, the papers; contributing to strategy and sustainable economic enterprise. It IInstitute of Directors (IoD) believes that marketing; and being well informed of is no coincidence that the uptake of good leadership is essential for good the legal requirements that apply to the places on the IoD’s Chartered Director business, and that good governance is company and its directors. Programme in the Republic of Ireland essential for good leadership. increased dramatically in the wake Successful candidates sit two of the 2008 global downturn as Irish There can be no doubt that improved examinations during the Programme, business leaders recognised that poor leadership and management skills are gaining the IoD Certificate and Diploma levels of corporate governance had key to driving better productivity. Back in Company Direction. Those who can contributed to the problems in many in 2010, Bill McGinnis, the NI Adviser demonstrate that they have applied companies. on Employment and Skills produced a their knowledge in practice - by report for the Employment & Learning compiling a portfolio of their experience The European Confederation of Minister on Improving Leadership & - then face a challenging two hour Directors’ Associations (ecoDa) has also Management. The report highlighted interview before being awarded the recognised this link and produced their the fact that Northern Ireland was Chartered Director qualification. The Corporate Governance Guidance and lagging behind the rest of the UK and Institute’s are the only qualifications for Principles for Unlisted Companies in other countries in relation to the quality board members, and Chartered Director Europe. Local business leaders would of leadership. is increasingly being recognised as a be well advised to check practice in quality mark for company directors. their own businesses against these Evidence cited in the report stated principles. that, “On a scale of one to five, a one Northern Ireland’s candidates in the point improvement in leadership and national examinations have performed For information management practices is equivalent outstandingly well. In the most recent on the IoD’s to that produced by a 25% increase in exams, all 16 candidates passed and Chartered Director labour or a 65% increase in capital”. no fewer than 10 achieved Distinctions. Programme or a Given that only 36 Distinctions were pdf of the ecoDa Unfortunately, alongside this awarded, these results demonstrate document, impressive statistic, the report also the calibre of our business leaders. contact [email protected] Local technology sector survey reveals need to he local IT community is overwhelmingly positive about Tinward investment in Northern Ireland. This is one of the major findings engage from the recent survey of the Northern Ireland technology sector undertaken by Brightwater NI, the province’s leading IT recruitment specialists. “The purpose of this survey was to gauge what issues are particularly pertinent right top talent now”, commented Michelle Kearns, Commercial Director of Brightwater NI. be better prepared in terms of what money motivated”, says Kearns. “This Unquestionably, this is one of the hottest employers are looking for; chiefly with highlights the need for local IT employers topics being debated in the tech sector stronger technical and practical coding to address talent management internally at the moment. 81% of respondents skills. to drive both staff retention and attraction thought that inward investment has been of new staff. Coupled with this, if there a good thing for the local economy with Salaries have remained steady over is a consistent push to attract top 7.1% responding that it puts a strain on the past 3 years but there is an academic talent into the industry, the recruiting skilled staff. While sentiment acknowledgment that in comparison to local IT sector will completely transform was overwhelmingly positive, it was other professional disciplines the sector the landscape of the NI economy for the somewhat qualified with one respondent is performing well. When considering better. There is a consensus that local commenting that “there can be too much a job move there wasn’t one dominant IT companies need to collaborate more of a short-term impact in the market”. motivating factor with 40% of those effectively with universities to produce surveyed considering salary, benefits, graduates who are fully equipped to meet Similarly, there was consensus (79%) career progression, exposure to new the commercial realities of the market”. that we need to attract more students technologies and training as equally Kearns concludes with the thought into computing. More notable was that important. The second most popular provoking question, “Are we moving only 28% of those surveyed felt that answer was career progression at 35% towards the US model where employers universities give students the skills they but perhaps most interestingly only 7% offer scholarships to IT students through need to secure a job post-graduation. considered salary their top priority. “This universities or do IT leaders locally need While there are more graduates available, reflects what our candidates tell us on to force this issue by assisting local the percentage of those with high-level a daily basis”, comments Brightwater’s universities funding wise to expand programming skills is low. “There is still a William Cranston. “Most often they are current degree places within IT”? large gap between what the universities motivated by a combination of factors”. teach and what happens in the real world”, commented one respondent. “It’s great to see categorical confirmation 81% asserted that graduates need to that our IT professionals aren’t purely To request a copy of the full report, contact Brightwater NI on Tel. 028 90 325 325 20 c SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012 South West College develops virtual learning for real success ducation is advancing into the digital age with a movement towards blended learning, according to experts at South EWest College. In November last year, the college became the first further education college to successfully pilot a fully immersive virtual learning week. This saw almost 6,000 students log in remotely over five days to receive lectures and workshops via the web and access learning resources. According to Director, Malachy McAleer, the virtual learning environment is designed to meet Second year Extended Diploma in Business student from Enniskillen Campus, Paul Wilson explores the South West College virtual learning students’ needs and a central part of system on the go. its future strategy. ”Online learning programmes are a key part of our plans inaugural e-Learning Awards Scheme, Project Manager Ciara Duffy: ”the to improve the academic experiences collecting top honours in the Innovation ground broken by the college has the of people who enrol with South West in Learning Support and Innovation potential to support teaching and College. The virtual learning system in Technical Infrastructure to Support education throughout higher and seamlessly blends curriculum delivery Teaching and Learning categories. further education, as well as in the from classrooms to online platforms The awards scheme was open to all training sector in Northern Ireland and is a defining strand of our strategy Higher and Further Education providers and beyond. Our staff have been very to bring e-learning opportunities into and the Training sector to promote and supportive of our advancement into new course development. embed e-learning by recognising and online learning and recognise it as rewarding individuals and teams who their opportunity to lead the way in ”It was important for everyone that are spearheading the development and the use and development of academic we invested time in getting to know effective use of technology to enhance technologies.” how online learning could fully benefit teaching and learning. our students and help the college to She stresses that the introduction become more self-sufficient, improve Taking teaching forward of online services is not designed to its capabilities and produce more Teaching is arguably one of the reduce classroom-based activities or resources. This is the result of three few professions that has yet to fully minimise teacher involvement, rather years of strategic planning, investment embrace on the transformations it enhances successful and proven and training. The platform we have afforded by modern technology. methods already in place. built is ahead of many other academic While medical, legal and media institutions in the UK and Ireland and professionals, among others, have ”The virtual learning environment is will lay foundations for us to explore capitalised on productivity gains designed to improve, not replace, the new services, enhance the student afforded by connectivity innovations campus experience. Blended learning offering and potentially tap into new and specialisations; teaching has is a combination of teacher-led and markets.” remained largely focused on traditional computer assisted learning and has and classroom-based activities. But been shown to enhance the academic The virtual learning system was that is all about to change according performance of students, as well as recently recognise at the RSCNI to South West College Virtualisation maintain it. In some instances the SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012 21 innovative educational tools can sometimes be better than working from a traditional classroom as it allows students time to absorb and understand course content at a pace that is better suited to them.” She added, ”Virtual lectures, for example, contain audio and video that allow students to revisit difficult parts of lectures over and over and over again without feeling pressure from peers if they need to revisit the points being made.” Garry O’Neill, Lecturer at South West College, introduces BTEC Extended Diploma New learning environments in Business students Conor McArdle and Anna Oszluk to virtual learning. The South West College virtual learning environment provides Responding to changing times tertiary sector as a key provider in online resources and support for The flexibility to take a class at any terms of their personnel and company over 5,600 full-time and part-time time and in any location is one of the development. Technology must be students enrolled across four physical greatest advantages of e-learning for exploited to the full to enrich the campuses in Cookstown, Dungannon, students who experience difficulties learning experience to the benefit of Enniskillen and Omagh. The bespoke balancing study with modern life individual students and the economy.” online environment enables students commitments or who have to travel to log into a secure portal and access great distances. Malachy agrees, noting that a full suite of resources and tools – the experiences of the virtual effectively providing distance students For South West College it also learning environment will sustain with remote access to the same presents an added tool to tackle students beyond their courses. “We electronic curriculum resources as inclement wintry weather that has recognise that we have a role as a students who are physically on-site. severely disrupted classes in recent provider of skills at all levels and years. ”In December 2010 we lost a an obligation to meet the needs of The system can provide a range number of teaching days due to harsh employers, individual learners and the of student resources including on- wintery conditions, but in the future communities in which they live and line timetables, lecture materials, students will be able to continue their work. tuition videos, course information, studies during situations where the examination results, revision videos, college may be physically inaccessible. ”Technology will continue to have podcasts, elective abstracts, course That’s good news for everyone and a major role in shaping every aspect feedback systems, as well as reduces pressure on students to catch of our lives and it is important for our bespoke curriculum tools for both up with ongoing studies,” said Ciara. students to have an opportunity to staff and students to facilitate their access new learning initiatives that programmes of study. Online learning has also been can equip them for future careers. championed as a platform that can The virtual environment provides According to Malachy, ”The virtual improve industry by Dr Stephen students with a chance to improve learning environment is used Farry, Minister for Employment skills including research and IT that effectively to support and enhance and Learning. In April he launched will benefit them through their post- the students’ further and independent the inaugural e-learning innovation academic careers.” learning. Using a virtual platform to awards to encourage greater update assist in academia makes it simple and said that, ”The use of technologies He added, ”we are dedicated to to tailor a course to the preferences to deliver and promote learning in providing world-class technology and pace of a specific student. Our the education sector is an area of and learning options for the future students can enjoy a greater degree of immense and rapid growth and and proud to be advancing ground- flexibility in their education, balancing change.” breaking teaching methods that will their home or work commitments with benefit all students and staff.” their study ambitions.” ”Business and industry look to the 22 c SYNCNI magazine SUMMER 2012 Event Recap: Upcoming Events 1 ITIL / Service Flacknite Management & Cloud ack in April, Farset Labs The Absence, and several more. Computing launched in Belfast, this made Beyond the work done by the local BFarset Labs Northern Ireland’s Farset Labs membership and friends, BY BCS Belfast very first hacker space. the Farset Labs team were very When Wednesday, 27 Jun busy working on their RFID based (18:30) - Thursday, 15 Mar (21:00) Just a month on, and they are access control system, that will allow WHERE The Pavilion, Stormont settling into their flagship event; members near-24/7 secure access to Belfast Flacknite, where creative technologists the space, as well as the associated of all kinds come together to share CCTV and security systems. experience, knowledge, and passion for their craft, creating a pressure Catering was kindly provided by the 2 cooker of ideas and projects, Crafty Devil and Planzai teams, who Embed our developed and often finished within sponsored a Boojum run (and a beer Knowledge in your Business BY ECIT When Thursday, 28 Jun (09:30 - 12:30) WHERE ECIT Institute, NI Science Park, Belfast 3 Culture Tech Fest BY Digital Derry When Wednesday, 29 Aug - Saturday, 01 Sep WHERE Derry City, Northern Some of those who atteneded Flacknite at Farset Labs Ireland the very concentrated timeframe. run) that kept people going through During their launch event over the day. 4 the weekend of the 19th of May, a 2012 Halo wide variety of innovative projects The major flavour of the Flacknite Funding Event were worked upon, including a game blend is the idea of intensive but developed by Ryan Grieve in 64x18 playful productivity; individuals and BY NISP CONNECT pixels for an international competition, groups are socially encouraged to have When Thursday, 21 Jun (18:00 - a native OSX administration something to show for their time at 21:00) application for MondoDB by Rob Elkin the end of the event. This, combined WHERE Northern Ireland Science and Pete Hawkins, a Coffee Tracker with a healthy spirit of constructive park, Belfast application by local developer Steve criticism, freedom of comment, Wilkin, the establishment of a solid dynamic collaboration, and the unique web presence by Andrew Luke, a venue at Farset Labs, ensure that this comic artist whose work includes the event will become a mainstay of the recent epillepsy awareness booklet, Northern Ireland technology calendar. LOCAL FOCUS GLOBAL REACH company profile Join syncni casestudies today and let us people profiles highlight your videos company to an news audience of events thousands blogs social media WWW.SYNCNI.COM TEL: 028 90 820944 EMAIL: [email protected] Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Northern Ireland beauty & brains Belfast is the world’s top destination city for financial technology R&D investment. You know Northern Ireland has a spectacular Northern Ireland offers competitive operating landscape, but did you know our workforce is costs, an advanced business infrastructure, and behind some of the world’s most sophisticated generous financial assistance and support. banking systems. To learn more about what makes Northern Ireland Belfast beats cities like Dublin, Glasgow and Beijing, the smart choice, visit and even major IT centres such as Bangalore and www.investni.com/invest Singapore, which speaks volumes about the quality of our software specialists. www.investni.com/invest smart at work