IAP in VSJ Tenth Anniversary
This month sees the beginning of the tenth year of the Institution’s association with Visual Systems Journal. As a way of recognising this milestone, we plan to publish a series of articles by previous contributors in which they review progress since their original submissions. The first of these, by Allen Woods, appears in this month’s ‘Work in Progress’. By way of a general introduction, the Institution’s President, David Morgan, writes below about a productive and successful relationship.
Members of long standing will remember IAPETUS, as our house magazine was previously called. IAPETUS was more of a newsletter, really and had reached the end of its useful life. A little over ten years ago, Mike Ryan, our Director General, decided that we needed something more in keeping with our role as one of the premier professional bodies in IT in the UK.
Mike began to investigate the options. It soon became clear that producing a magazine completely on our own would not only be too expensive but would also put a strain on the Institution’s resources. The route that offered us the best return on investment was a partnership. We had already tried partnership deals with universities with some success and were embarking on a programme of similar arrangements with employers.
So when Mike made contact with Bearpark Publishing, it seemed to offer the ideal solution. Here was an existing magazine targeted at programmers and analysts and wanting something to add. A deal was soon struck and we started trying to fill the pages we had been allocated. It has occasionally been a struggle to get material for the IAP pages but our Education Officer, Robin Jones, has never let us down. One way or another he has cajoled and badgered members into producing interesting material for the IAP pages in VSJ.
I am sure that, like me, many members have read the IAP pages and learned about areas of IT and computing that were previously unknown to them. It has also been a good place to get ideas to solve problems in new and innovative ways. It is clear from what has been contributed to our pages that we are indeed a professional body blessed with an army of skilled and erudite proponents of IT.
We celebrate this tenth anniversary at a time of financial difficulty. We are all trying to read the market and guess whether or not we will be working in the coming months. However, IT, for once, seems to be surviving the storm well. This may be because companies are looking forward to better times – and preparing for them – or perhaps they realise that IT can offer many solutions to reducing costs.
The IAP is now looking back at the last ten years and also forward to the next decade. I cannot forecast where we will be in 2019. But I can feel certain that with the continued enthusiasm and commitment that our members have demonstrated thus far, we will still be here doing our bit to make a better world.
David Morgan, FIAP(Cmpn)
The IAP Prize for Best Software Development Project: University of Plymouth
This year’s prize, which includes one year’s IAP membership subscription, goes to Pete Randall for the project “Bug Tracker Application: BugZapp”. The Council also decided, exceptionally, to recognise the work of the second-placed student, Anthony Chellow, by describing it as “Highly Commended”. We congratulate both students on the completion of their degrees and on the quality of their work. We also welcome Pete to the IAP.
Would you like to involve your local university in this scheme? If so, email Robin Jones at eo@iap.org.uk to discuss how to go about it.
Notice of Annual General Meeting
The Institution’s 2009 AGM will be on Saturday, 17 October, at Boundary House, Boston Road, Hanwell W7 2QE, starting at 12.00 noon. The AGM is usually a short meeting, its purpose being merely to fulfil a requirement of the Companies Acts, but all members of the Institution are welcome to attend. Those wishing to do so are advised to inform the office, so that we can ensure you are admitted to the building. A summary of the Institution’s accounts for the financial year ending 31 May 2009, as presented to our auditors, is available in the members’ area of the Institution Web site at www.iap.org.uk.
