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  • PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

  • DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT

  • WEBSITE & APPS DEVELOPMENT

  • TECHNICAL ADVISER TO INVESTORS

Online based products, apps and services. Management/direction and
facilitation of the process of developing an idea into a product.
Planning and project management for complex websites or mobile apps development.
Websites that are effective and practical as well as beautiful, with emphasis
on ease of use, visibility and SEO.
Due diligence on ‘pie-in-the-sky’ offers and monitoring of true development progress of existing projects.

Services

  • Product development

    Online based products, apps and services. Management/direction and facilitation of developing an idea into a product.

Case Studies

The Sanctuary Byron Bay

The Sanctuary Byron Bay is a luxury, private therapeutic retreat and rehabilitation program provider. Its programs are centred on the unique condition and needs of clients, along with ensuring 24/7 care, therapy sessions and an appropriate level of activities.

The Challenge:
Each client is given a customised schedule of care, therapy sessions and activities. Each schedule is complex, involving the coordination of multiple specialist providers, locations and logistics across several programs simultaneously. All programs have a high level of compliance, regulation and documentation.

The Solution:
A secure management portal where scheduling can be readily planned, modified and reported on, while also automating the workflow (via a dedicated portal for reporting, collaboration and billing) along with a customer mobile app.

The Result:
The solution has underpinned significant growth of this business over the past decade. More than ten years of collaboration resulted in the creation of further applications of the system to incorporate other aspects of the business such as stock control, location monitoring, an 'after-care' mobile app and more.

Guided Resolution

Guided Resolution provides online solutions for Alternative Dispute Resolution.

The Challenge:
Mediation is labour intensive and usually requires all parties as well as the mediators to be in the same place at the same time. Guided Resolution aims to provide a scalable online process that removes these limitations by a simple-to-use Alternative Dispute Resolution process. Can it be done? Ross Paull thought so! Working on his thesis for a Masters degree on the topic led him to seek help to design and implement a tool to automate the process while also educating the user. In addition, the system should be scalable and transferable across industries and organisations, from tribunals and ombudsmen to SME’s.

The Solution:
A modular framework which reinforces the best practices and principles of Alternative Dispute Resolution and Interest Based Negotiation. It is implemented easily and customised easily. It can be delivered as a white label portal for a large organisation, as an educational tool for universities, or as a SaaS portal (guidedresolution.com) for SME’s to streamline dispute and complaint resolution.

The Result:
Guided Resolution was supported by an R&D grant from the Australian Government, and was a the winner of Westpac's 2017 Business Of Tomorrow award. It has offices in Sydney and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA).

Handisub

Industry expert Greg Arthur has been involved in the Quick Service Restaurants industry for several years. As a Subway franchisee owning several stores he has developed in-house systems to improve the operation, compliance and profitability of his stores.

The Challenge:
Create a mobile app that will assist and guide business owners, managers and staff in their day to day operation of the store. How to transfer Greg’s wealth of knowledge and practical innovations into a user friendly mobile app, staying within the dictated protocols set out by the franchisor?

The Solution:
A mobile app that is supported by an administration portal and a manager’s app. The app transfers best practices and innovative work flows and controls as well as improved compliance from Greg’s own experience into a robust but easy to use mobile app.

The Result:
The app is in the final stages of rigorous testing at several Subway stores across Australia. Feedback has been enthusiastically positive!

Realar

Realar created an Augmented Reality mobile app for the Real Estate market that allows you to place, navigate, and also walk through and around, 3D models.

The Challenge:
Realar needed a website for clients to purchase subscriptions, upload and manage their 3D models, as well as to integrate with their own mobile app. The founders, Dr Dan Swan and Keith Ahern, are both seasoned entrepreneurs with the specific requirement the new system be both scalable and easy to maintain.

The Solution:
A ‘serverless’ website, which is designed to be agile and also gather metrics. Clients manage their account and 3D models, which is integrated with the mobile app and AI automation. It uses secure, federated user authentication mechanism with Google Firebase to ensure a seamless user experience across devices and separate sections of the system. www.realar.com

About me

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Over the last 20+ years I have participated in developing online products and businesses in executive roles as well hands-on as a programmer, website developer, system architect, business analyst, UX and product designer/manager.

As an IT business manager, I have managed development teams and start-up businesses developing products and large-scale systems that have successfully and reliably performed for clients over many years.

My involvement with a number of start-ups over the years in a variety of roles has given me insight to the issues at play and practice in balancing end-user value with commercial realities. In terms of planning and execution of a product and business strategy I have witnessed many right – and wrong – turns.

I am passionate about product development, designing and producing a product that is meaningful and useful for the intended users.

I am an accredited mediator, a qualified Alexander Technique Teacher, with NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) training, and previously worked as an Oboe player and woodwind instrument repairer.

Work History

ReadyTech Justice (formerly McGirr technologies) – Solution Architect & UX direction

Sydney, 2021 – present | www.readycase.com.au

Guided Resolution Pty Ltd – CTO and Product Director

Sydney, 2013 – 2022 | www.guidedresolution.com

Product development

  • Designed an online interface and process flow to enable Alternative Dispute Resolution and Negotiation.
  • Market analysis and ongoing validation of target audience and their needs.
  • Created and demonstrated customized proof-of-concept.
  • Lead the Solution and Data Architecture design.
  • Planned and managed compliance aspects and integration with government organisations systems (i.e. NSW Civil & Administrative Tribunal - NCAT) and Universities.

Project Management

  • Managed diverse development/design teams (agile approach, onsite and remote teams).
  • Managed configuration and delivery of the system to clients in Australia, New Zealand and the US.
  • Specifications gathering and negotiations with clients and potential clients (i.e. Utilities Disputes commission NZ Government, NCAT, VCAT).

Business development

  • Board member, advising on strategy, product development and technical aspects.
  • Represented the business at investor forums and in meetings with high level decision makers in government organisations in Australia and New Zealand.
  • Supported business achievements including
    • Opened an office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA.
    • Received Westpac’s Business of Tomorrow Award.
  • Participated in the application process for Expressions of Interest (EOI) and tenders, including:
    • Victoria Civil & Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) - develop an ADR system for the Victorian Courts System.
    • New York County Courts (USA) – develop an Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) system for small claims courts.
  • Successfully applied for R&D tax rebate.
  • Guest lecturer at Victoria University Melbourne (“Managing Workplace Conflict” postgraduate unit with Prof. John Zeleznikow).

Nitzan Karni – development management for online programs and projects

Byron Bay, 2008 – present | www.karni.net.au

Consultancy and development services to SME’s including:

  • Supporting clients as a de-facto CTO and project/product manager.
  • Leading new development.
  • Change management and business transformation strategy for to migration of business operations to the cloud.
  • Design and production of websites and mobile apps for e-commerce, business management systems and online product delivery systems across a wide range of industries and use cases.
  • Lean start-up guidance, management of resources and budget.
  • Collaboratively plan and execute deployment and integration of new systems.
  • Develop training materials and strategies for sustainable organisational change management.

Notable clients:

Handisub - A mobile App and website for managing back of store operations of quick-service restaurants (i.e. Subway) | www.handisub.com
Challenges included:

  • Managing relationship with (and resistance from) Apple App Store.
  • Applying AI to forecast sales and predict required quantities of specific ingredients preps.
  • Develop and implement strategies for mitigating difficult use conditions (plastic gloves, scanning items in cool rooms, printing labels remotely to be stuck on wet containers, poor WIFI, integration of thermometers etc.)
  • ‘Compliance heavy’ organisation (Subway).

The Sanctuary Byron Bay - luxury, private therapeutic retreat and rehabilitation program provider | www.sanctuarybb.com

  • Provided technical advice, strategy and system design for moving the business operation management to a custom-built cloud-based solution.
  • Managed and delivered a program including a comprehensive online management system integrating a complex scheduling system for rehabilitation retreats, invoicing and inventory control.
  • Challenges included:
    • Catering for scheduling a work force of > 200 staff and contractors across multiple locations, with frequent changes that had to be broadcasted to relevant people.
    • High privacy requirements (i.e. clients that were well known celebrities) and relevant segregation of information (‘need to know‘ basis).
    • Large inventory, across multiple locations with some items that required integrated maintenance control.
    • Complex collaboration, invoicing and reporting tools

The Sanctuary Recovery House
Lead the planning and development of a feature rich iOS/Android mobile app for supporting people in recovery from addictions.

Utopia Creative | www.utopiacreative.com
Consulting to a design/web agency, providing development services and advise on technically demanding projects as well as strategy of larger projects including custom-built CRM for a global ergonomic furniture manufacturer, proprietary accounting system integration with website’s shopping cart for a national food manufacturer/distributor, technical direction, strategic support and assistance with applying for government grants for a national marketing website/TV campaign for the Byron Bay Chamber of Commerce and Tourism NSW (‘Byron Naturally’).

Honeyflow | www.honeyflow.com
Assisted in creating admin systems and management of data from Indigogo campaign. Challenges included dealing with a record uptake of the campaign (over 12 Million USD raised in first month and systems were not ready to manage that volume).

Realar - Augmented Reality mobile app for the Real Estate | www.realar.com
Designed and developed a server-less CMS with API that is consumed by the mobile apps and integration to a variety of third party marketing, analytics and payments systems.

Webko Pty Ltd – Co-founder and CEO Byron Bay 2000-2008

Technical

  • Created a propriety CMS/e-commerce php platform.
    • Designed the system architecture with Object Oriented Programming (OOP) methodology which increases stability, re-usability and testability of code, at a time when it wasn’t used for websites (i.e. Microsoft’s .net framework which set the OOP direction for many web frameworks was not yet released at that time).
    • Started with hands-on programming, evolved to lead a team of 9 developers.
    • Designed and implemented in the CMS several built-in SEO features, which was revolutionary for the time (early 2000’s).
    • Directed the implementation of this system in dozens of client’s websites, system maintenance, upgrades and new features.
    • Managed hosting of clients’ websites.
  • Designed and created a large-scale global directory system
    • Managed the design and development of an online directory system as an SEO machine.
    • Addressed and mitigated for technical design challenges caused by the system’s expected high traffic and data volumes.
    • Lead the UX design process.

Management & Leadership

  • CEO and chair of the board.
    • Created monthly activity and financial reports to the board.
    • Lead board meetings and fulfilled other director and chair of the board duties.
  • Addressed staffing issues and recruited/head-hunted technical staff.
  • Mentored staff in the areas of client and internal communications, technical and programming.
  • Lead strategy meetings and workshops, both internally and with third party advisors.

Communication & project management

  • Lead the marketing team in describing and promoting technically complex features
  • Project managed several projects in parallel ranging from a simple e-commerce website to a fully-fledges framework and high-volume systems. This evolved into delegating and overseeing several in-house project managers.
  • Introduced agile project management methodologies.
  • Managed stake holders: investors, directors, strategic partners, staff, developers, designers, external contractors etc.
  • Coordinated teams of diverse cultural backgrounds, including the mentoring of and frequent visits to our own development team in India.

Business development

  • Lead the business aspects of developing and funding a start-up around Webko’s SEO directory system.
  • Managed negotiations and term sheets with investors.
  • Represented the business in investor forums.
  • Managed IP and patent issues.
  • Raised close to 1M dollars in private VC and government funds.

Forwinds | Brisbane, 1998-2002

Designed and programmed a retail business management system for stock control, sales, service scheduling and billing for a musical instruments store.

Skills Summary

SKILLS SUMMARY

Product management

Proof of concept and market validation, MVP design and development, on-boarding systems, A/B testing, co-ordination and engagement of stakeholders including developers and investors, development and monitoring of product strategy and road maps. Balancing user values with commercial realities and strategic business vision.

Project management

Project planning, budgeting and priorities, agile project management, scrum, kanban, reporting.

  • Facilitating communication between client and developers so expectations and design/development challenges are mutually understood to manage expectations and priorities and achieve successful outcomes.
  • Leading multi team development, across several time zones, cultures and languages.

Communication

  • Developing a variety of descriptions of a product or strategy to match a specific audience’s background and experience.
  • Communicating the vision and the ‘why’ that drives any strategy and decision.
  • Represent specific stakeholders/parties views in internal negotiations, and the whole organisation in external presentations and negotiations.
  • Negotiate positive outcome and ‘buy-ins’ using Interest Based Negotiation and Alternative Dispute Resolution best practises.
  • Facilitate training workshops and develop training material.

Management and leadership

  • Communication and collaboration tools: continuously searching, testing and implementing new tools for management and collaboration. Over the last two decades collaboration and project management technology has evolved from MSN messenger and Yahoo messenger to Jira, Trello and Slack among others. I have been an early adopter of most, and implemented them into the organisation’s work flow as relevant to the project/team at the time.
  • Change management: facilitating change of habitual business management and operation. This often involves initial resistance and requires careful and sensitive strategies to help the client open up to new possibilities, yet respect and accept their boundaries as sometimes they will only go some of the way.
  • Understanding of and working with a diverse team of various cultural backgrounds that is of mixed gender and age.
  • Minimising hierarchical top-down management structures, implementing horizontal collaborative structures that encourage engagement and commitment.

Technical

Hand-on programming, database and system architecture, tests, team leadership

  • Development methodologies: Agile (15 years), Test driven development (12 years), Object Oriented Programming (20 years)
  • Languages: PHP (20 years), JavaScript (20 years), Ruby (2 years), Swift (1 year).
  • Frameworks Various frameworks including Symphony, Meteor, Phalcon, sails.js, WordPress, Magento, OpenCart and a variety of front-end frameworks like Vue.js, Framwork7 etc.
  • Software architecture design.
  • Databases: SQL (20 years) and noSql (6 years) databases.

Education and Past Work

My educational/career path started with being a musician which taught me attention to detail, the value of practice and team work (i.e. playing in an orchestra).

Further study through the 3 years Alexander Technique Teacher training course and the practice that followed equipped me with skills in communication and group leadership.

My professional development in the business and IT fields is built on my past careers and past learning along with a methodical self-learner attitude and ability to gain knowledge from mentors and colleagues, occasional short and informal courses, keen observation and good old trial and error. Through practicing these skills and applying regular self-reflection over many years, I have achieved a high level of proficiency.

Credentials
  • Masters degree in IT Leadership (Deakin University).
  • Accredited Mediator.
  • Yoga teacher (Australia).
  • Alexander Technique Teacher and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner (Australia).
  • Wind instrument repairer (USA, Israel, Australia).
  • Oboe player and teacher (Israel, Europe, USA).
Interest and volunteer experience
  • WIRES – wildlife rescue.
  • Byron Youth House – volunteer overnight carer.
  • Paragliding, Yoga.

Contact

Phone

(61) 0402 263 223