I have a confession to make! I did not won an "Oscar" because that is an award presented by the film industry for best actors, movie etc... and I am not in that industry. However, within the IT Industry there is an award that is no less as prestigeous. It is called the British Society Industry Awards for Information Technology innovation.
Established in 1957, the British Computer Society (BCS) is the leading body for those working in IT. With a world-wide membership now over 60,000 members in over 100 countries, BCS is the qualifying body for Chartered IT Professionals (CITP).
BCS was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1984. Its objects are to promote the study and practice of computing and to advance knowledge of and education in IT for the benefit of the public. The awards are given to those applying IT best practice to deliver tangible benefits to their organisations and their clients.
In 2003 CMS was entered for the most prestigeous awards available in the UK for Information Technology innovation. This was the British Computer Society (BCS) IT Industry Awards. Established in 1957, the British Computer Society (BCS) is the leading body for those working in IT. With a world-wide membership now over 60,000 members in over 100 countries, BCS is the qualifying body for Chartered IT Professionals (CITP).
In the spring of 2003 two representatives of the BCS visited Sypol to do see what we do and to investigate if CMS was worthy for being put forward for the award. About 120 companies were investigated for the technology applications award, but only four would be chosed as finalists. As the software writer for CMS and the person who was liased with the investigators, I awaited with bated breath the outcome of their research. Then on 17th July 2003, a letter arrived. With shaking hand and heart thumping I read the letter:
The letter was written by Professor Graham Brookes who was Chairman of the BCS Technology Awards Assessors Panel. He said that at their final meeting the Technology Assessors Panel unanimously selected "CMS" as one of four BCS Technology Awards Finalists in the Applications Category. He said that CMS would now go forward for for consideration by the final Judging Panel, where we would be given the opportunity to exhibit and demonstrate our project. The judging would take place during the afternoon fo 24 September at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London and the overall winner would be announced at a special meal during the evening.
"This is a major database application allowing users to conduct risk assessment conforming to COSHH regulations. The system has an innovative and user-friendly interface with the data presented in a simple format using pictograms and minimal text."
BCS Panel of Judges
"The Year's Greatest Innovations"
Nick Huber, Computer Weekly (05 Sep 2003) "
""The BCS Annual IT awards recognise both IT excellence and benefit to business and society. The awards are open to any project developed in the field of IT in the UK, and participating organisations who make the final are notified some two to three weeks in advance of the awards ceremony. The overall winners are then announced at the annual awards ceremony. The 38,000 members of the BCS are notified of the entrants, finalists and winners and there is coverage in the press and IT journals."
www.parliament.com (17 March 2003)
The awards ceremony dinner at the Hilton Hotel
Stephen Timms, MP (The Minister of State for e-Commerce) said, "The BCS IT Professional Awards is the calendar event that reflects and celebrates the nation's IT industry as a leading global player."