Professor Ray Dawson

  • Emeritus Professor of Knowledge Management
  • Centre for Information Management
    • Publications
    Ray Dawson

    Ray Dawson is Emeritus Professor of Knowledge Management at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, UK. He obtained a bachelor's and a masters degree from Nottingham University before entering industry with Plessey Telecommunications in 1977. At the company he developed an interest in software engineering processes and the working methods for information systems development as practised in industry. Since 1987 he continued this interest in industrial working methods at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, working with companies to improve their software engineering processes and their information and knowledge management systems. A particular interest is Knowledge Management systems implantation as these systems seem to have a particularly poor success record and case studies in this area have revealed some interesting lessons for future system developments.

    Ray retired at the end of September 2019. He continues to give guest lectures in the Department and is also assisting with visits to students on placement at their workplaces.

    Research areas

    • Knowledge Management and Information Systems
    • Sucesses and Failures of Systems Implementation
    • Software Project Management, Quality Management and Configuration Management
    • Business and Industry Working Practices
    • System Requirements, Evaluation, Measurement, and Cost

    Invited Speaker:

    • Seminar: "Being Right is Not Good Enough - Why Knowledge Management Initiatives Fail", Czech Technical University, Prague, 2014
    • Seminar: “Knowledge Management Implementation Problems and How to Overcome Them”, British Computer Society, Nottingham, 2008
    • Seminar: ACPO Data Protection/FOI Conference, 2008
    • Seminar: “Knowledge Managemen Implementation Problems and How to Overcome Them”, Keele University, 2008
    • Invited Seminar Speaker: Keele University, 2008
    • Invited Seminar: ACPO Data Protection/FOI Conference, 2008
    • Seminar: “Simple Steps to Improve Process Performance and Capability”, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Enterprise Club, Dec 2007
    • Seminar: “Making information manageable in a complex and changing environment”, EDRM in Practice, Interactive Business Events, Manchester, Nov 2007
    • Keynote Seminar: "Knowledge Management Implementation Problems and How to Overcome Them", Software Quality Management conference (SQM), Stafford, March 2007.
    • Seminar: “From Records Management to Knowledge Management - Why do it and how is it done?”, Future Challenges for Records Management in the Public Sector, Interactive Business Events, London 2007
    • Seminar: “Action Research on Knowledge Management in the IT Industry”, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan, 2006
    • Seminar: “Very knowledgeable, but not a lot of use!”, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan, 2006
    • Seminar: “What is Knowledge Management, why is it relevant and how is it done?”, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Enterprise Club, Oct 2006
    • Seminar: “Presenting Your Argument to Senior Management”, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Enterprise Club, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, Sep 2006
    • Seminar: “Getting the Most out of Working with Industry”, Keele University, 2005
    • Seminar: “How can we implement a metrics programme?”, DARP Workshop, 2003
    • Guest presentation, ''Assessing Software Process Capability: A Case Study'', Software Quality Management conference (SQM), º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ 2001
    • Invited opening address, ''Pioneering a New Opportunity'', Psychology of Programming Interest Group 1st postgraduate workshop, 1997

    External Advisor:

    • London South Bank University, Periodic Review of Computer Science, 2007
    • Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan, Review of Project Based Learning in the Department of Systems Innovation and Informatics, 2006
    • Keele University, Periodic Review of Computer Science, 2006
    • º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ College, Computing and IT Consultative Committee, 1998-2003

     External Examiner:

    • External Examiner PhD, Southampton University 2017
    • External Examiner MSc, Bournemouth University 2014-2018
    • External Examiner PhD, Keele University 2014
    • External Examiner PhD, Plymouth University 2013
    • External Examiner PhD, Bournemouth University 2012
    • External Examiner PhD, Cranfield University 2010
    • External Examiner MPhil, Keele University, 2005
    • External Examiner MSc by Research, Limerick Institute of Technology, 2001
    • Access course in Computing and Information Systems, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ College, 1998-2001

    Conference Committee Positions:

    • Local Organising Committee, Software Quality Management Conference, SQM2014
    • Local Organising Committee, International Conference on Software Process Improvement Research in Education, INSPIRE2014
    • Session Chair, Software Quality Management Conference, SQM2013
    • Local Conference Chair, Software Quality Management (SQM) and International Conference on Software Engineering Improv ment Research and Education (InSPIRE), 2011
    • Conference Co-Chair, Software Quality Management (SQM), SQM2011
    • Conference Co-Chair, International Conference of Software Process Improvement Research in Education, InSPIRE2011
    • Panel Chair, Software Quality Management (SQM), 2010
    • Session Chair, Software Quality Management Conference, SQM2010
    • Session Chair, European Conference on Knowledge Management, ECKM2009
    • Session Chair, Software Quality Management Conference, SQM2009
    • Session Chair, Software Quality Management Conference, SQM2008
    • Session Chair, European Conference on Knowledge Management, ECKM2008
    • International Advisory Committee, International E-Commerce Conference, Barcelona, 2006
    • Co-Chair, Software Quality Management (SQM), 2001, 2006, 2007
    • Programme Committee, Empirical Assessment in Software Engineering (EASE), 2002-present
    • International Advisory Committee, Information Resource Management Association annual conference (IRMA), 2002-2003, 2005-2006
    • International Advisory Committee, Software Quality Management (SQM), 1998-present
    • International Advisory Committee, International Conference on Software Process Improvement Research in Education (INSPIRE) 1998-present

    Other:

    • External Reviewer, Promotion Panel, Al-Balqa Applied University, Jordan, Sept 2011
    • Invited undergraduate project organiser, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan, 2006