George Allan

Dr George Allan

Senior Lecturer,
School of Engineering and Computer Science

Research Interests

I have 2 research strands - a technical research interest in IT Project Management (PM) and an academic interest in how people learn (or don't learn). My technical PM research includes investigating the Critical Success Factors (CSF) that influence people in project work. This includes researching how people use Risk Management to build and use their knowledge towards project success, failure or some intermediate point.

This building of knowledge (both personal and institutional) is an integral part of how people learn and this learning directly influences their abilities to perform project work. So these 2 strands are inextricably linked.

You can see a list of possible PhD research areas.

Visit my project management web site to find more about my research.

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Publications

For a list of my recent publications, please see the Publications Database.

Additional Publications

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Biography

I had 18 years experience in the IT/IS industry as Systems Analyst, Team Leader, Project Manager and Programme Manager. I have developed courses in IT Project Management for several companies and universities in UK, South Africa, China and New Zealand. These course include Project Management Methodologies, IT/IS strategy, Risk Management, Quality Management, Configuration Management and Critical Thinking.

I have 5 awards for my teaching/learning methods of engaging students in their own learning:

• University of Surrey SCEPTrE (Surrey Centre for Excellence in Professional Training and Education) Fellowship;
• University of Portsmouth Teaching and Learning Fellowship;
• Engineering Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) scheme;
• UK Learning and Teaching Development Fund;
• Higher Education Academy award for Student Centred Learning.

I have held the following academic posts:

• Visiting Professor in Systems Analysis & Design at Syracuse University, USA;
• Visiting Lecturer in Project Management at The University of The Witwatersrand, South Africa;
• Visiting Lecturer in Software Engineering Project Management at Jilin University, China;
• Visiting Academic at Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.

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Professional Bodies

• Fellow of the British Computer Society
• Fellow of the New Zealand Computer Society
• Fellow of the UK HIgher Education Academy
• Chartered Engineer
• Chartered IT Practitioner.