Bell Project Management

These abbreviated case histories illustrate the kinds of projects I have successfully directed.

• Software Development

John Muir Hospital (Walnut Creek, CA) engaged me to help match available office automation technologies with procedures in several departmental areas to reduce costs by increasing productivity.  My analysis of the Purchasing Department revealed significant costs for nonstock purchase order processing coupled with inadequate reporting capabilities for these transactions.  Working with the client, I designed a work flow that integrated stock, repeat nonstock, and special order purchases for a multi-user environment; it was the first such design for the hospital industry.  I then directed the development of the application program, SNAP Hospital Materials Management, from concept to implementation and, subsequently, to market under my company’s brand. 

• Web Application Implementation and Adaptation

HealthStar LLC (Oakland, CA) provides mobile laser and other services to hospitals and physician office practices for procedures requiring specialized equipment and medical technicians.  On behalf of WebScheduler, I assessed end user requirements (which included not only HealthStar personnel but their customers as well) and managed enhancements and adaptations of WebScheduler’s core product to provide a seamless, customer-driven scheduling and contracting system that reduced HealthStar’s operating costs considerably while dramatically improving their service capabilities and customer satisfaction rates.

• Systems Implementations

California State Automobile Association (AAA, San Francisco, CA) required the implementation of PeoplleSoft Financials in such a way as to accommodate both centralized and decentralized check-writing capabilities, integrated with mandated reconciliation processes in AP and a new process flow in Purchasing.  On behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers, I thoroughly documented existing workflows in AP and Purchasing, and I proposed a workflow that would satisfy all end-user requirements under the capabilities of PeopleSoft applications.  Through several iterations I managed negotiations between AP, GL, Purchasing, and the PeopleSoft development team, based on end-user documentation of the proposed end-state(s).  No project time was sacrificed—the end-user documentation had to be prepared in any case—while the development and user expectations were perfectly matched before technical resources were committed.

·        Anti-Trust Case Research

Edwin Tobolowsky (Prager, Metzger and Kroemer, Dallas, TX) needed court-admissible evidence to support an anti-trust suit on behalf of a Houston-based movie theater chain against a rival exhibitor and movie studios.  The bidding process for rights to exhibit movies is arcane and replete with industry terms of art.  I worked with a team of attorneys and industry experts to design metrics that would support an anti-trust claim.  I then managed the data-gathering phase, performed by paralegals.  I directed the data analysis and reporting phase, performed by IT personnel from my company’s office.  Finally, I participated in meetings and negotiations with Hollywood industry executives aimed at seeking pre-trial settlements.  This project was one of numerous social science and survey research projects I have designed and managed for attorney clients nationwide.

What I Can Do for You

I can play a key role in projects that, for reason of size or unique organizational challenges, require creativity, solid methodology, and effective direction.  I'm a very good project manager, but in large projects I may work more productively as a member of the PM's team.

There is no one-size-fits-all for most projects.  Hence, I can't be sure whether I'm the right fit for a given project or problem without learning more about the situation.  If you have an interesting or challenging problem, I would be most interested to discuss it.