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SHORT LINE: This page describes what Timothy Green does... his capabilities and expertise.
Timothy Green is an expert generalist or "eclectic" engineer. What does that mean?
The world is full of specialists. Hiring a specialist for a job works well when the problem is well-defined from the outset, and the nature of the problem matches well with an identifiable specialty.
The problems that businesses face, however, are not always well defined. Especially in an atmosphere of change or innovation, the nature or the scope of the solution may not be readily apparent. It is in situations such as this where an expert generalist like Tim pays off.
As an expert generalist rather than a specialist, Tim has in-depth strategic knowledge in a number of key areas, and the capability to build on those knowledge areas to solve your problem. Depending on the project, Tim may have the expertise to produce some or all of the solution directly. In other cases, he may coordinate the work of outside contractors. The result is a practical solution that meets your needs, developed without the need for your detailed involvement.
The kinds of situation where you might seek Tim's assistance are typically those where:
Regardless of the type of project, a key deliverable is usually some sort of report, either for your consumption as the person who ordered it, or to represent your position to another party. Tim is very good at explaining concepts, procedures, and technology in a format tailored for the audience. This could be on paper or in electronic format supported by still photos or video. It could even be part of a live presentation. If, as Marshall McLuhan said, "The medium is the message," then Tim can handle your wide variety of messages. But McLuhan also said, "With telephone and TV, it is not so much the message as the sender that is sent." Tim will make sure that your message represents you the way you wish.
Since Tim is an expert generalist, it's not practical to produce a simple list of the "things he does." However, a description of his areas of strategic knowledge, an outline of his areas of key capability, and a list of some of the projects he has conducted for satisfied clients will show how his capabilities fit with your requirements. These are in addition to his specific editing capabilities.
Strategic knowledge:
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Key capabilities:
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Here are some typical projects that Tim has done in the past. These show the wide scope of the work he does, and how he could fill your requirements.
Project: New loading procedures
Client: shortline railway
Description: The client was starting a new freight service for a specific customer to handle a new commodity. Working with the railway employees, contractors, and the commodity customer, Tim developed and documented new loading and delivery procedures, integrating them with existing operating methods and safety regulations. This required some outdoor on-site coordination under harsh climatic conditions. Deliverable was a written procedure that was developed and tested during actual train operations.
Project: Remote weigh scale
Client: transportation company
Description: This client was implementing bulk commodity storage locations in isolated areas, and had committed to installing scales to weigh each arriving truck before it unloaded. In a period of two weeks, Tim identified interface requirements, wrote the statement of work, found capable external contractors, and integrated their work. The result was a computerized control system for the weigh scales that could be queried on a regular basis over a wireless link for scale data retrieval. This included on-site installation and testing of the system, and later customization to adapt to evolving requirements. Deliverables included the workable system and an extensive documentation package on CD including photos, text, and software.
Project: Instructional audio/visual recordings
Client: national distance education institution
Description: The client provides seminars and classes at its campus in Ontario but needed a way of sharing these with its students in other provinces. Tim digitized the audio recordings made of each session, which in some cases were of poor quality, and then performed signal processing on them to improve the audibility. Tim then edited, segmented, and tagged the recordings to put on CDs in a format that could be used in a computer or in a portable MP3 player. For special sessions, this included video recordings as well. This is an ongoing project with hundreds of hours completed. The deliverable in each case is a self-starting master CD that the client duplicates and distributes to students.
Project: Organization background data and documentation
Client: national professional organization
Description: The client had a number of text and photo documents in diverse formats that it needed to distribute to members as an information data base. Tim put the documents in a standard format, organized them with a logical menu system, and put them all on a CD suitable for use on different types of computers. The deliverable was a self-starting master CD that the client duplicates and distributes to new and existing members.
Project: Legal and regulatory research
Client: national organization of health professionals
Details: The client was looking at professional registration procedures and procedural differences in each province. Tim researched the current state of health care provincial professional registration legislation, and documented the conditions under which registration was advisable. Tim also looked at legal precedents. The deliverable was a written report in electronic format with linked external and cross references.
Project: Shop project definition
Client: transportation company
Details: The client needed to build a combined equipment maintenance facility and office building. Tim evaluated the client's initial "want-list," looked at similar facilities in the industry, and examined equipment maintenance requirements driven by operational procedures. Tim prepared the submission for the Municipal Development Board and participated in the Board hearing to get permission to construct the facility. He also did a rough survey to ensure that building was in fact feasible given the constraints of surrounding infrastructure. The deliverables included written functional specifications for the building, suggested layout in CAD format, and in-person presentation to the municipal government.
Project: Client interaction via Internet
Client: small agricultural enterprise
Description: The client was a small specialized agricultural producer who needed a way to communicate with his specialized customer base. Tim designed a dynamic website where the client could update lists, schedules, and photographs directly online without any special web knowledge or training. This was much more flexible and economical than the previous method of mailing printed updates, and worked well for time-critical events.
Project: Strategic use of Internet study
Client: national transportation organization
Description: The client had a website that was designed and maintained by a professional staff. The client, familiar with Tim's background in the specific industry and his experience with effective use of the Internet, asked him to evaluate the existing site and make recommendations for improvements to structure and content. The client also asked Tim to recommend how the web could be better used for educating the public more effectively in spreading the organization's message. The deliverable was a report in electronic and printed format with executive summary, photographs, external references, and detailed site analysis in annexes.
Project: Promotional video
Client: shortline railway
Description: For internal and limited external communication purposes, the client needed a standalone presentation to present the details of a new operation. Tim produced a ten-minute full-motion video, doing all the track-side filming, story board creation, narrative, editing, and production. Because of Tim's railway experience, the client gave the general requirements but did not need to become involved in the details of making this happen. The deliverable was the video and supplementary data on CD for use in a computer.
Project: E-commerce training
Client: adult training organization
Description: The client ran a government-sponsored program to train adults for success in running their own businesses. Tim presented two levels of classes on the practical use of electronic commerce in a small business setting. These included real case studies of good and bad use of the web to achieve the business aim. There were approximately 25 students per class.
Project: Small business setup
Client: small professional practise
Description: For the client just starting operation of a small office, Tim set up a small computer network connected to the Internet. He also produced a number of external communications tools that included a website, promotional pamphlets, and instructional material for courses. He analyzed internal operations and set up streamlined procedures supported with computer technology to make the office run efficiently.
Project: Trackside equipment troubleshooting
Client: shortline railway
Description: For the railway, a supplier in another province had installed some specialized trackside equipment that did not work as expected. Tim worked with the railway, the supplier, and the regulatory authority on a solution to the problem. This included technical troubleshooting of the equipment and the associated computer, the conduct of test runs with actual rolling stock supported by trackside still photos and video, on-site statistical analysis of data, documentation of results, and recommendations. Deliverables included video clips and photos on CD, and a series of written documents spread over several months of testing.
Project: Route map
Client: shortline railway
Description: The railway needed an updated accurate map of its route for publicity purposes. Working with topographical maps and current ground data, Tim produced an annotated map of the whole line. The deliverable was a series of computer files containing the map in different formats, including ones suitable for printing in large scale without showing digital pixel artifacts.