Experience

Andy's knowledge is grounded in consultancy and research roles working with technology start-ups, corporates, governments and civil society groups, where his focus is on strategy and policy.

Andy is an experienced commercial and academic researcher. His skills lie in applied, end-user focussed research and evaluation, enhanced by his experience in managing research and consultancy groups, in leading organisations and teams and as a writer and presenter.

Digital democracy and engagement

Andy's primary focus is on the use of digital media to better connected citizens, civil society and governments. His work in the community informatics, eDemocracy and eGovernment fields is about ensuring that the technology migration in national and local government, NGO's and community-based organisations is appropriate and effective. He has an international reputation in this field and his achievements include infrastructure projects, research, consultancy and advising at Ministerial level. Andy's work involves broadband, community ICT and digital content and social media.

Debating ePetitions at UK Parliament: Greg Knight MP,
Bethan Jenkins AM, Pete Picton (Sun Online) & Andy Williamson.

Strategy, policy and leadership

Andy's work has a strong focus on policy evaluation and development working within both central and local government settings. His governance experience, senior business and IT management is supported by an extensive background in project management (including PMBOK and PRINCE2), his ability to build relationships at all levels of an organisation and strong communication and presentation skills. Andy has management experience in both the private and public sectors.

Start-ups and organisation maturity

Working with digital innovators and technology companies at the early stages to ensure that good ideas are matched by sound business skills and resources. Working with teams to ensure that the structures and processes are appropriate and manageable as organisations mature. Andy works with start-up technology companies, established IT companies and intrapreneurial units within corporates.

Digital Strategies

Aligning digital media with strategic and policy objectives and ensuring that the strategic and tactical planning is a living process that reflects the business, organisastion or place that it is supposed to support is vital. Project work includes transformation and change, strategic assessment, process modelling and mprovement. Andy's skill lies in being able to work with senior management to develop a strategic plan and then facilitate an on-going planning and review framework. Andy extends his consulting in this field by teaching strategic planning at post-graduate level.

Research

Qualitative research, mixed methods, evaluation, research supervision, research management and the facilitation of networks. Projects include the set-up and launch of an applied ICT research centre, the establishment of a national ICT research cluster and success in obtaining contestable research funding. Andy undertakes research in areas such as community informatics, eGovernment & eDemocracy, economic development and intellectual capital. He has an international reputation and has published and presented extensively.

Areas of Research Interest

• Social/Community informatics
  • eDemocracy, specifically citizen focussed-use of ICT to re-engage communities and parliamentary use of ICT
  • eGovernment
  • ePolitics
  • Technology and disadvantaged communities
  • Community networks
• Technology and innovation
  • Intellectual capital/intellectual property
  • Technology innovation
  • Technology and regional development
• Research methods and practice
• Community/participant focussed research
• Qualitative methods
• Mixed methods
• Critical theory of technology

Academic

Andy is an experinced education familair with course development and academic management (having been innaugural Director of Unitec's Centre for IT Research). He has taught at undergraduate and post-graduate levels, including research methods, project management, eBusiness, strategic planning, community informatics and eDemocracy. Andy has supervised students at Masters and PhD level.

Professional Affiliations

Fellow, Chartered Management Institute, UK
Fellow, Royal Society of Arts, UK
Member, Royal Society of New Zealand
Member, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), USA
Member, Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR)
Member, Community Informatics Research Network
Member, Internet Society (US)
Member, The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences

Appointments

Honorary Visiting Fellow, Institute for Social Change, University of Manchester.
Member, Centre for Business information, organisation and process management, University of Westminster.
Research Associate, New Zealand Tourism Research Institute, AUT University, New Zealand.
Trustee, CITRUS Charitable Trust - New Zealand Centres for applied ICT research.
Trustee, Work Raft Trust, New Zealand (community ICT trust).
Editor, Journal of eDemocracy and Open Government
Member, People and Participation Advisory Group, Department for Communities and Local Government, UK.
Member, eParticipation Community of Practice Group, State Services Commission, New Zealand Government.
Advisory Board, Community Informatics Research Network (CIRN) International.
Judge, International Webby Awards.

Prior appointments
Deputy Chair, Digital Strategy Advisory Group, New Zealand Government (2005-2007).
Judge, Qantas New Zealand Media Awards (2006-2008).
Chair, WaitakereOnline Board, Waitakere City Council, New Zealand (2004-2007).
School of Computing and IT Industry Advisory Committee, Unitec, New Zealand (1994-2005; Chair 1999-2005).
Research and Advanced Practice Advisory Board, Unitec (2002-2004).
Executive of the New Zealand National Advisory Committee on Computing Qualifications (2000-2005).
Waitakere City Council EcoTech City Advisory Group (2002-2004).
WestSmart Business Incubator Advisory Board, New Zealand (2002-2004).
Chair, Waitakere eDemocracy Group, New Zealand (2001-2007).
Committee Member, Community Informatics Research Network of Victoria, Australia