Mike Lazarus | Experts Exchange

Mike Lazarus

Senior Solutions Analyst

Australia

Blog:

https://Blog.GLComputing.com.au

Member Since: 2006/09/29

Industry: Computer & IT

Top Skills:

ACT Exchange Microsoft SQL Server

Tech Certifications:

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CERTIFIED EXPERT

Message

Master of Analytics with over 35 years of experience in supporting database software and network infrastructure.

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Activity

Points this month44

Total points1,931,372

Questions: 38

Solutions: 1144

Articles: 6

Videos:

Tutorials:

Posts:

Group Discussions: 11

Live: 1

Full Biography

As a Senior Solutions Analyst, I leverage my data skills and experience to deliver innovative solutions for the department. I have over 35 years of experience in designing, customising, implementing, and supporting database software and network infrastructure for clients across various industries.

My mission is to use data analytics to inform and improve decision-making, customer service, and operational efficiency. I am always eager to learn new technologies and methods to enhance my expertise and add value to my organisation. In 2020, I pursued a Master of Analytics degree with excellence to deepen my knowledge and skills in this field. I am also a globally recognised expert and community development partner for Act! CRM, a leading customer relationship management software.

GENERAL SKILLS: Requirements Gathering • Stakeholder Management • Report Writing • Communication • Analytical Skills • Critical Thinking • Research • Team Leadership • Data Modelling • Data Dictionary • Data Governance • Machine Learning
TOOLS AND SOFTWARE: Customer Relationship Management (CRM) • Dataedo • Atlassian Jira Service Desk • Snowflake • Microsoft Office • Microsoft SQL Server • Microsoft Azure • Active Directory • Microsoft Exchange

* LinkedIN - http://www.linkedin.com/in/glcomputing

Professional Background

Senior Solutions Analyst

NSW Government

December 2022 – Present

Sydney, Australia

Key Achievements
• Analysed and resolved complex problems by leveraging data-driven insights, resulting in cost savings of over $250K for one matrix partner at Transport for NSW by translating complex technical concepts into easily understandable language, orchestrating efficient information flow across six cross-functional teams, facilitating seamless collaboration, and reducing communication gaps.
• Researched and developed a unique framework to calculate the value creation proposition of projects, using quantitative and qualitative metrics, for better management insights and decision-making through 9 Infrastructure and Place branches at Transport for NSW. This has expanded from an Analytics and Applications project to cover Infrastructure and Place after discussions with an Executive Director, with a pilot implementation expected by May 2024.
• Developing a solution in Jira Service Desk to automate the prioritisation process, including creating the case for integration with MS Outlook and Teams. The early changes save one analyst 10 hours per week.
• Identified a gap in the internal knowledge of a core 550-table SQL database and created a data dictionary with entity relationship diagrams used by over 20 analysts.
• Found and reported data governance issues. One involved expanding the logging of users running reports to track the data sources if they became public.
• Filled in as Acting Analytics Operations Manager for two weeks, triaging all requests, organising Analytics and Operations teams, and engaging with business stakeholders.
• Interviewed by my director on video about working with ADHD in Transport for NSW. The video has been shown internally and will be shared on Transport’s LinkedIn account.
• One of 3 panellists for the Transport for NSW “Moving Forward Together” event discussing ADHD, watched live by over 200 staff, with many more viewing the recording.

Responsibilities
• Manage investigations to identify and define diverse business requirements and specify effective business solutions through improvements in information systems, information management, practices, procedures, and organisational change.
• Facilitate applying and monitoring required modelling and analysis tools, methods, and standards, giving special consideration to business perspectives.
• Identify, develop and implement business improvement opportunities on proposed and completed projects across a portfolio of complex initiatives; identify and develop opportunities for improving investment planning and delivery processes, developing proposals to senior management to address high-priority issues.
• Manage the development, implementation and improvement of efficient and comprehensive monitoring and reporting systems as required, undertake or support post-implementation benefits realisation reviews of projects.
• Coordinate the development of specifications in collaboration with relevant specialists to ensure specific user requirements are communicated in technical terms for submission to project teams.
• Prepare business cases in partnership with business managers to define potential benefits, options for achieving these benefits through developing new or changed processes, and associated business risks.
• Provide expert technical advice and guidance to business managers to assist with defining their specific requirements and keep senior management fully informed on current and projected operational requirements and emerging issues.
• Model collegiate and collaborative behaviours to achieve the greater good for the community, celebrate a diverse workforce, create an environment where people can innovate and thrive, and support people’s well-being.

Skills: Business Analysis · Critical Thinking · Team Leadership · Technical Specs · Leadership · Problem Solving · Translation · Defining Requirements · Analytical Skills · Jira Service Desk · Report Writing · Stakeholder Management · Data Dictionary · Data Governance · Data Analytics · Microsoft Products · Machine Learning · Business Intelligence · Data Analysis · Databases · Microsoft SQL Server · Training

Act! Evangelist

GL Computing

March 1991 – April 2000

GL Computing is a consultancy specialising in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems for small and medium enterprise clients globally.
Key Achievements
• Consulted with over 5000 client and vendor stakeholders to design, implement, and support client CRM database systems.
• Triaged and prioritised the solution delivery of over 20,000 support incidents. This aided in identifying and tracking potential improvements in the software.
• Contracted by US software vendors for Quality Assurance to resolve complex technical issues with the first update from the most prominent vendor, fixing over 100 known bugs.
• Awarded a Consultant Community Contribution Award, voted by consultants worldwide.
• Won three consecutive Experts-Exchange Titan Awards from a competitive field of over 30,000 qualified technical experts.
Responsibilities
• Engaging with clients and vendor stakeholders to document functional, strategic, and business process requirements.
• Designing database model, network, web server, and user interface to meet client requirements.
• Managing implementation of the systems and training administrative users to promote best practices.
• Developing and documenting policies, procedures and standards relating to database management.
• Creating reports and dashboards that provide KPIs and other insights to assist clients in making better sales and marketing decisions for the acquisition and retention of customers.
• Developing machine learning and clustering models to segment client databases and highlight subscription customers at risk of churn.
• Testing new releases of software from vendors with their Quality Assurance teams.

Education

University of NSW (UNSW)

Master of Analytics

Data Analytics

2020 – 2022

Awarded with honours of Excellence

SGS/Uni NSW

Some College

Languages

No Languages shown

Level Progress

Current: Level 31

Mike needs 116,628 points to level up.

LVL 32

What do levels mean?

Overall

31

1,931,372
ACT

24

1,239,142
Databases

10

213,254
Outlook

9

189,784
Enterprise Software

9

184,129
Software

9

181,734
Contact Management

8

148,599
Microsoft SQL Server

7

99,764
Microsoft SQL Server 2005

6

81,448
Office Productivity

5

66,400
Productivity Apps

5

55,248
Windows XP

5

52,176
BlackBerry

4

48,272
Windows OS

4

44,488
Exchange

4

42,871
SBS

4

38,200
Windows Server 2003

4

37,460
Windows Vista

4

33,910
Microsoft Applications

4

32,110
Microsoft Office

3

30,882
Business Management

3

30,200
.NET Programming

3

23,430
Windows 7

3

21,932
Microsoft Server OS

3

21,050
Email Clients

3

18,887
Microsoft Word

3

18,118
Microsoft Legacy OS

3

18,080
Storage Software

2

17,700
Miscellaneous

2

17,448
Web Browsers

2

17,100
MySQL Server

2

16,850
Windows 10

2

16,351
Anti-Virus Apps

2

15,600
Smartphones

2

15,468
Microsoft Access

2

15,023
Web Development

2

14,100
VPN

2

12,873
Internet Explorer (IE)

2

12,100
Microsoft Dynamics

2

11,698
Crystal Reports

2

11,640
Google Workspace

2

11,450
Email Software

2

11,132
Tax / Financial Software

2

10,400
Active Directory

2

10,250
PHP

2

10,200
Azure

2

10,050
Microsoft Excel

2

9,800
Document Management

2

9,775
Cloud Computing

2

9,750
Windows Networking

2

9,750
Storage

2

9,700
Internet Marketing

2

9,650
iPhone

2

9,600
Email Protocols

2

9,500
Networking

2

9,445
QuickBooks

2

9,000
Software Firewalls

2

9,000
Project Management Software

2

8,800
Windows Server 2008

2

8,568
Microsoft IIS Web Server

2

8,550
Server Software

1

7,872
WordPress

1

7,800
Smartphone Programming

1

7,768
Content Management

1

7,750
Groupware

1

7,600
FileMaker Pro

1

7,500
Microsoft Development

1

7,400
Project Management

1

7,300
VMware

1

7,200
BlackBerry Programming

1

6,668
Network Management

1

6,601
Server Hardware

1

6,500
System Utilities

1

6,400
ASP.NET

1

6,232
Internet / Email Software

1

6,200
Consulting

1

6,150
Android

1

5,850
DNS

1

5,733
Microsoft 365

1

5,700
Dell

1

5,520
Programming

1

5,514
Remote Access

1

5,320
Microsoft SQL Server 2008

1

5,212
Cell Phones

1

4,840
Windows Server 2012

1

4,800
Network Operations

1

4,795
Gmail

1

4,650
DB Dev Tools

1

4,600
SCCM

1

4,600
Windows Server 2016

1

4,600
Visual Basic.NET

1

4,550
Hardware Firewalls

1

4,500
Chat / IM

1

4,400
Operating Systems

1

4,350
IT Administration

1

4,150
DB Reporting Tools

1

4,120
Hardware

1

4,050
.NET App Servers

1

4,000
C#

1

4,000
IP Telephony

1

4,000
Encryption

1

3,950
Lotus IBM

1

3,700
AWS

1

3,650
Email Servers

1

3,557
Microsoft Forefront ISA Server

1

3,500
Quality Assurance

1

3,500
Web-Based CMS

1

3,300
Peripherals

1

3,200
Web Development Software

1

3,050
Telecommunications

1

3,000
ASP

1

2,800
Conferencing Software

1

2,800
JSON

1

2,800
Microsoft DOS

1

2,800
MultiMedia Applications

1

2,800
Responsive Web

1

2,800
VB Script

1

2,800
Web Frameworks

1

2,800
Web Servers

1

2,800
Web Services

1

2,800
Zoho

1

2,800
OS Security

1

2,668
Salesforce

1

2,664
Facebook

1

2,600
Networking Hardware-Other

1

2,600
SSL / HTTPS

1

2,600
HTTP Protocol

1

2,500
Analytics

1

2,450
CodeIgniter

1

2,450
Regular Expressions

1

2,450
Voice Over IP

1

2,400
Microsoft Server Apps

1

2,380
Web Applications

1

2,332
JavaScript

1

2,300
Microsoft SharePoint

1

2,200
Desktops

1

2,100
Installation

1

2,100
Laptops Notebooks

1

2,100
HTML

1

2,050
Sales

1

2,050
Algorithms

1

2,000
DB2

1

2,000
Delphi

1

2,000
Java

1

2,000
Java EE

1

2,000
Linux Distributions

1

2,000
Routers

1

2,000
SQL

1

2,000
SSRS

1

2,000
SugarCRM

1

2,000
Vulnerabilities

1

2,000
Windows Live Mail

1

2,000