Most people think they’re building the right thing, nobody sets out to build the wrong thing on purpose. There’s often a set of specified needs and requirements at the start of a project, the stakeholders or customers ‘know’ what they want, so who are we to challenge them? Despite their confidence, research suggests a huge number of new products and features are developed but don’t solve the problems they were intended to, in fact a large percentage don’t get used at all.

Chris will share his thoughts on building the right thing and solving the right problems. He will talk through his experience of leading a software development project to enable effective monitoring of the health, wellbeing and performance of Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Chris will explain the steps he took to get projects with tight deadlines delivered on time. How seeking value from the start, challenging every requirement, understanding every problem and adapting his communication style, were key components to the success of the projects.

About Chris

Chris has held a number of job titles over the past ten years, all following the same theme; contributing to the development of products that provide value and solve problems. He currently leads a number of technology projects at the English Institute of Sport, combining the two subjects he is most passionate about, sport and technology. Chris plays a key role in the Athlete Health and Sport Intelligence teams, working closely with athletes and support staff to provide digital solutions for Olympic and Paralympic sports.

Chris previously spent six years in the law industry, primarily leading data projects to aid the early identification of fraudulent insurance claims. He was also the first Head of Performance Analysis at Bury Football Club, responsible for setting up their analysis and scouting department, gaining insight into the world of professional sport from a completely different perspective.