Andy Noble is a Regional Author for the Oracle Apps Development Track.

He is a leading European Oracle Applications technical consultant with over 11 years experience with Oracle Applications, 18 years experience as a technical consultant and has enjoyed 11 major Apps project ‘go-live’s across Europe.

Andy can be contacted by email at andy.noble@oraclecontractors.com

Andy took time out to answer our “top ten” questions!

How many years of Oracle Apps experience do you have?

A: I started in 1996, initially interfacing an MS Access application to Datalogix GEMMS (later to become Oracle Process Manufacturing) and Oracle Financials. So this is my 12th year with Apps.

When did you become an Oracle Contractor?

A: I actually became a contractor BEFORE I became an Oracle Contractor; April 1996.

How did you come to work with Oracle Apps?

A: Sheer luck. In my mid-twenties I used to run my own company supplying PC based systems; this wasn’t very interesting or profitable so I went contracting, initially intending to be a contract Borland Delphi programmer. A contract in The Netherlands came up for MS Access which I knew very well, so I took it for a 3 month contract (my first ever!). After I completed the software development after 6 weeks, I genuinely expected to be finished as the job was done; luckily I was put on this thing called ‘Oracle Reports’ which was my first introduction to Oracle products other than the database. The initial 3 months turned in to 2 years and the rest, as they say, is history.

What is the most enjoyable part of your work?

A: The thrill of the go-live. I do really enjoy working with lots of different people, and have to say I’ve met the cleverest people I know while doing this job; I enjoy seeing the results of hours of hard work, uncertainty, good process and great relationships, but most of all is the go-live. This, to me, is the thrill of the ride; when it all comes together, when fortune favours the bold, and when a new project baby is born. I really do equate a go-live to giving birth, it is the extreme of our profession; very hard work, long nights, frayed tempers, immense pressure, is sometimes painful, jobs on the line, huge businesses at risk, yet also it galvanizes teams, creates great comraderie, highlights the best in people, tests organizations and creates new leaders in the project and business.

What is the least enjoyable part of your work?

A: Repetition. I love my all aspects of my job, solving problems, meeting new people etc. But give me a task and tell me to do it a number of times; after about 20 times it kills me.

What has been the most satisfying project you have worked on and why?

A: Up until now, my answer is ‘the project I’m on right now’. I’ve very fond memories of all the projects I’ve worked on; always interesting challenges, and always great people that I can learn new techniques, approaches, attitudes and skills from.

Which consultant / contractor have you learnt the most from / enjoyed working with the most and why?

A: I’ve worked with many great guys over the past 11 years or so (contractors, Oracle Consultants and customers) but I think I have to say my old mucka Grae Woollett is the guy who taught me the ropes of contracting, taught me Oracle in general and I enjoy remembering our long discussions in to the night over several bottles of Stella on my first contract in The Netherlands - he was my mentor and is still an outstanding bloke.

What do you see happening in Oracle Apps as we move towards “Fusion”?

A: Right now, it seems that 50% of what we’ve all been coasting at for the past 10 years is coming to an end. Over the next 2 years, as release 12 early adopters blaze a trail, we’ll see more customers (and many new customers) moving towards Fusion and for us that means a switch in technology stack, and more importantly for us, a paradigm shift; thinking in web based terms instead of form based terms. The value of “years of experience” will be wiped clean with this type of change, and only the fittest of us will survive.

What are the hot topics in your area of expertise?

A: For release 12, the biggest challenge is for the technical people. There is a huge change in the technology stack; this means moving to Java and OA Framework for customizations, XML Publisher for Reports, Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) for interfaces and the myriad of web technologies that need at least some appreciation of for the future. Competition will be fierce as non-Oracle Java people and highly skilled people from developing countries, like India and China, make inroads to the industry, and with the internet, that affects our local market. On top of all that, I feel that areas such as Java Enterprise (J2EE), RAC and the grid (the ‘g’ in 10g) will come more to the fore to affect the life of a technical developer.

What do you do when you are not working?

A: Well, I don’t really work, I get paid to do my hobby for 8 hours a day. Otherwise, I love spending time with my family doing arty things, cooking, building robots and walking amongst many other things, and following the best football team in the world; Manchester United (Jazz - Liverpool are a half-decent 3rd). I enjoy keeping fit playing squash and walking my dogs.