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Professor Alan Brown

Professor in Digital Economy

+44 (0) 777 2454541

INDEX, London

Alan has been delivering impact as an entrepreneur and in business for over 30 years, working in start-ups and large enterprises to enable software delivery to power business transformation. He is also a university professor, researcher, coach, and trusted adviser to C-level executives in the public and private sector. He has written several books on enterprise software delivery and digital transformation, and holds a Professorship in Digital Economy at the University of Exeter, UK and is a Fellow of the Alan Turing Institute, the UK National institute for data science and AI.

Currently, Alan’s research activity is focused in 2 areas: As Director of the Defence Data Research Centre (DDRC), a £4M initiative funded by Dstl to improve the application of data science in the defence sector; and as Deputy Director at the DIGIT Lab, an £11M UK National Research Centre investigating digital transformation and accelerating digital innovation in Large Established Organizations (LEOs) .

Previously, Alan spent almost 2 decades in the USA in commercial high-tech companies leading R&D teams, building leading-edge solutions, and driving innovation in software product delivery at the Software Engineering Institute, Texas Instruments, Sterling Software, and Computer Associates. He also led business development in Catapulse, a Silicon Valley start-up that was acquired by Rational Software Corporation for over $400M. When Rational was acquired by IBM, he then spent 5 years in Madrid leading enterprise strategy as European CTO for IBM’s Software group. More recently Alan returned to the UK to co-found the Surrey Centre for the Digital Economy (CoDE) at the University of Surrey where he led research initiatives in 4 EPSRC-funded research projects.

Alongside his research activity, the impact of Alan’s work is seen in his consulting activities where he advises several startups, and works with clients in the public and private sector including the UK National Audit Office, Centrica, SAP, Siemens, McLaren, and several UK Government agencies. He has published 7 books and numerous papers on software engineering, systems design, and digital business transformation. Alan’s latest published work includes “Delivering Digital Transformation: A manager’s guide to the digital revolution” and “Digital Economy Dispatches“.

Nationality: British

Part of Initiative in the Digital Economy at Exeter (INDEX)

Qualifications

PhD

Research interests

Agile organizations, leadership, and decision making
The relationship between technology innovation and business innovation
Digital technologies and digital business transformation

To provide practical insights into the effects of digital disruption in business and society, and to deliver tools that offer measurable impact to drive strategic and operational advantages in the emerging digital economy. The focus is in three areas:

Value: Exploring new forms of value in a data-driven world.
Trust: Redefining relationships and ecosystems through digital connectivity.
Risk: Balancing operational challenges in agility, speed, and control.

Research projects

Active research projects:

EP/P02579X/1
EP/P03151X/1
EP/P03196X/1
EP/N028252/1

Next Generation Paper (NGP) (C)
ARCHANGEL - Trusted Archives of Digital Public Records (C)
Co-operative Models for Evidence-based Healthcare Redistribution (CoMEHeRe ) (P)
Control and Trust in Vulnerability for new Business Models (ConTriVE) (C)

Research grants

2022 Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
Defence Data Research Centre (DDRC)

Key publications | Publications by category | Publications by year

Publications by category

Books

Brown AW (2021). Digital Economy Dispatches: Critical reflections on how to succeed with digital transformation in turbulent times., Unities Press.

Brown A (2019). Delivering Digital Transformation: a Manager's Guide to the Digital Revolution., Walter de Gruyter. Abstract.

Brown AW, Fishenden J, Thompson M (2015). Digitizing Government: Understanding and implementing new digital business models., Palgrave McMillan. DOI.

Ali Babar M, Brown AW, Mistrik I (2013). Agile Software Architecture: Aligning agile processes., Morgan Kaufman.

Brown AW (2012). Enterprise Software Delivery: Bringing efficiency and agility to the global software supply chain., Addison Wesley.

Brown AW (2000). Large-scale Component-Based Development., Prentice-Hall.

Brown AW (1996). Component-Based Software Engineering., IEEE Computer Society Press.

Brown AW, Carney DJ, Morris EJ, Smith DB, Zarrella PF (1994). Principles of CASE Tool Integration., Oxford University Press.

Brown AW, Earl AN, McDermid JA (1992). Software Engineering Environments: Automated Support for Software Engineers., McGraw-Hill.

(eds)(1991). Integrated Project Support Environments: the Aspect Project., Academic Press.

Brown AW (1991). Object-Oriented Databases: Applications in Software Engineering., McGraw-Hill.

Brown AW (1990). Database Support for Software Engineering., Chapman and Hall.

Brown A, Hitchcock P (1990). Proceedings of the 8th British National Conference on Databases (BNCOD-8)., Pitman Publishing Ltd.

Journal articles

Coutts LV, Plans D, Brown AW, Collomosse J (2020). Deep learning with wearable based heart rate variability for prediction of mental and general health. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 112, 103610-103610. DOI.

Lopez D, Brown AW, Plans D (2019). Developing opportunities in digital health: the case of BioBeats Ltd. Journal of Business Venturing Insights, 11 Abstract. DOI.

Frohlich DM, Corrigan-Kavanagh E, Beynon M, Bober M, Yuan H, Sporea R, Le Borgne B, Scarles C, Revill G, van Duppen J, et al (2019). The Cornwall a-book: an Augmented Travel Guide Using Next Generation Paper. Journal of Electronic Publishing, 22(1). DOI.

Brown A, Fishenden J, Thompson M, Venters W (2017). Appraising the impact and role of platform models and Government as a Platform (GaaP) in UK Government public service reform: Towards a Platform Assessment Framework (PAF). Government Information Quarterly, 34(2), 167-182. Abstract. DOI.

Maull R, Godsiff P, Mulligan C, Brown A, Kewell B (2017). Distributed ledger technology: Applications and implications. Strategic Change, 26(5), 481-489. Abstract. DOI.

Brown AW (2013). Toward the Agile Organization: Accelerating innovation in software delivery. Cutter IT Journal

Brown AW, McDermid J (2007). The Art and Science of Software Architecture. International Journal of Cooperative Information Systems (IJCIS), 16, 439-466.

Brown AW, Iyengar S, Johnson SK (2006). A Rational Approach to Model-Driven Development. IBM Systems Journal, 44, 463-480.

Brown AW, Delbaere M, Eeles P, Johnston S, Weaver R (2005). Realizing Service oriented Solutions with the IBM Software Development Platform. IBM Systems Journal, 44, 727-752.

Brown AW (2004). An Introduction to Model Driven Architecture – Part 1; MDA and Today’s Systems. IBM developerWorks, RationalEdge

Brown AW (2004). An Introduction to the IBM Rational Design and Construction Tool Strategy. IBM RationalEdge

Brown AW (2004). Model-Driven Architecture: Principles and Practice. Journal of Systems and Software Modeling, 4, 314-327.

Brown AW, Johnston S (2003). Using Service-Oriented Architecture and Component-Based Development to Build Web Service Applications. IBM DeveloperWorks

Brown AW (1999). Moving from Components to CBD. Component Strategies, 23-28.

Brown AW, Wallnau KC (1998). The Current State of CBSE. IEEE Software

Brown AW (1998). Tools for Enterprise-Scale CBD. Component Strategies, 22-31.

Brown AW, Judd RP, Riddick F (1997). Architectural Issues in the Design and Implementation of an Integrated Toolkit for Manufacturing Engineering. International Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Special Issue

Brown AW, Morrow B (1997). Component-Based Development for the Enterprise. Information Week, 16

Brown AW, Wallnau KC (1996). A Framework for Evaluating Software Technology. IEEE Software, 13, 39-49.

Brown AW, Christie AM, Dart SA (1995). An Examination of Software Maintenance Practices in a U.S. Government Organization. Journal of Software Maintenance, 7, 223-238.

Brown AW, Caldwell WM, Carney DJ, Christie AM, Morris EJ, Zarrella PF (1994). A Case Study in Use of Framework Technology as the Basis of a Software Engineering Environment. Journal of Systems Integration

Rader JA, Brown AW, Morris EJ (1994). Operational Use of CASE Integration: an Investigation of the State of the Practice. Journal of Systems and Software

Brown AW, Morris EJ, Rader JA (1994). The Search for Integrated CASE Environments. American Programmer, 7, 8-15.

Brown AW (1993). Control Integration Through Message Passing in a Software Development Environment. Software Engineering Journal, 121-131.

Brown AW, Carney DJ, Feiler PH, Oberndorf PA, Zelkowitz MV (1993). Issues in the Definition and Use of a Project Support Environment Reference Model. Computer Standards and Interfaces, 15, 431-444.

Brown AW, Feiler PH, Wallnau KC (1993). Understanding Integration in a Software Development Environment: Issues and Illustrations. Journal of Systems Integration, 5, 303-329.

Brown AW, Penedo MH (1992). An Annotated Bibliography on Software Engineering Environment Integration. ACM Software Engineering Notes, 17, 47-55.

Brown AW, McDermid JA (1992). Learning from IPSE’s Mistakes. IEEE Software, 9, 23-28.

Brown AW (1990). Database Support for Systems Engineering. IEE Colloquium on IT for Systems Engineers

Brown AW (1989). From Semantic Data Models to Object-Orientation in Design Databases. Information and Software Technology Journal, 31, 39-46.

Brown AW (1988). An Introduction to Integrated Project Support Environments. Journal of Information Technology, 3, 194-204.

Brown AW (1988). Integrated Project Support Environments. Information and Management, 15, 125-134.

Brown AW (1988). The Relationship Between CAD and Software Development Support: a Database Perspective. Computer-Aided Engineering Journal, 5, 226-232.

Chapters

Brown A (2021). Digital Transformation: Toward a New Perspective for Large Established Organizations in a Digital Age. In Ekman P, Dahlin P, Keller C (Eds.) Management and Information Technology after Digital Transformation, Routledge. Abstract.

Brown AW (2013). Experiences with Cloud Technology to Realize Software Testing Factories. In Tilley S, Parveen T (Eds.) Software Testing in the Cloud, IGI, 1-27.

Brown AW, Conallen J, Tropeano D (2005). Models. Modeling, and Model Driven Development. In Beydeda S, Book M, Gruhn V (Eds.) Model-Driven Software Development, Springer, 1-17.

Brown AW, Conallen J, Tropeano D (2005). Practical Insights into MDA: Lessons from the Design and Use of an MDA Toolkit. In Beydeda S, Book M, Gruhn V (Eds.) Model-Driven Software Development, Springer, 403-432.

Brown AW, Booch G, Iyengar S, Rumbaugh J, Selic B (2004). An MDA Manifesto. In Frankel D, Parodi J (Eds.) Model Driven Architecture Straight from the Masters, Meghan-Kiffer Press.

Brown AW, Booch G (2003). Collaborative Development Environments. In (Ed) Advances in Computers Vol. 53, Academic Press, 1-26.

Brown AW (2000). Component-Based Development. In (Ed) Advances in Computers, Volume 46, Academic Press.

Brown AW (1999). Building a System in Pieces: Fundamentals of Component-Based Development. In (Ed) Constructing Superior Software, McMillan Press.

Carney DJ, Brown AW (1995). On the Necessary Conditions for the Composition of Integrated Software Engineering Environments. In (Ed) Advances in Computers, Volume 41, 157-189.

Brown AW, McDermid JA (1991). On Integration and Reuse in a Software Engineering Environment. In Long F (Ed) Software Engineering Environments, Ellis Horwood Ltd.

Atkins MC, Brown AW (1991). Principles of Object-Oriented Systems. In McDermid JA (Ed) The Software Engineer’s Reference Book, Butterworth.

Hitchcock P, Brown AW (1990). A Comparison of Software Engineering Databases. In Hall PAV (Ed) Software Engineering 90, Cambridge University Press, 32-65.

Brown AW (1988). A View Mechanism for an Integrated Project Support Environment. In Benyon D, Skidmore S (Eds.) Automating Systems Development, Plenum Press, 283-298.

Brown AW, Robinson DS, Weedon RA (1986). Managing Software Development. In Barnes D, Brown P (Eds.) Software Engineering 86, Peter Peregrinus Ltd, 197-235.

Conferences

Bui T, Cooper D, Collomosse J, Bell M, Green A, Sheridan J, Higgins J, Das A, Keller J, Thereaux O, et al (2019). ARCHANGEL: Tamper-proofing video archives using temporal content hashes on the blockchain. Abstract. DOI.

Franceschi M, Morelli D, Plans D, Brown A, Collomosse J, Coutts L, Ricci L (2019). ComeHere: Exploiting ethereum for secure sharing of health-care data. Abstract. DOI.

Collomosse J, Bui T, Brown A, Sheridan J, Green A, Bell M, Fawcett J, Higgins J, Thereaux O (2018). Archangel: Trusted archives of digital public documents. DOI.

Brown AW, Ambler S, Royce W (2013). Agile at Scale: Economic Governance, Measured Improvement, and Disciplined Delivery.

Brown AW (2011). A Case Study in Agility-at-Scale Delivery.

A W Brown ALM, Oliva LR (2011). Practical Experiences with Software Factory Approaches in Enterprise Software Delivery.

Brown AW (2008). MDA Redux: Practical Realization of Model driven Architecture.

Brown AW, Delbaere M, Johnston S (2007). A Practical Perspective on the Design and Implementation of Service-oriented Solutions.

Brown AW, McDermid J (2007). The Art and Science of Software Architecture.

Brown AW, Johnston SK (2006). A Model-driven Development Approach to Creating Service-oriented Solutions.

Brown AW (2004). Building Service-Oriented Architectures with the IBM Software Development Platform.

Brown AW, Booch G (2002). Reusing Open Source Software and Services.

Brown AW, Barn B (1999). Enterprise Scale CBD: Building Complex Computer Systems from Components.

Brown AW (1999). The Future of Component-Based Enterprise Application Development.

Brown AW, Barn B (1998). Fundamentals of CBD.

Brown AW (1997). CASE in the 21st Century: an Examination of the Problems Facing Established CASE Vendors.

Brown AW, Short K (1997). On Components and Objects: the Foundations of Component-Based Development.

Brown AW, Wallnau KC (1996). Engineering of Component-Based Systems.

Brown AW, Carney DJ, Clements PC (1995). A Case Study in Assessing the Maintainability of a Large Software-Intensive System.

Brown AW, Carney DJ, Clements PC, Meyers BC, Smith DB, Weiderman N, Wood WG (1995). Assessing the Quality of a Large, Software-Intensive System: a Case Study.

Rader JA, Brown AW (1995). Computer-Aided Sub-Processes (CASPs): a Practical Approach to the Use of CASE Technology to Support Process Improvement.

Garlan D, Brown AW (1995). The CMU Master of Software Engineering Core Curriculum.

Brown AW, Carney DJ, Oberndorf PA (1994). Practical Evaluation of Software Engineering Environment Technology.

Brown AW (1994). Why Evaluating CASE Environments is Different from Evaluating CASE Tools.

Brown AW, Carney DJ, Feiler PH, Oberndorf PA, Zelkowitz MV (1993). A Project Support Environment Reference Model.

Brown AW (1993). An Examination of the Current State of IPSE Technology.

Rader J, Brown AW, Morris EJ (1993). An Investigation into the State-of-the-Practice of CASE Integration.

Brown AW, Caldwell WM, Long FW, Morris EJ, Zarrella PF (1993). Experiences with a Federated Environment Testbed.

Brown AW, Carney DJ (1993). Towards a Disciplined Approach to the Construction and Analysis of Software Engineering Environments.

Brown AW, Feiler PH (1992). An Analytical Technique for Examining Integration in a Project Support Environment Services Reference Model.

Brown AW, Feiler PH, Wallnau KC (1992). Past and Future Models of CASE Integration.

Brown AW, Feiler PH (1992). The Conceptual Basis for a Project Support Environment Services Reference Model.

Brown AW, Feiler PH, Wallnau KC (1992). Understanding Integration in a Software Development Environment.

Ochuodho SJ, Brown AW (1991). A Process-Oriented Version and Configuration Management Model for Communications Software.

Ochuodho SJ, Brown AW (1991). XDL: an Object-Oriented Extension to SDL.

Ochuodho SJ, Brown AW (1991). XDL: an Object-Oriented Specification and Description Language for Telecommunication Systems.

Brown AW, Took RK, Daly WG (1990). Design and Construction of Graphical User Interfaces using Surface Interaction.

Brown AW (1989). Object-Based Database Support for Software Engineering and the Aspect Project.

Brown AW, Pearcy A, Holmes SJ, Benest ID (1988). An Application for Evaluating the Aspect Development Software.

Brown AW (1988). An Object-Based Interface to an IPSE Database.

Brown AW, Earl AN, Hitchcock P, Weedon R, Whittington RP (1986). The Use of Databases for Software Engineering.

Reports

Brown AW (2004). Realizing the IBM Software Development Platform. IBM Rational.

Brown AW (1995). Proceedings of the SEI/MCC Symposium on the use of COTS in Systems Integration. CMU/SEI-95-SR-007, Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA.

Publications by year

2021