Professional Resume
Roger Louis Sinasohn

Qualifications

Experience

Client Support

Throughout my career, working with end users has been one of the most enjoyable and successful duties I have performed. I am able to explain technical subjects in ways that non-technical people can understand, and determine what their needs are even though they may not fully understand them themselves.

While working with Aetna health plans, I was responsible for supporting an existing accounting system during a difficult conversion to a new computer and software package. Working closely with the accounting staff, I was able to ensure that day-to-day operations continued even while much effort was directed towards the new system.

At Landor Associates, I assisted both the accounting department and the project control staff in making the most efficient use of the computer resources available to them. I was able to assist them in getting their work done without disturbing the creative work of the designers that was the focus of their business.

Project Management

The Super Extract Project involved coordinating with multiple groups within Longs Drugs, including Operations, Networking, and Remote Store Operations. In addition, I developed complete web-based documentation and technical specifications for the entire project to aid in future expansion and maintenance.

My work with Benson Software has truly been an opportunity to use my project management skills to the fullest. In developing complete subsystems for their leasing software, including shaping the overall design, documenting the system, and planning the installation, I was able to put all my project management skills to work.

In the design of a sales invoicing system for their lease management package, I worked with the in-house leasing experts to determine the necessary functionality of the system, planned the flow of data and the interaction with the existing modules, and developed the complete system.

At Noesis Computing Company, I was responsible for designing, developing, and installing a complete fixed assets tracking system. This included everything from the initial specifications and database design, through the forms design and data gathering. This project was a complete success and allowed Noesis to efficiently manage and track their fixed assets.

Time Pressure

While working with Longs Drugs, I consistently met or beat the deadlines for each request. I often completed sections of various projects before the next part had been planned. In dealing with bug fixes and legal compliance changes, modifications were often required to be completed, tested, and distributed to stores in a matter of days.

At Benson Software, I became intimately familiar with the challenge of meeting deadlines dictated by client needs rather than technical specifications. I pride myself on being able to accomplish tasks in a timely manner, and am more than willing to make the extra effort often needed to complete a project on schedule.

At Noesis Computing Company, I was responsible for the constant management of the two HP 3000 systems required to ensure that all clients' needs were met. Reports needed to be processed on time, and updates had to be completed as scheduled, even though unscheduled requests from users were frequent. I am proud of the job I did in successfully handling these demands.

Interface Design

In working with Benson Software, I had many opportunities to put my skills at interface design to work both in designing the look and feel of the on-line Powerhouse Quick screens, and in the printed Quiz reports. I was the one who could be called upon to make the software look good, while still making it efficient for the users.

Landor Associates relied on my design skills to develop data entry screens and reports using Powerhouse that would significantly increase user efficiency and cut down on wasted efforts. I developed screens and reports that replaced the existing ones in the packaged accounting and project control system they were using.

While maintaining compatibility with older and limited capability browsers, I have managed to present the all-important content in a pleasing and efficient manner for several client web sites, including the Young People's Teen Musical Theatre Company, Scotty's Foreign Car Service, and my own Classic Computers site.

Technical Background

I began working with COBOL on a DEC PDP-11/70 at the School for Business and Commerce, and moved on to using the language on a Honeywell DPS-8 at City College of San Francisco. Benson Software offered my first opportunity to use COBOL on an HP 3000, and Aetna Health Plans, Longs Drugs, and Hewlett-Packard followed with extensive COBOL systems.

I was first introduced to Cognos PowerHouse (Quick, QDesign, Quiz, and QTP) in 1985 at Noesis Computing Company, and have been using it on behalf of all my clients and employers since. I am active in several on-line forums devoted to improving PowerHouse skills, and attend both the San Francisco and Sacramento Cognos user groups. I attend the international conferences whenever possible, and presented a paper at the Cognos International User Conference in June of 1995 entitled Cognos Users and the Information Superhighway.

Benson Software offered me the opportunity of attending a training session on Axiant at Cognos' offices in Ottawa, Ontario. As one of the first consultants to work with Axiant, I have used the product both in my work with Benson Software and on my own.

While working with Dana Commercial Credit, I attended training in the use of Aperture, a visual information manager, used in tracking assets, computer equipment and software, and cabling in a graphic environment.

At the same time, I began working with Visual Basic and OLE as a method of controlling and automating Aperture functions. I went on to develop several database update and load programs using Visual Basic. My experience with BASIC goes back much further, however. I worked with BASIC on the DEC PDP 11/70 and Honeywell DPS-8 platforms, as well as numerous microcomputer platforms such as CompuPro and other CP/M based machines, Atari, Commodore, and Apple 6502-based computers, and Radio Shack, IBM, and other Z80 and 80x88/6 based computers.

In addition, I have become well versed in the use, maintenance, and repair of various microcomputers, including MS-DOS and Windows based PC's, Apple Macintoshes, and Atari ST's. I can assist users with both hardware and software questions on these platforms. I have over 10 years experience using Lotus 1-2-3 and Excel, and am well versed in Microsoft Word and other word processing and desktop publishing packages. I have a strong background in data translation between microcomputer and Hewlett-Packard minicomputer platforms.

With the arrival of the Internet into mainstream American culture, I have kept up with advances in internet and intranet technologies. E- Mail has become a way of life, and I have developed a several web sites, both personal and for various clients, to hone my skills in HTML, CGI, and PERL programming.

Representative Projects

Fill-RTS-Fill Bug - Longs Drugs

Researched, identified, and documented the causes of a six-year-old bug in the accounts receivable portion of the Longs Pharmacy System. Corrected the problems as a two-phase project, modifying existing COBOL programs and MPE jobstreams, distributing the changes to the stores as completed.

Super Extract System - Longs Drugs

Created a process using Cobol which extracted prescription information at all stores and returned the data to the general office on a weekly basis. Automated the validation processes with Quiz, QTP, Supertool, and Qedit programs and scripts to check for missing data and to connect to the stores to retrieve or re-extract the information. Developed jobstreams and Quiz, QTP, and Cobol programs to generate various reports and files for management and governmental analysis. Generated web-based documentation for all facets of the system.

Medicare Drug Coverage - Longs Drugs

Modified the existing pharmacy application to identify drugs covered by Medicare and alert the user appropriately. Created a stand-alone application using Quick, Quiz, and QTP for the maintenance and update of the Medicare Drug information, including the importation and processing of an externally generated drug listing.

Data Load Software - Dana Commercial Credit

Developed an application in Visual Basic 4.0 to automate data manipulation and loading. The application extracts data from various file types, including dBase IV databases, Excel Spreadsheets, and flat files, and updates Paradox tables. Automated a complex process of bringing data together from multiple, diverse sources, providing a simple interface for future iterations.

Metropolitan Transportation Commission - Dana Commercial Credit

Manipulated and imported inventory data into an Aperture database. Converted and imported existing floor plans and generated space information. Created a customized symbol library and attached asset data to symbols. Also wrote several support programs for the data load and manipulation processes in Visual Basic 4.0. Created a Visual Basic program to export data to a separate fixed assets system using OLE to control and automate Aperture. Programmed UDI handheld computer and scanner for future physical inventory updates.

MM to FIMS interface - Hewlett-Packard Intercontinental Operations

Wrote several modules of an interface between the physical and financial inventory systems used by the international sales offices. This application accepted transactions passed from the physical inventory system and updated the financial inventory records, including updating the general ledger. Written in COBOL, with development support from programs written in Cognos' Powerhouse, these programs handled deletions, additions, shipments, returns, and conversions.

Baker Automated Prescription System interface - Longs Drugs

Developed the software to interface an existing prescription tracking/billing system with a new, automated prescription filling machine. Worked with a minimum of specifications to write, test, and prepare for the implementation of the new machines. This interface was developed in COBOL, with test and development programs written in Cognos' Powerhouse.

HIPC Payment Processing - Aetna Health Plans

Developed a system to accept a flat file containing payment information from a government agency, match the payments to existing invoices, and create a payment batch in the accounts receivable system. This system, written using COBOL and SuperTool, saved hundreds of man-hours each month, and dramatically increased the efficiency of payment postings.

Project/Labor Reporting - Landor Associates

Developed an extensive system of labor and project reports to accurately track billable and non-billable hours, project completion, and job profitability using Cognos' Powerhouse. Kept the reports up- to-date as users' needs changed and grew.

Profit and Loss Reporting - Landor Associates

Designed and implemented a system for profit and loss reporting for management use. This system, developed with Cognos' Powerhouse, features virtually no hard-coded labels, footing, or heading information. All elements, including assignation of G/L account codes to report lines and data selection criteria, is customizable by users through Quick screens.

Technology Asset Tracking - Landor Associates

Built a system using Cognos' Powerhouse to track physical location of microcomputer equipment within the company, at the component level. Used a virtual workstation concept, so that no one component represented a given system, allowing for component replacement and movement. Also included change order processing, tracking, and reporting to facilitate component level upgrades, repairs, and exchanges.

Axiant Conversion Project - Benson Software Systems

Began the conversion of Benson Software's existing Powerhouse programs to Client/Server applications using Cognos' Axiant. Worked on screen and user interface standards, as well as database redesign. Assisted Cognos in beta testing the system, especially the conversion utilities.

Sales Invoice System - Benson Software Systems

Designed and coded a complete sales invoicing module for the existing Lease Management System. Worked with users to determine their needs and developed the final system. This module, written in Cognos' Powerhouse, handled the financial aspects of the sales of new and off- lease equipment. It was integrated into the main system and implemented by all of Benson Software's customers.

Property Tax Processing - Benson Software Systems

Designed and developed a system to handle Property Tax computations for lease assets. Worked closely with client liaisons to produce a system to fit the specific needs of lessors. This system was written in Cognos' Powerhouse.

Fixed Assets Tracking System - Noesis Computing Company

Designed, developed, and implemented a system written in Cognos' Powerhouse to track company assets. I was responsible for this project from start to finish, including design of the software, forms, and reports as well as implementation, data collection, and maintenance.

Shipping Label System - Arretta King Company

Designed and wrote a system to produce shipping labels on demand. The primary requirement for this project was to make the programs easy enough to use such that the salespeople and shipping personnel would feel comfortable using it. In addition to satisfying this requirement, the system was extremely efficient, yet took advantage of the most sophisticated hardware features available at the time. These programs were written in QBasic, on a CompuPro 8/16 computer.

Technical Skills

Employment History

Education

Other Experience and Affiliations:

• President, Atari Bay Area Computer User's Society (ABACUS)
  
• Member, Board of Directors, Computer History Association of California
  
• Exhibitor and Staff Member, Vintage Computer Festival