AWPrologue
Cambridge --:--
Systems & Functional Analyst In IT since age 15 Cambridge, UK

Adam Wakefield

I turn complex requirements into systems that work in production.

Requirement
Design
Build
UAT
Live
Every project, end to endScroll ↓
At a glance

The 30-second version.

Now
Functional Analyst, University of Cambridge (University Information Services)
Experience
13 years in full-time IT roles, including 7 as a systems and functional analyst
Strengths
Requirements analysis, solution design, system integration, UAT and stakeholder management
Platforms
Moodle, Turnitin, Leganto, Power BI, SkillsForge, Ex Libris Alma, Symplicity CareerHub, Ellucian Banner
Education
First-class BA (Hons) Business Management and Information Systems, with the Nottingham Business School Prize
Looking for
Senior business or systems analyst roles. Remote, or hybrid in the Cambridge area
Get in touch LinkedIn ↗ [CV PDF LINK]
Chapter I · About
Portrait · 4:5 Natural light · plain background

It started at fifteen, fixing computers for customers in a Derby shop. Today I help people and organisations reach their goals through technology: analysing requirements, shaping them into structured solutions, and connecting developers, architects, vendors and the people who rely on the result. What I enjoy most is taking a problem apart and finding the answer.

Role

The main point of contact between technical teams, vendors and stakeholders across concurrent programmes.

Method

Agile and Scrum delivery, with Jira and Confluence as the single source of truth.

Standard

Clear documentation and data you can trust, from the first workshop to the last sign-off.

Learning

I pick up new systems quickly. If I don't know how to do something yet, I learn it or work it out, and get to the result.

Chapter II · In numbers
13years

in full-time IT roles, after nine years of Saturdays in a computer shop.

7platforms

implemented or selected as analyst at Nottingham Trent University.

2migrations

to the cloud, taken through go-live with reading lists and reporting intact.

Chapter III · How I work01 / 05
Stage 01

Requirement

I analyse the existing systems and business processes first, so the requirements describe the real problem and everyone can agree on them.

REQUIREMENTS · v1.0
Stage 02

Design

I turn requirements into technical design specifications, map the data between systems, and document every interface between old and new platforms.

SOLUTION DESIGN Users Core DATA API SPEC
Stage 03

Build

I work alongside developers, architects and vendors, assess each change for impact, risk and effort, and keep delivery moving in an agile team.

SPRINT BOARDTO DODOINGDONE
Stage 04

UAT

I write the test plans, run user acceptance testing and check the data before anything reaches the people who depend on it.

USER ACCEPTANCE TESTINGTC-01TC-02TC-03TC-04TC-05 5 / 5 PASSED
Stage 05

Live

I deliver the training, write the user guides and secure sign-off. Then I keep improving the platform long after go-live.

PRODUCTIONLIVE

Thorough by nature. The detail is where projects succeed or fail.

Chapter IV · Selected work

Five projects, told briefly.

Implementations, integrations and platform choices, from the first requirement to go-live.

Nottingham Trent UniversityLead analyst

Live clearing figures for the Vice-Chancellor

A Power BI reporting system the VC and COO used to make real-time decisions during admissions clearing. I managed the work between external consultants and internal BI developers and resolved the data issues before go-live.

Recognised by NTU's Director of Digital Technologies
CLEARING · LIVE
Power BIData warehouseAdmissionsLive
Nottingham Trent UniversityLead analyst

Postgraduate management, end to end

The full SkillsForge implementation across NTU's postgraduate population. I owned the requirements, vendor liaison, solution design and stakeholder sign-off, then ran UAT and delivered the training.

POSTGRADUATE JOURNEY
SkillsForgeBanner SRSUATLive
Nottingham Trent UniversityIntegration design

Two cloud migrations, nothing lost

I delivered the Leganto LTI integration with the VLE during the Aleph-to-Alma migration, and remapped data warehouse feeds to new API endpoints for Symplicity CareerHub. Reading lists and reporting kept working through both go-lives.

LEGACYCLOUD Aleph Warehouse Alma API LTIFEEDS CONTINUITY PRESERVED
Ex Libris AlmaLeganto LTICareerHub APILive
Nottingham Trent UniversityLead systems analyst

Choosing the next platforms

I led the systems analysis for selecting Thrive LXP and CourseLoop, and implemented and supported ProMonitor FE software.

EVALUATION MATRIX ABC
Thrive LXPCourseLoopProMonitorSelected
University of Cambridge · UISFunctional analyst

A learning platform that keeps improving

I look after the University's Moodle VLE and its integrated tools. I was part of the team through two major Moodle upgrades, and I've completed multiple point releases, delivered the Leganto LTI integration and migrated an assessment environment. I'm also the resident Turnitin expert.

ASSIGNMENT · SUBMISSION
MoodleTurnitinLegantoSafe Exam BrowserOngoing
00 / 05
Intermission

Five projects in. Fancy a break?

60 seconds · dodge scope creep · reach go-live Or keep scrolling ↓
Chapter V · The journeyFrom a Derby computer shop to Cambridge
Age 15

The first job

SB Computers Ltd, Derby

School work experience, then a summer volunteering, then a part-time job. Selling hardware and software, fixing problems, building custom PCs.

Placement

Customer Satisfaction Assistant

Nottingham Trent University

Built the evidence for the Student Services Centre's Customer Service Excellence Award submission and presented it to the assessors. Monday to Friday here, then Saturdays at SB Computers: six days a week.

Graduate

First-class honours

Nottingham Business School

BA in Business Management and Information Systems, and the Nottingham Business School Prize for the best overall performance on the programme.

Support

IT Support Specialist

The Holgate Academy

Keeping more than 1,000 staff and students working, from networks and hardware to training.

Clients

Second Line Support Analyst

Cooper Parry

Solving complex technical issues for clients in automotive, finance, and transport and logistics.

Thanked personally by the head of a corporate finance client in London.
Infrastructure

Audio Visual Technician

Nottingham Trent University

Designing and running AV for everything from lectures to large conferences across a multi-site campus.

Analysis

Systems Analyst

Nottingham Trent University

Lead analyst on Power BI for clearing, SkillsForge, and two cloud migrations taken through go-live.

Recognised by NTU's Director of Digital Technologies for the Power BI work.
Cambridge

Functional Analyst

University of Cambridge

Part of the team through two major Moodle upgrades. I delivered the Leganto integration and an assessment migration, and I'm the go-to expert on Turnitin.

Next

What comes next

Senior analyst

Growing into a senior analyst role, and learning how AI can improve the way organisations work, one business process at a time.

Let's talk about it
Age 15NowNext

Every role taught me something the next one needed.

Chapter VI · Every role, in detail

Experience.

2004 — Now
    • Requirements to configuration. Analyse requirements and translate them into functional solutions, system configuration changes, test plans and documentation across Moodle and integrated tools including Turnitin.
    • Change control. Assess change requests for technical and business suitability, running impact assessments to set approach, risk and effort.
    • Service reliability. Identify gaps in service processes and design structured remediation to improve platform reliability.
    • Agile delivery. Balance live operations against project delivery in an agile/Scrum team, using Jira and Confluence.
    • Upgrades and releases. Part of the team that took Moodle through two major upgrades. Completed multiple minor point releases, tested new plugin versions and updated user guides.
    • Integration and migration. Delivered the Leganto LTI integration for Moodle, migrated one Moodle environment to another for assessments, and helped evaluate and test Safe Exam Browser.
    • Turnitin expert and escalation point. The resident Turnitin expert, and the escalation point for second- and third-line Moodle and Turnitin requests, advising colleagues across the University.
    MoodleTurnitinLegantoSafe Exam BrowserJiraConfluenceScrum
    • Systems and process analysis. Analysed existing systems and business processes to define requirements, producing technical design specifications and documenting interfaces between legacy and new platforms.
    • Power BI for clearing. Lead analyst on a reporting implementation used directly by the Vice-Chancellor and COO for real-time decisions during admissions clearing, managing external consultants and internal BI developers to resolve data issues before go-live.
    • SkillsForge. Lead analyst for the full postgraduate management system implementation across NTU's student population, owning requirements, vendor liaison, solution design and stakeholder sign-off.
    • Cloud migrations. Delivered the Leganto LTI integration with the VLE for the Ex Libris Aleph-to-Alma migration, and mapped BI data warehouse feeds to new API endpoints for Symplicity CareerHub, preserving reading lists and reporting through both go-lives.
    • Platform selection. Lead systems analyst for the selection of Thrive LXP and CourseLoop, and implemented and supported ProMonitor FE software.
    • Data and adoption. Queried and mapped data in Banner (SRS) for integration design; ran UAT, delivered training and wrote user guides for each implementation.
    Power BISkillsForgeEx Libris AlmaLegantoCareerHubThrive LXPCourseLoopProMonitorBanner SRSAgile & Waterfall
    • Infrastructure. Installed, configured and maintained AV infrastructure, including lecture capture audio and video hardware, keeping systems available across every site.
    • Solution design. Analysed user requirements and designed AV solutions for everything from lectures and presentations to large-scale conferences.
    • Events end to end. Worked directly with event planners and presenters to plan and deliver their AV requirements.
    • Support and training. Supported and trained staff, students and external clients, troubleshooting and repairing equipment to keep disruption low.
    • Documentation. Wrote technical documentation and user guides so people could run AV equipment on their own.
    Lecture captureExtronAV systemsEventsTraining
    • Complex fixes. Diagnosed and resolved complex issues across IT systems and software, escalating to third-line support where needed.
    • Reliable services. Installed, configured, monitored and maintained IT services to keep systems reliable and users productive.
    • Client helpdesk. Supported external clients across several industries, adapting communication to a wide range of technical ability.
    • Clear records. Documented issues and resolutions, keeping accurate records of every support interaction.
    Service deskIT service managementTroubleshootingSystem configuration
    • Keeping lessons running. Resolved IT problems for staff and students quickly to keep disruption to teaching and learning low.
    • Infrastructure. Maintained hardware, software and networks so systems stayed available across the whole estate.
    • Installation. Installed and configured new hardware and software to compatibility and security standards.
    • Training. Trained staff and students to use IT systems and software effectively.
    • Documentation. Documented systems and processes so they were easy to maintain and understand.
    End-user supportNetworksAV systemsTraining
    • Evidence portfolio. Built and maintained the portfolio behind the submission, collecting, organising and presenting evidence against each award criterion under the project lead.
    • Gap analysis. Identified where existing practice fell short of the award standard and proposed remediation.
    • Assessment panel. Presented evidence of customer service performance directly to the assessors.
    • Student research. Surveyed students to find areas for improvement and reported the findings to senior management.
    Service improvementGap analysisStakeholder relations
    • Sales. Advised customers on and sold IT hardware and software.
    • Troubleshooting. Diagnosed and fixed IT problems for customers.
    • Custom builds. Built custom computers to each customer's specification.
    • System reloads. Rebuilt and reinstalled systems to get customers' machines working again.
    HardwareSoftware salesPC buildsTroubleshooting
Skills & tools · and the next one, learned quickly
Requirements analysisBusiness requirementsFunctional analysisSystems analysisTechnical solution designSystem integrationAPIsData mappingSQLData analysisMicrosoft Power BIEllucian BannerMoodleTurnitinLegantoSafe Exam BrowserUpgrades & releasesLearning management systemsSystem configurationUser acceptance testingAgile & WaterfallSDLCJiraConfluenceChange managementIT service managementService designService improvementStakeholder managementTechnical documentationExtron AV
Chapter VII · Education · 2008 — 2012

BA (Hons) Business Management & Information Systems

Nottingham Trent University · First-class honours

Award · July 2012 Nottingham Business School Prize Awarded for the best overall performance by a student on the 2012 BA (Hons) Business Management and Information Systems programme.
Chapter VIII · Beyond work

Beyond work.

Stoic philosophy

Reading the Stoics: focus on what you can control, and stay steady when things go wrong. Useful on go-live day, and in a major incident.

Circular country walks

Hiking and circular walks around the countryside, the best place to think a problem through.

Sport

Football, American football and Formula 1. F1 is a good lesson in data, strategy and fine margins.

Learning to build with AI

I've recently started building small tools with AI, and I'm exploring how it can help organisations work better.

“The mind converts and changes every hindrance to its activity into an aid… and that which is an obstacle on the road helps us on this road.”
Marcus Aurelius · Meditations, V.20 · trans. George Long
If you hire me
  1. 01 · Clarity

    You'll always know where the project stands.

  2. 02 · Quality

    Nothing goes live without being tested.

  3. 03 · Adoption

    Your people will be trained, not just told.

  4. 04 · Resolve

    If I don't know how yet, I'll work it out.

It started with fixing one computer for one customer. More than twenty years on, it still comes down to the same thing: understanding what someone needs.

Epilogue

Let's talk

AW

Hiring a senior business or systems analyst? Or facing a complex system, a stalled implementation or requirements nobody can agree on? I'd like to hear about it.

Based in Cambridge, UK · Open to remote, or hybrid in the Cambridge area

LinkedIn

Thanks for reading all the way to the end.

Adam Wakefield

Adam Wakefield

From a Derby computer shop to Cambridge

Directed byAdam Wakefield
Written byAdam Wakefield
Requirements gathered byAdam Wakefield

Cast

The AnalystAdam Wakefield
The Learning PlatformMoodle
The Similarity CheckerTurnitin
The Exam InvigilatorSafe Exam Browser
The DashboardPower BI
The Postgraduate SystemSkillsForge
The LibraryEx Libris Alma & Leganto
The Careers ServiceSymplicity CareerHub
The Student RecordEllucian Banner
The New ArrivalsThrive LXP & CourseLoop
The Reliable OneProMonitor
The Project BoardJira
The MemoryConfluence
The AV RackExtron
Stunt DoubleOne well-used screwdriver

Crew

Key GripCtrl+Z
Best BoyThe spare HDMI cable

Filmed on location at

DerbySB Computers Ltd
NottinghamThe Holgate Academy
DerbyCooper Parry
NottinghamNottingham Trent University
CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge

Music

Original scoreThe hum of a server room

Special thanks

Every stakeholder who started with “quick question”

All stunts were tested in a safe environment before go-live.

No green screens were used in this production. Several blue ones were fixed.

No requirements were harmed in the making of this career.

The End

© 2026 Adam Wakefield Cambridge, United Kingdom Back to top ↑