Jed Simms

Hi, I'm the primary creator and the author of the Totally Optimized Projects approach and TOPologies. I've been working on and around projects since 1971. I pioneered real time computer systems in the 1970s, office automation in the 1980s, business-driven computing in the 1990s and value-driven projects in the 2000s.

I have held senior management roles in Black and Decker and ITT in the UK and T&G Mutual Life Society, State Bank Victoria and Solaris Power in Australia. I have also worked in senior roles for Arthur Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) and The Boston Consulting Group.

I've led worldwide studies into what drives and destroys project value. Through these studies I've discovered and quantified the correlation between the maturity of an organization's capability to direct and manage projects and the financial returns it receives over time. Using these findings I have developed a suite of approaches and processes to help organizations quickly learn for themselves how to significantly increase the value delivered from all of their projects.

My latest book, THE TOP BOOK, is the result of 20 years research and work identifying and then solving why projects are so unsuccessful in terms of business outcomes and benefits delivered. I early identified that the root causes was a lack of business involvement and have now addressed this (and many other) project delivery deficiencies with Totally Optimized Projects.

I've always tried to provide comprehensive solutions. My 2001 book, THE SEARCH, was written as a fictional novel for business executives who needed to know about IT but did not want to study it. It was supported by a series of more detailed papers on IT accessible via the web – a novel idea in 2001!

My short books, such as SOLVING THE BENEFITS PUZZLE (about a very simple but effective project benefits management approach) and CONSULTANTS.CON (about how to use and leverage consultants more effectively) are also written as stories to make them easy to read and absorb.

I'm told I'm a compulsive documenter. And that is probably right. I've been writing books, articles (over 100) and lecturing at the tertiary level since 1976. I'm also told I'm a perfectionist. And that is probably right too. That is why it has taken so long to get these materials and articles available on the Internet. I've been refining and improving them to ensure they are wholly effective for you as delivered.

Now they are. I'm pleased with the results (and those that use them are often astounded). And I give you my personal guarantee that if you're not satisfied with our TOPologies, I'll gladly refund your money.

And I ask for a favour in return. If you can see gaps or improvements that can be made, please contact me and I'll personally evaluate them and get back to you.

If what you are looking for is not covered or appears to not be covered, email me to see if we have it available – yes, there is even more!

Alex Chapman

Hi, I'm the joint creator of the Totally Optimized Projects approach and TOPologies. I've been working on and around projects since 1978. I initially specialized in large-scale banking systems, leading their installation in different banks around the world.

Then, for the past 16 years, I have focused on how the business can get the best value from their projects, managing major business transformation TOPologies to deliver substantial competitive and bottom line impacts.

More recently I have also been researching accelerated learning and development techniques with their brain wave entrainment tools and neuroscience underpinnings so we could build these techniques into the TOPologies. These techniques dramatically improve people's problem solving, whole-brain functioning, learning and productivity. They also make each TOP™ TOPology easy to understand and adopt.

I don't have Jed's tenacity to write book after book after guide after guide after guide …. I just tell him if he gets anything wrong!

If you'd like to understand more about the neuroscience/accelerated learning and development aspects, please contact me.