# Ben Carson (@mensmachina.com)

Profile: https://sifa.id/p/mensmachina.com
Headline: Software Engineering, Product Management and Technology Leader
Location: Launceston, Tasmania, Australia

## About

I love building and growing technology products. I have a background in computer science and software development, which gives me a good feel for how to turn business opportunities into reusable, scalable and reliable platform-driven products. I'm excited about knowing where technology is heading; it means I've always got one eye on the future and trends developing in the tech sector.

I lead the team responsible for defining how to apply product management techniques to Telstra's IT capabilities and embedding these practices at scale. This ensures that Group Owners, Product Owners and their teams across the Software Engineering & IT organisation can make investment decisions that maximise the value delivered to customers and the wider organisation.

I have significant experience in technical product management, mostly focused on platform products and third-party billing integration. I've operated platforms that have been used by millions of customers and integrated products from well-recognised names such as Netflix, Microsoft Xbox & Disney.

Prior to product management, I spent over 15 years before this as a software engineer, writing code for enterprise systems in C, .NET, Java and Python. I've worked on hardware install kits, ingestion systems for music and video content and customer portals. I enjoy motivating and developing people, and I've held leadership positions for a lot of my career, both at the team level and supporting multiple teams.

Outside of work, when I'm not spending time with my family or enjoying the beautiful Tamar Valley where we live, I enjoy learning new skills and brushing up on old ones. I love the variety of online training available. For example, I recently completed a course on quantum machine learning. It's amazing what we can learn from the comfort of our own home!

## Experience

- **Product Owner - Value Added Services, Home & Media Group at Telstra** (2019 – 2024)
  ● Technology Product Owner for OnePlace, Telstra’s strategic platform for third-party digital addons and carrier billing services. ● Shaped technology strategy and delivered a roadmap of capabilities across three teams within the Value Added Services portfolio. ● Worked with a diverse set of stakeholders across IT, Product and Commercial domains. ● Maintained the availability of the platform, including high-traffic events such as the AFL Grand Final. ● Integrated products from key partners including Netflix, Kayo, Binge, Xbox Games Pass, AFL, NRL, Netball Australia, FFA and Trend Micro Device Security.
- **Chapter Lead - Technical Analyst Chapter at Telstra** (2021 – 2023)
  ● Supported a team of 12 Technical Business Analysts working across Telstra ● Responsible for performance and development of chapter members, resource allocation and chapter financial health. ● Increased employee engagement to 7% above line of business engagement score.
- **Senior Technology Specialist at Telstra** (2010 – 2019)
  ● Developed software solutions in Java, Python and C#. ● Provided technical leadership to peers and stakeholders. ● Technical Lead for BigPond Music. ● Innovation Lead for OnePlace. ● Worked on a range of products including BigPond Movies, AFL, NRL, Your Telstra Tools and the Telstra Wholesale Customer Portal.
- **Technology Specialist at Telstra** (2007 – 2010)
  ● Developed software solutions in Java, Python and C#. ● Architected and implemented the content ingestion system for BigPond Music. ● Implemented install kits for BigPond ADSL, FTTP and Wireless Broadband services.
- **Sales / Technical Administrator at Premier Systems** (2005 – 2007)
  ● Sold computer systems and provided technical support to both corporate clients and individual users.
- **Technologist at Telstra Corporation Ltd** (2004 – 2005)
  ● Developed and tested install kits for BigPond ADSL and EVDO internet products.
- **Support Officer at Tas Access** (2001 – 2003)
  ● Provided telephone support to users of Tas Access and Ruralnet internet services. ● Deployed a ticket tracking system to manage outstanding issues.
- **Software Product Management Practices CoE Lead at Telstra (Australia)** (2023 – present)
  I lead the team responsible for defining how to apply product management techniques to Telstra's IT capabilities and embedding these practices at scale. This ensures that Group Owners, Product Owners and their teams across the Software Engineering & IT organisation can make investment decisions that maximise the value delivered to customers and the wider organisation.
  
  Key Contributions: ● Curated a suite of product management practices, tools and guides for the management of software products, aligned with the wider organisational product management framework. Embedded the adoption of these practices across hundreds of product teams, to enable the product-engineering transformation of Software Engineering & IT. ● Established a product coaching capability within Software Engineering & IT, focused on supporting Group Owners, Product Owners and their teams in adopting a product mindset and overcoming product challenges in their work. ● Facilitated delivery of IT-as-a-Service APIs, supporting the Digital Leadership component of Telstra T25 strategy. ● Developed executive presentation material to communicate valuable product outcomes and commitments of the Software Engineering & IT function to C-level stakeholders.

## Education

- **University of Tasmania** — Bachelor of Computing (2000 – 2002)

## Skills

- Coaching
- Project Management
- Requirements Analysis
- Web Development
- Web Applications
- Apache
- Lean Principles
- People Management
- Organizational Leadership
- Portfolio Management
- Product Lifecycle Management
- Value Stream Mapping
- Operations Management
- Leadership
- Quantum Computing
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- User Stories
- Product Vision
- Market Analysis
- Product Road Mapping
- Product Launch
- Product Management
- Product Strategy
- Integration
- Agile Methodologies
- Solution Architecture
- Software Development
- .NET
- Java
- Python
- Machine Learning
- Team Leadership
- Linux
- Requirements Gathering
- Network Design
- PostgreSQL
- Databases
- SQL
- REST
- Mobile Devices
- Semantic Web Development
- Microsoft SQL Server
- SPARQL
- Continuous Delivery
- Python (Programming Language)
- Business Strategy
- Big Data
- Scrum
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Cloud Computing
- People Development

## Certifications

- UTQML101x: Quantum Machine Learning — edX (https://courses.edx.org/certificates/461d835fe72949e9a927d8774b86bd4d)
- Machine Learning — Coursera Course Certificates (https://www.coursera.org/account/accomplishments/verify/2VGJ4948A99W)
- Advanced Python — LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/learning/certificates/87a08734e09300ed371cacade575c4d02717608c5be872cbe20080a636983785?trk=backfilled_certificate)
- Leading with Innovation — LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/learning/certificates/31bee75f123ea13b65d733910b3e488030c386ce340937a2488d725308d94838?trk=backfilled_certificate)
- SAFe Agilist (SA) — Scaled Agile, Inc.
- Introduction to Quantum Computing — LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/learning/certificates/dbf626f7c2da9dbf68365d201c78eec833b92330de696409c1f89b5a43359a4f?trk=backfilled_certificate)
- Security Specialist Superbadge — Trailhead by Salesforce (https://trailhead.salesforce.com/me/bencarson)
- Spark for Machine Learning & AI — LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/learning/certificates/f2a3d6b3bb0dd92b56f2715caed56bfede2837fb1037230d4c3f780b026becb5?trk=backfilled_certificate)
- Professional Scrum Product Owner I — Scrum.org (https://www.scrum.org/certificates/586977)
- Lean Technology Strategy: Economic Frameworks for Portfolio and Product Management — LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/learning/certificates/709c8324c6bc5093ad76b7a28801d79fcf32ed2f131f53b416458fdf7c2c8b1c?trk=backfilled_certificate)
- Product Management — RMIT University (https://www.credly.com/badges/e8989df2-b08d-46fe-92d6-79e9def429d9?source=linked_in_profile)
- Quantum fundamentals — Q-CTRL (https://black.q-ctrl.com/certificate/5d1b5138-5266-4cdd-bdd4-e8875a309545)
- Professional Certificate in Lean Product Portfolio Management — University of Maryland (https://credentials.edx.org/credentials/4473fc613fab497ebb9203f6f6415dff/)

## Projects

- **iiNet Acquisition Team (Seconded)**
  The secondment was initially to plan migration of Tas Access and Ruralnet customers to iiNet. We worked with the iiNet Acquisition Team is migrating several other acquired ISPs.

## Honors and awards

- Telstra Excellence Award 2019

## Other profiles

- linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-carson