About
Paul McKey is an internationally recognised authority in the area of business improvement through organisational learning and performance support. Paul is an experienced senior consultant capable of leading and innovating at all levels of the organisation and specialises in business improvement strategies for the integration of new technology and learning and performance support programs.
Paul has consulted and practiced extensively in the Banking and Finance, Information Technology and Education sectors in Australasia and the USA, primarily in the areas of business improvement, organisational learning and development and online learning design. He has designed and managed interactive learning programs on global networks since the early nineties and utilises experience design to help organisations gain competitive advantage in everything they do.
Some highlights of an eclectic but valuable career;
- A short but interesting stint as a cadet architect
- signed as a songwriter with Chappel Music and EMI worldwide
- supported several musicians’ lifestyles (we called it a band)
- worked in the music industry in Sydney and London
- 1980s - worked in the film industry (mainly in the art department) in Australia including films such as Razorback and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
- pioneered (along with numerous others) the use of computers and synthesisers in electronic music
- pioneered (along with numerous others) the use of computers in special effects in film making
- studied electronics engineering majoring in audio and data communications
- began a career in data communications - no money in audio
- developed a passion and skill for learning and development around the use and successful integration of technology
- 1990s - joined Apple Computer Australia as a learning and development specialist for new network and communication technologies
- developed with my Apple colleagues the use of the Internet for online learning several years before the World Wide Web - developed programmable interactive learning courses in Hypercard - the grandmaster of Flash
- 1994 - designed and built the family home in the beautiful hills of Byron Bay, using sustainable and passive solar-design techniques. Planted over 4,000 indigenous rainforest trees on the property
- established Redbean Learning Solutions as an independent consulting and development firm
- developed and ran Apple Australia’s certification programs for over ten years via what some consider was Australia’s first online learning site - BigTree OnLine
- began specialising in the relationship of technology and cultural and social change
- late one night 199x - realised that the critical component of any successful technology implementation is not the technology itself - it is the people stupid!
- 1996 - Wrote a Masters of Education thesis titled “The development of the online educational institute” which became a blueprint for putting universities online
- 1998 - Co-founder and CTO of NextEd, a platform delivery company providing services for the establishment of online universities worldwide through proprietary technologies. Funded to the tune of US$15M NextEd developed a unique global knowledge extranet
- 1999 - Wrote a seminal paper on ” the Total Student Experience” which turns the tables on traditional systems design to consider the perspective of the participants. It was at this point that I confirmed the Experience Design was as important, if not more so, than any individual component of any product or service.
- 2003 - Re-established Redbean Learning Solutions to research, and consult to organisations, the successful implementation of online learning and to rally against the dominance of poor quality and educationally useless learning experiences, content and technologies which currently pervade the market. Redbean’s mission is to add value to both clients and vendors by achieving cost-effective, yet successful and engaging learning and performance programs.
- 2005-9 - Currently a PhD candidate at Southern Cross University researching the relationships between organisational learning and performance support and successful corporate outcomes. My goal is to establish learning as a corporate investment with tangible returns rather than a cost
- 2005-6 - Developed the design and implementation strategy of a global, learning and performance support system for one of Australia’s largest insurance companies based in 42 countries
- 2006 - established this BLOG for the successful implementation of Smart Business Design through building synergy in organisations.
- 2007-9 - Focusing on consulting and writing on Smart Business Design, New media, Experience Design, Learning and performance, particularly with the use of interactive learning environments.
