Personal Excellence
Presented to IT professionals for demonstrating excellence in their field.
We are looking to recognise the individuals among the UK IT community who have demonstrated excellence in their profession during the past 12 months. The awards seek to reward individuals at all levels of an organisation who have contributed to the development and deployment of innovative IT systems that improve business operations or enhance public services. Entries can be submitted by IT vendors nominating their customers or employees, from companies/public bodies, or from individuals wishing to recognise either their own or their colleagues’ efforts.
The awards in this category will be judged against four key criteria:
Professionalism (including ethical behaviour)
Consistently met or exceeded challenging objectives to ensure the successful use of IT and demonstrated a quality approach through personal values and working practices.
Innovation
Used innovative approaches, working practices or technologies to enhance their organisation.
Role model
Provided an example to peers or colleagues of the importance of the role of IT in an organisation and the standards expected of IT professionals.
Measurable success
Delivered quantifiable benefits to their organisation through involvement with IT initiatives in the past year and can demonstrate personal development to enhance their ability to succeed in future. It should be noted that SFIA is used by the BCS as a reference for skills assessment.
Entrants should provide:
An explanation of how the submitted entry meets each of the four criteria, plus a maximum 250-word summary of why they believe they should win this award.
Each entry requires:
- An 80-word overview of the application which may be used for publicity purposes
- Four sections detailing achievements (up to 500 words each) against each of the four criteria above
- A summary of success statement (up to 250 words)
Bullet-pointed justifications are acceptable
Entrants are urged to ensure that their submissions follow the above format so that the judges can give the entry their fullest consideration.
Additional evidence:
Under commercial confidence, entrants should seek to provide quantitative evidence (including limited ancillary materials) wherever appropriate to support the submission.
Please note that any additional documents provided should be brief and additive to the entry, and video material should be a maximum of 3 minutes in duration.
All sections of the form must be completed.
Personal excellence categories include:
Awarded to an individual who is participating in an IT apprenticeship programme that involves part-time formal study to gain IT qualifications, together with paid work experience to enhance skill and understanding. The apprenticeship must be on-going in March 2024.
Awarded to an individual responsible for the definition of requirements and solutions for improving business processes and systems, reducing their costs, enhancing their sustainability, and quantifying potential business benefits. They may also conduct methodical investigation, analysis, review and documentation of business functions and processes.
Awarded to an individual responsible for the effective and successful inclusion and implementation of DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) within the business. Demonstrable and supporting evidence must be included to support the application. Examples may include but are not limited to: backgrounds; behaviours; beliefs; characteristics; experiences; values.
Awarded to an Engineer who has evidenced and demonstrated outstanding commitment and ability to and within the Engineering process inside the business. Your submission must demonstrate your commitment to the engineering ethos and your ability and agility to work with the necessary range of individuals and functions involved in the IT Engineering arena.
A judges’ award for an individual who has been a source of inspiration for others working in IT, whether for a specific contribution in the year, or for continued contribution to UK IT. Particular attention will be paid to those who have inspired change and/or provided thought leadership in a societally beneficial area, with the application justifying the area cited.
Exceptionally the Inspirational Individual of the Year category will have an extra means of submission to allow the candidate to be supported by his/her colleague/s. Each supporter can upload a short video (of maximum 2 minutes in length) giving their justifications for the candidate being awarded the title of Inspirational Individual of the Year.
Awarded to an IT Educator or Career Developer who has demonstrated proven sustained and outstanding commitment to the support and mentoring of individual/s within the IT field. They will have an established record of achievement in their mentoring work, demonstrated through their high-quality performance and professionalism within their organisation.
Awarded to an IT professional under the age of 30, or who turns 30 in 2024, in any discipline, who has demonstrated outstanding commitment and achievement in their work, and through their quality and professionalism stands out in their organisation as a high performer in the application and management of IT. Credit will be given for high achievement early in the career, but those in an apprentice program should enter the "IT Apprentice" category.
Awarded to an IT professional who has demonstrated exceptional commitment and achievement in the area of security, and through their quality and professionalism stands out in their organisation.
Awarded to a Senior IT Leader, e.g. board or C-level IT executive or an individual who is operationally responsible for any aspect of IT delivery but especially roles in areas such as project/program management, Security & Governance or Consultancy. They will have delivered and evidenced tangible benefits to their organisation, meeting key objectives for budget, timescales and service. The winner will be an individual who has consistently demonstrated excellence in leadership, innovation and quality in the use and promotion of IT in their organisation to deliver business growth or public services. The size of the organisation is immaterial.
