Andrew's Profile and Contact Details

Everything on the web is a work in progress: this website is no exception.

What Are the Chances of That?

It’s been a while in coming, but my new book is finally here, published on 2 Aug 2021. Writing about chance and uncertainty in the middle of a pandemic has been, let’s say, interesting.

Probability is an area where our intuitions are seldom reliable. Few things are certain in our lives, and chance nudges at us every day, threatening disruption or offering opportunity. This book looks at how we think about uncertainty, not just from a mathematical viewpoint, but also considering the everyday ways we think about chance and how it drives our hopes and fears.

Widely available. Eg from Blackwell's, from Amazon

As of July 2018 I am a published author. Is That a Big Number? is a light and engaging book with a serious purpose: to understand why we all have difficulties in grasping large numbers, and to explore ways of extending the range of our number sense.

There’s a Synopsis of the book here:

http://www.isthatabignumber.com/article/book-synopsis/

I gave a Talk at Google in London about big numbers and how they help us understand the world.

https://www.youtube.com /watch?v=IiARhk_IaAE

I’m interviewed for a podcast by Jim Stein of New Books Network here:

https://newbooksnetwork.com/andrew-c-a-elliott-is-that-a-big-number/

Blog articles in the spirit of the book here:

Is That a Big Number? blog

Buy it here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/That-Big-Number-Andrew-Elliott/dp/0198821220

FINALIST in the Association of American Publishers 2019 PROSE Awards honouring scholarly works published in 2018 Praise for “Is That a Big Number?”"This is a wonderful book. It sets out to make numbers, particularly very big numbers, comprehensibl… — **FINALIST in the Association of American Publishers 2019 PROSE Awards honouring scholarly works published in 2018**

**Praise for “Is That a Big Number?”**
"**This is a wonderful book. It sets out to make numbers, particularly very big numbers, comprehensible. And it is the only book I have ever seen that succeeds in doing that.**" - "A great book for everyone interested in numbers - whether you have a maths degree or just a passing interest." - "**an easy but excellent read for the person who wants to understand large numbers in context**" - "I haven’t put it down. So readable and engaging!" - "**The book is wonderful and makes math accessible for everyone- just as it should be.**" - "Wide-ranging and highly accessible, this book is chock-full of fascinating nuggets, providing a rich source of colourful examples of numbers and how they are used. It shows how numeracy and literacy are two sides of the same coin." - "**This is a fun and riveting book. Written in an accessible and engaging way, it is unputdownable.**" - “remarkably readable and entertaining“ - “**so packed with facts … best book I've found in years.**” - “strikes a blow against the false facts which seem so pervasive nowadays.“ - “**We need books on the simple ideas in mathematics as well as the frontiers of research, and you’ve addressed that need very effectively.**“ - “a good read, whether you're a number cruncher or not.“ - "**An excellently readable multi-purpose book**"

I trained and worked as an actuary and the foundation of my work experience was in insurance information and administration systems. I've had extensive experience of:

delivery of complex systems within large corporations
consultancy within financial services (specifically insurance) IT
launching and managing start-ups
hands-on system development
hands-on statistical data analysis

I've always had a deep interest in systems architecture and structure and a commitment to the creation of efficient systems that deliver solutions to real business problems. I favour incremental and responsive development processes.

I'm always keen to learn of projects where my skills and experience can make a contribution.

With colleagues at Revolutionary Systems, I can pull together a small team of superb technologists to implement your innovative ideas for information systems, efficiently developed and robustly deployed.

My current interests include using behavioural analytics to address online security, real-time anomaly detection in data streams, and developing resources to promote numeracy.

Please get in touch.

##Contact Details

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/andrewcaelliott

Skype

andrewcaelliott

andrewelliottrs

Websites

www.AndrewCAElliott.com

www.revolutionarysystems.co.uk

www.revolutionarynotions.wordpress.com

www.echoreflect.com

www.echoprotect.com

www.IsThatABigNumber.com

Emails

Qualifications

B.Sc. (Stats) UCT,

Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries

Employment

Echo Central Ventures Limited Jan 2015 — Present

(Founder Director) Echo Central Ventures develops opportunities in the area of datastream analysis, and its applicability for fraud detection and prevention, and customer experience improvement. We do real-time analysis of active data streams, e.g. from web usage, or from requests to an insurer's price quotation system.

Revolutionary Systems May 2014 — Present

(Founder Director) Revolutionary Systems was founded along with colleagues for providing IT consulting/contracting services as well as research and development into commercial applicability of emerging technologies.

Open Square Limited May 2003 — April 2014

(Founder Director) Open Square developed innovative ideas for the "back-end" management of financial contracts (e.g.insurance contracts) using a generic "agreement" model. The "Pact" system went into production in several insurance companies, including the launch of the UK's largest telematics motor insurance provider. Other systems developed included a high-performance, high-capability motor insurance quotations system ("Napier").

Actuarial Technology Ltd 1992 — 2004

(Founder Director) Actuarial Technology developed software relating to Actuarial calculations, and provided independent consultancy/contracting, engaging in extensive part-time contracts with Insurers and Software providers.

Winchester White 1992 — 2003

(Associate) Insurance Industry Management Consultants Consultancy around: Procurement of insurance administration systems; Insurance IT Strategy; Enterprise architectures; Business development and more.