Name: Marion Murphy
Role: Managing Director, Mallon Technology
What does your typical day look like?
My job involves quite a lot of travel as we have an office in Cookstown and Dublin. As a result, I don’t have a typical day as such, but I do try to plan for the week ahead so that I can minimise travel by managing my schedule and using video conferencing where I can.
I start my day by checking email; it’s a reflex action at this stage. I always compile a priority list for the day ahead as it keeps me focused. In my current role, I spend less time behind a computer and more time meeting with colleagues, customers and industry partners. When I need to focus, I tend to sign out of my email to avoid distraction; I find it all too easy to get distracted at the ping of an email notification.
I typically spend at least two days a week out of the office attending industry events and meetings; it presents an opportunity to showcase our business, broaden my network and catch up with customers and partners over a coffee. I thoroughly enjoy the variety that my job brings and that no two days are exactly the same.
What are you currently working on?
I’m currently working on some exciting plans. We kick off 2020 by launching our new custom form building app; we are currently putting the final touches on our logo and brand communication. Other software products in the pipeline include the development of a 3D modelling module for our web GIS and the rollout of our fire safety web application.
What inspired you to join this company in particular
I joined the company in 1995, it was a startup at that time, and I took a GIS Technician position for the summer to gain some industry experience. As a startup, there was great energy; change happened quickly; there was scope to progress and plenty of opportunities to learn new skills. Since then, my role has changed considerably but I have always had the scope to challenge, change and champion projects and people and this has inspired me to remain with the company.
Did you always want to work in this industry (tech)?
Yes, I initially studied electronic engineering at the third level, so I have always been drawn to the tech industry. My career path has taken a few turns along the way, but I have remained firmly in tech.
What’s your favourite part about your work?
Without a doubt, it’s having the opportunity to work with very talented people, seeing them develop and celebrating their achievements; I find it very rewarding.
What would you say to other people considering a job in this industry (tech)?
It’s a diverse industry, skills are often transferable, there is the opportunity to travel the world and you can forge a lifelong career in tech, what’s not to like about that! There are also many entry points and courses on offer including apprenticeships, which offer practical experience alongside an academic setting. We are a founding member of Career Encode which offers an ‘Earn as You Learn’ higher level apprenticeship in Computing to school leavers and we plan to recruit a new apprentice in 2020.
How do you see this technology impacting on our lives?
Our web GIS solution provides desktop functions with the mobility of a web application. It is used for data capture, spatial data analysis, decision support and publishing maps online for customers or citizen engagement.
We provide GIS and Remote Sensing services to local and central government agencies. These services support policy decisions through the capture and analysis of land parcels, habitats and other environmental data sets.
Who inspired you to work in this field?
I don’t think there was one person that inspired me to work in tech, I have always gravitated towards STEM subjects.
What do you consider to be the most important tech innovation or development in recent years?
From a GIS and Remote Sensing perspective, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Platforms, Cloud Computing and the availability of large volume, open data has had a significant impact on our business. We now use data cubes and high-performance computing facilities (Platforms as a Service) to analyse large volumes of data in the cloud. Also, the availability of a large volume of free, open data has changed the landscape for the provision of value-added services such as monitoring of land use, land cover, flooding and other environmental trends.
What tech gadget could you not live without?
Without hesitation, it’s my iPhone. I can stay connected, check documents and pay for lunch with it, what more can you ask for!
