I have over twenty years of marketing experience as a copywriter, creative director, and strategic marketing consultant. I've literally written and/or produced everything: from ads for all traditional and new media platforms, to plans, white papers, strategy briefs, and marketing proposals, to grant and contract bids, to SOPs, brochures, press releases, articles, blog posts, website text, client speeches, professional profiles, and much more–while often overseeing the implementation of these elements within cohesive, multi-faceted campaigns. 

Why choose me? Having served clients ranging from large companies and public sector agencies, to and small business owners, I've developed the ability to express information, which is often complicated, in a concise manner that's easy for the average person to understand. As such, writing content and formulating strategies that enable organizations to realize their objectives is what I do best. 

Here are a few samples of my work: Traffic Ticket App for Jamaica

Traffic Ticket App “A Great Opportunity in Jamaica” Project Brief 

December 2018

Introduction 

Chaos! That's the one word to best describe driving on Jamaica's roads. It's therefore, no surprise, that according to the Minister of Justice, Mr. Delroy Chuck, some 65,000 Jamaican drivers were delinquent in paying their traffic tickets issued during the first six (6) months of 2018. Remember, the country's population is only about 3 million people!!!

How is this possible? The current “system”, Traffic Ticket Management System (TTMS), relies heavily on manual data entry. So the “65000” figure could actually be a lot more. Furthermore, these data discrepancies also create a paralyzing reluctance on the part of the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) to go after “delinquent drivers”, as it would likely be exposed to embarrassment and litigation, since many would have already paid their traffic tickets. As a result, billions (tens of millions in USD) of traffic tickets are left unpaid – revenue the GOJ desperately needs.

Solution 

How can this be fixed? Given the population's relatively high access to the Internet and overwhelming smartphone use, a appears to be the way forward. The introduction of a new traffic ticket system, based on a mobile application that minimizes the potential for human error and data collection time lapses, would go a far way in resolving these traffic ticket issues.

How would it work? 

Consider this scenario: A police officer pulls over a motorist for whatever traffic violation, and asks for his/her driver's licence and car documents. The officer would use his/her smartphone to open the Traffic Ticket App, and would be prompted to take pictures of the car's licence plate, the driver's licence, registration, and insurance certificate. The Traffic Ticket App, through , reads the images captured and transcribes the data, then issues a traffic ticket within seconds. The only input from the police officer would be the selection of the specific traffic offense. Any outstanding tickets or warrants for the motorist in question would also be indicated by the App. The officer can then print the ticket with a small mobile printer.

Technology 

The most critical element of the Traffic Ticket App will be the automatic reading and transcribing of licence plate and diver document pictures. This technology, if already available, can be licenced from existing patent owners and tailored specifically for the purposes of this app. However, if the process of having AI “read” and transcribe the information from an image can be done in a “new” or improved way, and obtaining intellectual ownership for this technology is still possible, then this presents ENORMOUS opportunities not only for traffic ticket management, but for countless other software and hardware solutions.

Implementation 

Having a local IT partner is critical to the success of the new system. The TTMS was implemented by EGov Jamaica Limited, a State owned firm tasked with improving the GOJ's overall use of technology. Given this dynamic, the most practical path for bringing the Traffic Ticket App to Jamaica would be through a partnership or licensing arrangement with EGov Jamaica Limited.

Once the developers/proprietors are ready, and all the necessary legal protections are in place, meetings can be arranged with key GOJ players and representatives of EGov Jamaica Limited.

Possible Upgrades 

Once the Traffic Ticket App has been rolled out and is being used by police officers, and any kinks or glitches have been “ironed out”, a second phase of the Traffic Ticket App can be implemented, where the general public is allowed to download a “customer” version of the app, and users can check issued/outstanding tickets etc. Users could also eventually be allowed to pay for their traffic tickets.

Payment Structure & Profitability 

Having extremely limited resources, it is highly unlikely that a State owned entity in Jamaica will be able, much less willing, to make any substantial lump-sum payments or cover any upfront R&D costs. So how would proprietors of the Traffic Ticket App get paid? A monthly “usage royalty”, based on the dollar amount of the tickets generated by the App, should be negotiated, and the relevant GOJ entity billed accordingly each month. Therefore, the developers/proprietors initial investment and subsequent income/profits will be amassed through this royalty over a negotiated time period (Example: Maybe 3 years?). Bureaucrats and GOJ employees will be more easily convinced to undertake this project if the initial costs of implementation won't “demolish” their existing budgetary allocations.

Other Opportunities 

A successful implementation of the Traffic Ticket App should lead to many more opportunities to improve Jamaica's IT capability. Virtually every sector: from Care, to Education, to Criminal Justice, has gaping holes that remain to be filled by effective IT solutions. Through partnership with EGov Jamaica Limited, the proprietors/developers of the Traffic Ticket App will have access to many other key GOJ entities currently using outdated IT systems.

Caution 

There are several risk factors that could potentially hinder or completely derail the success of this project. The developers/proprietors of the Traffic Ticket App must be on guard, and take the necessary precautions to mitigate these risks.

Jamaicans are extremely entrepreneurial and ingenuitive by nature. Therefore, before approaching any local individual or entity, comprehensive legal protections must be secured. If a utility patent isn't possible, then an “exclusive right to market” or a similar legal device must be in place. Many entrepreneurs have come to Jamaica with great ideas, and pitched them to GOJ officials, only to have those plans stolen by the same GOJ officials and their cronies.

For decades, Jamaica has been crippled by the constant reality of extremely scarce resources. It's a problem that is so systemic, it has become ingrained in the minds of bureaucrats and government employees. This is why a royalty payment structure creates a far more appealing sales pitch, as The Traffic Ticket App can be presented as a tool that pays for itself, rather than an added burden on limited funds.

Like the USA, Jamaica has a two party political system. However, scarce resources means the stakes for attaining political power are even higher. If a general election is called, the current management of any GOJ owned entity are subject to replacement if the Opposition wins. Therefore, good working relationships should be sought and maintained with both sides of the political aisle.

Given the high profile failures of previous traffic ticket systems, it is absolutely crucial that the Traffic Ticket App be thoroughly tested, and all contingency plans set in place before being rolled out. Jamaica is a very small country and “all eyes will be watching”. The Traffic Ticket App's success or failure will have a huge impact on the prospects for future projects with other GOJ entities.

Conclusion 

Jamaica presents a tremendous opportunity for IT firms in the US seeking new frontiers for their products and services. The Traffic Ticket App can provide its developers/proprietors with a foothold in an emerging economy that has far less competition, and far greater potential for growth than the US or any “first world” territory. With careful strategic planning, the Traffic Ticket App could be the foundation for future, more lucrative projects in Jamaica, which could create the possibility of expansion throughout the Caribbean, as well as, other developing countries around the world.