Andy E. Williams, MSc
Andy E. Williams, MSc is Chairman and Chief Technology Officer of Nobeah Technologies and Founder and Executive Director of the Nobeah Technologies Foundation with over 20 years of experience in enterprise architecture, systems integration, and collective intelligence research.
He is recognized as a leading expert in General Collective Intelligence (GCI) and Human-Centric Functional Modeling (HCFM), pioneering methodologies that organize individuals and intelligent agents to create exponentially greater problem-solving capabilities. As a social entrepreneur, Andy focuses on understanding the equations underlying human challenges, developing systems that enable problems to solve themselves through structural change rather than symptomatic treatment.
In his current roles since 2013, Andy leads groundbreaking research in collective intelligence and functional modeling at Nobeah Technologies, where he has developed innovative frameworks for decentralized decision-making and self-organizing systems. His research addresses fundamental limitations in decision-making systems that fail to reliably select optimal solutions, proposing that entire classes of “collective optimization” problems cannot be solved without GCI or equivalent systems.
Andy has been appointed guest editor-in-chief of the upcoming special issue on General Collective Intelligence to be published by the European Alliance for Innovation (EAI) Journal on Industrial Networks and Intelligent Systems. His current work on General Collective Intelligence and Digital Transformation explores how GCI removes barriers to disruptive digital innovation, while his research in e-democracy and e-participation investigates how GCI can customize government services while significantly increasing outcomes. Read General Collective Intelligence Platforms and the Hive Mind and Human-Centric Functional Computing as an Approach to Human-Like Computation.
Andy has published extensively in the emerging field of Human-Centric Functional Modeling, developing mathematical frameworks that represent systems through functional state spaces. His publications include groundbreaking work on the unification of systems thinking approaches, consciousness modeling, and AI safety.
His research suggests that computing based on functional state spaces could exponentially increase the capacity to solve problems by automatically generalizing computing solutions for reuse at vastly greater speed and scale. Through Nobeah Foundation, Andy leads social innovation initiatives, including the Design for Change challenge, which aims to design low-cost modular living environments with integrated aquaponics, renewable energy, and water recycling systems to reduce living costs by $30-$100 per month for families at the bottom of the economic pyramid.
Read Human-Centric Functional Modeling and the Unification of Systems Thinking Approaches and A Human-Centric Functional Modeling Framework for Defining and Comparing Models of Consciousness and Cognition.
Prior to founding Nobeah, Andy served as an Associate Partner and Senior Architect at IBM, where he specialized in WebSphere Message Broker, WebSphere MQ, and WebSphere Process Server technologies. At IBM, he focused primarily on the architecture and design of data integration, application integration, and process integration solutions using Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). Andy contributed to thought leadership within the IBM organization, particularly in modeling integration solutions and defining methodologies for packaging customer requirements and design specifications for delivery by offshore resources.
He holds multiple software-related patents and was instrumental in outlining patterns for development that enabled the integration of solutions using Model-Driven Architecture, demonstrating a 5–10X acceleration of development in multiple case studies. As an integration architect for Nobeah, Andy has architected solutions that meet demanding performance and availability requirements for retail, healthcare, and other industries, utilizing technologies and standards such as X12 EDI, HL7, FundSERV, and SAP IDOCs.
He developed Nobeah’s Remote Managed Development Methodology, an efficient approach to creating scope estimates, developing requirements, architecture, and designing specifications for managing interactions with offshore development teams.
From 1996 to 2001, Andy was Principal of NextPhase Software, a Canadian independent consulting firm specializing in solutions related to the Baan application suite. At NextPhase, he led and managed development teams for major clients, including Nortel, Howden Fan, and Diebold. His teams implemented comprehensive business intelligence, data warehousing, application and data integration, barcoding, and business process monitoring and automation solutions.
Andy taught courses on using Baan technology for application integration and supported clients in leveraging these technologies to gain a competitive advantage. Earlier in his career, from 1995 to 1996, he worked as a Product Consultant at Baan, gaining experience at Sun Microsystems and Browns Avenue Press, which built a diverse foundation in enterprise software and publishing technologies.
Andy earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from the University of Toronto, where he developed a strong foundation in mathematical modeling and complex systems analysis. He also holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Toronto, furthering his expertise in scientific methodology and theoretical frameworks. His educational background in physics provides the mathematical rigor underlying his innovative approaches to functional modeling and collective intelligence systems. Andy has continued his professional development through the World Wide Institute of Software Architects, maintaining expertise in cutting-edge architectural patterns and methodologies.
Andy has demonstrated significant community leadership through his work with GiveLearning.com, a Canadian nonprofit financial services organization he cofounded to encourage educational savings, particularly among communities underserved by post-secondary educational institutions. As Chairman of the Board of Directors and Lead Architect for this organization, he developed the concept and business plan, recruited executive leadership, and architected the J2EE web portal application that allowed customers to purchase educational gifts from beneficiaries’ gift registries for contribution to RESPs. The portal enabled subscribers to review the history of gifts received, implementing a novel approach to enhancing accessibility to educational funding.
Throughout his career, Andy has been recognized for his ability to bridge theoretical research with practical implementation. His work spans from developing enterprise-level integration solutions serving millions of users to creating theoretical frameworks that could fundamentally transform how collective intelligence operates.
Read Human-Centric Functional Modeling, General Collective Intelligence Platforms, and AI Safety and Increasing the Societal Impact of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math with General Collective Intelligence.
His vision for technology that optimizes outcomes for entire groups rather than single individuals represents a paradigm shift in how we approach complex societal challenges. Andy’s Earn an Afripad program, planned for deployment in Kenya, exemplifies his commitment to scalable, self-sustaining solutions that create sustainable social change by providing access to technology while generating economic opportunities for youth populations.
Based in New York, Andy continues to advance the field of collective intelligence through his research, writing, and practical implementations. His work addresses critical challenges in decision-making, digital transformation, and social innovation, positioning him at the forefront of efforts to harness technology for collective benefit.
Visit his ResearchGate profile, Loop Frontiers profile, Cutter Consortium expert page, and Medium blog. Follow him on LinkedIn and X.