Corporate Innovation and the Hierarchy of Information Needs
Master the hierarchy of information requirements to unleash corporate innovation, with insights into problem-solving and the importance of knowledge management.
Navigating Buzzword Overload: Sustainability
Sustainability is the newest and hottest buzzword – and still people ask what it all means. It’s a big topic, but we can break it into manageable pieces. As a first step, it is enough to understand the three broad concepts of Environment, Economics, and Community, and how this bigger picture will fit into your strategic plans and tactical actions.
I Hate the Business
Hmm, not quite ... how about I Hate "the Business" More specifically - I really am getting uncomfortable with the whole "IT and the Business" meme: ... demonstrating IT alignment with the business ... IT's relationship with the business ... IT and the business need to work together / build partnerships ... the Project is made up of the IT team and the Business team ... and so on. It's an unhealthy mind set to get into; when corporate IT,…
Training and Learning: A Different POV
The topic was training users for an upcoming project rollout, and the debate (as always) roamed back and forth between "traditional" (classroom training, scripts & workbooks) versus "experiential", pairing existing users with their counterparts (who are new to the system), walking through the basics (screen navigation, terminology, and step-by-step instructions for the most common required tasks). Training methods are a common area of debate and discussion with system implementation folks, and I can make a great case for any and…
Over / Under Communication for Project Managers
It is often said that you can't over-communicate, but I'm willing to bet most folks - and especially your project sponsors - underestimate the cost and effort of this critical component of project management. Consider this fair warning - and a good checklist for folks wanting to get into IT, project, or functional management. Media To achieve any decent amount of success, you have to be a good communicator with both face-to-face and written / published media. And by "good"…
I Think I’m Learning SAPanese …
Spent time at an industry conference last week (ain't Boston great!), and heard the term SAPanese - that special language SAP users learn when immersed in worlds of Walldorf and their ubiquitous software. It's not unique to SAP - lots of software companies develop their own vocabulary. Heck, IT "geeks" are famous for it - even the various functional units within the business develop their own shorthand, terms to help speed communication with "those in the know". Here are some…
Don’t Accept Snap Answers Too Quickly
A few years ago, I was working on an interface project, and wanted to have the ERP system send copies of any and all transactions that have changed over the past few days. I've done this before on other platforms, so I asked the lead developer what I thought was a no-brainer request: Do the transaction files capture a date/time stamp somewhere in the record, each time the record is modified - DateLastUpdated, something like that? His answer came back…
Politically Correct Euphemisms in IT – Translated!
I recently attended a professional seminar, and noticed a propensity for politically correct euphemisms to describe life in corporate IT. This was a typical group of IT professionals, representing a variety of companies - small and large, public and private. As with most group meetings, we started with a trip around the table; quick introductions, plus some highlights of "what's hot" for IT these days. The careful language wouldn't fool the experienced; however, a casual listener might see the knowing…