Webinar Report

OK, so you compared this course to the ACC 200 CD’s and said it was way better, but it was still so slow I had a hard time staying awake.

Forrester Research

Found it interesting that some of what Google has done is helping to drive some of the trends that Patrick (from Forrester) said they were seeing. Google is probably way too powerful. Another thing that Patrick mentioned that I found interesting was that when he went through several different things that software is doing (that it never used to) and when he talked about the future trends, he mentioned many of the things that we discussed in class such as Automation, RFID, and wireless technology.

Best Practices Found from research:

1. Focus on enabling core functions over features – keep it simple and start with only a few key things to start with.
2. Consider a SaaS (Software as a Service) deployment – The system is hosted, but how easy is it to move inside the company?
3. Usability is key to adoption – This is pretty obvious, but it must not be overlooked because of the workforce that will be using the technology. Involve the end users as soon as possible.
4. Ensure easy customization – This is inevitable. Understand what it will take to customize the software. This is what really sets software apart. Use this to gauge the maturity of the vendor’s software.
5. - Test System Performance – understand your maximum number of users and maximum volume at the same time. Find a way to simulate this during the testing phase before you actually implement.
6. Assess real-time requirements – The more information that is required as necessary for “real-time” the slower the system will work and the more expensive the project will be.
7. Consider integration requirements early on – This represents the biggest cost on any implementation. Take a look at what systems they have already integrated with in the past.
8. Look for black holes in coverage areas – vendors should be carrier- and device-neutral and be able to support multiple devices
9. Don’t forget about peripheral devices – some vendors can support more than others, but make sure you have an idea of what you want to do down the road and make sure that the software can support what you plan to do in the future.
10. Determine the upgrade path from the start – know what will be required to upgrade, patch and fix problems within the software and what will be the most feasible.
11. Test the vendor’s vertical expertise – set your expectations early on and make sure that the vendor can meet them.
12. Think Enterprise Wide – Look at what the whole organization needs and look at what the rest of your company is already doing, this can save a lot of money because you can combine initiatives.
13. Include Performance Reporting – Get the module from the vendor so that you can get best practices and benchmark your processes.

Another thing that I found quite interesting about this portion of the webinar was that the biggest recommendations matched quite well with what I did in our case study. I thought it was interesting that he recommended only rolling out portions at a time so that it was easier and less expensive to implement.

Tennant Case Study

Lessons learned:

- focus on the customer

- integrate the team not just the application

- experienced partners are key

The pilot process proved beneficial because the end users were the ones helping to test and they were able to provide input and insight into the building process and the overall functionality of the software and the program that the company would be using.

During the case study, I was amazed at the success they were able to achieve above the goals that they had set. It was very impressive that they were able to automate over 85% of their work orders and over 83% of their parts ordered.

Dexterra – Service Provider

I found it was interesting that Dexterra said they were, “the only ones who….” Doesn’t everyone say that? Shouldn’t there be some sort of restriction on making such claims? Anyway, I just thought it was interesting because that is what everyone does, especially when they are trying to “win” business (not that Dexterra was in this case).