March 2010 - Innovate. Integrate. Transform. Run.

Striving for a Customer Focused Approach to Innovation 2 of 3
Striving for a Customer Focused Approach to Innovation 2 of 3

Striving for a Customer Focused Approach to Innovation 2 of 3

By Bill Wood|March 29th, 2010|

Previously, we looked at the three primary types of innovation most often practiced today. I discussed two polar opposites, which I call the Stoic approach and the Maelstrom approach. The Stoic is more like continuous improvement, whereas the Maelstrom is more like blue-sky, directionless brainstorming. The third method is somewhere in between and strives for the ideal future state. That third method relies heavily on an innovation narrative. Innovation at the Point of Customer Frustration Prev [...]

Striving for a Customer Focused Approach to Innovation 1 of 3
Striving for a Customer Focused Approach to Innovation 1 of 3

Striving for a Customer Focused Approach to Innovation 1 of 3

By Bill Wood|March 26th, 2010|

If your company does any kind of innovation, how would you describe it? Stoic – slow, plodding, methodical, and generally consisting of small incremental improvements (minimalist). Stretch – evaluating current as well as future needs and wants of the customer with some structured framework for achieving a future state (striving). Maelstrom – creative “free-for-all,” sky’s the limit, and a “no holds barred” barrage of brainstorming and chaos (directionless). The Common Approach to Innovation, Ge [...]

IT Outsourcing, Off Shore Support, Cost Cutting and IT Department Changes
IT Outsourcing, Off Shore Support, Cost Cutting and IT Department Changes

IT Outsourcing, Off Shore Support, Cost Cutting and IT Department Changes

By Bill Wood|March 23rd, 2010|

Businesses everywhere are looking to shore up their bottom lines by cutting costs. As a result, cost centers such as IT departments are prime targets for outsourcing and offshore maintenance. The typical business script is that as the IT organization moves into maintenance mode, cost centers with high overhead become a prime target for reducing costs. However, despite how things might appear, cost is not the real driver of IT outsourcing. The real driver of IT outsourcing is function. IT departm [...]

Outsourcing Your SAP Application Support
Outsourcing Your SAP Application Support

Outsourcing Your SAP Application Support

By Bill Wood|March 20th, 2010|

I believe it was Peter Drucker who opined about outsourcing and then wrote a book on the subject. The original premise was that low-level administrative functions that were not a key or core focus of the business (such as mail rooms) could be outsourced. Fast forward several years, and business has learned that virtually all non-value add functions can be outsourced. IT infrastructure was value add as long as something new or better could be developed to provide cost savings, efficienc [...]

Social Media Fads and the Risk to the Enterprise
Social Media Fads and the Risk to the Enterprise

Social Media Fads and the Risk to the Enterprise

By Bill Wood|March 17th, 2010|

Today's IT landscape is filled with hype around Web 2.0. While collaboration is a key forward-looking initiative for any organization, social media requires a specific purpose and goal. Without a clear direction and purpose for social media initiatives, they are at best a distracting fad, and at worst an enterprise disaster. When I look at today's social media applications, I see them as a fad. Popular today, and they will be around for a while, but like all social outlets they are waiting for [...]

ERP, SAP, or IT Project Management and Prototyping for Success
ERP, SAP, or IT Project Management and Prototyping for Success

ERP, SAP, or IT Project Management and Prototyping for Success

By Bill Wood|March 15th, 2010|

Over the years I have worked with teams that had great project management and others that had poor project management. The projects with really good project management generally ran smoothly with less stress, allowing the team to be more productive. A Few of the Characteristics of a Well-Managed ERP Project I have noticed a few consistent elements in well-managed projects. Those elements can be summed up in the following list: The project manager produces a published project plan with tasks, tim [...]