Catch Dr. James Brown at Nexus

Just a quick note for PM’s in the Pacific Northwest.  Dr. James Brown is conducting a class on conflict management at the Nexus conference in Seattle (Bellevue, WA) on Wednesday, November 2^nd.  I’ve been doing project and program management all over the world for the better part of 15 years and this guy is worth checking out.  Yes he has a PhD, is a published author, worked for NASA and all of that, but more importantly, he knows his subject matter as good or better than anyone in the business.  His teaching methodology and project management philosophy achieve the right balance between ‘the book’, best practices and common sense.  He also has a strong focus on human behavior and what that means in the context of project management. There are teachers and speakers, and then there are the people that you make sure to see every time they are in town.  Dr. Brown is one of the latter.  I encourage you to take the opportunity to go see him and take his class at the Nexus conference.

 

Gene Echkart
Program Manager
ImageSource Inc.

Nexus is Coming!

The ImageSource NEXUS ECM conference is fast approaching.  NEXUS is a unique opportunity for you to discover:

• How companies lever ECM beyond traditional Account Payable Invoice processes
• Lean about Enterprise Content Management industry trends (Cloud, Mobile Technologies, Social Media, to name a few)
• Invaluable opportunities to meeting and collaborate with industry peers
• Attend certified educational seminars
• View current ECM related technologies
• Participate in one on one sessions with industry technical and business experts
• Hear about using ECM as a tactical advantage is solving today’s business issues

All this as well as the ability to earn industry accreditations:

1. Project Management Professionals (up to 20 PDU’s)
2. Certified Records Managers (10 ICRM CMP Credits)
3. Healthcare Professionals (16 AHIMA Credits)
4. Accounts Payable Processionals (IAPP Credits)
5. Business Analysts (IIBA Credits)
6. American Payroll Association (3.5 RCHs)

NEXUS is a conference you can’t afford to miss!

Hope to see you there.

 

NEXUS 2011
November 3 – 4, 2011
Meydenbauer Convention Center, Bellevue Washington
To learn more: www.nexusecm.com

 

David MacWatters
ImageSource, Inc

 

Exciting BPM Workflow Discovery Workshop

If you have a Business Process Management (BPM) workflow project coming up soon, don’t miss the Nexus 2011 conference in Bellevue, Washington on November 3^rd and 4^th.  One of our teams is conducting a BPM workflow discovery workshop that is built entirely on audience participation.  It’s the Business Process Management – Discovery & Problem Resolution Strategy Workshop scheduled for Friday morning (4^th).  It’s a two session workshop and we’re going to take audience members (PM’s, SE’s and BA’s) to form a project team.  We’ll provide them with a business case scenario with BPM workflow requirements and then facilitate them working through the discovery process.  We’ll make sure that they run into lots of the common challenges we see on BPM workflow projects and then watch to see how they sort it out.  It’s a serious subject and we will share best practices approaches to solving these common problems, but we intend to have as much fun as we can in the process!  We look forward to seeing you there and having you participating as part of our workshop project team.  Don’t miss it!

Gene Eckhart
Program Manager
ImageSource, Inc

Work-Life Balance

I read an article today written by Dr. James T. Brown, SEBA® Solutions. I subscribe to his newsletter. It really made me reflect on some things in my career.

When I was just starting my career as a manager my mentor said to me “if you are spending day after day working long hours, you are doing it wrong”. Until I started working in my new role as a manager it really did not sink in what he was trying to tell me. At first I tried to “do it all”.

I finally awakened to the fact that I would soon burn out if I continued down that path.

The biggest thing I learned early on that helped with this balancing act was learning to delegate. Giving the people I worked with an opportunity to grow. Providing them with the tools and knowledge to be successful and at the same time allowing them to make mistakes. Some of the best lessons learned come from the times when we make mistakes. I have certainly had my share of learnings through that method. Mike’s comments in the article regarding delegation helped solidify my thoughts on the topic.

To see Dr. Brown’s article that sparked my thoughts today go to: “The Truth About Work-Life Balance” by Dr. James T. Brown

Dr. Brown will also be a keynote speaker at ImageSource Nexus ’11.

Regards,

Al Senzamici, PMP
Program Manager
ImageSource, Inc.

  

Imation Acquires the Assets of ProStor Systems

For those of you who have been working with ProStor and the InfiniVauilt technology… on August 29, 2011, Imation Corp. announced that it has acquired the multi-tiered storage system assets of Boulder, Colo.-based ProStor Systems. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Many of you were able to meet with Richard Coons from ProStor at recent ImageSource Nexus events held in Bellevue, Washington. Richard Coons has extensive knowledge on the InfiniVault products and  is now Sales Western at Imation.

ProStor’s InfiniVault technology allows companies to manage fixed digital assets, including videos, images, documents and other types of large, static data files.

“Imation acquired the InfiniVault technology and product line because we recognize the need to add a compelling tiered storage architecture to our existing portfolio of backup and archiving products,” said Imation CEO Mark Lucas.

To see the full acquisition announcement go to  http://www.imation.com/en-us/About-Imation/News/# .

Al Senzamici, PMP
Program Manager
ImageSource, Inc.

  

Nexus ’10 – Hot Topic Suggestions to “Ignite Your Information”

Well, Nexus ’09 is over and it was another great event. It was such a great event people began  registering for Nexus ’10 before we even started tearing down the booths and equipment.  The new year is here and the ImageSource team is already hard at work getting ready for Nexus 2010. The venue and date have been set. It is in beautiful downtown Bellevue, Washington at the Meydenbauer Center on November 4-5, 2010. The ImageSource team is already looking at prospective keynote speakers, presenters, making all the arrangements for fun and entertainment, and looking at the hottest topics that will truly ignite this year’s event!

We have a host of  management and technical tracks that we deliver every year. Year after year the management and technical tracks continue to attract more attention and excitement. These tracks have significant value for many individuals. There is wide variety of topic focus for Executives and Directors, IT Specialists, System Engineers, Project Managers, Records Managers, Business Analysts and Technology users. For those who hold a Project Management Institute (PMI)  certification like PMP, CAPM, PgMP, PMI-SP or PMI-RMP it is a great way to earn Professional Development Units (PDUs). It is our goal to provide you with relevant and timely information about Enterprise Content Management that you can take home and start using in your business and even personal life. 

That’s where you come in.

We are looking for your suggestions on the hottest topics out there that you have interest in? What is significant from a management and technical standpoint in the Enterprise Content Management space that you want to hear and talk about with your colleagues in the ECM industry? What is going on in the ECM industry that you feel will light up the sessions and discussions? What do you have a burning desire to know more about?

Even if you don’t plan to attend Nexus ’10 (and you would be foolish not to),  we would still like to hear what you think the “hottest topics” are in Enterprise Content Management from a technical and management perspective. Let us hear your comments and suggestions so we can make Nexus ’10 the hottest it has ever been.

Don’t forget to register too!

Nexus ’10 Registration

 

Al Senzamici, PMP
Program Manager
ImageSource, Inc.

ECM Best Practices – Green Support

Enterprise Content Management Solutions
– Remote and Mobile Employees

Many of today’s business discussions revolve around the fact that providing select employees with the ability to work from home, in a mobile environment, or otherwise more independently, is a positive factor towards fostering conservation and a “GREEN” initiative.  Considering the integrated component benefits of a well conceived and implemented Enterprise Content Management System (ECM), with the right employees selected for a remote work environment, this green initiative can also promote a highly efficient and productive business environment.

Employees that successfully work from home or on the road as much as they do in the office are likely characterized by desirable core competencies.  This is nothing new and these strong employee qualities have always been required of the person working independently from constant co-worker and management relationships and support. 

Successful remote employees are oriented towards achieving results, and as such, as a group they can be described as being self-motivated, self-disciplined, and as self-sufficient as their supporting infrastructure will allow them to be.   “Remote” employees very often maintain a strong client focus and spend a lot of time working at client sites, communicating with clients, and seeking new clients. 

In order to give the successful remote employee the best opportunity to be as productive as they can be, and promote an organization’s green initiative,  that organization can develop the information management and communications infrastructure that fosters collaboration and information self service.  This also prepares an organization to address the current business trend towards more remote employees.  This developed business structure can also support instances where employees are able to work, but have to do that work away from the office due to illness, convalescence, family emergency, transportation problems, etc.

In addition to the infrastructure, it is important to implement a training program so that these resources are known to the remote employees and they are well trained in making the most of them.

The following are among those driving guidelines that support effective mobile and remote employees:

• Digital information and content are increasingly pervasive and require well developed broadband technologies and services.  Remote employees must be provided with required independent information access and research needed for commercial, client, and business awareness.  ECM Benefits contributing towards a green initiative and remote employee support include:
  • ECM – Customer and business information access through web based document and image management
  • ECM – Research and document re-purposing through web based document management
  • ECM – Work and transaction processing continuation through web based workflow processing
• Group and teamwork oriented communications channels are instrumental to effective and collaboration between the remote employee, clients, co-workers, and management, and to providing effective remote presentation resources.  Integration of Collaboration Management and web based meeting services with compatible ECM systems provides a productive team environment contributing to a focused energy and natural resource conservation effort.
• Businesses (and individuals) must effectively communicate on the move and be supported by personal mobile communication technology and web services.  Personal mobile devices now provide a technology that not only communicates between people, but also communicates information to people using compatible web based Enterprise Content Management systems.
• Data submission and resolution tool resources allowing for information communication and independent problem solving must be provided to the remote employee dependent upon business type and objectives.  Digital Forms Processing and Management systems, a major component of many ECM systems, can provide effective solutions.

Neil W. Lindsey
Project Manager / Senior Business Analyst
ImageSource, Inc.

Attend the following GREEN oriented sessions at
NEXUS 2009, November 2nd, 3rd, 2009, Bellevue,
Washington

Finding the PR Value in your Green ECM Technology
Reducing Your Organization’s Cost and Carbon
Footprint Through Inter-Office Scanning
Economical & Environmental Benefits of eForms

ECM Upgrade – Do it Yourself or Turn to the Experts?

Content/Document Management (“ECM”) systems are built upon software platforms that are continuously innovating and improving features and performance.  The vast majority of organizations using ECM systems subscribe to Annual Software Assurance so they can continuously receive updated or upgraded software as it is released by the software publisher. 

For example, Oracle® and Kofax® are software publishers of two of the frequently implemented ECM solutions among the many that are supported by ImageSource to provide solutions for clients.  These two major software vendors  have traditionally been expected to publish major upgrades approximately every 18 to 24 months. 

Users of ECM software understand that it is critical to maintain currency with regard to the versions of mission critical software applications they are running.  By upgrading to new releases, you enhance your ECM system with new features and functionality and maintain your investment.  You also stay on the most current version so that you always acquire the benefits of having the fully up to date software throughout the life of your system.

The question frequently asked by user organizations is whether or not to implement major upgrades using internal resources, or turn to an expert and trained vendor to work with them to get the tasks completed.  With each new release, the new software version solves additional business challenges and offers new functionality. 

Some vendor and integrators (ImageSource included) offer an Upgrade Consultation Program.   Using this approach is ideal for customers who are currently using an older version of the software applications, have received or are about to receive their update/upgrade, and are interested staying current and moving their system to the latest product release.  This professional services program is normally designed to accurately identify all of the technical and functional considerations that need to be taken into account prior to and during an upgrade. 

Major reasons to consider the involvement of your ECM vendor or integrator as a business partner when you are faced with a major upgrade can include factors where the experienced vendor or integrator:

• provides technical resources that may not be available internally, or only available at the sacrifice of other planned internal projects
• has specific training with regard to the version upgrade being implemented – they know the most efficient way to complete the required tasks
• has deep software product knowledge and prior experience implementing the upgrade at other clients
• has dedicated staff whose primary job description and every day experience is working with the software and all aspects of installation, planning, and other important factors.  User organizations do not usually have staff that spends significant time and an intense level of focus on the intracies of the ECM system software.
• frequently, as a part of the upgrade project, organizations take advantage of new features to implement improved processes and applications – or just make the effort to enhance the system with new productive solutions when additional ECM training within the organization is going to be scheduled anyway

The recommended program should follow a formal Project Methodology developed through specific knowledge and experience.  It should provide the user organization with the analysis, process, a defined Project Plan and a firm cost to move forward with the assistance resources needed for a major upgrade project.  This analysis and planning is critical in order to minimize potential complications and allow a smooth and successful upgrade with minimal if any reflection on the productive use of your system.

User Organization Benefits of an Upgrade Consultation

• Increase return on the initial investment in the ECM system by implementing additional functionality
• Benefit from the expertise of a knowledgeable and trained Project Team who utilize best practices
• Gain a detailed understanding of the project requirements and cost justification of an upgrade
• Understand system requirements to ensure success
• Understand the opportunity for organizational benefits leading to improved operations
• Identify major considerations upfront and proactively determine ways to avoid risks
• Define the Training Program that will optimize the new upgrade features and benefits

Primary Tasks in an Upgrade Consultation

• Current system audit and assessment
• On-site analysis and interviews
• Current system snapshot and baseline metrics
• Create upgrade execution plan
• Review upgrade execution plan with customer

Project Plan Developed For an Upgrade Project

• Report on the opportunities, benefits, and functionality that will result from the upgrade
• Architecture analysis — a detailed analysis to review the current hardware and network architectures and then identify any recommendations for improved performance with the upgrade
• Upgrade Project Schedule and execution plan (procedures, activities, roles, prerequisites)
• Firm – Fixed Cost based on disclosed considerations and staying with the Project Plan
• A Project Plan developed in conjunction with, and presented to, key stakeholders (IT, application owners, executive management, etc.)

On average, an Upgrade Consultation Program should be able to be completed in seven to fifteen days – depending upon the complexity of the installation and the amount of customization that has been included with system design.   If you are attending NEXUS 2009, make sure to discuss your approach to your next major upgrade project.

Neil W. Lindsey, Project Manager / Business Analyst
ImageSource, Inc.
www.imagesourceinc.com