AIIM Knowledge Center Blog

Turning the big ship around: Federal IT Reform

I was reading an article in Information Week Government titled “Obama Urges Government IT Reform” and it struck me that this effort is like trying to turn a cruise ship around rather than a speed boat. Most impressive is the fact that CEOs from the private sector were called upon for their views and input as to how technology could be better applied within the government sector. One quote really stood out for me as this is the conceptual mantra I have heard and repeated myself over the years for both government and the private sector. "I want us to ask ourselves every day, how are we using technology to make a real difference in people's lives," President Obama said in a speech before the meeting. "Improving the technology our government uses isn't about having the fanciest bells and whistles on our websites -- it's about how we use the American people's hard-earned tax dollars to make government work better for them."

 

It is expected that under the Directive of the President, the Office of Management and Budget will release a plan to all federal agencies outlining suggestions on technology and implementation based on the CEOs’ ideas. These ideas are also to be made public with an invitation for citizens to add their own comments and suggestions. The article cites that President Obama referenced the Patent office as an example of inefficiency in that they receive electronic submissions only to print them and then scan them for entry into a case management system. Unfortunately this is a practice I have heard many times over the years that agencies and even private sector organizations still print electronically created information like word documents and even email only to store is physically and/or scan it into another system. The obvious question is why? If it is created electronically to begin with, is there a technical reason it cannot be managed properly in that state or is it one of culture and the human factor?

 

In my view, the messages coming from this administration and President are on the mark. In many ways, this reminds me of a time when I focused on the transportation industry around the turn of the century and Y2K. (Wow! Does that make me feel old?) At that time, trucking companies would tell me that their primary focus was to keep the trucks running and back office automation was not really of concern. The key was that they did not know how to approach the use of technology in ways that would benefit both them and their clients. One they realized that back office automation using ECM technologies helped improve cash flow, customer satisfaction and operating costs, they welcomed the opportunity to move forward. They were not interested in all the bells and whistles, just the tools that would improve the bottom line.

 

Like the transportation industry, it is time that back office automation and improved efficiency take its place in government but the idea of addressing the holistic body of government rather than just the technological aspect must also be a large part of the change effort. While we would like it to be done with speed boat flexibility, the fact remains that this is a cruise ship and it will take time and planning to make it happen the right way. When it all comes into focus and the turn around begins, keep in mind that this type of correction requires the organization to look at the people, the policies, processes and technologies as a whole in order to be effective. If you need help to get started, I am here with the AIIM team to assist with education and training on establishing and implementing a strong and flexible ECM environment. (I know, it is a shameless plug but I could not resist.)

 

What say you? Are you involved in a government project whether federal, state or local and how are you approaching organizational improvement? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you.

 

Looking to learn more about intelligent information and process management?

 

Join us for the BPM Certificate course in:

San Francisco 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

 

Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

Phoenix 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

Utrecht 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

London 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Tampa 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Toronto 03/23/10 - 03/26/10

Kirkland 04/13/10 - 04/16/10

Dallas 04/27/10 - 04/30/10

San Diego 05/04/10 - 05/07/10

Denver 05/18/10 - 05/21/10

Calgary 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

London 06/01/10 - 06/04/10

Silver Spring 06/08/10 - 06/11/10

Houston 06/15/10 - 06/18/10

 

We look forward to seeing you there.

Bob Larrivee – AIIM blarrivee@aiim.org

Follow me on twitter – BobLarrivee and remember to visit www.aiim.org/training and www.informationzen.org, AIIM’s free social network created just for you.

 

Let's put the "I" back into CIO

 I know this will likely stir a few folks, but recently I have witnessed a great amount of discussion as to the role of a Chief Information Officer (CIO). Most of these discussions have been focused on technology and the technical organization which is the support arm for all information management but let us not forget the “I” in CIO represents the word Information not technology as this would be a CTO (Chief Technology Officer) who would in my world, report to the CIO. I am not saying that technology and use of technology for the betterment and advancement of a company is wrong, in fact I am in full support of it. What I am saying is that the CIO is responsible for more than the technological infrastructure.

Through these discussions I have seen many positions taken regarding the role and responsibilities of a CIO from generating business to developing and maintaining a tightly run and highly focused technology department that leverages the latest technology to support the business. The latter being the most common. It is rare occurrence that any of these discussions focus on that one word that sticks in my mind, information. While the CIO owns responsibility to maintain the information stores, is this position not also responsible to identify the type of information an organization must keep whether in the form of record or content? Is it not the responsibility of the CIO to determine the value of a company’s information and institute appropriate governance over that information to ensure it is properly maintained as a corporate asset in a ways it can be shared but also secured? Is it not the responsibility of the CIO to establish proper disposal procedures of information when it no longer has value and additionally, proper hold procedures in times of audit or litigation?

In my view, the role of a CIO is all of the things I have heard in those many discussions. In a perfect world, the CIO would have an overarching role with a reporting structure that places technology and information on an equal level. The CTO would be responsible for the technology and technological infrastructure while a Chief Content Officer (CCO) would be responsible to identify the information, content, and records of value to the organization, establish and maintain governance policies over the information stores, and develop and implement best practices leveraging the technology as a tool in support of managing the information properly. This may seam simplistic and to some an obvious observation, but to many in the business community, it is something that needs to be addressed openly.  

Over the years, I have spoken with many individuals at all levels of various organizations who feel that the attention of the CIO is turning more toward technology and less on the actual information. As a result, the general feeling is that we now have to deal with information glut while our shared drives and inboxes rapidly turn into huge digital landfills where it is cumbersome to find the right information when it is needed. While technology is a wonderful tool for managing information, it is the information itself that has the value and presents the highest levels of risk. A sound practice is one that addresses policy, process and technology combined and it is the best and most effective CIO who finds that balance. Let’s put the “I” back in CIO and look at the whole information management requirement of an organization rather than just the sizzle of technology.

What say you? How focused is your organization on striking a balance between the use technology and what information practices will be used? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you.

 

Looking to learn more about intelligent information and process management?

Join us for the BPM Certificate course in:

San Francisco 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

Phoenix 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

Utrecht 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

London 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Tampa 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Toronto 03/23/10 - 03/26/10

Kirkland 04/13/10 - 04/16/10

Dallas 04/27/10 - 04/30/10

San Diego 05/04/10 - 05/07/10

Denver 05/18/10 - 05/21/10

Calgary 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

London 06/01/10 - 06/04/10

Silver Spring 06/08/10 - 06/11/10

Houston 06/15/10 - 06/18/10

We look forward to seeing you there.

Bob Larrivee – AIIM blarrivee@aiim.org

Follow me on twitter – BobLarrivee and remember to visit www.aiim.org/training and www.informationzen.org, AIIM’s free social network created just for you.

Do you see what I see?

This is a question I have asked over and over. Do you see what I see? It is such a simple question yet one that is perhaps the most powerful when it comes to the usability of an ECM environment. It is a question we should ask when looking at our information stores, who is accessing them and how the devices used or preferred when it comes to accessing information.

 

Here is a case in point. When I opted to access my retirement account online, I was amazed at how complex the interface was and how difficult to navigate and find the information I sought. I would do a search only to end up in a place I did not want to be and then I tried to navigate to the information I sought and could not readily find it. Eventually, I did find it and bookmarked the spot so I will not have to go through this experience again. My point being, it is a site full of information that I am sure is relevant in some way to someone, but as the seeker, it is a very frustrating experience when you waste time sifting through it all to find what you want. The concept of findability and simplicity should be paramount in everything we do that is related to providing information to our customers whether they are internal or external.

 

In my view, the essence of establishing an ECM environment is to provide the right information to the right people at the right time and that time is when they seek it. In order to do that, we need to take into account the user experience overall and approach developing our environments, taxonomies, and interfaces from their perspective. Who is accessing the information? When do they access it? How do they access it? What devices do they use when accessing it? All of these questions are relevant to the usability aspect of what we do. While it is good to put all of this information online and make it available for our customers, it is essential to make it readily accessible.

 

Simplicity is the key to customer satisfaction.  Take time to be your customer and look at your world from their eyes. Pretend you are your parents or grandparents looking for information that is housed in your organization, could they find it if they used your current systems and interfaces? Then ask yourself, what would it take to reach that level of simplicity? The customer experience can mean the difference between a satisfaction rating of good and excellent. What is your goal?

 

What say you? How do you address the customer experience? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you.

 

Looking to learn more about intelligent information and process management?

 

Join us for the BPM Certificate course in:

San Francisco 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

 

Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

Phoenix 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

Utrecht 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

London 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Tampa 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Toronto 03/23/10 - 03/26/10

Kirkland 04/13/10 - 04/16/10

Dallas 04/27/10 - 04/30/10

San Diego 05/04/10 - 05/07/10

Denver 05/18/10 - 05/21/10

Calgary 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

London 06/01/10 - 06/04/10

Silver Spring 06/08/10 - 06/11/10

Houston 06/15/10 - 06/18/10

 

We look forward to seeing you there.

Bob Larrivee – AIIM blarrivee@aiim.org

Follow me on twitter – BobLarrivee and remember to visit www.aiim.org/training and www.informationzen.org, AIIM’s free social network created just for you.

I know what I have, maybe.

The year 2010 is moving at a fast pace. We are already nearing the end of its first month and are facing new challenges for the year ahead. Regulations are tightening around information and information practices with healthcare taking the lead this time. As an organization, you will be challenged to produce information of all types regardless of format. Paper or electronic no longer matters and in fact, it is the electronic information that keeps many executives awake at night wondering if they really know what they have in their information stores and whether or not they could find it on demand.

 

Normally at this point you would expect me to promote the value of a well managed ECM environment and normally I might, but today I am focusing on information itself. I have on many occasion, asked this simple question, do you know what information you really have in store? Do you know what it is? Where it is? Who owns or is responsible for it? Do you know how much information resides in your storage facilities and if you were called upon to produce certain elements, how long would it take and could you be absolutely sure when you found it that this is truly the right information and no other variation of it exists? Could you in good conscience stand in front of a Judge, present your information and defend it?

 

In my view, one very important practice in information and more specifically content management is to conduct periodic information audits. As a whole, the organization should assess what information resides in its repositories, shared drives, PCs and every other place information can possibly be stored. As part of this exercise, uncover not only the information and content but its purpose in relation to business and business value it represents. It is also at this time that housekeeping tasks like disposal of unneeded and valueless content should be removed and disposed of properly. Not all information or content has value. If you have an ECM environment in place that leverages various technologies like imaging and document management, migrate those content elements over into your official repository for proper management and handling.

 

Remember, if you have it, you need to know it and know its value. One degree of uncertainty or doubt in your content and content management practices could prove costly in times of litigation and audit. Know what you have. Know its value. Know that it is under control.

 

What say you? Do you conduct periodic information audits and if so, what value has it brought? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you.

 

Looking to learn more about intelligent information and process management?

 

Join us for the BPM Certificate course in:

San Francisco 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

 

Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

Phoenix 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

Utrecht 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

London 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Tampa 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Toronto 03/23/10 - 03/26/10

Kirkland 04/13/10 - 04/16/10

Dallas 04/27/10 - 04/30/10

San Diego 05/04/10 - 05/07/10

Denver 05/18/10 - 05/21/10

Calgary 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

London 06/01/10 - 06/04/10

Silver Spring 06/08/10 - 06/11/10

Houston 06/15/10 - 06/18/10

 

We look forward to seeing you there.

Bob Larrivee – AIIM blarrivee@aiim.org

Follow me on twitter – BobLarrivee and remember to visit www.aiim.org/training and www.informationzen.org, AIIM’s free social network created just for you.

Social Networks: Who cares?

The question may not be one of who cares but perhaps more who should care? It is interesting how when I talk to folks around the world on this topic, the general sense is that Facebook, MySpace, (fill in your preference), “is my account and my personal life. The only one who should care about what I say and place out there is me.” Yet, companies are becoming more aware of it all and concerned that their brand may not be represented is as professional a manner they would like. According to the third annual Deloitte LLP Ethics and Workplace survey, 60 percent of business executives who responded say they believe it is their right to know how their companies and employees are being portrayed on social networks. Of course employees disagree and while in general 53% disagree, in the 18-34 year old segment 63% say their employer should not be monitoring these social networks. As interesting and perhaps understandable as this may seem, 74% of employees recognize the fact that social networks make it much easier to damage a company.

 

This leads to another interesting discussion regarding governance of social network use. Should companies try to govern social network use? Do they have a right to monitor and act upon their findings? According to the Deloitte LLP report, 17% of the executives who responded indicate they have policies and programs in place to monitor and act in response to reputational risks as a result of social network use. At the same time, 49% of the employees who responded say that even if their company has defined guidelines, it would not change their online behaviour. So, what is a company to do?

 

In my view, social networks have become and are now a vital part of a company’s communication program. The use of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and more, are viewed as essential to establishing and maintaining a global presence and forum to get the corporate message out to the masses. At the same time, these are also great personal venues for networking, job search and keeping in touch with family, friends and colleagues. The challenge is one of finding balance. At what point does a statement from an employee about their job or company become damaging and need to be dealt with? On the other hand, at what point does corporate monitoring constitute invasion of privacy? In some countries, it may be immediate like opening a person’s email.

 

As an executive, you really need to get good counsel on what can and cannot be done from a legal perspective and also consider the impact governance may have in the workplace. As an employee, you need to understand that you represent your employer at all times and your actions in the social network space may lead to actions by your employer that you never anticipated or planned for at the time of your writing. A basic rule of thumb I was taught is that if you would not say it directly to the boss or an executive in the company, you may not want to write put it out on the internet. If you think your space is private and limited to only those who you have invited to join you, think again. If you share and they share and the ones they shared with share, it is now everywhere.

  

What say you? What are your views on social network use as an executive or employees? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you.

 

Looking to learn more about intelligent information and process management?

 

Join us for the BPM Certificate course in:

London 01/26/10 - 01/29/10

New York 02/02/10 - 02/05/10

San Francisco 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

 

Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

Silver Spring 01/19/10 - 01/22/10

Phoenix 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

Utrecht 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

London 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Tampa 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Toronto 03/23/10 - 03/26/10

Kirkland 04/13/10 - 04/16/10

Dallas 04/27/10 - 04/30/10

San Diego 05/04/10 - 05/07/10

Denver 05/18/10 - 05/21/10

Calgary 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

London 06/01/10 - 06/04/10

Silver Spring 06/08/10 - 06/11/10

Houston 06/15/10 - 06/18/10

 

We look forward to seeing you there.

Bob Larrivee – AIIM blarrivee@aiim.org

Follow me on twitter – BobLarrivee and remember to visit www.aiim.org/training and www.informationzen.org, AIIM’s free social network created just for you.

Enter the Era of Collaboration

Why is it that all of a sudden, we are hearing this background clatter getting louder and louder to the point where it is now sounding like the new mantra is collaboration? I am seeing it and hearing it more and more these days. Collaboration is the new driver. Collaboration needs to happen. Collaboration is what we need to succeed! Some say we need the “cloud” to collaborate and be more effective. Others tout E2.0 as the collaboration platform of choice and still others talk about the formation of collaboration architectures to help us formalize the collaboration environment and tools in order to become more efficient.

 

In my view, all of this is nice but let’s stop and take a breath here. Collaboration, like ECM, is not purely a set of technologies that will inherently move an organization to collaborate. In fact we do not need technology to collaborate but it does make it easier and simpler. Collaboration requires a cultural mindset and managerial support that fosters one to be open and share information and knowledge. Knowledge Management, Enterprise 2.0 and now the world of collaboration all promote the concept of an open and sharing organization for the purpose of being more effective and efficient. The types of collaboration tools available today certainly exceed those of yesteryear and I am certainly in favour of this focus. Imagine a world where we can work from anywhere at anytime and be fully productive; a world where the global workforce is truly in a global workplace without geographical limitation. To a degree, that time is here.

 

I think collaboration is a wonderful thing and know first hand as do many, that without it, many aspects of business like development and problem resolution would suffer. My point in all of this is simply to take time and understand what the term collaboration means, not in the sense of a dictionary but in terms of how you and your organization define it. As with any technology, you need to identify your business goal and requirements in relation to how you want to work as an organization. Once you understand this, assess how the different technologies support those goals and meet your requirements. Everyone wanted portals when they first hit the scene but a portal without purpose was a portal failed. The same holds true of wikis. A wiki without purpose is a wiki unused. The must be purpose in all we do in order for it to be beneficial. Know the organizational readiness. Know what you are trying to accomplish. Know it can be done.

 

 What say you? How are you addressing the collaboration needs of your organization? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you.

 

Looking to learn more about intelligent information and process management?

 

Join us for the BPM Certificate course in:

London 01/26/10 - 01/29/10

New York 02/02/10 - 02/05/10

San Francisco 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

 

Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

Silver Spring 01/19/10 - 01/22/10

Phoenix 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

Utrecht 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

London 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Tampa 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Toronto 03/23/10 - 03/26/10

Kirkland 04/13/10 - 04/16/10

Dallas 04/27/10 - 04/30/10

San Diego 05/04/10 - 05/07/10

Denver 05/18/10 - 05/21/10

Calgary 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

London 06/01/10 - 06/04/10

Silver Spring 06/08/10 - 06/11/10

Houston 06/15/10 - 06/18/10

 

We look forward to seeing you there.

Bob Larrivee – AIIM blarrivee@aiim.org

Follow me on twitter – BobLarrivee and remember to visit www.aiim.org/training and www.informationzen.org, AIIM’s free social network created just for you.

Yes Virginia, you can afford ECM

Ah, ECM; that magical mystical solution to control organizational content with technology that is affordable only by a Global 3000 company. Wait a minute I thought the title of this article is about affordability! It is. I am just dispelling a myth, the myth of cost. The fact is that ECM is now and has been affordable for many years, you just may not have realized it or even more important, known which technology set in ECM you need.

 

In many cases, in particular the Small to Mid-sized Business (SMB) segment, imaging and document management are the two key technologies being sought. The ability to move toward a less paper intensive mode of operation leveraging capabilities to capture, store, manage, preserve and deliver in formation in electronic form. In years past, just this technology set would have been cost prohibitive in the SMB space but today there are many companies offering solutions at lower costs. Companies like Alfresco, Docubase, Snowbound, Laserfiche, and yes, even Microsoft through SharePoint. In some cases the technology is available through Software as a Service (SaaS) models allowing organizations to subscribe to a provider for technology use rather than worry about buying servers, who is going to maintain them and so on. In these cases, the administration is managed for you.

 

In my view, ECM has become one of the most affordable information management options available to businesses of all sizes and one that should be considered essential for risk management, growth and control. While you still need a good set of policies and procedures around how it will be used and information managed – not unlike the physical world – the cost factor is now no longer the issue it once was years ago. The only thing preventing ECM use in your organization is you and the decision of which options to use and how you want to deploy it, whether you own it and manage it on premise or leverage a SaaS model and lease it through a third party provider.

 

If you are still unsure about the overall make up of an ECM environment and the underlying technologies, a good place to start would be training, reading and talking with peers who have made the commitment and taken their steps to incorporate ECM into their businesses. The first step is always hardest, but it is also the most important. So yes Virginia, you can afford ECM, the question is when do you want to begin your journey?

 

What say you? How are you looking at ECM but not sure how to begin? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you.

 

Looking to learn more about intelligent information and process management?

 

Join us for the BPM Certificate course in:

London 01/26/10 - 01/29/10

New York 02/02/10 - 02/05/10

San Francisco 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

 

Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

Silver Spring 01/19/10 - 01/22/10

Phoenix 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

Utrecht 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

London 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Tampa 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Toronto 03/23/10 - 03/26/10

Kirkland 04/13/10 - 04/16/10

Dallas 04/27/10 - 04/30/10

San Diego 05/04/10 - 05/07/10

Denver 05/18/10 - 05/21/10

Calgary 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

London 06/01/10 - 06/04/10

Silver Spring 06/08/10 - 06/11/10

Houston 06/15/10 - 06/18/10

 

We look forward to seeing you there.

Bob Larrivee – AIIM blarrivee@aiim.org

 

Follow me on twitter – BobLarrivee and remember to visit www.aiim.org/training and www.informationzen.org, AIIM’s free social network created just for you.

 

Prepare! Your time draws near!

No I am not predicting the end of the world I am talking about e-Discovery. As I was enjoying my coffee this morning and reading an article published by destinationCRM.com titled E-Discovery Requests Set to Rise in 2010, it dawned on me that while obvious to some of us, this statement may not be as suggestive to many in the small and mid-sized business sector. In fact, I still hear many SMB owners comment how they are not concerned about litigation due to their size or focus. I typically respond that while I hope they never face a situation where they must produce electronic information for litigation or audit reasons, I also hope they are planning for the day chaos strikes and they are faced with that daunting task.

 

This article cites findings from a study conducted by the Enterprise Strategy Group revealing that 22% of the Fortune 2000 companies they surveyed indicate a position created in their organizations with the title of e-Discovery Manager, 40% anticipate an increase in e-Discovery spending in 2010, and 87% plan to budget for technology that supports e-Discovery next year. This is impressive and I applaud these companies for taking such a proactive position since they are the more likely target of civil litigation with a heavy burden to produce electronically stored information of all types. This brings me back to the comment I made earlier about the SMB segment.

 

In my view, regardless of size or business focus, you need to be prepared for the possibility of facing such a situation. I liken this to everyday life and insurance. We have life insurance, auto insurance, homeowner insurance, flood insurance to protect us from what might happen not what has happened. We are prepared for the future and if it never happens, wonderful, but we rest well knowing we are protected. This should be the way we look at our business and being prepared for what might happen. Civil litigation could rise up no matter who you are, where you are, how big you are, or what business you are in. The question is how you address it and can you deliver all of the electronic information needed to fulfil an e-Discovery request and support your position.

 

Imagine if you had to find every word file, spreadsheet, email and text message from every employee in your organization and attest to the fact this is everything you have and it is accurate. Could you do it? I think the article I read is correct in that e-Discovery requests will increase steadily and it will impact businesses of all sizes. What determines the outcomes is the difference of being prepared and ready, or taking your chances that it will never be you called into court.

 

What say you? How are you preparing to deal with e-Discovery? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you.

 

Looking to learn more about intelligent information and process management?

 

Join us for the BPM Certificate course in:

London 01/26/10 - 01/29/10

New York 02/02/10 - 02/05/10

San Francisco 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

 

Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

Silver Spring 01/19/10 - 01/22/10

Phoenix 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

Utrecht 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

London 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Tampa 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Toronto 03/23/10 - 03/26/10

Kirkland 04/13/10 - 04/16/10

Dallas 04/27/10 - 04/30/10

San Diego 05/04/10 - 05/07/10

Denver 05/18/10 - 05/21/10

Calgary 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

London 06/01/10 - 06/04/10

Silver Spring 06/08/10 - 06/11/10

Houston 06/15/10 - 06/18/10

 

We look forward to seeing you there.

Bob Larrivee – AIIM blarrivee@aiim.org

 

Follow me on twitter – BobLarrivee and remember to visit www.aiim.org/training and www.informationzen.org, AIIM’s free social network created just for you.

 

Computing: It's everywhere

Or at least that’s what Intel Chief Executive Paul Otellini was reported to have said at last week’s CES Keynote on Thursday. As reported in Information Week, Otellini stated “Computing is no longer confined to your computer -- it's everywhere." He is right. Think about how much power is housed in just a mobile phone. Did I say just a mobile phone? Sorry, these are no longer phones they are some of the most portable computers the world has ever seen with more power in a small package than most people could have imagined a mere decade ago. The evolution of technology like these phones, digital signboards and so many devices is incredible. Why even my car tells me to be careful and aware that icy conditions may exist due to dropping temperatures. (A warning I never expected on the central Gulf coast of Florida!)

 

So, while Mr. Otellini is correct in that statement and his focus to expand Intel’s presence is in my opinion both sound and admirable, what that also means for us in the information management industry is there is more information out there being generated and that needs to be captured than ever before; and in more places than we could have imagined a decade ago. Think about advertising on a digital board and now not only will you create the messages differently, you may have to capture and store them for reference, collaborative reasons or even as a matter of record. These are no longer flat files they are video files with sophisticated transitions and graphics. When the discussion turns to smart phones, what do you need to capture and how will you do it? The challenges are endless and growing exponentially, which also means we have to prepare and get in front of this information onslaught armed with policy, process and technology.

 

In my view, the ever changing technology landscape is amazing and the far reaching results are incredible. We can use our phone not only to talk but to communicate in many ways using text, voice, email, video and who knows where it will go from here. We can hold video conference sessions right from our homes or wherever we are using the power of our PC and the communication infrastructure that has evolved to what it is today. No special equipment needed any more, it is all built in as standard. What we need now is a clear understanding of how it will be used in our organizations for business purposes, what information needs to be captured and how it will be managed once we capture it. Embrace technology but know what you want to do with it and how it will impact and benefit your business.

   

What say you? How are you leveraging today’s technology and preparing for tomorrow’s advancements? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you.

 

Looking to learn more about intelligent information and process management?

 

Join us for the BPM Certificate course in:

London 01/26/10 - 01/29/10

New York 02/02/10 - 02/05/10

San Francisco 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

 

Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

Silver Spring 01/19/10 - 01/22/10

Chicago 01/26/10 - 01/29/10

Phoenix 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

Utrecht 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

London 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Tampa 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Toronto 03/23/10 - 03/26/10

Kirkland 04/13/10 - 04/16/10

Dallas 04/27/10 - 04/30/10

San Diego 05/04/10 - 05/07/10

Denver 05/18/10 - 05/21/10

Calgary 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

London 06/01/10 - 06/04/10

Silver Spring 06/08/10 - 06/11/10

Houston 06/15/10 - 06/18/10

 

We look forward to seeing you there.

Bob Larrivee – AIIM blarrivee@aiim.org

 

Follow me on twitter – BobLarrivee and remember to visit www.aiim.org/training and www.informationzen.org, AIIM’s free social network created just for you.

Evolution: Tale of the PC

 

It’s that time of year again when trade shows take front stage and this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is right out there as always. This year the wires are all buzzing about 3D television and a slew of other great technology advances but the one that caught my attention is the buzz about tablet computers. Yes, the technology has evolved to a point where the PC, once a solid tower of power perched next to your desk, is now available in tablet form. (I know, it would be too easy for me to say take two tablets and call me in the morning but it is not that type of tablet.) The idea of a tablet computer has been around for a long time and many have tried over the years by making the screen twist and turn to cover the keyboard and allow you to interact via the screen, but the problem had always been one of size and weight.

 

There are many applications for a tablet computer and in fact, I think they will help move organizations ever closer to being paper free, or as close as we can get for now. Think of it for a moment. Insurance adjusters use the tablet to complete their claim forms, transmit the result via broadband right from the site and with automated processes in the background, could initiate immediate payment through direct deposit. Healthcare practitioners could do their rounds in hospitals in real time, updating the data and patient information immediately and the same holds true in their offices. Even NASA might be enticed to move away from the 3 ring binder checklist for launch preparation. The applications are endless since we are no longer tethered for communication and the device does not require you to be Mr. Olympia to carry it around.

 

In my view, while all of the sizzle coming from CES is wonderful and I look forward to the possibility of watching 3D TV when I can, the promise of a true tablet with power enough to carry out business related activities is very exciting. We have seen this coming for a while and now it is here. Le’s hope the promise of these devices is fulfilled, the functionality is real, and their entrance into the business world beneficial. I cannot wait to try one in a real business setting and watch how organizations incorporate them as part of the new standard business tools.

 

What say you? Have you considered the use or are you now using tablet computers in your organization? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you.

 

Looking to learn more about intelligent information and process management?

 

Join us for the BPM Certificate course in:

London 01/26/10 - 01/29/10

New York 02/02/10 - 02/05/10

San Francisco 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

 

Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

Silver Spring 01/19/10 - 01/22/10

Chicago 01/26/10 - 01/29/10

Phoenix 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

Utrecht 02/09/10 - 02/12/10

London 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Tampa 02/23/10 - 02/26/10

Toronto 03/23/10 - 03/26/10

Kirkland 04/13/10 - 04/16/10

Dallas 04/27/10 - 04/30/10

San Diego 05/04/10 - 05/07/10

Denver 05/18/10 - 05/21/10

Calgary 05/25/10 - 05/28/10

London 06/01/10 - 06/04/10

Silver Spring 06/08/10 - 06/11/10

Houston 06/15/10 - 06/18/10

 

We look forward to seeing you there.

Bob Larrivee – AIIM blarrivee@aiim.org

 

Follow me on twitter – BobLarrivee and remember to visit www.aiim.org/training and www.informationzen.org, AIIM’s free social network created just for you.