AIIM Knowledge Center Blog

Giving thanks: Technology brings us closer

It s that time of year where we once again take time out of our hectic lives to give thanks for those around us and the many positive things in our lives. One of the things I am thankful for is the opportunity afforded me to share my thoughts and experiences with you through this blog and in the classroom, which for me last week turned virtual and leads me to why I am thankful for technology.

As I was delivering the AIIM ECM Master Prep workshop last week, and I thank those students who joined me and helped make it a great experience, it occurred to me that this same technology or those similar to it now enable families who might otherwise be apart, to see each other and wish each other the best of wishes for Thanksgiving. In fact, we are even seeing this in television commercials where a Mom it online with her daughter walking around the house with her PC/PC Camera to share what decorations had been set. Of course the end of that story is the daughter happens to be on the front porch with her PC/PC Camera and surprises her Mom with her presence. The message is clear, that in these times, with the tools available, we can bring our families and friends closer to us through technology.

In my view, this is a prime example of how technology has a positive impact on our lives. In this same line of thinking, it can also have a very positive impact on our businesses and business processes. All we have to do is embrace it and learn how to manage it in ways we can maximize the benefits it can bring.

I wish you all the best for this Thanksgiving Holiday.

 

What say you? How are you leveraging technology? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you and learn what you and your organization are doing.

 

Looking to increase your level of knowledge? Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

Houston 11/17/09 - 11/20/09

San Diego 12/01/09 - 12/04/09

Philadelphia 12/08/09 – 12/11/09

San Diego 12/01/09 - 12/04/09

King of Prussia 12/08/09 - 12/11/09

Utrecht 12/08/09 - 12/11/09

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.

Education Spotlight: Focused on Hyland Software

Kevin Corbett is the Director of the Hyland Software University. Hyland Software has had a long standing relationship with AIIM and supporter of the AIIM Education programs. I had the opportunity to interview Kevin recently and discuss how AIIM training has been of benefit to the team at Hyland Software.

I want to thank you Kevin, for talking time to talk with me and sharing your thoughts and experiences with our readers.

 

Bob: Please provide me with a description of your company, your role with the company and the AIIM Certificate courses your organization has focused on to date.

Kevin: I work for Hyland Software, an independent enterprise content management (ECM) software vendor. We’ve focused on ECM with our OnBase suite since we were founded in 1991. But a lot has changed since then. In those days, “ECM” translated to “scanning” and “archiving.” For us, this was first applied in banking. Paper-based checks were taking over valuable building space and couldn’t be managed effectively. 

 

Since then, OnBase has honed its concentration to managing almost any manual process and unstructured piece of content that’s out there. Though the financial sector still makes up the bulk of our nearly 9,000 customers, by revenue, healthcare has grown to be our largest vertical market. Many other industries have taken advantage of OnBase as well, including government, insurance, higher education and manufacturing.

 

As you know, these industries all have their own niche business problems. And in each of these numerous instances, ECM can help, but in slightly different ways. To make sure our employees have the best possible understanding of exactly how ECM can be applied most effectively, we dedicate a lot of resources to training. In fact, my department, Hyland Software University or HSU, is dedicated solely to training. Our belief is that by investing in it this way, we’ll develop the best product, sell it the right way and support it – all while exceeding customer expectations.

 

One staple of our employee training is AIIM’s certifications. We use it as a way to get employees onboard with the industry from the day they start, and also to keep them up-to-speed throughout their careers at Hyland. New employees are offered the Enterprise Content Management Practitioner training. We’ve found that it gives the most comprehensive overview of our industry – a very important tool when you’re training folks who’ve had limited or no previous exposure to information management technology. It also helps us to create an even playing field among our employees. Everyone is presented with the same knowledge, regardless of their background or role in the company.

 

After the Enterprise Content Management Practitioner training, many employees opt to take their education further. In HSU, we encourage staff to look for certifications that match their job function and expand their skill set. We’ve had great feedback on these other certifications, especially the more advanced ECM courses and the Electronic Records Management (ERM) program.

 

Bob:  When did you get the idea to make AIIM Education part of your company's training focus and what were the drivers for the decision?

Kevin: From the get-go, employee training was a priority at Hyland Software. HSU was actually started through an initiative led by our president and CEO, A. J. Hyland. He made it clear that it’s up to us to solve customers’ specific problems with solutions that are designed to operate intuitively. And, the level of expertise needed to achieve this only comes from continuous learning.

 

While the OnBase expertise was in place, we were missing a thorough source of industry knowledge. At the time, we agreed that looking externally would be the best option. The right partner would afford us a comprehensive, up-to-date resource base we wouldn’t have access to otherwise. Coincidentally, at the same time we identified this need, AIIM was working on their certification program. They brought us into the room with other industry experts to discuss the program’s objectives, audience, content and execution. It was clear that this was the resource we were looking for to round out our employee education.

 

Bob: How did this training expand your organization's knowledge?

Kevin: I think it’s fair to say that “expanding organizations’ knowledge of information management” could be AIIM’s broad goal for the certification program. It’s definitely been achieved at Hyland. But to us, the more important part is how the new knowledge is actually applied to better meet our customers’ needs.

 

One of our five core values states: “We deliver configurable business solutions that are intuitive to use. Our customers are confident when navigating our solutions.” It takes knowledgeable employees developing and supporting software that makes these things possible. AIIM’s program continues to help us to train people who build solutions for today’s problems, yet are flexible enough to add value tomorrow, too.

 

Bob: What do you feel is the greatest benefit gained from your organization taking this training?

Kevin: I think for Hyland, the greatest benefit of the training is having that outside perspective. It’s impossible to be aware of and understand every business problem, especially as we continue to grow our vertical expertise and solutions. In a way then, AIIM’s training has and continues to help us efficiently grow our business. Because the training compiles so many vendor experiences with organizations of all industries and sizes, it enables us to grow our knowledge in line with our customers’ needs and expectations.

 

Bob: How is your organization applying this new knowledge to address business challenges/issues for your company and your clients?

Kevin:  Customer service is the top priority at Hyland, and the better educated and informed our people are, the better service our customers receive. A.J. Hyland makes this commitment to our customers clear. One of the most obvious ways is that he has his desk and cell phone numbers on our Web site. Customers, should they feel the need to contact him, can reach him directly at any time.

 

As our customer count continues to grow - we’re now approaching 9,000 organizations worldwide - customer service becomes a bit more challenging. No customer is exactly like another, nor are the challenges they’re encountering in dealing with manual, paper-intensive processes. AIIM’s training is one of the most effective ways we address this challenge. It makes us aware of organizations’ information management issues, even before they’re brought to us. This keeps us on the offensive when providing customer service. And beyond that, we’re able to provide customers with ideas and solutions that they might not have considered otherwise.

 

Bob: For the future, what role do you see for AIIM education in your organization? 

Kevin: Although our industry’s technology is typically considered “mature,” there are many changes going on right now that have the power to influence what we develop. Take, for example, the explosion of e-mail communications. Organizations are realizing that e-mail is a critical source of information as well as a compliance challenge, and they need a strategy for managing it. Because of the constant changes, AIIM is and will continue to be our go-to for keeping our organization up-to-speed. The changes happen so quickly – and customers have higher expectations for vendor service than ever – so this education is imperative as we differentiate our company and product from the competition.

 

Bob: What would you say to someone teetering on the edge of taking one of our training courses?

Kevin:  In tough times, your best asset is your company’s knowledge base. It impacts the products you develop and how you’re able to sell and support them. If you’re going to invest in anything, it should fall into the employee training category. My advice would be to start small. Identify which certification makes the most sense for your organization right now. And tie the course with a business need. This will not only help upper management see the value in it, but it will also make it more meaningful for the attendees.

 

Bob: Would you recommend us to your users? Why?

Kevin: If you’re looking for content on information management, AIIM is the place. It’s a great start for those just getting into the industry and the perfect refresher for the experts, too.  I know it’s made a difference in training our employees, so I’m sure our users would benefit as well.

 

Bob: Is there anything else you would like to add that we may have missed?

Kevin: In any organization in any industry, employees make or break the success of the organization. If they’re trained and understand your business strategy, we’ve found that the business is much more cohesive and effective. This is why we invest so heavily in training our employees. By educating our staff for weeks before they hit their desks, they have a better handle on what we do as a whole and how what they do contributes to our success.

 

We know that our industry and product is complex for most folks when they come to Hyland. AIIM’s training is one tool we use to simply and logically explain it in terms they understand and can eventually apply.

 

Bob: I want to thank you again Kevin, for taking time to share your thoughts and experiences with our readers. 

 

Kevin Corbett, Director of Hyland Software University can be reached at Kevin.Corbett@onbase.com

 

What say you? How do you view and manage your training efforts? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you and learn what you and your organization are doing.

 

Looking to increase your level of knowledge? Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

Houston 11/17/09 - 11/20/09

San Diego 12/01/09 - 12/04/09

Philadelphia 12/08/09 – 12/11/09

San Diego 12/01/09 - 12/04/09

King of Prussia 12/08/09 - 12/11/09

Utrecht 12/08/09 - 12/11/09

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.

 

What's happening in the land of BPM?

This week, AIIM released its latest Industry Watch Report titled “Business Process Management – are we making the most of content-driven processes?” In this report written by Doug Miles, Head of the AIIM Market Intelligence Division, we find that BPM is recognized as a business management practice leveraging many software tools rather than a single software or suite of software solutions. Still, while many still view BPM as workflow that drives scanned images and electronic forms through an organization’s business processes, it also takes on the broader capability of integrating enterprise applications and serving as a single point of access for the user community.

 

While BPM may be looked upon as an intrusive technology that creates a new set of change management challenges in the way organizations function both inter and intra-departmentally, 63% of the organizations polled feel that the importance of BPM is significant or imperative.  Yet, sixty-two percent of those polled consider they have only addressed 1/5 of their potentially profitable BPM projects. Many of our respondents cite productivity, efficiency, and quality as the strongest drivers for BPM. Other key findings include:

· Hard-dollar savings from “Improving process throughput” and “Reducing process steps” are the two biggest drivers for BPM, followed by “Improving accuracy and repeatability”

· _ 49% of organizations achieved payback of their investment in BPM tools within 18 months and a further 23% within two years. Additional projects are taking around 8 months on average to complete

· Accounts payable and accounts receivable processes showed the strongest success factors, followed by customer support cases, proposals and contracts, and claims processing

· The strongest indicator for successful BPM processes is the presence of an existing process owner

· 36% look to buy their BPM tools from their existing ECM supplier, with 25% buying best-of-breed tools, and 23% preferring dedicated BPM suites

 

In my view, while it appears that BPM is still a misunderstood element, it is one that is increasingly becoming a topic of interest and one that needs to become part of an overarching strategy in establishing a solid ECM environment that focuses not only on content but the processes by which content flows through an organization. Process without content is somewhat irrelevant and content without process becomes an area of contention and inefficiency within a business organization. Just like content creation should have a purpose, so too should process automation have a focused purpose in support of the strategic and tactical goals of an organization. To position BPM properly for success, you have to know the desired outcome and how it inter-relates with content and the users.

 

Doug Miles is head of the AIIM Market Intelligence Division and author of this latest AIIM Industry Watch report on BPM. To contact Doug, please email him at doug.miles@aiim.org.uk

 

What say you? What are your plans for BPM? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you and learn what you and your organization are doing.

 

Looking to increase your level of knowledge? 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

 

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.

Deep in the land of virtual

We constantly hear the term virtual in relation to technology and technology use. Philosophically the term virtual is defined as something that is not real representing something that is. Virtual reality for example is meant to simulate reality and is referenced or used in games and now business situations with virtual meeting rooms and more. I have even heard people reference the social networks as virtual gathering points where one can socialize and may never actually meet in a physical sense, with the person(s) they are interacting with, ever.

 

I like the concept and use of technology to establish these environments and feel that for some aspects of business, this is a great use of technology. The idea of global collaboration in a virtual meeting area where knowledge exchange takes place and new ideas emerge is something I have promoted for many years. In fact in the late 1980’s I demonstrated this concept with several of my colleagues in the “Office of the Future” with Wang Laboratories. As primitive as it may seem today, we were able to do some of the rudimentary activities that are taken for granted today. So the idea is not unique it is the method that makes the difference today. And what a difference it is!

 

Think about all that is accomplished now, in classrooms students can attend universities in other countries without leaving home. Corporations and Associations like AIIM can deliver specialized training through various venues that include on-line self study and virtual instructor led classes. Research and development efforts span the enterprise, the globe and in the case of space research, the reaches of outer space and the space station. The use of technology in a virtual setting can be limitless and restricted or constrained only by the minds and rules of man.

 

In my view, the use of tools to establish virtual work centers and collaborative workspaces is one way organizations can leverage technology to enhance their operations, become more effective and lessen their company’s carbon footprint. Imagine a world where the majority of workers conduct their activities from their homes rather than commuting to their offices. The result could be less traffic congestion, lowered carbon emissions, and higher productivity from knowledge and service workers. So the question I have is not one of should we or could we use technology in a more virtual way but why don’t we?  If technology is not the problem and in fact offers an answer, the problem must lie in the human factor. Not everyone is ready to take these steps and not every company is ready to embrace that much trust, but we are getting there little by little. Twenty years ago I was part of a team that promoted the concept of remote and virtual work spaces. Today it is evermore a reality.

 

What say you? Is your company embracing the land of virtual? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you and learn what you and your organization are doing.

 

Looking to increase your level of knowledge? Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

Houston 11/17/09 - 11/20/09

San Diego 12/01/09 - 12/04/09

Philadelphia 12/08/09 – 12/11/09

San Diego 12/01/09 - 12/04/09

King of Prussia 12/08/09 - 12/11/09

Utrecht 12/08/09 - 12/11/09

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.

Watch out! Here comes the future!

 

So what? Why should that be an issue? It isn’t really and in fact I embrace the future for the past has come and gone and hopefully I have learned from it. One lesson in particular that I have learned is that the future is inevitable and time will not stand still. (Just look at my picture of then and now…) So since I cannot prevent the future from arriving it only stands to reason I should prepare for it, but how?

 

One way is to watch. Watch the technology landscape and look for signs that will have an impact. For ECM, that might be changes in how information is captured and delivered. Perhaps through the Microsoft Surface technologies, through collaborative environments that leverage video conferencing as demonstrated by Cisco  or perhaps it will be through portable personal sixth sense devices like that shown by Pattie Maes of the Media Labs at the TED Conference in February of 2009 - a device that has caught attention due to its simplicity and incorporation of gesture recognition. No matter what you envision the future to be, whether information technology or Skycar, it is something we need to be in tune with today.  Of course it is easy to say that, but how do you know what to prepare for? Who would have predicted FileNet being acquired by IBM and 3COM by HP?

 

My point is simply that we need to keep in touch with what is happening around us in the vendor community, research segments and the business landscape. In my opinion the best way to do so is to first look inside your own organization to understand your needs for now and the future. Once you have sight of this, leverage the resources available to you. Look to your industry associations and publications for research materials and reports generated by industry analysts and watchdogs. Look for product guides that present product differences and compare similarities. Listen closely to the vendors and how they present their vision of the future. Find those things that seem obscure and on the edge for it is they that that will someday be embedded in what we do and how we do it. As I sit here in the airport, I can only imagine what it must have been like for the Wright Brothers when they attempted flying and the ridicule they must have faced for even considering such a thing.

 

The future is now and what you don’t see today will be here tomorrow. Are you ready for it?

 

What say you? What have you learned today? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you and learn what you and your organization are doing.

 

Looking to increase your level of knowledge? Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

Houston 11/17/09 - 11/20/09

San Diego 12/01/09 - 12/04/09

Philadelphia 12/08/09 – 12/11/09

San Diego 12/01/09 - 12/04/09

King of Prussia 12/08/09 - 12/11/09

Utrecht 12/08/09 - 12/11/09

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.

I knew that, but I didn't know that

There are many times in my classes where I will cover a topic and some will say, “I knew that” and they are correct. In fact many also say it is good to get confirmation they are doing the right things. As the class progresses, there may be additional discussions among the students or I may take them to place that puts what we discussed into a different context and that is when I hear, “I didn’t think of that.” For example, in one class we talked about how ECM with imaging can help remove file cabinets and free up costly space. Not a surprise since the industry has done this for decades promoting cost reduction as a benefit. Here is a twist, not only can you reduce costs by recovering the space you can make it revenue generating.

 

In the past I have worked with many clients to migrate from their paper based filing systems to digital. Scan the paper, index it and store it in a repository. Once this is done, get rid of the paper if there are no restrictions prohibiting you from doing so. I know, you are saying that we can take that space and generate revenue. How? I had a client who called me excited about the fact that for every 6 filing cabinets he removed, he could place a desk, chair, phone and sales person. Initially he had planned expansion which would have required renting additional space. Now what was once overhead was bringing in the money. As a sales person at that time, guess what my new sales pitch became?

 

You see, it is all a matter of perspective. In ECM, we need to look at our environments from many angles in order to reap the best rewards. Looking at cost reduction from removal of an existing physical file system is one perspective but how could I gain from that space is another. Can I sell the cabinets and the shredded paper to help recoup costs and get a faster ROI? Can I implement process improvement ahead of technology application to increase efficiency to a new level and realize better productivity gains?

 

In my view, we all know a lot about a lot of things and the education we gain from training or educational programs we attend, in many cases, brings new insight or perspectives that strengthens our knowledge and skills.  Education can also come in the form of networking and just talking with peers about different issues or changes in the technology and business landscapes. The key is to take time a listen. After more than twenty-five years in the industry, there is not one day that passes where I have not learned something new. That something is quite often a different view than my own. Even if I do not agree with what I heard, I still accept the fact that I learned something and that, is another viewpoint.

 

What say you? What have you learned today? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you and learn what you and your organization are doing.

 

Looking to increase your level of knowledge? Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

• San Francisco 11/10/09 - 11/13/09
• Houston 11/17/09 - 11/20/09
• San Diego 12/01/09 - 12/04/09
• Philadelphia 12/08/09 – 12/11/09

 

Join us for the ERM Certificate course in:

• San Diego 11/10/09 - 11/13/09
• Silver Spring 12/01/09 - 12/04/09
• Tampa  12/15/09 – 12/18/09

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.

Pardon me sir, is this your Tweet?

A few months ago I posted a blog titled “To Tweet or not to Tweet, that is the question” and presented the idea that we should determine how and if it is used for business. The response from you was fantastic and I thank you. Today, I am presenting another perspective in this subject and including the other social media outlets as well, if you or your employees Tweet or use other social media outlets like Facebook, LinkedIn or more, should you have a policy in place that discusses capturing that information and storing it in your corporate repositories?

I know, you are thinking that I have gone too far with this governance thing, but have I really? The reason I am writing this blog is due to an article I read that triggered these thoughts. The article was in the Austin 10 written by Tony R. Bertolino, managing partner at Bertolino LLP titled MySpace, Facebook, GPS and other eDiscovery: Coming Soon to a Texas Divorce Proceeding Near You. The premise of the article is that content posted in these areas could be found and used against you. Taking this to the next level it made me think, is Twitter now included in this mix? In my view, I think it is and as a result we need to establish policy in the same way we do other content.

I think all of these tools are fantastic and a great way to communicate with friends, family, colleagues, clients and prospects. I think that they provide value, each in their own way. The challenge we face is one of what is being said and does it have business value? Imagine being asked in court “Pardon me sir, is this your Tweet?” in relation to some court action against you or your company?” I am not saying we should be paranoid about these technologies and services, but I am saying we need to be aware and take ownership of our corporate responsibility to preserve content that has a value. I am saying that we should use these tools and minimize our risks by putting some form of governance and guidance in place that describes proper use for business purposes the same as we would for telephone, email and any other communications tool.

 What say you? How do you collaborate? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you and learn what you and your organization are doing.

Looking to increase your level of knowledge? Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

• San Francisco 11/10/09 - 11/13/09
• Houston 11/17/09 - 11/20/09
• San Diego 12/01/09 - 12/04/09
• Philadelphia 12/08/09 – 12/11/09

Join us for the ERM Certificate course in:

• San Diego 11/10/09 - 11/13/09
• Silver Spring 12/01/09 - 12/04/09
• Tampa  12/15/09 – 12/18/09

We look forward to seeing you there.

Are you going to DocuBusiness ‘09 in Milan Italy? If so, be sure to attend a great session by Doug Miles, Research Director for AIIM. Doug is also conducting a new survey on BPM and you can participate by simply going to www.aiimhost.com/survey and answer the series of questions presented.

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 need to be first!

As I waited for my flight from Atlanta to Tampa last night, standing in line with everyone else, it occurred to me how interesting and sometimes confusing we really can be. I was flying Delta where unlike some of the discount airlines, everyone has assigned seats. Boarding is done by zone starting with First Class and moving on through the cabin from there. As Zone 1 of First Class was called, I noticed everyone started moving toward the gate – an occurrence that has become commonplace - yet still amazes me because First Class is not that big and I knew not everyone had purchased a First Class ticket. 

 

As I stood and watched, it also became clear to me why this is becoming more of a commonality. It is because the airlines charge for bags to be placed in luggage and more and more people are now carrying on their luggage than ever before, to avoid the costs and keep their belongings close to them, in their control. As a result, it has created what I term the “I need to be first “ syndrome in order to make sure  one can in fact claim overhead space before it runs out and they have to tag the bag and send it to the baggage compartment, free of charge by the way. The risk of this happening is especially true of those who are in the last boarding zones and the push to head the rush increases exponentially.

 

In my view, businesses need to take this view on how they manage content and records. While they may not feel comfortable being the first to try brand new technologies, there should be a sense of urgency to adopt technology and practices that will help gain control over their corporate memory - their information assets - and the processes by which it is managed and shared, quickly. Look at and treat your corporate information as if it were the most valuable resource in your company. Imagine for a moment that your storage systems are like your luggage the corporate information contained within that storage is like your personal belongings. You want it to be safe, under your control and readily accessible. You do not want it taken away from you or for something to happen to it.

 

Establishing a solid ECM environment that includes a structured and accessible repository managed by the appropriate technologies and supported be designed and well managed processes is a goal every business should embrace. Not only does it make the organization more efficient and effective, is also addresses business continuity, disaster preparedness and improves customer service. I was once told that if a thought has crossed your mind, you can be assured it has also crossed the minds of your competition. The trick is to be first and set the bar for others to reach. In this case it is OK to have the “I need to be first” syndrome.

 

What say you? Are you looking to be the leader and claim your space? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you and learn what you and your organization are doing.

 

Looking to increase your level of knowledge? Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

• Toronto 10/27/09 - 10/30/09
• San Francisco 11/10/09 - 11/13/09
• Houston 11/17/09 - 11/20/09
• San Diego 12/01/09 - 12/04/09
• Philadelphia 12/08/09 – 12/11/09

 

Join us for the ERM Certificate course in:

 

• San Diego 11/10/09 - 11/13/09
• Silver Spring 12/01/09 - 12/04/09
• Tampa  12/15/09 – 12/18/09

We look forward to seeing you there.

 

Are you going to DocuBusiness ‘09 in Milan Italy? If so, be sure to attend a great session by Doug Miles, Research Director for AIIM. Doug is also conducting a new survey on BPM and you can participate by simply going to www.aiimhost.com/survey and answer the series of questions presented.

 

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.

Cyber threats: can ECM help prepare?

I had the opportunity to visit the International Spy Museum while in Washington, DC over the weekend. It is an interesting place to visit and look at the history of espionage over the centuries. Topics like crytopgraphy, disguise and devices provide insight on infiltration methods and information gathering. At one point along the journey, we were presented with the concept of cyber threats and how they are more of a reality today than ever before. I have always been aware of the possibility and in fact the movies have even depicted how it might occur, but this time, presented in this way, the thought of it has been sitting in the back of my mind playing over and over.

 

Finally it came to me why this thought is lingering. I asked myself a simple question, is what we do in ECM a way to help prepare for this type of situation. I know ECM cannot prevent such threats, but if such an event were to happen, could ECM help minimize the impact on businesses and how? This is a fundamental question I normally ask when discussing disaster preparedness from natural disaster as well, how could ECM help from a business continuity perspective? The answer is basically the same, while ECM cannot be presented as a cure to disaster preparedness it can be positioned as a tool to assist in restoring business activity.

 

Many of the ECM environments I have been exposed to over the years leverage technologies that provide back up and recovery capabilities designed to restore the content structures to their useable form. In fact several of them actually combine indices, content and basic search capabilities on the back-up media itself making it more like that of an archival tool. I have seen this in action in Florida where a hurricane passes through, telephone access is down and even the power is out. In one case the business owner set up a table, chairs and a generator to power a light and his notebook PC to service his clients using the back-up media from his ECM software. He was able to search for client files and provide critical insurance coverage information that his clients needed to fully understand their levels of coverage.

 

In my view, while there can be no guarantee this is the best approach, I think the same could apply for cyber attacks. If an ECM environment is implemented and managed properly, and the technology employed supports the type of functionality I described, ECM could in fact serve as a means to assist in business restoration should the unthinkable become reality. We cannot predict the future nor can we anticipate every threat or outcome, but we can take steps that will hopefully minimize the impact.

 

What say you? How do you prepare for business continuity? Do you have a story to tell? I want to hear from you and learn what you and your organization are doing.

 

Looking to increase your level of knowledge? Join us for the ECM Certificate course in:

• Toronto 10/27/09 - 10/30/09
• San Francisco 11/10/09 - 11/13/09
• Houston 11/17/09 - 11/20/09
• San Diego 12/01/09 - 12/04/09
• Philadelphia 12/08/09 – 12/11/09

 

Join us for the ERM Certificate course in:

 

• San Diego 11/10/09 - 11/13/09
• Silver Spring 12/01/09 - 12/04/09
• Tampa  12/15/09 – 12/18/09

We look forward to seeing you there.

 

Are you going to DocuBusiness ‘09 in Milan Italy? If so, be sure to attend a great session by Doug Miles, Research Director for AIIM. Doug is also conducting a new survey on BPM and you can participate by simply going to www.aiimhost.com/survey and answer the series of questions presented.

 

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.

 

 

AIIM to present new research findings at TAWPI 2009 Capture Conference

AIIM Vice President, Atle Skjekkeland, ECMs, will present findings from the new AIIM State of the Capture Industry Watch research study in a plenum presentation at the TAWPI Capture Conference to be held at the Hyatt Regency Pier 66 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on December 9, 2009. The AIIM Capture Industry Watch research amongst AIIM’s 65,000 strong community identifies the real benefits of scanning and process automation, where to implement them, and how to ensure a quick ROI.

Titled “Capture: the real benefits of scanning and process automation?” This session looks at how in a tough economy it is necessary to cut costs for most organizations, but some companies have realized a quick ROI of implementing scanning and process automation and how removing paper from information intensive processes improves efficiency and control, which often leads to significant hard dollar savings.

Pre-conference: AIIM ECM Practitioner Course

In addition to the plenum session, AIIM and TAWPI have also organized a 1 day intensive ECM Practitioner Course set for Monday December 7, 2009. AIIM’s ECM Practitioner Course is being offered as a pre-Conference workshop covering ECM technologies, their business benefits, and how to plan ECM using information architecture, metadata and taxonomies.

Separately, the capture conference fee is $629 and the ECM Practitioner workshop is $599 but as an AIIM Member, if you act now and would like to bundle them together, we have a special offer for you. When you bundle the conference together with the workshop, you will receive a $500 package discount! All you have to do is click here to register and enter the discount code “ECM1-AIIM” when you check out.

What say you? Are you planning to attend the TAWPI 2009 Capture Conference? What do you hope to learn from your attendance? I want to hear from you and learn what you and your organization are doing.

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.