The Ten Common Myths of I.T. by Tim Bryce
"A company runs on information, not data." - Bryce's Law INTRODUCTION You've heard them all before. They particularly arise whenever quality work is required or when organization and management control is imposed. Of course, I'm talking about the ten common myths of I.T. ... The Data Management function should behave in a manner similar to Materials Management, Financial Management, and Human Resource Management. ... Corporate management genuinely believes that I.T, management controls and tools can be developed inexpensively, if not free.

Understanding the IRM/MRP Analogy by Tim Bryce
"You must first plant the seeds in order to harvest the crop. Unfortunately, most companies tend to eat the seed and then there is no crop to harvest." - Bryce's Law INTRODUCTION When we introduced the original version of the "PRIDE" methodology in 1971 (which is now referred to as... By taking this approach to development, Project Management and Quality Assurance can substantiate completion of the resource definition and the phase of work (it either has been done or it has not). ... Project Management and Quality Assurance will also find information resource definition helpful in...

Microsoft Axapta, SAP Business One, Oracle E-Business Suite – Brazilian MRP Market Overview by Andrew Karasev
At this moment, as we write this article in the beginning of 2006, two international ERP vendors are aggressively launching their campaigns on the Brazilian ground: Microsoft Business Solutions with Microsoft Dynamics AX / Axapta (first quarter 2006) and SAP with SAP Business One (end of... As you know Microsoft has new name for its Project Green – now it is in the conception of Microsoft Dynamics. ... At the same time Microsoft, SAP and Oracle could play the card of international business requirements, especially from the management reporting standpoint.

End-User Buy-In, And How to Guarantee You Get It - During Your Next Software System Implementation by George Ritacco
Failed Internet-based, software integrations and implementations aren’t new; incompatibilities between people, change resistance, new processes and technologies have always been a concern. But as the research reveals – even after a decade of industry advice about helping employees to help... A more sophisticated method of training that can take the place of manuals and help documents is video tutorials or elearning management training. ... you are able to work out all the “kinks” before pushing the system out to the entire company.

Entering The Twilight Zone by Tim Bryce
"If you are not pissing someone off, you are probably not doing your job." - Bryce's Law INTRODUCTION This essay represents my 100th in a series of weekly bulletins I have written over the last two years. During this time I have written on a variety of management related issues as well as... Management Style - since the 1960's we have seen a transition from a Theory Y form of management (bottom-up worker empowerment), to some Theory Z (consensus), to Theory X (top-down dictatorial). ... Executives falsely equate computer hardware with development and, as such, spend an inordinate...

What Price Quality? by Tim Bryce
INTRODUCTION We now live in a fast paced society where we expect products and services to be delivered rapidly (some say "yesterday"), cheaply, and with a high degree of quality. This is particularly true in the systems and software industry. If we lived in a perfect world, systems and... But the reality is, the development process is defined on a project-by-project basis, thereby uniformity and interchangeability is defeated. ... As such, a quality assurance program requires management vision and long-term commitment to see it come to fruition.

Challenges of SOA Testing by Jason English
Why is SOA testing such a different beast than previous forms of browser, client/server and mainframe testing? Many of the benefits of SOA become challenges to testing an SOA application. 1. SOA is distributed by definition Services are based on heterogeneous technologies. ... Need to ensure high service levels and excellent exception management Quality has become a governor on the enterprise's success in delivering SOA applications. ... In addition, the business must prioritize functionality as the proposed scope expands, so the project may not fall together in the expected order.

The IT Consultant Keeps Spare Parts Handy by Joshua Feinberg
An IT consultant needs to be aware that PC vendors are typically very willing to cover inexpensive products like a mouse under standard warranties. But because as an IT consultant your client can probably buy a replacement part of that type for as little as $10, it's probably not worth waiting... Outsourcing this project management work and planning to you as their IT consultant can make their lives easier and prevent exorbitant emergency costs. ... Giving Wise Advice To Clients As an IT consultant, you need to recommend smart investments to your clients.

Getting Back to Basics: Creating a Logo from Start to Finish by Bernard Peh
When I began my career in the graphics industry, almost 17 years ago, I would approach the design of any new logo by first taking out a pad of paper and a pencil and sketching out basic ideas before diving into any real concept creation. As computers and design software became more and more a... Core Practice Partners is a leading international expert in Labor Management for companies that don't work a traditional "9 to 5" schedule. ... They approached my company with a few ideas of their own, but were very uncertain whether the look they truly wanted could be achieved.

"Blind CC" (Bcc): Master Its Use When E-Mailing by Steve Singleton
If you use Microsoft Outlook (or similar applications) for e-mailing, then you are familiar with the fields at the top of a new mail message, right? Of course, in the "To..." field, you enter the name of one or more persons you intend to receive your message. ... Normally this would not be a problem internally, but if you are sending an e-mail to employees as well as some outside of your company, use the Bcc field to hide all of those internal addresses. ... This can be helpful if you are wanting a quick way to keep track of all of the e-mail you send out regarding a particular project or...