The devil is in the data...

Technology seems to get more than its fair share of headlines when you are considering new systems.  SaaS, SOA, cloud computing and workflow are all exciting things to talk about, but when it comes to successfully implementing any new technology the devil is in the data.  After recently participating in nearly a week's worth of meetings for a new WMS project I was really struck by the amount of time that the project team spent on organizing, collecting and reviewing data. Yes, data.  Not technology, not slick hardware devices, but data.  Sound boring, it is.  Sound tedious, it is.  Critical to a project like a new WMS, it is.  All too often we get hung up in the technology side of things and build tremendously detailed project plans, but my recent experience was like walking out of a building in downtown Chicago in the winter and getting hit with a really cold blast of air.  Project plans seem to focus on technology, getting the network, the servers, the database all primed and ready to go, but rarely do project teams spend enough time on carefully planning the collection, review and cleansing of data.  It was refreshing to see this project team spending the amount of time they did on careful data collection and analysis.  The downstream benefits in terms of system testing, training and ultimately system performance will all benefit from this investment in good, clean data.  I'm sure you have experienced some project in your professional career that has been severely impacted by bad data.  I'd love to hear about some of your encounters with the devil in the data. Pay attention to the data for your next project, or the devil may do it for you.

ipad and Supply Chain?

Certainly the ipad is an extremely innovative product, but how will it influence the supply chain market?  Will it influence application development?  Will users want an ipad interface?  How can an ipad help your supply chain team better collaborate with internal and external trading partners and give you a competitive edge?

Mark Cuban, entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, said in a recent msnbc contribution ( http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35161216/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/) - "You can book it right now that it will be the product that kids of this generation grow up with and look back on with affection just like we did with the first video games. Video games changed how we grew up. The iPad will change how kids today grow up."

The entire user interface experience is altering the way we live.  Google maps, web-based mobile phones, personal GPS devices, HDTV news/sports programming are all changing the way we see, search, interpret and expect complex data to be presented to us.  The next generation supply chain managers, supervisors and operational associates are growing up with an entirely new expectation of how to interact with 'systems'.

Are your supply chain applications providing the same level of visualization and granularity and drill down capability?  Let us know what you think lies around the corner for supply chain applications. How can you manage, control and collaborate better with hardware/software capabilities like that of the ipad and other recent technology developments?  The trend is a reality and it's happening faster than any of us are willing to admit.  What are your supply chain application vendors telling you?  How are they reacting to these trends, or is it "business as usual"?

We welcome your thoughts on the future of supply chain applications and user experiences...let us know what you think.

Getting Cold? Visit Arizona on November 11th

If you're traveling through Arizona or live in the area be sure to mark your calendar to attend the 3rd Annual CSCMP Arizona Supply Chain Symposium at ASU Skysong Innovation Center in Scottsdale.

Featured speakers include:

• James Kellso, Senior Supply Chain Master at Intel Corporation
• Andrew Reese, Editor - Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine

A great event featuring 15+ sponsor companies; break out sessions covering "Inside the Four Walls" and "Outside the Four Walls".

Great sessions, great speakers, great networking and the group 'guarantees' no snow that day!

For more information and to register please visit CSCMP-AZ

Proceeds will be used to support our scholarship fund for Supply Chain students at Thunderbird School of Global Management and Arizona State University.

SOA...Where can I buy one?

If it was only that easy! How is it that we went from a world a few years ago where virtually no software vendors spoke of SOA (Service Oriented Architecture), to a world where nearly every software vendor out there hypes an SOA message today?  Is it buzzword compliance at work?  Did everyone finally catch the latest software marketing wave and decide to ride it?  Did they fear getting left behind?  If only there was a CARFAX ® for software.

 

Let’s face it; most applications marketed today have been around for some time since they were originally written.  Like a pre-owned car, no matter how good it looks on the outside, you need to look carefully under the hood.  Sure a new paint job, or new stereo make the car look better, just like many software enhancements.  But has the underlying frame (architecture) really been re-built with today’s standards in mind?  Wouldn’t it be great to buy a CARFAX ® - like report for a software application and know its complete history?  How many owners it has had?  What the service records have to say about it?  Who the original owners were and why they sold it?  Is this the last year for this model before a new, re-styled, re-engineered model is announced next year?

 

SOA is an approach, an architecture; it is not something you buy in a box.  As with a car purchase, when you are looking to purchase software that “is SOA” - make sure you look under the hood, do your homework, take it for a

test drive.  Have your technicians really dig into the engine and transmission.

 

There are tremendous benefits to be realized with SOA, make no doubt about that.  Arming your team with some research on SOA is a great way to start.  David Linthicum ( http://davidlinthicum.sys-con.com) writes an excellent blog on SOA and has some terrific advice and lessons learned on all aspects of SOA.  Check out his blog regarding SOA myths - http://www.infoworld.com/d/architecture/4-soa-myths-busted-715.  There are a lot of great supply chain applications out there, and many of the newer ones are truly SOA – that’s the good news.  When buying applications with SOA in mind, remind yourself to really look under the hood and ask the tough questions - you'll be glad you did in the long run.

 

What is your experience regarding SOA hype versus the reality of SOA?  Have you realized your SOA objectives?  Did you achieve your ROI?  I’d love get your feedback and experience on SOA.  Feel free to comment on this blog or send me an email at steve.simmerman@nextviewsoftware.com.

Omaha and technology?

Solid foundations required as a basis for the future

Omaha, Nebraska?  Technology?  Supply Chain? This seems like an odd mix when you first consider it.  However, on a recent trip through Omaha I was struck by the images and patterns of development in that city and how they can be applied to many of the projects that we face in supply chain, particularly technology-based projects. Omaha is the 40th largest city in the US and is the headquarters of several Fortune 500 firms including ConAgra Foods, Berkshire Hathaway, Mutual of Omaha Companies, Union Pacific Corporation and Peter Kiewit and Sons, Inc.  Omaha is a city with a long and interesting history.  Many of you sports fans, particularly baseball fans, may know Omaha as the home of the NCAA Collegiate Men's Baseball World Series.  In fact, Omaha has been hosting this event since 1950.  This brings me to the parallel to technology-based projects in our supply-chain centric lives.

We are constantly bombarded with SaaS, cloud computing, SOA, Web 2.0, even Supply Chain 2.0 stories and development announcements every day.  I don't think many of us have totally comprehended or even begun to adapt Web 2.0 into our daily lives or our businesses and Web 3.0 is already buzzing in the background.  All these developments promise to take our supply chain initiatives to the next level.  While this may be true, it's important to keep in mind where we have been and how we can leverage that experience going forward - just like Omaha did.

We have seen countless examples of where technology is viewed as the panacea.  But without a solid plan and foundation for the implementation of these technology breakthroughs it may all be for naught.  Back to Omaha.  Some wonderful developments have occurred over the past few years.  The development and expansion of the Qwest Center Omaha along a beautiful riverfront setting is one example.  The center is a very eye-catching building set along the Missouri river, leveraging a very unique facet of Omaha's landscape.  Another development currently underway is the construction of the new College World Series stadium.  In 2008 , the NCAA and the local non-profit organization that runs the College World Series agreed to keep the tournament in Omaha for the next 25 years through 2035.  A  testament to past success with the tournament, as well as a huge economic win for Omaha.  How many of us have ever experienced contract extensions that involve 25 year commitments?

The new stadium is well underway.  While today it is basically a rough construction site, with a large hole in the earth and some steel structure starting to go up. The future for this new venue looks very promising.  I sense this because I saw the construction site from the new hotel I stayed at which happens to be directly across the street from the new stadium.  Mine was not the only new hotel in the area.  In fact, the next morning I noticed several new hotels already operating in the area. 

The stadium is strategically placed to leverage the existing downtown area, the marketplace, the parking facilities already in place for the Qwest Center and more.  The scene surrounding this new stadium really impressed me.  How many times have we seen projects that race to get to the finish line, but never take the time to make sure the basic foundations are in place?  How many times do we race to embrace and deploy technology without taking the time to ensure that the underlying processes have been evaluated, that the people involved have been educated and trained, that the existing infrastructure is leveraged properly or that we have taken the time to improve the existing infrastructure to ensure our long-term success with technology-based projects?

Perhaps we all need to learn lessons from my visit to Omaha.  Before your build your next state-of-the art stadium that will be used for 25 years, make sure the hotels, the parking, the roads and the supporting infrastructure are in place first.  There are no short cuts in life.  Careful planning and building a solid foundation is vital to the long-term success of any technology-based project.  Next time you start an important technology-based project for your supply chain ask your project team - "How can we learn from Omaha?"  I'm sure you'll get some very puzzling looks, yet I'm sure you'll discover some key paths forward toward the success of your new stadium.