The PSC Group Newsletter

 Vol.9 No.14 - July 8, 2009

 In this issue:  

This Week's Theme

BPM and Middleware: 2009 Style

It has been about a half century since businesses first discovered the usefulness of information technology.  A lot of ground has been covered since then. We have seen just about every change possible in the way IT and businesses work together.  What has not changed, however, has been the starting point-of-view we adopted in the early days for developing and implementing IT solutions.  We have always begun the thought-process with the technology -- the computer, the network and infrastructure, and the software – and not the user.   The “build it and they will come” philosophy of changing human behavior has been in our DNA ever since. 

So, in 2009, we are now taking a new look at the whole business/IT process -- this time from the user’s point-of-view.  The idea is to make IT transparent, hide the applications and the technology, and only deliver to the user what he or she needs to complete their assigned task or initiate an activity.  Simply stated, if we
all know about the iPhone, why can't we make business applications just as easy? 

We can.  The shift in focus to the user is being made possible by the emerging collection of social and collaborative technologies -- instant messaging, social media and networks, blogs and tweets, virtual meeting spaces, and smart phones.  We can present what the user needs (and only what is needed) by bringing it “to the glass,” whether it is on a smart phone, a PDA, or a laptop.  This is the easy part.  Tying it together at the back-end to create a better business process is much harder, particularly when you “leave the building” to connect outside of the organization.  This is where BPM, the importance of the Architecture and Middleware, and the new alternative ways in which information can be created, shared, and used to help companies streamline business processes and improve customer relationships come into play.

The major vendors are on board as well.  They have responded by SOA and Web 2.0 enabling their middleware.  IBM WebSphere, Microsoft SharePoint, and Oracle Fusion Middleware when properly implemented, these products can take any business to the next level of efficiency, often in less than a year.  All of the pieces are in place.   All that needs to be done is to put them in the right order.  This is what is happening today - BPM from the user point-of-view and Middleware - 2009 style.

Thought Of the Week

Innovation and the Economy

Innovation is back.  It is always back when there is a downturn in the economy.  The pundits all say that now is the time to do new things, things that will make your rich when we come out of the recession.  Such was the discussion in a special section in a recent St. Louis Post Dispatch, only this time the advice was a little different.   According to the author, there are three kinds of innovation.  The first dealt with the present.  Think of innovative ways to reduce your costs or improve your processes.  Do it now while you have the time and you can get the resources at bargain rates.  The second is to get rid of the old stuff, the marginal activities or products.  Stop doing things that are more part of the problem than of the solution.  The third is the out-of-the-box thinking about something very new and very different.  We always come out of a recession.  Always.  This is where most new businesses come from – the down times.  Be innovative now and reap the benefits.  Just be sure you do it in all three categories.

Announcements

PSC’s First iPhone Application Available for Download - Crain’s Chicago Golf Guide

One of the areas that PSC is starting to invest in is mobile applications. Just as we do with all of our technology services, we consider mobile applications to be a strategy - and we work with multiple platforms.  We have Blackberry applications we have built for customers, but the iPhone gives us more of a public way to show what we can do. Click here for your free download.

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CAMP-IT - IT Leadership Strategies: Preparing for the Recovery - July 16, 2009

Join us as Jim Vaselopulos, Vice President, PSC Group discusses IT Project Leadership: Driving Business Strategic Projects in Challenging Times at the CAMP-IT conference on IT Leadership Strategies:Preparing for the Recovery in Rosemont, Illinois.    Click here for the details and to register. 

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IBM Lotus Notes and Domino 8.5 Upgrade Workshop - Chicago- August 24-25, 2009

Please join us as part of the Midwest Lotus Users Group Conference for a free hands-on Lab Exercises and a one or two day Proof of Technology, with materials focusing on Notes® End User, Domino® Administration, and Domino Application Development enhancements in version 8.5.  Click here to register.

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IamLUG 2009 North American Lotus User Group Conference - St. Louis - August 3-4, 2009

Please join us in St. Louis for two days of Lotus knowledge sharing.  Listen to presentations by Ed Brill, John Head and other leaders in the Lotus community.  Be sure to stop by our booth and say hello.  PSC is a Gold Sponsor.  Click here to learn more and to register.

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Midwest Lotus User Group Conference 2009 Chicago - August 27-28, 2009

Registrations are now open for two days of an intensive exchange of knowledge and fun with other members of the Lotus community.  Meet with your fellow Lotus professionals and share your experiences and best practices. Visit with the experts as they talk about the present and the future of Notes and Domino.  Learn more about how Lotus Collaboration technologies can improve your business.   Click here to learn more and to register.

PSC Group, LLC., headquartered in Schaumburg, Ill., is an information-technology and professional services consulting firm that specializes in providing its clients with innovative ways to maximize profitability, improve internal processes, and enhance their customer's overall experience . Since its founding in 1990, PSC has helped enterprises in the Services, Insurance, Manufacturing, Distribution, and Financial Services sectors that view IT as a strategic resource. PSC professionals provide their clients with access to current product information, technical support, advanced training programs, and future trends. PSC is a partner with many of the IT industry's leading firms and software providers. For more information, visit www.psclistens.com

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