Our people weigh in on the issues of the day.

Blue Slate’s people think a lot about the challenges facing their industries today. In the process, they often come up with completely unexpected slants on current issues, or new ways of thinking about business problems. Bluespeak is where they share those thoughts. Feel free to read and reflect.

PCI Technology Conference
October 4-7 Tucson, AZ
By Mike Farley

We met a lot of great people at the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America’s Information Technology conference in Tucson, AZ. Change was the theme that resounded throughout the conference. Everyone knows competitive pressures are driving insurers to leverage technology to lower costs and get closer to their customers (agents or insureds) while operating in a flat budget environment.

The PCI planning committee did a nice job of taking things beyond the obvious, providing sessions describing how customer and labor demographic trends will play key roles in driving the technology choices made by insurers and agents. Real time access was a recurring theme. Producers and insureds want on-demand access to policy, claims and billing info through multiple channels.

Most of the insurers delivering this level of information availability are utilizing a web services supporting a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). This methodology allows the use of existing infrastructure or best of breed components to integrate business processes and is a quick way of describing what we do when we perform legacy modernization services. It allows multiple individual systems to share data reducing iterant human intervention in the application, underwriting, policy administration, billing and claims processes. It also creates a framework that allows component replacement with minimum business disruption.

Most of the presentations confirmed what we preach to our clients during every engagement. Complete requirements documentation, effective project management and sound governance are the keys to every successful IT initiative or implementation. Common pitfalls in these endeavors include poorly documented requirements, unrealistic timelines and lack of project manager experience.

The golf club and spa gift certificate giveaways helped lure in the audience, but we put on a well attended presentation, themed around “Hurdles to Your Success” which described how we have helped our industry clients overcome data, legacy modernization, integration and automation challenges often without the need for additional capital investments. Blue Slate has already started visiting some of the people we met to explore ways we can help them overcome their challenges. If you’re interested in seeing the presentation, email me at michael.farley@blueslate.net and I’ll be happy to send it along.

Health IT Insight Summit
Monday, September 28, 2009
By Jill Burger

Some folks from the Blue Slate team just returned from the Health IT Insight Summit in Savannah, GA where we heard from leaders across the industry. Of course, pending legislation and the unnerving state of uncertainty were discussed and analyzed, but the underlying tenor of the event and the attendees was uncharacteristically optimistic. The doom and gloom we’ve grown accustomed to hearing about on the podium and in the hallways at these events wasn’t front and center. How refreshing!

Rather, we heard lots of creative thinking about not just what got the US into the expensive mess we’re in, but what could potentially get us out. And how nice to have other organizations validate what Blue Slate knows to be true. The IT challenges can be overcome; we know this because other industries have proved it out. There is software to improve scheduling, keep human resources busy, minimize equipment downtime, improve workflow and take the redundancy out of databases. There is technology to help us keep an eye on our parents, or ensure the right medicine is going to the right patient.

What’s missing (aside from the cash to fund the investments) is the motivation and discipline to change the processes and ultimately the behavior of all the key players – providers, payers, consumers – its time to admit that we all need a little kick in the butt. While it might be discouraging to think that the business process reengineering and change management techniques used in manufacturing and retail have hardly even begun to take hold across the healthcare value chain, it’s also a spectacular opportunity to apply tried and true methods to engineer change, drive desirable behaviors and change the whole game.

Considering that the financial issues are out on the table now – it’s quite evident the healthcare debate is about money and how we need to find more in order to support our current system – we can’t wait to dig in and start to figure out how to use not just technology, put processes to drive new efficiencies into the system.

Anticipating the 2009 Business Rules Forum
Friday, September 25, 2009
By Dave Read

The annual Business Rules Forum is right around the corner… starting on November 1.  For the third year Blue Slate has been invited to share our insights with the attendees.  I will have an opportunity to speak about the importance of viewing all data through the lens of  a company’s business rules.  The title of my talk is, "Business Rules in the Integration Tier: The System of Record".  It is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4 at 2pm (moved from 3:05pm).

I am excited and honored to be given another opportunity to speak at the preeminent conference for business rules.  Beyond sharing my thoughts I am looking forward to learning from the many practitioners that will be discussing their insights as well.  The variety of experts, topics and industries creates a valuable opportunity for anyone looking to begin or expand the use of rule-based approaches within his or her business.

In addition to the sessions, I highly recommend attending one or more of the “Fun Labs”.  They provide an opportunity to use the vendors’ products and get your questions answered.  The chance to explore these tools and see the entire process of creating, editing and running rules is powerful.

Read on for details about how this conference provides many great opportunities for learning about the techniques, tools and products that support effective application of rule-centric approaches.

About the Business Rules Forum Conference

  • The only conference world-wide with all the vendors under one roof at one time!
  • Special 10% Conference Discount Courtesy of Blue Slate Solutions

Use code “9SPDR” when you register

See details below

Have a look at this year’s program. Find out what the excitement is all about!

Download a copy of our new Conference Brochure featuring highlights of this year’s unparalleled event.

Or check out the information online …

2009 Schedule

2009 List of Speakers and Companies Presenting

2009 Session Abstracts and Speaker Bios

Chaired by …

Ronald G. Ross - Co-Founder & Principal, Business Rule Solutions, LLC
Executive Editor, Business Rules Journal, www.BRCommunity.com

Just released (Aug, 2009) - The newest edition of Business Rule Concepts, the industry’s seminal handbook.

3 Great Keynote Speakers at this Year’s Event …

Jim Sinur - Vice President, Gartner

Stephen D. Hendrick - Group Vice President, Application Development & Deployment Research, IDC

James Taylor - CEO of Decision Management Solutions

Besides these great keynotes, this year’s program is truly outstanding with 60+ rich, in-depth sessions to help you bring real agility to your organization. Read on!

The 2009 Program Schedule offers world-class sessions on business rules, decisioning and related technologies. Check out the schedule, speakers and abstracts!

The Fun Labs! Are Back …

Fun Labs Information

Take the vendor’s product on a 2-hour test-drive. Find out what the rules or decisioning technology can really do, and how well it might work for your organization. Use a laptop and facilitated case study provided by the vendor. Demystify the technology! Attendance at a Fun Lab! is included with your registration. Seats are strictly limited for each session to ensure the best hands-on experience for everyone. First come, first served!

Case Studies, Case Studies, Case Studies!

Major corporations and government agencies speaking this year include Freddie Mac, Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, Northern California Power Agency, State Farm, Statistics Netherlands and many more!

Learn What You Can Achieve with Business Rules and Decision Automation …

The Forum Conferences are THE place to learn about best practices, proven solutions and new innovations. We bring together companies and experts from diverse industries to share their experiences. Come to the Forum Conferences to start-up or fine-tune your company’s approach to Decision Automation and Business Rules. Find out what the most experienced practitioners in the world have to say about …

  • Business Agility
  • Smart Processes
  • Service Excellence
  • Customer Centricity
  • Analytic Competition
  • Risk Management
  • Compliance

To Register and Receive Your Discount

When you register, be sure to include the promotional code - 9SPDR - getting you 10% off registration.

What Should Business Managers Know About Information Systems?
Friday, September 25, 2009
By Dave Read

In my work I interact with many business-centric and technology-centric individuals.  In most cases I am working with teams that include subject matter experts (SME), project managers, business analysts, architects, developers, IT infrastructure administrators, quality assurance personnel and users.  Each of these roles is important, but not sufficient, to delivering a successful project.  Beyond these roles, successful projects also rely on a host of best practices including strong business sponsorship, effective scoping, and good communication.  However, one area that can influence the effectiveness of a systems-based solution is the business management’s understanding of information systems (IS).

Many business leaders have a great depth of knowledge in terms of the operation of their business.  Using Michael Porter’s Value Chain to model a business, I have found that these leaders are thoroughly versed in the details of their primary activities.  However, when providing leadership for projects involving IS, they need more.  A solid business-centric understanding of IS as a key supporting activity for their business is essential.  The question is, “what constitutes a business-centric understanding of IS?“  Here are my thoughts on that topic.

Managers need to understand: 1) the types of information systems that are available; 2) the prerequisites for effectively leveraging information systems; 3) the necessary steps to install and operate information systems; and 4) the appropriate type of user for the various information systems.  At the core of each of these is the fact that a manager must assure that the information systems being leveraged or planned are supported by an information systems strategy that is tied to the business strategy.

Information systems exist to assist in the operation of a wide range of business functions.  These systems include Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Management (ERP), Reporting and Visualization (Decision Support System-DSS, Business Analytics, Online Analytical Processing), Automated Decision Support (ADS), and Identity and Access Management (IAM) to name a few.  These systems support functions that every company deals with in some way.  A manager must understand the purpose of these systems and how they would benefit the overall organization.

Leveraging an information system has less to do with installing and integrating it than with the existing infrastructure.  Before a system can benefit the organization there must be supporting data and processes that will allow the system to function accurately and effectively.  Getting the infrastructure in order such that there are accurate master files representing customers, orders, inventory, etc. is difficult.  Creating processes that will properly leverage information systems can also be challenging.  People need to be trained, old processes need to be retired, and new processes need to be designed and proved out.

Rolling out an information system involves gaining leadership support for the new system.  A vetting process will likely ensue and knowing how to gather requirements, measure systems against those options and arrive at a decision are necessary skills for a manager.  Without an effective IS project management process, an attempt to procure and install a new system will suffer delays, unexpected expenditures and in many cases ultimately fail.  Managers need to understand that it is not the technology that will save the day; it is the people and processes that are involved in leveraging the technology that determine its level of success.

Finally, managers must understand the correct use for a given information systems.  Systems exist that serve different levels of management: 1) Operational; 2) Mid-level; and 3) Executive.

Operational management needs detailed information and in some cases can have decisions automated.  The information at this level deals with largely tactical situations.  Data concerning reorder points, machine maintenance windows, and employee task assignments are required to operate the business on a day-by-day basis.  Since many decisions are largely data driven with little external influence, they are good candidates for automation using ADS systems.

Mid-tier management deals with both tactical and strategic decisions.  Their view of information must encompass a broader set of measures, but have access to details.  Some decision at this level can be automated but in other cases involve less structured data and need to be handled by a person.  Rapid access to the aggregated data, such as produced using a DSS, is vital to managers at this level.

Executive management is concerned with the organization’s strategy and its performance to Key Performance Indicators (KPI).  These key measures allow for a rapid understanding of the company’s standing.  Executive Information Systems allow for such views to be created.

In all cases, it is the availability and quality of the underlying data that will allow for any meaningful automation or reporting to be created.  In cases where data from disparate systems are required the company may need to look at approaches such as data warehousing or Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) tools that allow for the exchange of information between heterogeneous systems.

With an understanding of the business aspects of IS, the business’ leadership will be in a position to effectively champion and manage technology-related projects.  IS is not something to be left to the technology team.  It is a key component of successful companies.  Being a business manager who is well versed in IS and who bridges between business and technology will assure that the company’s strategy is properly communicated and mirrored in its information technology implementations.

Can Presentation Software Serve A Useful Purpose?
Friday, September 25, 2009
By Dave Read

For years I have struggled with the value of presentation software like Microsoft’s PowerPoint, OpenOffice’s Impress or AppleWorks, generically called presentationware.  Most presentations I see use presentationware to display the outline or script for the presenter.  I am certainly guilty of doing the same.  The slides being displayed don’t add any value.  Worse, when the presenter starts reading or reciting what is on the slide it makes the whole experience painful.  Is there a value offered through the use of this software during a live presentation?

Exploring this question, I just finished Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds, a gift from my sister (thank you Beth!), and I have a fresh outlook regarding the use of presentationware.  Instead of viewing its role as a visual sort of “Cliff’s Notes” or outline version of my words, Garr suggests that it should augment my oration.

The core issue revolves around the value of the presenter and his or her participation in the process.  If the slides contain a significant amount of what the speaker intends to say, what value does the speaker add?  It is clearly less value if he or she is reading the slides or adding a small amount of information beyond the written content.  Also, the presenter’s value is further reduced if the audience is distracted reading a lot of text from the slide.  The audience members are forced to split their attention between reading and listening.

A presentation full of text also limits the ability of the presenter to adjust the message to the audience.  The presenter has laid out the script for a program and that is what the participants will expect to hear.  Removing this detail from the slide grants the presenter flexibility and it forces the audience to listen.  The requirement for the attendees to listen is a key concept to effective use of presentationware.

Without the script sitting in front of them on the slides, people must pay attention to what is being said.  They cannot read ahead, convincing themselves that they understand what is about to be stated.  Rather, the slide gives a broad suggestion of what is being discussed and the speaker is required to actually supply the meaning.  The book makes the point very well, stating that the slides should not have much meaning to people without the presenter explaining them.

The book discussions the age-old question regarding the appropriate number of slides for a presentation.  I always use a lot of slides, going through more than one-per-minute in some cases.  Some people have cautioned me that you should stay on a slide for at least two minutes.  I’ve never understood this perceived requirement.

Garr suggests that there is no hard-and-fast rule for the correct number of slides used during a presentation.  It may be that sitting on a single slide for too long could lead to an impression of the presentation dragging.  I believe such a perception has more to do with the style of the presenter than slide count.  It would seem that the number of slides is really presenter and topic specific and cannot be expressed as a general rule.

The book also delves into the graphic design of the sides.  Samples from a variety of presentations are included to help the reader get a feel for options and effects.  Approaches for thinking about how to combine images and text are given as well.

I was amazed at the breadth of coverage in this relatively short book.  It is also very easy to read, written in a lighthearted style.  I read the book from cover to cover within a few hours and then re-read it while taking notes of key points I want to be sure I apply.

At the end of this post I’ve included a couple of images.  They are the “slide sorter” views from two presentations.  The first is indicative of the slides I have typically created.  The second is from a brief presentation I gave shortly after reading Presentation Zen.  Although I am not a graphical designer, I think you’ll see that the styles are very different.

I am looking forward to employing this new-found insight into the effective use of presentationware.  Hopefully those attending my presentations will appreciate the change as well.

Why Do So Many Information Systems Implementations Fail and What Can Be Done to Improve Our Success Rate?
Friday, September 25, 2009
By Dave Read

Information Systems (IS) implementations normally fail due to a lack of ownership, planning and execution by the organization.  The software and hardware tend to do what they are supposed to do.  Their features and limitations are typically known, at least if we take the time to investigate.  However, it is the organizational issues among and between business units and teams that actually require most of the effort when running an IS project.

The root causes of IS project failures include weak scoping, lack of executive management ownership, poor project management, lack of scope controls, improper infrastructure and inappropriate technology choices.

Weak scope leads to a project whose requirements are too broad to be met by any single system.  Similarly the team will be too broad with differing opinions as to the ultimate purpose of the project and therefore application.  After all, if the team members are each interpreting the goal(s) of the project in different ways it will be difficult, and time consuming, to arrive at consensus on each aspect of the project.

Lack of executive management ownership leaves the project team without an effective sponsor.  Having such a sponsor helps mitigate the various issues that will arise as the project team seeks to design and implement a new system.  Maintaining focus on the business goals of the system along with championing the system and breaking down barriers between groups are major functions for the executive owner.

Project management is key to delivering on any sort of solution, technology or otherwise.  Knowing the team roles, responsibilities, timelines and dependencies allows for issues to be identified proactively and resolved in a timely manner.  Exit strategies must be defined that rely on understanding the current project risks.  Without effective project management the actual status of the project remains hidden.

Once an IS implementation is started its scope may be altered.  This may be due to changes in business strategy, organizational construct or external influences (e.g. legal or competitive changes).  The risk to the IS project is that such changes may require additional effort (time, resources) ultimately reflected as some cost.  Without a formal process, such as a change control board, these alterations in scope can repeatedly delay a project and add significant cost, negating any prior understanding of ROI.

The IT infrastructure must be appropriate for the IS implementation.  Requirements for access to data in specific formats or of a known quality may or may not be met by the current technology.  The ability to leverage certain standards required by the new system, for instance LDAP for authentication, must be understood before beginning the project.  It could be that implementing a new system may require changes to aspects of the organizations’ IT infrastructure.

Finally, businesses may choose the wrong technology for their situation.  These choices may lead to the “square peg in a round hole” syndrome where the implementation team tries to implement the tool to meet the business need even though the product is not appropriate for the task.  Careful alignment of business strategy and IT strategy along with conscientious investigation of product capabilities compared to business requirements will mitigate this risk.  An exit strategy is also necessary to prevent mistakes in product choices from undermining the project’s success.

Mitigating these risks means addressing each one through people and processes.  By assuring that the project’s scope is well defined we can assign an appropriate team and have a clear objective to meet.  Having a strong executive sponsor who is actively involved in the project, through recurrent status updates and meetings, will mitigate roadblocks from other parts of the organization.  Following a standard project management process, led by an effective project manager, will assure that resources (human and other) are available as needed and that risks are quickly identified and escalated.

The creation of a change control board that is responsible for understanding scope changes and weighing them against project costs will reduce the risk of the project becoming mired in a constant state of change.  Having IT and business management actively involved in the project will likewise assure that the business vision for the system and the IT infrastructure support are in line with the system’s needs.  Finally, by following a process where the system requirements are compared to the candidate solutions and evaluated by both business and IT, we can minimize the likelihood of choosing inappropriate technologies to meet a given need.

Large information systems projects do not have to fail as often as they do.  The challenge to the leadership of business and information technology is to realize that the majority of the risk in such projects is related to our processes, communication and planning – all human-centric aspects.  Focusing significant effort in these areas will dramatically increase the probability of success for our large enterprise IS projects.