Kenesto – A New Approach to PLM
January 16, 2012
There are numerous startup companies attempting PLM technology these days. Design News recently turned its focus on Kenesto, a new process automation system, in its report “PLM Startup Targets Efficiency.” Kenesto is not a replacement for PLM, but “a different approach for solving the process automation piece of facilitating engineering workflow.”
This cloud-based software looks a like an email system by sending and receiving attachments. However, it goes beyond the product development design chain:
“[T]he system lets participants in any department within the company or at an external supplier create and automate processes on-the-fly in a graphical way. It does not require the behind-the-scenes programming of most enterprise business process automation platforms”
The Kenesto developers are not sure how their software will fit with an established PLM, but they are contacting manufacturers to try out their beta test program.
Kenesto is not the only company focusing on efficiency. Take a look at Inforbix. Their software is a collection of integrated applications that help you find, re-use, and share product data. Their efficient solutions liberate the value of product data without wasting time and money. Keep an eye on the companies that take PLM to the next step. Innovation and efficiency go hand-in-hand.
Jennifer Wensink, January 16, 2012
Bilingual Search for the Web
January 15, 2012
With so many different languages in the world, a huge market exists for bilingual search engines. Sobotong is one of the latest search engines to enter the scene but they bring a little something extra.
It is a bilingual search engine that allows users to perform a search and get the results in two different languages at the very same time. Qiang Wang created a bilingual search engine to allow users to get more out of their search experience. Individuals interested in Spanish terminology can conduct their search and get English and Spanish results which can both be used to find the information they need.
The service is also designed to give multiple translations for phrases. A phrase in English might mean something totally different when translated into Spanish. The search engine does not offer all known languages but it has an extensive list. Many search users may not need the added benefit of two language translations but for researchers, students or just curious surfers looking for a little something extra the two fold translation system may be just what the doctor ordered.
April Holmes, January 15, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Data Management is the Foundation of Any Company
January 15, 2012
The problem with master data management (MDM) is that it is so big. In order to gain some control within a company certain organizational skills must be utilized. That seems simple enough but as the article, The 5 Pillars of Master Data Management, on TechNewsWorld, explains it isn’t being done nearly enough. The article suggests some rudimentary steps any organization should implement to begin fixing MDM problems.
Yes, everyone can agree that MDM is a big problem, especially when it’s not done right, but we’d surmise that an institution suffering from poor master data management suffers from poor data management across the board. As the author summarizes his advice,
“A single trusted view of information provides the clear insight and transparency that organizations need to have effective business processes and interactions with customers and partners. Particularly at a time when social media and new information platforms are becoming pervasive, organizations now have access to new resources offering rich customer insights. However, businesses and governments must recognize that governance has to be part of this information gold rush.”
We couldn’t have said it better. With massive amounts of new data emerging in large part from social media and mobile technology companies must address systems quickly extinct with urgency. New data management solutions must be rolled out from master data management all the way to applications and software. In this world of data which is constantly evolving staying ahead of the eight-ball is the only way to survive.
Catherine Lamsfuss, January 15, 2012
Digimind Offers Resolutions for Intelligence Managers
January 14, 2012
In honor of the new year, competitive intelligence software developer Digimind shared five tips on how to better manage your intelligence processes in the article “Top 5 New Years Resolutions for Competitive Intelligence Managers.”
According to the write-up, effective managers should focus on: developing a social media strategy, making better use of intelligence data, establishing early warning systems, managing reports, and emphasizing collaboration.
When discussing social media monitoring, the article states:
Adopting a social media engagement strategy should be a key cornerstone of your intelligence activities in 2012. Conversations which impact your corporate reputation and influential chatter about your brand or products are taking place on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. If you’re not paying attention you are missing a huge chunk of intelligence.
We think it is a good idea to understand the characteristics and freshness of the underlying data. Visualization, however, is not as important as having the right information needed to answer real life questions.
Jasmine Ashton, January 14, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Tracking New Public Domain Content
January 14, 2012
We found a Web site that takes the public domain very seriously. PublicDomainDay.org lists works as their copyrights are up and they enter the public domain. In the US and the European Union, copyright terms expire 70 years after the author does, while other countries like Canada and New Zealand wait 50 years.
The site’s about page seeks to emphasize the importance of public domain works. It quotes Professor James Boyle’s 2008 book, “The Public Domain: Enclosing the Commons of the Mind:”
Our markets, our democracy, our science, our traditions of free speech, and our art all depend more heavily on a Public Domain of freely available material than they do on the informational material that is covered by property rights. The Public Domain is not some gummy residue left behind when all the good stuff has been covered by property law. The Public Domain is the place we quarry the building blocks of our culture. It is, in fact, the majority of our culture.
And that’s my problem with the current state of patent laws. But that’s another story. The site is maintained by the European Union’s association COMMUNIA and the Center for the Study of the Public Domain at Duke Law in Durham, NC.
Cynthia Murrell, January 14, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Accounting Irregularities Corrected Through Proper Data Management
January 14, 2012
Large companies have long had trouble marrying their books to the true costs associated with production of items. This has led to a laissez-faire approach to accounting which basically allows for incorrect data as long as it passes an audit. The article, Explanation of the Topic – Manufacturing Overhead, on Accounting Coach, explains how diligence in accounting methods is more crucial than many believe.
When an item is produced many items go into determining the final price. To be able to accurately understand the true cost of an item from start to finish data from the conception of the item on through the manufacturing and all the way through sales and marketing must be factored into the equation. There are several ways that numbers can match in the end but do not portray an accurate cost to produce.
As the article explains,
“In short, the financial statements can be considered as accurate even with improper allocation to individual products, but management’s needs dictate that (1) the allocations of manufacturing overhead be truly accurate and (2) that the nonmanufacturing costs be accurately assigned to individual products and customers.”
We think that this problem can be completely eradicated by companies adopting new data management solutions that allow high-value product design and manufacturing information to be integrated, thus eliminating expensive inefficiencies in the critical design engineering stages of product design and production.
Catherine Lamsfuss, January 14, 2012
SharePoint Lags in Innovation, Development Cycle
January 13, 2012
In terms of web content management, SharePoint still lags behind despite its 2010 update. While there were notable improvements in many of the large areas of complaint: metadata management, multi-language, taxonomy, and basic web analytics to name a few, many shortcomings are still evident. Darren Guarnaccia tackles the issue for ZDNet in, “SharePoint 2010: a sheep in wolf’s clothing?”
While much of the piece is spent dissecting the major problem areas, here the author gives some grounding or basis for why SharePoint still falls behind:
Microsoft has gained some ground with this release, but it is still some way off the pace being set by the best-of-breed vendors in this market. If you believe the benefit of having a single integrated suite outweighs its various shortcomings, or if your requirements are relatively simple, then SharePoint may be a good fit. Something else to consider is the typical SharePoint development cycle of three years. While three-year product release cycles are normal for large enterprise content management projects, three years is a long time on the web. Entire new markets and trends can arise in the span of six months to a year.
Two concepts in the above statement are worth some attention. First, there is SharePoint’s position as a single integrated solution. It is worth pointing out that there are now outstanding third party solutions that work seamlessly with SharePoint, allowing the user to achieve the feel of a single solution while compensating for all of the shortcomings of SharePoint. We like the Fabasoft Mindbreeze solution and its SharePoint Connector.
Secondly, we agree that SharePoint’s long development cycle is one of its weak points. Again, referring to Fabasoft Mindbreeze, new products releases and updates are made quarterly for on-site installations and monthly for the cloud.
Continuous quality assurance and performance optimization ensure extremely short release cycles. We release a new Mindbreeze Cloud update every month.
Frequent updates (that are easy to install) ensure that usability and functionality remain high for all users. Perhaps SharePoint will start taking queues from some of its successful competitors and shorten its development cycle.
Emily Rae Aldridge, January 13, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Engineers Skeptical of Mobile Apps
January 13, 2012
The public is sold on mobile technology. They gobble up the latest tablets and download the greatest apps. But “Do Engineers Have an Appetite for Mobile Apps?” It might surprise you that CAD users are still a quite hesitant about going mobile.
Engineers are not convinced “that their day-to-day design tools can translate well to a tablet or smartphone platform.” It is up to vendors like Autodesk to change their minds. Engineers will likely use mobile apps differently than they do their traditional CAD software.
Rather than serving as a direct replacement for desktops or laptops for doing traditional CAD and modeling work, the mobile platforms are far better suited for specific tasks and workflows, and design tool apps have to follow suit.
Change is almost always met with some type of resistance. CAD users will eventually integrate mobile apps into their everyday professional life. But apps have to win their trust by becoming more reliable. Inforbix is doing just that. Their product data apps help users, like engineers and product managers, quickly and easily find, re-use, and share product data from disparate sources and file types. Inforbix’s revolutionary product data apps will quickly change the mind of any skeptical engineer.
Jennifer Wensink, January 13, 2012
American Exteriors Embraces Visual Mining NetCharts
January 13, 2012
The Information Management.com article “Visual Mining NetCharts Performance Dashboard V2.0” gives readers a look into Visual Mining NetCharts Performance Dashboard (NCPD) through the eyes of Michael C.Hurst, director of IT at American Exteriors, LLC. American Exteriors, LLC is a well -known vinyl replacement window and siding company and they currently run the NCPD on Windows Server 2008. The company was experiencing problems with the accuracy of their report data. American Exteriors wanted a tool that could provide “quick insight into KPIs and the flexibility of assessing current activities against budgets and historical trends. “ They were initially attracted to NCPD “primarily due to its cost and ease of use for the end user.” Hurst comments “A primary strength is the ability to immediately access the most relevant drivers of the business in real time via Web-based reports.” Hurst praised the company’s vendor support especially their responsiveness to customer suggestions and improvements. His one gripe is that programming script knowledge is necessary for dashboard customization. Overall American Exteriors seems to be pleased with the NCPD benefits. Looks like another satisfied customer.
April Holmes, January 13, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
BRIT Receives Upgrade
January 13, 2012
Actuate Corporation, the creator of BRIT, is already a proven leader when it comes to open source business intelligence (BI) platforms but they have garnered even more attention with the launch of BRIT Performance Analytics according to the SourceWire article “Actuate Launces BRIT Performance Analytics.” The new platform “BIRT Performance Analytics enables organizations to implement closed loop performance management by incorporating capabilities that help discover problem areas, analyses root causes and drive improvements. “ Brit Performance Analytics brings a few notable benefits including initiative management, live excel spreadsheets and improved Performance Dashboards. One of the most important additions is mobility. Users will be able to get performance information on their mobile device which is extremely important in such a mobile based world. Chief Executive and Director of Research at The Advanced Performance Institute, Bernard Marr comments” Actuate truly understands the challenges faced by organizations today and what’s needed to help them succeed in a highly competitive, complex global marketplace.” With the overwhelming success and support of the new BRIT platform it seems Actuate managed to make a good thing even better.
April Holmes, January 13, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
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