For Vendor Strategy Professionals

What Vendor Strategists Need To Know About Lean — The Hot Topic For CIOs Right Now

by Thomas Mendel, Ph.D., Alexander Peters, Ph.D., October 29, 2009

As smart executives delve into the core of Lean Thinking, the role of technology in Lean-based performance improvements becomes abundantly clear. Senior executives expect their chief information officers (CIOs) to drive improvements in the effectiveness . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Lean: The New Business Technology Imperative

Lean Thinking Is Central To The Shift From IT To BT

by Connie Moore, Clay Richardson, John R. Rymer, Ted Schadler, Dave West, September 29, 2009

Everyone wants to be lean these days, whether when stepping off a scale in the morning or reviewing the cost of running a successful business. But just how do you define "Lean" — especially in the context of business and technology? Do you think of Lean . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Manufacturing Intelligence Tools Help Deliver Lean Software

A No-Frills Approach To Plant Visibility Brings Fast Results

by Roy C. Wildeman, March 12, 2009

Today's IT environments in manufacturing organizations are characterized by disparate, siloed applications segmented by different data models and jury-rigged integration constructs — a reality that makes maintenance as well as future application development . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

People-Centric Applications Support Lean

CDC Factory Focuses On The Critical Process Owners — That Is, The Operators

by Roy C. Wildeman, September 27, 2007

Lean manufacturing programs encounter all kinds of roadblocks, including operators who are frustrated and disengaged from the information systems. Designing for people — a principle demonstrated by CDC Factory's operations execution system — helps reinforce . . .

Voice Of The Customer: Five Levels Of Insight

by Bruce D. Temkin, December 1, 2006

Our research uncovered five levels of voice of the customer activities: relationship tracking, interaction monitoring, continuous listening, project infusion, and periodic immersion. Companies should create formalized programs that address these different . . .

Casewise Turns BP Modeling Into Flexible Metadata Management

The Forrester Wave™ Vendor Summary, Q3 2006

by Henry Peyret, Colin Teubner, Daniel Krauss, September 29, 2006

Casewise is a Strong Performer in the BP modeling tools market, shining particularly with life-cycle management capabilities and the support of multiple templates. But the lack of design usability and an older product architecture prevent Casewise from . . .

iGrafx: The Business Process Modeling Tool For Manufacturing Companies

The Forrester Wave™: Vendor Summary, Q3 2006

by Henry Peyret, Colin Teubner, Daniel Krauss, September 29, 2006

With its strong simulation and life-cycle management capabilities and dedicated versions for quality improvement, iGrafx fits particularly well for manufacturing companies. The vendor's large indirect sales approach (which reaches beyond the common reseller . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Trends 2006: Master Data Management

Master Data Hubs Battle Pure-Play CDI And PIM Offerings

by R "Ray" Wang, Kyle McNabb, March 6, 2006

Enterprises have long struggled with creating, maintaining, integrating, and leveraging enterprise master data. Furthermore, poor master data management gets in the way of successfully completing CRM, ERP, SCM, and other enterprise application projects . . .

For Information & Knowledge Management Professionals

The Forrester Wave™: Human-Centric Business Process Management Suites, Q1 2006

Appian, Lombardi, Pegasystems, Savvion, And TIBCO Lead Our Lab-Based Evaluation

by Connie Moore, February 24, 2006

Many enterprises are now turning to business process management suites (BPMS) as a way to realize their strategic focus on business processes. To see how human-centric BPMS vendors stack up, Forrester evaluated 12 vendors across 215 criteria. The result? . . .

For Application Development & Program Management Professionals

Demand For Business Process Management Suites Will Accelerate Through 2009

by Ken Vollmer, Connie Moore, January 26, 2006

Business process management suites' (BPMS) license, services, and maintenance revenue from software vendors will grow from $1.2 billion in 2005 to more than $2.7 billion by 2009, which is more than a 21% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR), as enterprises . . .

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Supply Chain Meets Demand Chain — Enabling Adaptive Value Chain Processes

by Tom Harwick, November 6, 2002

Enterprises should strive to implement solutions that will tie together functional silos and provide competitive advantage. They should focus on integrated business processes tied to corporate business objectives, not on software categories.

For Business Process & Applications Professionals

Bite-Sized SCM Projects

by Jennifer Chew, Laurie M. Orlov, Christine Ferrusi Ross, Marli Porth, March 18, 2002

Users complain that traditional SCM app implementations take too long and cost too much. A better alternative is to roll out small-scope projects - with quick ROI - that fund firms' next initiatives.