We spent last week in Denver, CO, the home of JD Edwards to attend the three-day INFOCUS conference. INFOCUS is for end users of JD Edwards (those that use the products on a daily basis) who are looking for focused education and networking opportunities. With 1,000 attendees, there was an interesting mix of backgrounds and skillsets that made for some productive conversations.
The Quest community has built a robust program and promises to reinvigorate the year-round User Group meet-ups. INFOCUS dives into new product knowledge, while complementing what we learned at COLLABORATE.
JD Edwards takes leadership position in ERP Value Matrix for 2015
Once again, Oracle JD Edwards maintains its position as leader in the Matrix based on investments in usability and functionality, a broad portfolio of mobile applications, industry enhancements, In-Memory Planning and Rental Management. JD Edwards is also teaming up with customers and partners to apply IoT (Internet of Things) technologies, which increase the volume and currency of data to drive better decision-making. Learn more about why JD Edwards continues to be a leader in the ERP space by visiting the Nucleus report or our previous blog post on recent JD Edwards developments.
Oracle continues to invest in JD Edwards by adopting Internet of things technologies that increase the volume and currency of data to drive better, faster decision-making. The JD Edwards IoT platform provides a framework that allows for rapid deployment of sensor-to-server connections.
Organizations across the world have been solving problems in the machine-to-machine (M2M) space for years. Collecting data from machines enables enterprises to integrate this information into their business processes to make better decisions, reduce costs and create new revenue streams. We are seeing an increase in M2M deployment across enterprises as the innovative and feature-rich JD Edwards Internet of Things platform eases organizational change. Specific business challenges to be solved with an M2M solution include locating machines, monitoring equipment operating conditions, ongoing predictive maintenance, reducing manual interference and streamlining order management (CPQ).
The JD Edwards EnterpriseOne IoT Orchestrator enables customers to collect, filter, analyze, and act on real-time data as it is transmitted through devices. Learn more here.
JD Edwards Labs has been up to some truly remarkable things. As concerns around construction and worksite safety arise, wearable RFID solutions such as smart hardhats and vests have been developed to bridge time and distance constraints imposed by working at remote worksites. By capturing data in real-time, we are better able to analyze work environments and make faster, smarter decisions.
“It’s a really purposeful wearable device,” says Gurbinder Bali, director of JD Edwards EnterpriseOne development at Oracle. It’s also a natural fit for Oracle’s many JD Edwards customers in the construction and oil industries. The Labs team is keeping an eye on smart hard hat development, with a view to possible integration between the devices and JD Edwards EnterpriseOne solutions.
Download The Case for Wearables in Construction here.
Watch this demo on how JD Edwards and IoT can be combined to improve the Asset Maintenance process through sensors, mobile, and other innovative technologies.
WhiteLight Group project manager Rob Myres presented Managing Blended Teams in a Matrix Environment. Blended teams (consultant resources working side-by-side with client resources) are common in software design and implementation projects. However, when the client resources are assigned to the IT project in a matrix hierarchy, it presents a challenge in managing the project team and maximizing organizational efficiency.
Attendees had the opportunity to examine a WhiteLight Group case study in a recently implemented JD Edwards project from both the client perspective and from the consultant partner perspective. Myres focused on strategy, tactics, results and lessons learned. The discussion was applicable towards project and program managers, and all key stakeholders for current and future implementation initiatives.
We were impressed by how engaged the audience was! Questions revolved around a common theme– “How do you work with managers and stakeholders who don’t want to listen to reason?”
Rob Myres’ tips for effectively managing a blended team in a matrix environment:
- Allocate sufficient time for managing the people on the project (don’t stay buried in your computer)
- Urge complete transparency within project team (we’re all in this together)
- Get the right team and deal with non-performers or re-assignments quickly and decisively
- Proactively collaborate with client managers who have authority over project team members’ time
- Work to ensure that client management respects and appreciates the value-add from the client project team members and rewards their efforts
- Train vendor consultants on the intricacies of working with blended teams
- Be flexible and adapt to changes quickly
While we were at INFOCUS, the annual JD Edwards Special Issue of Oracle Profit Magazine was released! The issue features
- Cover story on how a hybrid architecture helps Laser Technology move at the speed of customer demand
- Interview with Lyle Ekdahl on helping customers become more agile and innovative
- How JDE101 is grooming the next generation of JDE talent
- Explore case studies and growth opportunities
If you were not able to snag a copy, fill out this form and we’ll send you a hard copy. You may also view the online version here (must login to view full version).
Visit the growing JD Edwards learning resource center for videos, white papers and tons of other useful content at www.learnjde.com. Great for both new and seasoned end users.
As always, INFOCUS was a great opportunity to learn about what JD Edwards is up to, network with others in the industry and catch up with friends. If you have any questions regarding the announcements made at INFOCUS, we would be happy to discuss them with you. Contact us here and we will be in touch shortly.
The next major Oracle JD Edwards event is OpenWorld, taking place at the Moscone Center in San Fransisco, California October 25-29, 2015.