process improvement

Principles of Information Technology 5 of 5

Has your organization ever experienced the agony of a software implementation -- after the previous one didn't go so well? Do you ever feel like your company is in a vicious circle of software implementation after software implementation?

The fifth principle of Business Information Technology Deployment deals directly with this issue. In this video blog, Martin Ramsay discusses how information systems must be constructed in such a way that they can grow and change, just as our organizations grow and change. Easier said than done, but an important facet of building technology that will not automatically become obsolete.



Be sure and check out Martin's previous blog entries. And be sure and sign up to receive notifications when a new video is released. Fill out the Sign Me Up! box and you'll never miss another video.

Sponsored by CEATH Company.

Principles of Information Technology 4 of 5

Have you ever felt like your data was being held hostage by your information system? You know your data is in there, but you just can't get the information system to give it to you.

In this fourth episode in a series on the five principles Business Information Technology Deployment, Martin Ramsay discusses how we get information OUT of our systems. The third principle focused on capturing data IN to the system. The fourth principle focuses on obtaining access to that data in useful ways to better support business strategies and decision-making. The idea is to turn raw data, locked away inside an information system, into information we can use.



Be sure and check out Martin's previous blog entries. And be sure and sign up to receive notifications when a new video is released. Fill out the Sign Me Up! box and you'll never miss another video.

Sponsored by CEATH Company.

Principles of Information Technology 3 of 5

Shoshana Zuboff of Harvard coined a term in the 1980s by combining "information" with "automate" to create "informate." A process is "informated" when it both accomplishes a business purpose while at the same time gathering data for the organization.

This is the third in a series of five dedicated to the five principles of Business Information Technology Deployment. The second principle is that "the Business Information Technology System should be informated so that processes require less effort than other systems, creating data that is timely and accurate." In this brief video Martin Ramsay discusses the idea of informating business processes, how to make sure that those processes are used, and some of the techniques used to accomplish that purpose. Watch this video to learn more about how you can help your organization informate processes by following the third principle of Business Information Technology Deployment.



Be sure and check out Martin's previous blog entries. And be sure and sign up to receive notifications when a new video is released. Fill out the Sign Me Up! box and you'll never miss another video.

Sponsored by CEATH Company.

Principles of Information Technology 2 of 5

When it comes to minimizing risk, redundancy is a good thing. But, in the field of Business Information Technology Deployment, redundancy is bad.

This is the second in a series of five dedicated to the five principles of Business Information Technology Deployment. The second principle is that "the Business Information Technology System must be non-redundant." In this brief video Martin Ramsay discusses why redundancy (not to be confused with a backup of an information system) is counter-productive, adding cost, decreasing accuracy, and causing many more problems. So many organizations routinely violate this principle to their detriment. Watch this video to learn more about how you can help your organization become more effective by following the second principle of Business Information Technology Deployment.



Be sure and check out Martin's previous blog entries. And be sure and sign up to receive notifications when a new video is released. Fill out the Sign Me Up! box and you'll never miss another video.

Sponsored by CEATH Company.

Unintended Consequences

"Be careful what you measure, because you may actually get it." In this video blog, Martin Ramsay counters conventional wisdom that says you should measure what you hope to accomplish.

There is truth in the idea of measuring what you expect to achieve, that you should "inspect what you expect." But sometimes the result has unintended consequence. Using a very real example from a CEATH Company manufacturing client, Martin suggests that measurements that are not extremely well thought out do not always achieve the desired goal and instead, drive organizational behavior toward something than is unintended, even counterproductive.



Be sure to use the cloud of tags to the right to find other related videos. For example, The Catfish Principle discusses being clear about your organization's purpose and Is Your Mission Your North Star? points out the role of an organization's mission in achieving its goals.

Be sure and check out Martin's previous blog entries.

Sponsored by CEATH Company.

The Factory on a Desk-Top™

Have you ever wished you had a good way to help people understand the complexities of how system work together and how they drive human behavior? Have you ever wished for a way to talk about process improvement in a tangible way? Look no further than this week's video about CEATH Company's Factory on a Desk-Top™, a simulated factory in which everyone has a role and the results can be measured.



The Factory on a Desk-Top™ is loads of fun as people work with Lego® bricks, Monopoly® money and poker chips to figure out how to improve processes.

As you watch this video, think about process in your organization and how you can dissect them for improvement.

Be sure and check out earlier blog entries from the list on the right.

Sponsored by CEATH Company.