As a long time service provider in the EDI and EAI (business and data integration) arena, we have experienced the integration toolset and terminology evolution. Those that have been in the business and data integration world for the last 10 to 15 years know today’s world is similar to that of the past, yet in many other ways today is very different.
Organizations (hubs) implementing EDI in the 1980s and 1990s did it for differential advantage and to gain efficiencies. Others (spokes) implemented it because it was a condition of doing business with large organizations. The tools used by both were single purpose software packages capable of taking business system data and standard format transactional data (X12 or EDIFACT) and mapping from one layout to the other. No conditional processing, table lookups, extended rule features, etc. existed at that time, and only appeared as EDI mapping utilities matured over the years. Even communication software to send/receive data files were separate from the translator. Any complex massaging of data had to be done in pre or post translation routines which were developed outside the translator.
About the same time, ERP packages became popular offering a buy versus build opportunity. The advantages were the theoretic ease of implementation, common business processes, and maintenance of these systems over home grown ones. Early ERP packages were not the mature ones of today. They did not cover all functional areas of an organization or in many instances some modules were clearly more robust than others. This led many to utilize middleware tools that served to connect ERP systems to legacy ones and one ERP module to another where a best of breed strategy was employed. Middleware (later Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) software) had early extract, transfer, and load (ETL) and messaging capabilities which allowed data and transactions to be shuttled between one software module and another. The result was internally integrated systems.
These tools, and the associates that used them, were often found in different parts of the IT organization with EDI originating in the communications / data exchange area and EAI originating in the ERP area. They had separate “ownership” and supported different areas of the business. At the time no one realized that that purpose of the tools, and the processes associates used to perform integration with them, were actually quite similar. At the end of the day EDI and EAI integration was about systems analysis, gap analysis, data mapping, testing, and implementation. The associate skills to perform these integrations were overlapping.
Leading vendors, as well as IT organizations, have realized this dynamic and each have been merging tool set functionality and integration team members for some years now. Some EDI vendors have added business process modeling, complex extended rules processing, file transfer options, communications, one to many / many to one mapping, exception processing, and more to their products. Leading EAI vendors have added standards libraries, standards compliance checking, communications, file transfer options, and more to their products.
The result of this convergence of functionality in EDI and EAI tools has been the development of a new class of products. This class of products is complex, yet extremely powerful in its integration capabilities. They allow for application-2-application integration between any systems, and allow for proprietary and standard integration between business partners from a business-2-business perspective.
As we have observed this evolution, REMEDI has also participated in it. Over the years we have participated in EAI projects using EDI tools. And we have also participated on EDI projects with EAI tools. We have seen the functionality gaps in both directions and are pleased to work with an Integration Suite class of product where clients have them as part of their integration infrastructure, or are making plans for such an implementation.
While this class of product is clearly not for everyone, it is right if you seek to combine your EDI and EAI environments into a business integration team and provide them a great platform for integration.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Resumes - Making The Grade
So you have an opening in your EDI group to fill, and the resume’s are beginning to arrive. What now? Here are a few tips to help make the initial phase of resume' reviewing an easier process.
Initially you should really spend only enough time looking at each candidate to determine if enough evidence exists on the resume to warrant going forward. The easiest way to do this is to put that collection of resume’s thru a sorting process similar to the triage system used behind battle lines to treat the wounded.
Quickly sort your resume’s into categories A, B, and C.
Category C -Cannot meet the daily requirements of the position.
Category B – May be able to meet the daily requirements of the position.
Category A – Able to meet the daily requirements of the position.
Within these three triage areas, category B resume’s clearly require some time and effort to work through. However, asking a few questions about a resume’ can mean the difference between landing the best candidate, instead of only the most obvious on paper.
Here are some suggestions to help you objectively consider who should move from the “B” list to the ranks of the “A” list candidates.
Core Skills- In the initial round of resume reviews, limit your selection criteria for candidates to those who meet what you have determined to be your 3 most important job requirements. All those “nice to have” skills are just that. Nice to have. But don’t limit your options this early in the process by being too granular. Focus your sorting around your Top 3 “must have” skills.
Results– Does the candidate present you with accomplishments or merely a list of skills? If you are hiring candidates fairly early in their career and are willing to invest in training, a skill list could be enough information to warrant a conversation. However, mid-level and higher professionals should be developing their “business awareness” and able to easily quantify their accomplishments in a way that demonstrates how their previous employer became the benefactor of their labor.
Logic - As quickly as technology changes you may be better served by candidates with the ability to quickly apply logic to a problem or task, as opposed to a candidate who merely relies on a grasp of specific syntax and tools. While this topic is sometimes better explored during the interview, a resume that demonstrates successful patterns of stepping into new environments and using solid logical skills to accomplish a purpose is worth another look.
Ranking - As you review each resume', rank it on a scale of 1 (low) to 7 (high) based on how well the individual meets your top 3 job requirements, demonstrates evidence of good logical skills, and quantifies their accomplishments. Now, based on the number of resumes you have, you can decide how low on your ranking scale you’ll go in order to choose who moves on from a being B player to the “A” list.
Initially you should really spend only enough time looking at each candidate to determine if enough evidence exists on the resume to warrant going forward. The easiest way to do this is to put that collection of resume’s thru a sorting process similar to the triage system used behind battle lines to treat the wounded.
Quickly sort your resume’s into categories A, B, and C.
Category C -Cannot meet the daily requirements of the position.
Category B – May be able to meet the daily requirements of the position.
Category A – Able to meet the daily requirements of the position.
Within these three triage areas, category B resume’s clearly require some time and effort to work through. However, asking a few questions about a resume’ can mean the difference between landing the best candidate, instead of only the most obvious on paper.
Here are some suggestions to help you objectively consider who should move from the “B” list to the ranks of the “A” list candidates.
Core Skills- In the initial round of resume reviews, limit your selection criteria for candidates to those who meet what you have determined to be your 3 most important job requirements. All those “nice to have” skills are just that. Nice to have. But don’t limit your options this early in the process by being too granular. Focus your sorting around your Top 3 “must have” skills.
Results– Does the candidate present you with accomplishments or merely a list of skills? If you are hiring candidates fairly early in their career and are willing to invest in training, a skill list could be enough information to warrant a conversation. However, mid-level and higher professionals should be developing their “business awareness” and able to easily quantify their accomplishments in a way that demonstrates how their previous employer became the benefactor of their labor.
Logic - As quickly as technology changes you may be better served by candidates with the ability to quickly apply logic to a problem or task, as opposed to a candidate who merely relies on a grasp of specific syntax and tools. While this topic is sometimes better explored during the interview, a resume that demonstrates successful patterns of stepping into new environments and using solid logical skills to accomplish a purpose is worth another look.
Ranking - As you review each resume', rank it on a scale of 1 (low) to 7 (high) based on how well the individual meets your top 3 job requirements, demonstrates evidence of good logical skills, and quantifies their accomplishments. Now, based on the number of resumes you have, you can decide how low on your ranking scale you’ll go in order to choose who moves on from a being B player to the “A” list.
Charley Hughes has successfully placed hundreds of job-seekers into career-advancing positions during his eleven years as an Information Technology recruiter, and now works exclusively with EDI, EAI, and eCommerce professionals across the United States. Charley makes his home in Ohio with his wife of 22 years and their two teenage sons.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Managed Services for EDI - Opportunities and Efficiencies
Is your organization being impacted by the challenges of the current economy? Are you being asked to make difficult decisions within your EDI department regarding budgets, projects, consultants, and employees? Are you expected to do more with less?
These are challenges clients need to deal with all the time, and as of late, increasingly more often. In conversations with prospects since the economy has tanked, a service that has received more interest than in the past is Managed Services.
Managed Services has been offered here for the past 15 years. In 2008, 20% of our clients utilized our Managed Services to help control and lower costs / risks while engaging expert EDI resources to maintain their EDI environments.
A Managed Services approach allows clients to maintain control of their strategic EDI infrastructure by keeping it in-house and lets clients have a services provider maintain the EDI infrastructure and EDI integrations, as well as lead trading partner communication / coordination.
Managed Services are attractive to those looking to have flexible and nimble staff in difficult economic times, or in times of rapid organizational growth. Of course it provides benefits in terms of budget management and staff redundancy. Managed Services also provides opportunities for EDI departments to be more efficient through the best practice utilization of EDI, optimization of your integration software, and further implementation of integration, collaboration, and automation solutions.
Depending on your challenges, maybe Managed Services are right for you…
These are challenges clients need to deal with all the time, and as of late, increasingly more often. In conversations with prospects since the economy has tanked, a service that has received more interest than in the past is Managed Services.
Managed Services has been offered here for the past 15 years. In 2008, 20% of our clients utilized our Managed Services to help control and lower costs / risks while engaging expert EDI resources to maintain their EDI environments.
A Managed Services approach allows clients to maintain control of their strategic EDI infrastructure by keeping it in-house and lets clients have a services provider maintain the EDI infrastructure and EDI integrations, as well as lead trading partner communication / coordination.
Managed Services are attractive to those looking to have flexible and nimble staff in difficult economic times, or in times of rapid organizational growth. Of course it provides benefits in terms of budget management and staff redundancy. Managed Services also provides opportunities for EDI departments to be more efficient through the best practice utilization of EDI, optimization of your integration software, and further implementation of integration, collaboration, and automation solutions.
Depending on your challenges, maybe Managed Services are right for you…
Thursday, May 7, 2009
U Connect 09 - REMEDI Electronic Commerce Group
For those attending the U Connect 09 conference in Orlando, the event is just around the corner. We are excited to be attending and exhibiting another year at the conference. Our goal in these economic times, like that of the conference, is to help clients integrate more effectively up and down the supply chain by utilizing new and existing solutions to save costs and increase efficiencies. While these objectives exist under any economic circumstances, they are especially necessary in these times.
We welcome the opportunity to meet with you at U Connect 09.
Come see us in Orlando June 2, 3, 4, at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort & Convention Center, booth #206.
We welcome the opportunity to meet with you at U Connect 09.
Come see us in Orlando June 2, 3, 4, at the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort & Convention Center, booth #206.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Tips For A Better Resume
Today’s job seekers are spending more time preparing their resume than ever before. So the important task of standing out from the rest of the crowd will require some effort.
Here are some tips to make your resume makeover easy and effective.
Length – Trying to edit 15 or 20 years of experience down to a single page summary is the first mistake a lot of people make. A good rule of thumb for EDI professionals is to use about one page for every 6 to 7 years of experience.
Here are some tips to make your resume makeover easy and effective.
Length – Trying to edit 15 or 20 years of experience down to a single page summary is the first mistake a lot of people make. A good rule of thumb for EDI professionals is to use about one page for every 6 to 7 years of experience.
Bullets or Paragraphs – If you are in a technical role, or directly managing a small group of technical professionals, then bullet points tend to be the most effective way to summarize your accomplishments. A narrative style is better suited for purely functional or senior management roles.
Summary Statement or Objective Statement? - Short answer – doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you tell every potential employer what you bring to the table and how you want to benefit their organization. If your Summary or Objective statement doesn’t accomplish those two things, it’s time for an edit.
Metrics – When I scan over a resume (did you notice the word scan versus “read”?) the first thing I’m looking for is numbers. The greatest sin among most resume writers is a failure to provide metrics that communicate context and accomplishments.
Summary Statement or Objective Statement? - Short answer – doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you tell every potential employer what you bring to the table and how you want to benefit their organization. If your Summary or Objective statement doesn’t accomplish those two things, it’s time for an edit.
Metrics – When I scan over a resume (did you notice the word scan versus “read”?) the first thing I’m looking for is numbers. The greatest sin among most resume writers is a failure to provide metrics that communicate context and accomplishments.
- Context Metrics communicate your experience operating in large, complex environments, or smaller environments requiring you to multi-task, change gears, and wear a lot of different hats.
- Accomplishment Metrics communicate to the hiring manager your impact and performance through quantifiable results.
The Big Four – Here are four terrific areas to display your best accomplishments using metrics. Demonstrate where your work has created;
- An increase in revenue – Not everyone will have something to show here, but most who do tend to overlook it.
- An increase in efficiency - How did you improve processes, workflow, uptime, etc... Think percentages here.
- A decrease in cost – If you didn’t pay for yourself at your last company by increasing revenue, did you by decreasing costs? If so, say so.
- A decrease in risk – No doubt the hardest to quantify, but if you were responsible for any risk based initiatives, don’t keep it a secret and list only numbers that you can defend.
- Situation - Describe the situation that existed prior to your arrival, or which led to the need for your arrival
- Tasks –Explain what needed to be accomplished. You may not have performed all of the tasks required, but describing them provides context.
- Actions – What were the specific actions that you took to turn things around in order to move the company or department in the right direction?
- Result – Define the return on investment (ROI) you provided the company by your accomplishments. Remember to use metrics and avoid statements that lack a benefit to the company. Quantify the benefit of your action, not just the action itself.
Make sure to highlight your accomplishments. Avoid “we” statements. Remember, there is no “I” in team. Team talk is ok to demonstrate you are a team player but not when highlighting your own accomplishments.
Here are some other quick do’s and don’ts for resume preparation –
Do
- Spend more time and space on your most recent role and progressively less on each prior role.
- Convey your responsibilities and accomplishments in the present tense, instead of using past tense verbiage.
- List your technology skills in the order of your experience level. This most likely puts more recent and in demand skills at the top, and older technology further down the list.
- Examine your resume for any relevant but missing keywords that might be used during an online resume search by a prospective employer.
Don’t
- Avoid referring to yourself in third person form and never include a picture of any kind on your resume.
- Don’t list extraneous personal information such as height, weight, health, marital status, irrelevant hobbies, or graduation dates which are more than 10-12 years old.
- Avoid listing every technology on the planet. Too many people list older technologies that they only had exposure to in college and haven’t seen since.
- Most importantly never include anything that is false or that could be considered misleading, or difficult to support.
There is more to writing a great resume than can be listed here, but hopefully this provides a starting point to putting your best foot forward. Maybe your next employer will be glad they stopped scanning, started reading, and decided to select you for the interview.
Charley Hughes has successfully placed hundreds of job-seekers into career-advancing positions during his eleven years as an Information Technology recruiter, and now works exclusively with EDI, EAI, and eCommerce professionals across the United States. Charley makes his home in Ohio with his wife of 22 years and their two teenage sons.
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