|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On December 29th, hodgsonConsulting settled into its new space at 10401 Connecticut Ave. Our new office is literally just around the corner from our old one, but gives us a lot more space and a more accessible location for our clients. When we moved into our old office five years ago, we had five people on staff, and when we left we had 20. Believe me, a lot more space is a beautiful thing.
In addition to the tailor-made space, we now have a conference room that the whole staff can fit in, plenty of storage, a lunch room, and a really cool big red wall. While the rest of the décor is coming along, those of you who visited our old office might be happy to know my vintage WWII propaganda posters made the move.
While I'd love to say everything about the move went smoothly, what should have taken two days took five, and while we deliberately planned the move at a slow time for our clients, I know we had more downtime than we anticipated. I apologize for any inconvenience that occurred. We had back up and contingency plans, we just didn't have back up plans for our back up plans-if we move again, we'll know to add those to the planning process.
Watch your (e)mail boxes for details on an Open House. We want to let the dust settle a bit and finish unpacking the boxes before we have an official welcome. Until then, please note our new contact information below, and if you're in the neighborhood, please stop by.
hodgsonConsulting
10401 Connecticut Ave,
Suite 103
Kensington, MD 20895
TEL: 301.942.7040
FAX: 301.942.7034
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
McKinsey just released the results of its third annual survey on information technology strategy focusing on how C-level executives plan to use IT as a tool to build competitive advantage. The survey reached respondents in October after executives had a chance to absorb the implications of the credit crisis and the declining economy, so it should provide a fairly clear picture of what IT spending priorities will be in the coming year.
The biggest pressure execs feel is to continue to deliver on existing IT projects and services at a time when spending is expected to fall. So, departments are making trade-offs and reducing IT operating expenses so that high-priority investments that support broad business goals can be made.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents say their organizations are at risk of customers defecting if they don't meet customer's expectations for better products or differentiated services. Web apps such as Facebook are changing people's expectations for ease of use and information availability and the iPhone has raised the bar for user interfaces and accessible features.
Currently it seems there's a big gulf between a company's current IT priorities and what IT could contribute to the bottom line. Senior execs would like to see IT focusing on growth opportunities such as new products and services and on improving the effectiveness and performance of business processes. While executives view their IT department as largely effective in the delivery of basic services, they are struggling with how to get IT to go further. The IT execs tend to agree, and site difficulties and lack of effectiveness they feel partnering with business units to deliver high impact services.
On the budget front, operating costs seem likely to remain the same or decrease. Only 23 percent of executives expect to increase their operating costs in 2009, while 43 percent expect to reduce them. What's interesting is that investment in new IT is slated to increase-more than 40 percent of executives expect to increase new IT investments in 2009, and an additional 17 percent are planning to hold investments steady.
So, if you want to keep up with (or even stay a little ahead of) the Joneses of the IT world in the next year: keep your operating expenses as contained as possible; focus on those projects likely to deliver value and differentiated services to clients; and most importantly, get your IT and your business leaders working together on the execution of IT projects so that you can derive as much value as possible from your investment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), recently engaged hodgsonConsulting to create a redesigned site that would allow them greater flexibility in content management, while integrating seamlessly with their existing IMIS database.
To help ACTE achieve their business goals, Hodgson created a new look and feel for the site and developed the revised site in Ektron CMS400.NET, which allows ACTE content management capabilities and access to Web 2.0 functionality. To ensure the site meets ACTE's business objectives, Hodgson also performed the following:
- Integration of the site and Ektron with ACTE's existing IMIS database, including creating of a single sign-on /unified login capability.
- Implementation of search functionality, tracking of user metrics and behavior, and implementation of SEO best practices.
- Creation of an online donation shopping cart.
- Migration of over 2500 content elements and files to the new site.
- Creation of a web service that allows updating of newsletter information.
- Implementation of Ektron's calendar module to allow ACTE to create and manage an unlimited number of event calendars.
- Customization of Ektron's document management system to create a system for managing abstract and lesson plan submissions, allowing the website to become the central depository for these documents.
- Development of a product showcase/buyers guide that allows companies to administer their listings with add, edit and delete functionality and that allows shoppers to search on all available metadata.
ACTE is the largest national education association dedicated to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for careers. They provide leadership in developing an educated, prepared, adaptable and competitive workforce to a diverse membership of more than 28,000 career and technical educators, administrators, researchers, guidance counselors and others involved in planning and conducting career and technical education programs at the secondary, post-secondary and adult levels.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
