A presentation on using IT for business improvement

1. Business Improvement and Technology
Presented by Fergal Coleman, February 2009
www.buaconsulting.com/business_improvement
www.buaconsulting.com/Business_Improvement

2. Outline
• Introduction
• Bua Consulting.
• Key Facts.
• Tools.
• Case Study.
• Group Work.
• Conclusion.
www.buaconsulting.com/Business_Improvement

3. Bua Consulting – Developing A Virtual Company
• Business Model: Virtual company delivering strategic internet advice and
solutions from anywhere in the world.
• We help clients to create successful online businesses. And we practice
what we preach!
• Business Processes automated and conducted via the internet (within
reason!).
• Collaborative projects with partners across Melbourne, Victoria, Ireland,
India . Information on projects needs to be available anytime, anywhere.
• The internet will be the dominant platform in the near future (Service
Oriented Architecture (SOA), Web 2.0)
www.buaconsulting.com/Business_Improvement

4. Tools:
Google Apps www.google.com/a/
• Email, Calendar, Spreadsheets, Word Processing for up to 100 people.
Central Desktop www.centraldesktop.com
• Online Collaboration.
• Project Management – set tasks and timelines, milestones, notifications.
• Extranet for document sharing and development (wikis).
Bua Consulting Content Management System:
• Website.
• CRM system.
• SMS notifications.
• Booking system for seminars, Ecommerce for online training services.
• Automated, Email newsletter system, online logins.
• Blogs.
www.buaconsulting.com/Business_Improvement

5. Tools
• Skype www.skype.com
• Free voice calls with partners
• Overseas telephone calls at local rates.
• Web Conferencing (www.gotomeeting.com, www.webex.com)
• Web conferencing with 1 to 1000 people.
• Ability to record sessions – also www.camtasia.com.
• Online Accounting Software (www.saasu.com , www.xero.com).
• Online Training and Coaching – Mindshop Online
• Online Presentations – www.docstoc.com , www.slideshare.net.
• Virtual Seminars (www.secondlife.com , www.vivaty.com).
• Virtual seminars where members watch and then discuss videos on set
topics.
• Online Videos.
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6. Facts
• Fact One: Society of Information Management Survey 2008: CIO
Top 10 IT Management Concerns:
1. IT and business alignment
2. Build business skills in IT
3. IT strategic planning
4. Attracting new IT professionals
5. Making better use of information
6. Manage change
7. Reducing the cost of doing business
8. Improve IT quality *
9. Retaining IT professionals *
10. Security and privacy *
IT and Business Alignment has been top for 8 years
• Fact Two: Research clearly shows that a poorly defined scope or mission is the most
frequently mentioned barrier to success of projects. In a recent study (Gobeli and Larson)
of over 1400 US and Canadian project managers it was found that 50% of the planning
problems relate to unclear definition and scope.
www.buaconsulting.com/Business_Improvement

7. Business
Model
Business
Applications
Processes
Data Databases
Information
Architecture
www.buaconsulting.com/Business_Improvement

8. What do you do?
What software
solutions should we
How do you do it? use to collect and
present this
information?
What information
How will you build
do you need to
and store your
successfully run
information?
the business?
What technologies
do you need to
provide the
information to the
business?
www.buaconsulting.com/Business_Improvement

9. Business
Tools: SCA and Porter’s Five Forces Model
Business Applicatio
• What is your Sustainable Competitive Advantage (SCA) Processes ns
• Tool at www.buaconsulting.com/business_improvement
Data Databases
Informatio
n
Architectu
re
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10. www.buaconsulting.com/Business_Improvement

11. Tools: Seven Wastes Business
Model
Business
Applications
Processes
• We conduct an audit of the business.
• Seven Wastes.
• Overproduction.
Data Databases
• Waiting.
• Transport. Information
Architecture
• Inappropriate Processing.
• Inventory.
• Motion.
• Defects.
www.buaconsulting.com/Business_Improvement

12. Business
Model
Business
Applications
Processes
Data Databases
Information
Architecture
www.buaconsulting.com/Business_Improvement

13. Case Study – Automobile Repair Business
www.buaconsulting.com/Business_Improvement

14. Group Work
• In groups of two (or three)
• Discuss strategies and areas where you can grow your business.
• What revenue can it add to your business?
• What technologies can drive or assist this strategy?
• Discuss where you can cut costs in your business.
• What is the estimated dollar savings?
• What technologies can drive or assist this strategy?
• Remember the Seven Wastes (Overproduction, Waiting, Transport,
Inappropriate Processing, Inventory, Motion, Defects) and Porters Value
Chain.
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15. Group Work
Which strategy will deliver the most value?
Decision Matrix
Key Criteria Weighting Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4
Upfront cost of Implementation 25 12.5 11 10 8
Growth in Sales 20 10 9 15 18
Reduction in costs 20 10 15 15 18
Ease of doing 20 10 15 15 18
Increase in productivity 15 7.5 7.5 11 14
Totals 100 50 57.5 66 76
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16. www.buaconsulting.com/Business_Improvement

17. Conclusion
• The needs of the business should drive the implementation of new technologies.
Technology should align with business.
• Use some of the tools discussed to develop better IT strategies.
• Summary of the tools will be made available on the website.
• Well managed companies can use technology to come out of the bushfire in a
stronger position.
• For more information contact Fergal Coleman at 0423 198184 or
fcoleman@buaconsulting.com.
• Thank you for your time!
www.buaconsulting.com/Business_Improvement