SCM Insights · Technology True Software as a Service (SaaS) vs. ASP: What are the differences and why does true SaaS provide benefits in an SCM environment? Over the past few years many companies have shown a growing interest in applying the software-as-a-service concept to a wide range of processes. This can be attributed to the many benefits provided by SaaS compared with conventional software licensing models. (more…)
Industry News · Technology Supplier master data remains an issue in the automotive industry Automobile manufacturers were as conspicuous as never before at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Yet the focus was not on the industry’s traditional attractions, such as design or performance, but on infotainment systems that are integrated in the interior and implemented in the form of flat screens fitted in the cockpit: “The car is the ultimate smartphone on wheels and as such rightfully deserves a place at the world’s largest electronics show,” said Gary Shapiro, President and CEO of CES, in Las Vegas.For IT departments at automobile manufacturers, as well as at suppliers, that means: Interaction with service providers is a growing focus alongside traditional tasks. That’s a challenge that begins with long-familiar issues such as supplier master-data management. (more…)
SCM Insights · Technology Industry 4.0, M2M and the Internet of Things and Services in the automotive industry: The next generation of e-business? Many articles today deal with Industry 4.0 and communication between machines and production facilities across company boundaries.In the related area of the Internet of Things and Services, key players in the automotive industry are hard at work describing application models intended to provide added value, in particular for road users. In terms of information technology, the trends are all about triggering activities through the transfer of data — activities intended to make daily company life as well as daily mobility easier, safer and more pleasant. But just what do these buzz words really mean? (more…)
Technology Good bait catches fine fish – part 3: How to write a specification for testers We saw in the past blogs, how a specification for customers and specifications for developers look like. But we write specifications even for testers. But what is needed for testers in a specification? (more…)
Technology Good bait catches fine fish – part 2: How to write a specification for developers In my recent blog we saw, how a specification for customers can look like. A specification needs to fulfill many different requirements and at the same time it has to be understood by the customer, testers, and of course also the developer. Which information do developers need?Developers want to know what they have to implement. Usually they want to develop a pretty solution. “Pretty solution” doesn’t mean a nicely designed user interface at all. (more…)
Technology Famous Easter eggs Famous Easter Eggs - based on this title, you would assume that now something comes about Farbergé eggs or other lovely things like those. But I don't want to tell you about that. Instead I want to tell something about Easter eggs created by developers. (more…)
Inside · Technology Agile requirements – highlights from the Ellen Gottesdiener workshop Agile Requirements - Creative Collaborative and Colorful Discovery – was the title of a workshop held on March 16, 2015, at the RE Conf (Requirements Engineering Conference) in Munich. Coach Ellen Gottesdiener (founder of EBG Consulting) is a renowned pioneer in the field of collaborative partnerships for Requirements Engineering and Management. During this workshop we experienced her creative and colorful way of thinking – and were quite impressed by her "retro approach" based on flip charts and colored post-its. (more…)
SCM Insights · Technology Industry 4.0, M2M and the Internet of Things and Services: What are the challenges? Many studies have examined the opportunities afforded by Industry 4.0, M2M and the Internet of Things and Services. And all of them show that networking aspects of life that are completely independent at this time will yield opportunities that would have read like something from a science fiction novel just ten years ago.But, as I mentioned in my previous post, we need to bear in mind a few important parameters of crucial importance to the success of the technologies we are discussing here:Standardization of the information to be transferred (formats, content) and compatibility of the transmission channels.All the standard activities we are familiar with (and those mentioned above as well) largely use proprietary protocols for data exchange that inevitably involve a certain degree of competitiveness. These protocols are certainly appropriate over the short term and for pilot applications. But: This approach does not work for sustained, large-scale use. A cross-company and professionally operated solution is essential here. (more…)
Technology Good bait catches fine fish: How to write a specification that wins over the customer There is a nice German proverb: Good bacon catches mice. You might think - “So what?” Right, but in German bacon is called “Speck” - pronounced “Shpec” - which can be used as a short word for specification. Therefore I originally called this blog with a spec you catch mice.Unfortunately that wordplay doesn’t work in English quite well. But I hope you catch the meaning :) .When we start a software development project nowadays, we start to write a specification. The specification should fulfill many different requirements and at the same time it has to be understandable by developers, testers, and of course for the customer. They are our mice we want to catch.But how can someone explain complex technical and business combinations in a way that in the end software is created which fulfills the expectations of the customer regarding functionality and quality? In this blog, I want to explain using which models, text patterns, and structures, which group of readers is approachable best. So which mice can be caught best using which bacon :-) . (more…)
Technology · Use Cases SupplyOn enables requests for quotations with SAP SRM Requests for quotations for indirect materials are on the increase, but the related processes are often not continuous. Many companies wrestle with incompatible media because their process, from sourcing to ordering, uses disparate technologies. A lot of them purchase indirect materials using a standard SAP SRM system. Here, detailed workflow rules enable the person creating the shopping cart to handle everything right down to dispatching their order and logging the goods received. But when it comes to inquiries and requests for quotations, there is no cohesive system at all. SupplyOn has now closed this gap!How does the SupplyOn platform manage to integrate the established RfQ process with your standard in-house SAP SRM system? (more…)
