Every organization applies its own nuances to the implementation of business practices. Be it individual leadership style or regulatory mandate, unique interpretations of what's required lead to unique applications of practice. Risk management is no exception.

Perhaps the simplest and most pervasive software application for businesses is e-mail. Although possibly one of the greatest time wasters for employees and administrators alike (due to spam, viruses, and other kinds of unwanted messages), e-mail has been a great boon to the efficiency of business communication. It is generally cheap to send, immediate, and self-documenting.

Perhaps the simplest and most pervasive software application for businesses is e-mail. Although possibly one of the greatest time wasters for employees and administrators alike (due to spam, viruses, and other kinds of unwanted messages), e-mail has been a great boon to the efficiency of business communication. It is generally cheap to send, immediate, and self-documenting.

Successful outsourcing arrangements cannot be guaranteed by virtue of having a signed contract alone. The contract is a necessary but insufficient governance tool for outsourcing.

Successful outsourcing arrangements cannot be guaranteed by virtue of having a signed contract alone. The contract is a necessary but insufficient governance tool for outsourcing.

Successful outsourcing arrangements cannot be guaranteed by virtue of have a signed contract alone. The contract is a necessary but not sufficient governance tool for outsourcing.

Successful outsourcing arrangements cannot be guaranteed by virtue of have a signed contract alone. The contract is a necessary but not sufficient governance tool for outsourcing.

This Executive Update is the third in a series that examines information and communications technology (ICT) outsourcing and its various configuration options. The series is based on a recent Cutter Consortium survey of 73 organizations in 25 countries across the globe. 1

This Executive Update is the third in a series that examines information and communications technology (ICT) outsourcing and its various configuration options. The series is based on a recent Cutter Consortium survey of 73 organizations in 25 countries across the globe. 1

IT technology

Agent technology is now necessary to reduce costs; to improve efficiency and effectiveness; and to support the requirements of individuals, groups, companies, and universities as they collaborate globally. More importantly, it will enable us to create and support a whole class of IT applications and approaches that we previously could not have developed.

Let's look at 10 things likely to come true in 2007. But let's also stipulate that I may not be entirely right about all these predictions. Nonetheless, I will stand by the macro trends that will drive the predicted events and conditions.

Let's look at 10 things likely to come true in 2007. But let's also stipulate that I may not be entirely right about all these predictions. Nonetheless, I will stand by the macro trends that will drive the predicted events and conditions.

Last week, news articles in the New York Times and elsewhere documented the difficulties that the US Coast Guard was having with a program called "Deepwater" -- a US $24-billion program to rebuild the Coast Guard's fleet of aging vessels. But things have gone south.

All agile methodologies call for high levels of interaction between the development group and the customer or product group (internal IT groups will probably refer to this as the customer team, while software product companies may refer to it as the product team). Both groups are part of the overall project team.

Many corporations' boards and senior management do not believe that the CIO should be concerned with corporate governance. This is a grave blunder, and I pity the CIO and the shareholders of any corporation with this attitude.

Many corporations' boards and senior management do not believe that the CIO should be concerned with corporate governance. This is a grave blunder, and I pity the CIO and the shareholders of any corporation with this attitude.

One of the popular ideas aimed at increasing the business value of IT outsourcing is the shared risk and return agreement, in which the outsourcer is rewarded for generating additional client benefits. Like many management concepts, this type of arrangement has been less successful than most organizations, and consultants, would like to admit.

One of the popular ideas aimed at increasing the business value of IT outsourcing is the shared risk and return agreement, in which the outsourcer is rewarded for generating additional client benefits. Like many management concepts, this type of arrangement has been less successful than most organizations, and consultants, would like to admit.

Service-oriented architectures (SOA) have moved beyond the hype stage to where organizations are now carrying out their implementation plans. Their goal: increased agility via the ability to configure composite applications -- implemented in the form of services -- in response to changing business conditions and IT requirements. To help make this goal a reality, business rules management systems (BRMSs) are increasingly becoming a part of organizations' SOA implementation plans. Here's why.

collaboration = innovation

About 100 years ago, when I was teaching rhetoric and public address in our nation's colleges and universities, I happened to learn that the maximum normal attention span for an adult human being was in the 12- to 15-second range. That's right. Nobody does better than that.

collaboration = innovation

About 100 years ago, when I was teaching rhetoric and public address in our nation's colleges and universities, I happened to learn that the maximum normal attention span for an adult human being was in the 12- to 15-second range. That's right. Nobody does better than that.

We are constantly amazed at the number of our clients who are strongly focused on cutting IT costs. Just this week, a large financial services organization asked us for assistance in cutting its IT budget. Yet this same organization continues to grow and to demand more IT services.

Over the past few years, I've written a number of times on the use of business rules management systems (BRMSs) for implementing automated decision making applications. One particular area in which I see BRMSs as having a major impact on organizations' BI and decision support efforts is for enterprise decision management (EDM). Just to make sure we're all on the same page, EDM refers to the application of BRMSs -- sometimes in conjunction with analytic models -- to automate and improve operational decisions across the organization.

Over the past few years, I've written a number of times on the use of business rules management systems (BRMSs) for implementing automated decision making applications. One particular area in which I see BRMSs as having a major impact on organizations' BI and decision support efforts is for enterprise decision management (EDM). Just to make sure we're all on the same page, EDM refers to the application of BRMSs -- sometimes in conjunction with analytic models -- to automate and improve operational decisions across the organization.

My new smart, stylish, cool PDA is a pain in the neck to actually use. There are so many features embedded in so many more -- these people have perfected hierarchical menus to everywhere -- that I find it nearly impossible to optimize its performance. There are also way too many decisions for me to make: do I really need 50 ring/vibrate combinations (not to mention the six-gazillion I can download)?