August 30, 2010

How Cloud Computing improves an IWMS

IWMS expert and Lucernex President, Joe Valeri (see Joe’s management summary here), discusses the benefits of Cloud Computing to IWMS users.

In prior Blogs I discussed the differences between the different types of Web-based software delivery; namely ASP (application service provider), SaaS (software as a service) and cloud computing and I discussed the pros and cons of each. In this blog I will focus specifically on the primary benefits of cloud computing for IWMS users, performance, ease of implementation, price and payment flexibility.

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July 12, 2010

Reporting options in IWMS applications

IWMS expert and Lucernex President, Joe Valeri (see Joe’s management summary here), discusses reporting options in IWMS Location Performance Management Applications.

It always amazes me how little importance some software buyers place on reporting options. The fact is, while some IWMS applications have great industry specific functionality or better project management or CAFM or lease administration; the ultimate reason to establish a single source of location data it to enable effective decision-making. And effective decision-making can only come through thoughtful review of summarized data (i.e. reporting). While dashboards can help drive some decision making as can specific analysis functionality, reports are still the most widely used deliverable of any IWMS system.
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June 28, 2010

What makes one IWMS easier to implement than another?

IWMS expert and Lucernex President, Joe Valeri (see Joe’s management summary here), discusses the reasons some IWMS implementations are easier than others.

There is a very wide range in how long an IWMS implementation will take from as little as a few weeks to as long as a few years. There are a number of reasons for the variances in implementation time frame but I will focus on three that I believe are the most significance: product flexibility, delivered functionality and client requirement complexity. These three issues are actually highly entwined making it even harder for most companies selecting an IWMS to properly assess each one.
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June 14, 2010

Single platform vs. multi-platform IWMS and why you should care

IWMS expert and Lucernex President, Joe Valeri (see Joe’s management summary here), discusses the differences between a single platform and multi-platform IWMS and why you should care.

Have you ever looked at an older house and noted how it’s had extensions added that don’t fit the original house? Whether it’s the pattern of the windows, the exterior surface or the shape of the extension that does not match you can tell it’s just not right and makes the whole structure look bad. Inside the house, the switch and outlet layout in the new rooms are different and the plumbing does not work as well as it did before. The air conditioning doesn’t get the house as cool and even the foundation of the house is cracking because the new and old sections are settling differently.
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May 24, 2010

A case for why integrated IWMS solutions are better than stand-alone real estate solutions

Lucernex expert and EVP Ken Brown’s (see Ken’s management summary here) provides a case for why integrated IWMS solutions are more beneficial than stand-alone real estate solutions or “Franken Products”.

When considering the purchase of real estate software point solutions such as Lease Administration, Project Management, Purchase Management, CMMS and Space Planning/CAFM it is helpful to understand the differences, benefits and challenges of a-la-carte options vs. an integrated suite of products. Individual software solutions are just that – products that are sold individually and have little to no compatibility with other product offerings. Product suites like an Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) are offered as an integrated group of solutions and give the user benefits such as flexibility, ease of use, common overhead, better support for system architectures and platforms. Vendors, like Lucernex Technologies, who build their systems from the ground up using one architecture, one database, one codebase and one common interface eliminate many of the problems encountered with so-called “best of breed” solutions. This blog will illustrate specific examples of why an integrated product suite such as IWMS is best:
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May 17, 2010

How Capital Project Management fits in an IWMS?

IWMS expert and Lucernex President, Joe Valeri (see Joe’s management summary here), discusses capital program and project management and its place in and IWMS.

What is Capital Program Management?

I have seen this particular set of functionality called capital program management and capital project management. While they are used interchangeably there is a subtle difference.

In general, capital program management is a set of features that provides companies with many locations a way to create and manage a capitally budgeted program across a number of like locations. Each location ends up with a capital project that ties back to the capital program.
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May 10, 2010

The Evolution of the Site Approval Process

Lucernex expert Mike Nuzum (see Mike’s management summary here) discusses the site approval process for companies developing revenue producing locations.

To any company developing and opening new locations, the Site Approval Process is a very important task requiring not only very good analytic information about markets and market areas, but also a network of real estate professionals managing the process.
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April 26, 2010

IWMS in the “Cloud”

IWMS expert and Lucernex President, Joe Valeri (see Joe’s management summary here), discusses ASP, SaaS and Cloud Computing for IWMS solutions.

When Lucernex started in 2000 we were the first IWMS to deliver our entire application as 100% Web-based, delivered as an Application Service Provider (ASP) solution. In reality we did not know it at the time but we were actually a Software as a Service (SaaS) vendor even then (according to Wikipedia it was coined in a February 2001 article written by the Software & Information Industry’s (SIIA) eBusiness Division). The difference to end users is largely invisible (except in the lower price) but to a software vendor the difference drives flexibility, costs (hence price to end-user) and focus. The next step is “Cloud Computing”, a buzz word for a service that provides equipment to host applications while doing all of the IT management on a secure environment optimized for performance and scalability.
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April 21, 2010

Ten Timeless IWMS Benefits

Originally published by IWMSNews. Written by Steven Hanks, founder of IWMSNews.

Integrated Workplace Management Systems help you to reduce costs while improving your carbon footprint at the same time. Although I could create a list of 100 IWMS benefits, in this list you will find the top 10 of timeless IWMS Benefits.

1. Streamline processes

In every organization there are a lot of processes that help individuals to optimize their contribution to the primary process. The ‘secondary processes’ are the domain of Facility Management and Real Estate professionals. These processes are everywhere around you. Integrated Workplace Management Systems can easily help you to streamline those processes.

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April 12, 2010

Why a single platform IWMS beats “best of breed”

Lucernex expert and President Joe Valeri (see Joe’s management summary here) discusses how integrated sales prediction modeling improves an IWMS.

There are many vendors of real estate software to choose from today. There are vendors that provide individual solutions for mapping and GIS technology, modeling technology, transaction management, site selection and project management technology and there are several vendors that provide individual applications for facility management and maintenance technology. Firms possessing multiple locations can choose to buy one application at a time selecting the “best of breed” to meet each major set of requirements. For example, it is very common for the construction department of multi-location firms to buy a construction project management system purely to meet that very specific need while the real estate department might choose a lease administration solution and a mapping solution and the facilities group selects capital projects and facilities maintenance applications. The groups buy based on a singularly focused set of requirements pay a fair price and implement their technology.
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