British Confectionary Chooses Aras Solutions
July 12, 2012
Anyone who has ever worked in the food industry understands how tight the ship must be run. With health codes, regulatory issues and food lifespan to juggle food enterprises demand streamlined processes and little to no wasted time or materials. Those are the precise reasons Britain’s top confectioner, Kinnerton Confectionary, chose Aras PLM solutions as described in the article, “Kinnerton Confectionery Selects Aras Enterprise PLM”, on Virtual Strategy.
As the article details,
“Kinnerton Confectionery, Britain’s largest independent manufacturer of chocolate and novelty confectionery, has selected Aras enterprise PLM to drive productivity, improve efficiency and optimize product development. The Aras PLM solution suite will support Kinnerton’s large and diverse product portfolio through their Concept to Launch Process, workflow and process management, and product costing.”
Such a large enterprise requires a complicated and highly efficient PLM solution which Aras is more than able to offer. Smaller businesses quite often have just as high demands placed on them but do not have a budget to pay for expensive PLM solutions. For those small to midsized businesses needing PLM solutions but whom traditionally have been outside the PLM circle we recommend Inforbix. Their new data management solutions are customizable to fit any size enterprise and are also surprisingly affordable. Just because one’s company is not the largest in a country doesn’t mean one can’t benefit from the same PLM solutions.
Catherine Lamsfuss, July 12, 2012
Real Life Alerts Show There is More to Search than Key Words
July 12, 2012
AtHoc joined forces with Intel and received a $5.6 million investment to improve their technology. Since they are the leader in enterprise-class, network-based mass notification systems for the security, life safety and defense sectors of the United States, one would have to agree that was a wise investment.
Contrary to some beliefs, there is more to search than key words. The recent press releases on AtHoc’s page “Intel Invests in AtHoc; Chairman of RSA Security Joins AtHoc’s Board,” are a reminder that increasing device technology demands improvements with critical situational awareness data. Organizations must be able to swiftly analyze and address anomalies because lives may depend on it.
AtHoc does just that with real life, real time alerts as stated:
“AtHoc helps organizations become fully prepared to provide emergency mass communication to all of its constituents. It allows users to provide additional data and responders to remediate the issues at hand, based on the information they receive. AtHoc improves the safety and security of our citizens, first responders, and armed forces personnel around the world.”
Just imagine attempting to get a real time response on the average search engine during an emergency. The repercussions of scanning pages of possible aid would almost assuredly be life threatening. When considering the outcome from that perspective, real life, real time alerts show there is more to search than key words.
Jennifer Shockley, July 12, 2012
A SharePoint Search Refiner
July 12, 2012
The SharePoint Blog contained a very informative explanation of SharePoint “refiners.” A “refiner”, according to Microsoft is “enable end-users to drill down into their search results based on managed properties that are associated with the indexed search items, such as creation date, author, and company names.”
Custom SharePoint 2010 Search Refiner – Displaying Range of Choices is a presentation of information which originally appeared in the ShareMuch blog. The write is, in my opinion, quite useful. The information provides a streamlined explanation of how to implement a refiner in a SharePoint 2010 installation. The write up provides an XML snippet which makes the addition of a refiner quick and easy.
The article explains:
MappedProperty maps to an actual managed property that you must define or is already defined in search service application. The SortBy defines, in this case, a custom filter right below the category. The CustomFilters node’s MappingType property means we’ll have a custom filter. In our case, we’re using a range mapper, meaning that whatever value are going to be in the managed property, our filter will display UI based on the range of those and let user toggle the display based on that range. I hope this makes sense. The DataType has only 3 types, so please don’t make the same mistake I did and try to guess the value, it’s limited to “Numeric”, “DateTime”, “String”. The CustomValue inside CustomFilter specifies the user friendly value and the OriginalValue defines the range. In our example, the “Size” property is measured in Bytes so “..1? means range anywhere from 0 bytes to 1 byte. It happens that list items and lists in search results are less than 1 byte in size which means that we can refine by list items and lists results by capturing items with size less than 1 byte. Everything else is a document.
Search Technologies implements “refiners” as well as other advanced features of SharePoint. If you want to extend SharePoint and make the system deliver even greater value to your users, contact Search Technologies.
Iain Fletcher, July 12, 2012
SharePoint Needs to Up Mobile Game
July 11, 2012
Microsoft is on a roll with its mobile game, generating a lot of buzz about their new Surface tablet. With Microsoft 365 all systems and software are envisioned to be fully integrated, creating a fully portable and mobile experience. CMS Wire speaks to how this new direction and vision may impact devoted SharePoint users in, “SharePoint has Yammer, Now it Needs To Up Its Mobile Game.”
The article states:
Last week’s announcement of the new Surface tablet range is bang on theme. Whilst observers quibble about price points and the merits of a built in kickstand, there is no doubting that Microsoft thinks many of us will spend our future computing time prodding at a screen of some sort . . . So what about the next version of SharePoint? So can we expect a friendly touch enabled version of SharePoint? A ‘SharePoint: Metro’ to impress all those execs running meetings with their shiny new Surface tablets? The evidence suggest not.
So if SharePoint is not yet living up to the rest of the Microsoft mobile offerings, what is an organization to do? We suggest looking into the fully mobile capabilities of a trusted third party enterprise solution like Fabasoft Mindbreeze. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Mobile offers full functionality and navigation, losing nothing over the traditional desktop-centered enterprise approach. Working alongside an existing SharePoint deployment, or as a standalone product, we recommend Fabasoft Mindbreeze for a number of reasons, but specifically for its superior mobile functionality.
Emily Rae Aldridge, July 11, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
PLM Interest Group Challenges Designers to Go Beyond English
July 11, 2012
Much like the writers of Star Trek PLM developers work off the assumption that the entire universe knows English. The fact that all PLM solutions are based in the English language drove the PLM Interest Group (PLMIG) to begin the search for a PLM solution that does more than just translate according to the MCAD Café article, “PLMIG calls for Research into ‘Own-Language’ PLM”.
As the article explains of the problem facing PLM solutions around the world:
“The generally-accepted working language for PLM is English, and it has become accepted practice for all non-native English speakers to standardise on English for PLM so that everyone can understand each other. This is a workable solution, but it still represents a tremendous barrier to PLM understanding and adoption in the majority of countries in the world, as well as in large multi-national corporations.”
PLM in general is a complex set of data management techniques and systems that go far deeper than just putting business processes in order. Providers must remain cognizant of cultural difference within industries as well as remain flexible enough to be relevant in countries around the globe. Inforbix, a leader in the industry, works hard to help all their clients, regardless of nationality, make the most of their PLM solutions and find new data management solutions that meet their unique needs.
Catherine Lamsfuss, July 11, 2012
Exclusive Interview: Franz Kogl, Intrafind
July 10, 2012
Germany is a hot house for search, semantic, and content processing vendors. Most of them are not widely known outside of Germany. Intrafind, based in Munich, has been in business for more than a decade. The company is anchored in search solutions. I had heard about Intrafind, but I did not have much first-hand information about the company. In London in June, I spent some time with Franz Kögl and found that the firm has a number of high profile clients and, like a number of other companies, has found success with open source technology.
I asked Mr. Kögl about his view of search in 2012. He said, “The future every modern application will be ‘search enabled.’”
The company’s approach is refreshing. He told me:
Our approach is, “Think big, start small.” Many of our customers start with an application like an internal search. We then can extend the service piece by piece. For example, a new requirement comes from another department or business unit. It is pretty typical for us to start work in a single department. Then the client decides to use our iFinder as corporate search solution. What is special about our approach is that we combine computer linguistics within information retrieval. It’s not the idea itself which is unique, but the way we have implemented it.
On the subject of big data he said:
Huge amounts of data are frequently discussed at client meetings. We can handle almost any volume of data. We have different methods to match specific client situations. If updating the index is a key consideration, we work with the client to make clear that the update time of the full-text index is largely dependent on the connected sources and the attendant system.
To read the full text of the interview, navigate to “IntraFind AG: An Interview with Franz Kögl.” The ArnoldIT Search Wizards Speak subsite contains more than 60 interviews with professionals in the search and content processing sector. You can find the index to the interviews on the Wizards Index tab. A complete listing also appears on the Search Wizards Speak subsite.
Stephen E Arnold, July 10, 2012
Sponsored by HighGainBlog
Good Help is Hard to Find
July 10, 2012
SharePoint consultants – every organization implementing SharePoint thinks that they need one, yet complaints abound regarding their effectiveness. The Meetdux.com blog addresses the topic in the post, “Will the Real SharePoint Consultant Please Stand Up?”
The author shares his personal perspective, as someone who also practices as a SharePoint consultant:
My clients have a common complaint when I come in and help them with their existing SharePoint implementation, ‘The so called SharePoint consultant who helped us roll out SharePoint was no help at all!’ You may ask what seems to be the problem, well, some people who call themselves SharePoint consultants are nothing more than a technical person having some Windows administration background who can easily install, configure and deploy SharePoint in a technical environment.
So what are organizations to do? You need the expertise without the hassle, or the large bill. We would suggest looking into a smart third-party enterprise search vendor like Fabasoft Mindbreeze. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise can work alongside your existing SharePoint installation, or serve as a standalone enterprise infrastructure. Either way, your organization gets the expertise and support of the Mindbreeze team, which cuts out the private consulting fee, and results in an infinitely better user experience.
Emily Rae Aldridge, July 10, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
aPriori Sees Record Year as Part of PLM Solution
July 10, 2012
Companies across industries are quickly realizing the benefits of product lifecycle management (PLM) not only in saving money but streamlining processes and eliminating waste. An important component to PLM is product cost management. This particular software niche of PLM has been growing and profiting like never before according to the Market Watch article, “aPriori Completes Record Fiscal Year”.
A leader in product cost management, aPriori, landed some impressive clients in the last year like Ford and Diebold, as well as doubled their workforce and saw a 52% in revenues.
As far as their role in the PLM process President and CEO of aPriori, Stephanie Feraday, was quoted in the article as saying,
“Effective product cost management has become a core foundation of many manufacturers’ approach to product lifecycle management. The ROI is difficult to ignore. Our team has capitalized on that trend. We’ve established a very solid foundation in Europe, expanded our base in automotive and are able to do more than ever to ensure our customers get maximum value from their aPriori implementation.”
PLM is a complex system designed to work with each industry and each company individually to maximize ROI and production. Thanks to innovations in technology PLM is now available to small and midsized companies as well as the Fords and Diebolds. For those companies just beginning their journey with PLM we recommend contacting Inforbix, a true leader in the field, dedicated to offering new data management solutions to companies of all sizes.
Catherine Lamsfuss, July 10, 2012
Digimind Explains Visualization
July 10, 2012
The Digimind Blog recently published an interesting post about visualization entitled “Harness the Power of Data Visualization With Digimind.”
According to the post, Data Visualization is a way to make complex unstructured content more visually appealing and digestible. Digimind’s competitive intelligence search engine utilizes this technology so that any search query generates an interactive word cloud.
The article then goes on to explain how this technology works by using the example of the trending Apple versus Sony trending news.
After showing the word bubbles that appear once the It sums up by stating:
“Unsurprisingly, Apple gets a lot more coverage, the main topics around the Apple brand talk about the iPad because of the coming release of a new Microsoft tablet. Google reacted to Apple’s last keynote introducing maps by cutting the price for Google maps usage.
Meanwhile, Sony garnered coverage relating to the release of xperia.”
I really enjoyed ready this post because it explains the way that visualization works in very easy to understand terms.
Jasmine Ashton, July 10, 2012
Sponsored by Ikanow
Twitter Search and Discovery Overhaul
July 9, 2012
Twitter’s search and discovery side is about to get a significant upgrade, according to The Next Web’s “Twitter Is Poised to Overhaul Its Search and Discovery Features.” Writer Jon Russell points to a tweet (naturally) from Twitter engineer Pankaj Gupta which heralded the change with a frustrating lack of detail. Absent a response to his request for more information, Russell can only offer educated speculation. He writes:
“Discovery and search are two crucial aspects of the service, which has seen its popularity grow tremendously in recent times. The service is used by all manner of Internet users, but is yet to really hit upon the right approach to provide a fully engaging and personal discovery experience.
“Business Insider suggested that the company is pursuing a direction that will see it compete with social aggregation app Flipboard. . . . Twitter’s last significant focus on discovery saw it introduce the ‘Discovery’ tab late last year, in a move aimed at helping to find and better curate content on the service, in a Flipboard-like fashion.”
Is the Flipboard theory correct? Or does Twitter have something entirely different up its sleeve? We should find out soon.
Cynthia Murrell, July 9, 2012
Sponsored by PolySpot
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