SDForum Business Intelligence SIG: Why Plans are Always Wrong March 21, 2006

http://www.sdforum.org/SDForum/Templates/CalendarEvent.aspx?CID=1862
Why Plans are Always Wrong and How Software Can Improve Them

There are many problems that confront planners throughout the Enterprise, and this results in plans that are invariably wrong. New software solutions are emerging that address these problems.

The talk starts with a brisk run-down of Enterprise planning problems and a glimpse at some of the software solutions that are emerging. This is followed by an introduction to the solutions provided by Steelwedge. Capabilities and benefits to each area of the enterprise are identified. The anatomy of the technology platform used by Steelwedge to deliver its solutions is presented, along with some views under the covers. Finally, a short description of the software engineering challenges is presented, along with a discussion of how spreadsheets are part of that solution as well.

About the Speaker
Craig Thomas, Chief Technology Officer, Steelwedge Software, Inc., Pleasanton, CA

Craig Thomas guides technology and architecture for the company's platform for collaborative enterprise planning and performance management. By combining the strengths of enterprise-strength software with the flexibility of spreadsheets, Steelwedge Software's technology enables complex planning across a variety of disciplines in a familiar environment, Microsoft Excel. Prior to Steelwedge, Thomas co-founded a software startup that undertook many J2EE development projects, among them a price and revenue optimization project; this startup was acquired by Manugistics in 2001. Prior to that were engagements that included Internet based payroll and benefits for ProBusiness, acquired by ADP; e-commerce infrastructure for Premenos, acquired by Harbinger; and relational database internals for Sybase.

Free for SDForum Members, $15.00 for non-members.