profession

Selecting software

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Yesterday, as part of our services to the middle market, we decided to run a seminar on how to go about making a software selection.

We often find that businesses have a very tough time when it comes to picking new software. It’s often an expensive exercise, not just in the cost of the software – which is the cheapest component – but also in lost productivity and the distraction to the business. And the people that are distracted often are the ones that the business can least afford to have distracted. And the worst but all-too-common outcome is that the software selected doesn’t work out so you have to go through it all again.

So as a professional service we often offer to clients a service to wrap up the process, make the decision much easier, and make it happen. When the brochure comes out I will post it here, but the seminar is scheduled for 13 September and the cost is $60.

The full description for the seminar is:

“Selecting Software

This session is focussed on growing your business’s capability through a unique, simple, and innovative approach to selecting the software and technologies that make your business work smarter. The approach outlined in this seminar reduces the legwork and distraction of selecting new technologies, and increases the practical positive impact of your choice upon your business.”

And that says it all really.

ISACA

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Although it stands for Information Systems Audit and Control Association, ISACA has grownwell  beyond that compliance-based beginning into a real professional association for information systems people, and in particular has a lot of relevance for business systems people.

I joined in about March and I haven’t regretted the subscription yet.  In particular it has a great deal of resources about best practice and IT governance that is very relevant to me as an information systems professional.

Their website is www.isaca.org, and I’m proud to be a card-carrying member.  Brisbane chapter is here.  Doesn’t mean I’ll ever stop being a CPA – I note this latest accountant tom-foolery to put some crazy sounds on your mobile – but ISACA is a professional association focussed on business outcomes.

How you spend your IT dollar

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Sometimes that old plant and equipment should go where it's appreciated - the museumI have been mining the archives for relevant publications to post to the website. The firm in 2001/2002 published a monthly IT issues newsletter (pretty much before we’d heard of blogs). I am intending to publish some select articles that are still relevant to the blog.
The first of these is ‘How you spend your IT dollar‘. By way of note, I believe I eventually gave the bike away to Lifeline, so hopefully there is a teenager out there who is using it to good effect these days. Unless it was still a deathtrap, in which case I hope the teenager’s still quite sullen.

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Career Watch – me six years ago

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Six years ago (!) I was profiled in the CPA Australia journal – in their career watch section, nothing too special. It was in order to promote the IT Specialisation for CPA Australia (technically, I am a ‘Certified Practising Accountant (Specialist in Information Technology); my full handle is a bit cumbersome.

I decided I probably should record it for posterity – see how we’re travelling so to speak.

For the record, Horwath Brisbane Chartered Accountants merged with BDO Kendalls in November 2002 – which is why the names have changed. Incidentally, at least one good reason to merge is the apparent difficulty people have always had with Horwath (here it’s been reproduced as Howarth, and on my first day at Horwath I got a rude shock from a client who pronounced it as ‘whores & whores’ (and they weren’t trying to be rude))!

Fortunately I think I can say confidently that we are developing a niche systems consulting area of the firm, although perhaps not in the direction I thought we would go six years ago!

Career Watch – Micheal Axelsen (30) [editor: well, I was then!]

Micheal Axelsen, B. Comm (Hons), CPA, MinfmSystems, is MD of Horwath Business Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, in Brisbane. He is a specialist in IT, and holds a Master of Information Systems.

How did you specialise in IT? I tutored in information systems (IS) at University of Queensland in 1991. In 1996 when I qualified as CPA, I knew IS was more appealing. I pursued my MinfmSystems degree and knocked on doors until Bruce Hatcher of Horwath gave me a job.

Who has been the major influence on your career? Charles Rheault (my old boss at Brisbane’s Anglican Church Grammar School). He taught me the value of looking after staff, that those with talent should contribute to the community, and to always keep a sense of humour in a crisis. He also taught me the value of eating pizza when working late.

What is the best career advice you have ever had? ‘The patient has the disease’ – you need to be objective, and if you are going to have a long successful career, you need to have balance and be able to draw a line between work and home.

Who do you admire in business? Paul Allen, who co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975. He was ill in the mid-80’s and was brave enough to walk away from day-to-day involvement (with a considerable amount of cash in his pocket!) and change his lifestyle.

Where will you be in 10 years? Professionally, I hope Howarths has developed into a niche systems consulting firm. Personally, I hope to have attained this elusive ‘balance’.

This article has been posted through to my publications section.

IT outsourcing – selecting the ‘best’ infrastructure model

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This article was published on CEO Online a month or two ago, and I did promise I would post it here eventually.  And as I am of course absolutely certain that there is a raft of readers out there who would like to see the full article on the basis of that promise (delusionment is a wonderful thing) I am posting the article here.

In order to keep us all sane, you will need to click through to see the full article.

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