From the Superbowl to major winter storms, there are always opportunities to improve the way we operate. Much like the manufacturing envionment, preparedness goes a long way to ensuring things run smoothly, but the tasks of looking to the future and evolving with the world around us are never-ending. This week's roundup inspects these topics and more.
On our (and many others') list of growing trends for 2015 is the Internet of Things (IoT). As IoT technology evolves and becomes more adopted in manufacturing, business, and the consumer space, there's a growing need to have a workforce educated on the important aspects of IoT, its capabilities, and its applications. Over at the PTC blog, Stacie Kaufman broaches the subject of getting IoT skills integrated into classrooms. Referencing a recent World Bank report, the article states that in the next 10 years more than two million IT and IT-related jobs will require filling, and studies suggest lack of IoT skills and knowledge are some of the biggest obstacles foreseen to IoT's widespread use. Full article...
The 2014-2015 NFL Season culminates today with Super Bowl 49 between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. As a hugely watched and anticipated event, we're all used to the side conversations about commercials, human interest stories, controversies, and the like. But this year, there's an energy angle to take: As CBS reports, Sunday's game will be the first played under energy-efficient LED lights that use 75% to 85% less power than traditional bulbs.
Last year, the Esphesus Lighting company replaced over 780 halide bulbs with 312 LED fixtures at the 72,000-seat University of Phoenix Stadium. According to Ephesus president Mike Lorenz, the switch will save nearly a million watts. Read More....
If you're located in the Northeast U.S.--as our main offices are--you probably spent a significant amount of time during the latter part of the week digging out of over two feet of snow dumped by Winter Storm Juno. The storm wreaked havoc on the entire region, causing power outages and millions of dollars in lost productivity. Tim McMahon of the Lean Journey blog reminds us of the value of preparedness, efficiency, and consistency as he draws an analogy between the effects of the storm and unpredictable business conditions that we all face from time to time. Full Post...
Regardless of the business area or functionality, evaluating and implementing an enterprise software application is a big undertaking in time and resources and there are many considerations to take into account. As with anything, it's most helpful to really understand the terms and categories included within. In this post, LNS Research's President Matthew Littlefield talks about the differences between configurable, customizable, and out-of-the-box designations when it comes to software application offerings, and which may be right for you depending on your situation.
