2009年4月28日星期二

Realizing Value from IT Investment

Today, Mr. Danny Tang (Director, PowerGain Consulting Services) gave a talk entitled “Realizing Value from IT Investment” in HKSTP. I summarized some key points to share the speaker’s insight on how enterprises embrace IT to enhance their competitiveness from IT investment.


In the beginning, Danny asked a question “Is data a resource?” Answer is “Absolutely YES!” It is different from other resources because data is sharable.

Then he explained the “IT Value” could increase from different stages:
i) Do nothing (asset cost)
ii) Task productivity
iii) Communication / Coordination
iv) Process Improvement
v) New business

“Task productivity” and “Communication / Coordination” become “Commodity”. Only “Process Improvement” and “New business” would be “Value driver”.


He pointed out five important questions (which came from Peter Drucke, 2008) for our rethinking:
i) What is our MISSION?
ii) Who is our CUSTOMER?
iii) What does the customer VALUE?
iv) What are our RESULTS?
v) What is our PLAN?

Hong Kong’s 2008 Digital 21 Strategy was shown and then the speaker added one more strategy related to “Nurturing an environment conducive to ethical use of IT”.

IT strategy aims to enhance competitive advantage through the following:
i) Operational excellence
ii) Customer intimacy
iii) Product / Service
iv) New Market

After that a video on Process Re-engineering by Michael Hamoner was shown and 4 key customer expectations were identified. They are:
i) FAST
ii) ACCURATE
iii) CHEAP
iv) EASY

The ratio of Value Time / Elapsed Time was introduced. Typically, it is only 3% to 5%.

Then the speaker introduced technology standards, including ISO/IEC 38500:2008, ISO/IEC 20000:2005 and ITIL.


Lastly, he concluded that “Realizing Business Value from IT” can be achieved through:
i) Do the right things!
ii) Do them the right way!
iii) Get them done well!


For more information, please contact Danny Tang through email: danny.tang@powergain.com.hk.

2009年4月24日星期五

Intellectual Capital Management and Knowledge Management

Tonight, I joined EngD Society seminar entitled “Maximise SMEs’ Business Potential through Intellectual Capital Management & Knowledge Management”. Intellectual Capital Management (ICM), as part of Knowledge Management (KM), helps to liberate intangible intellectual capital into business development.


Dr. David Chung gave an opening speech to introduce “EngD Society Speaker Series”.


The first guest speaker was Mr. Stephen Selby (Director of Intellectual Property Department (IPD) of the Hong Kong SAR Government. His topic entitled “Promoting ICM to Hong Kong SMEs”.
Mr. Stephen Selby presented the concept of ICM and the free ICM Consultancy Programme which have been launched in March 2009 by IPD.


Speaker showed the Tree photo to explain the hidden value of a company. He briefed another way of looking at resource such as intangible resource including:
i) Human Capital (30%)
ii) Structure Capital (25%)
iii) Relational Capital (45%)


ICM Consultancy Programme could:
i) identify new assets that can create value,
ii) reduce your business risk, and
iii) show others the potential value.

Under the programme, there are two meetings. The first meeting is about 2 to 3 hours for understanding background information of the company. And the second round meeting, IPD consultant would prepare analysis of information and gave the first draft of a value tree. The meeting is also about 2 to 3 hours.


Then Dr. David Chung presented souvenir to Mr. Stephen Selby.


After that Dr. Joseph Leung shared his study entitled “Adoption of Enterprise Integration Modeling in the Design & Implementation of Knowledge Management System”.


Dr. Leung introduced the concept of Knowledge Management.


Dr. Leung explained the three most important factors for studying EngD programme:
i) Management project
ii) Well-defined scope of work & research
iii) Time management

In his project, the most important thing was user buy-in (including participation and acceptance consideration). Moreover, we need to consider the measurement at pre- and post-implementation of model.

For more information for ICM program, please visit http://www.ipd.gov.hk/eng/icm.htm .

2009年4月23日星期四

Industrial Engineer at Disneyland and Tian Tan Buddha Visit

Background:
The Hong Kong Disneyland project was announced in November 1999 as a venture between The Walt Disney Company and the Hong Kong Government. With the completion of reclamation for Hong Kong Disneyland Phase I by the Hong Kong Government, Disney has begun construction in January 2003 with the project scheduled to open in 2005 or 2006.

My wife and I joined a Technical Visit to Hong Kong Disneyland organized by The Institute of Industrial Engineers (Hong Kong) (IIE-HK) on 23rd April 2009. Industrial engineers of Disneyland gave us a briefing on their achievements for process improvement, logistics and capacity management.

Disneyland MTR station and train have a special design.
My wife and I took a photo inside the train.


Platform is different from other MTR station.

Dr Chin, Dr. Tsang, my wife and I took a photo in front of Disneyland. We were representatives of Hong Kong Society for Quality (HKSQ) to join IIE technical visit.
Mr. Ken Leung (Industrial Engineer – Disneyland) introduced the role of Industrial Engineer (IE) in Disneyland. IE works as internal business consultant and a bridge to link up management and operation. They promote good idea and usually express it in terms of Return on Investment (ROI).
IE products and services includes
- Capacity / demand analysis
- Measurement & analysis
- Operations planning
- Process design & improvement
- Tool creation & transfer
- Decision & simulation modeling
- Work standards generation
- Resort expansion planning & support

IE career ladder in Disneyland is from IE assistant to Manager of IE. The ratio of soft skill required to technical skill would be increased through the career ladder.

There are four types of skill to be concerned. They are “Consulting”, “Technical”, “Relationship” and “Leadership”.
Mr. Harry Li (IIE President) presented a souvenir to Mr. Ken Leung.
After that we had site visit. We were separated with two teams.

Ms. Rosalyn Woo (Industrial Engineer – Disneyland) led a team including HKSQ ex-co members. When we passed “Costuming Dept”, Ms. Woo explained the RFID have just been employed for inventory control in order to reduce cycle time and material loss. They have more than hundred thousand items in the Dept.


Mr. Ken Leung led the other team.

The Sleeping Beauty Castle


We asked why Disney didn’t use digital display for actions. Rosalyn explained the theme park presenting an old era.

Then we went to “TOMORROWLAND”.

We saw “BUZZ LIGHTYEAR”!

FASTPASS mechanism was introduced by using which guest could have better planning for their visit. Thus, better experience in the park would be obtained. The time period shown on the FASTPASS display would be renewed every 5 minutes.

Cyber Toilet Design

Then we visited SPACE MOUNTAIN and studied their queue management and design.

Oh! Stitch!
Interested Car


Dr. Melon is a funny guy.

Then we left Disney and took a group photo.


After the visit in Hong Kong Disney, my wife and I went to take Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car. It was the advertisement of Crystal Cabin.
The station of Cable Car

The price of Cable Car Round Trip is HK$96 per person but Crystal Cabin costs HK$157.

On that day, few people were queued for the cable car. My wife and I enjoyed private cabin service (officially it costs HK$2400!!!)

We observed an engineer in a maintenance cable car. It seemed so dangerous.


After that, we went to Tian Tan Buddha Statue (Big Buddha) through Ngong Ping Village.


We saw Nature Centre.

Walking with Buddha
Ngong Ping Village toward Big Buddha


Introduction of Big Buddha

We walked up the long stairs to reach Big Buddha

Some followers sculpture


Tian Tan Buddha


Po Lin Monastery (Opposite to Big Buddha)


The photo was taken for visitors in Cable Car by auto-camera installed in Ngong Ping 360 station.

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