How personal is your foundry software?

Software design has developed immensely over the past few decades providing more functionality, faster processing, more in-depth analysis, and even more ways of getting to new and interesting information. But is all this extra information necessary for your job?

Back in the days…

When DOS applications ruled, and most software was naturally restricted to 25 lines of 80 characters, life (it seems) was simpler. Software applications only had to deliver the required information for the particular function you where concentrating on, when you finished the current activity you moved on to the next. Today's “multi-tasking” software seems ever impatient to move you on to the next job before you have had time to finish the current “multi-task”. Add into this ever increasing working hours, the technological intrusion into our personal lives, and ever more demanding and complicated software “suites” and it all adds up to a very stressful working environment.

As a software designer…

I am aware of these issues in my own working life as well as the working lives of my customers. The primary aim of my company is to provide good quality, stable, and user friendly foundry specific ERP/MRP systems. By their nature, these type of software systems are very comprehensive (having to handle everything from raw materials in to finished goods out) this requires a lot of functionality and involves many people contributing towards collective data gathering and processing effort. Many of whom are excellent in their own specialized areas but cannot grasp the ever demanding requirements of new technology.

So it seems we have a problem…

On the one hand you have the requirement for a very fully functional and comprehensive software solution that needs to meet the requirements of many employees, and on the other you need to reduce the solution down to a manageable solution on a personal level. At Synchro ( www.synchro32.com ) we handle this by enabling the user (or immediate supervisor) to restrict which areas are available to individual users and in addition, allow the user to customize their own software environment so that it meets their personal needs. Most supervisors will treat this as a security issue, not wanting individuals to view sales information, or stop them from altering quality assurance data, in other word stopping them sticking their nose (and more appropriately, fingers) into another users working life… But the plain truth is that most users a) don't want to mess about in areas that don't concern them, b) haven't' got the time to mess about, and c) (perhaps most importantly), they only want to access what they need to do their job.

Integration v personal…

I've written in the past about the importance of fully integrated software systems, and at first view the need to keep software personal may seem to advocate the opposite; but if the fully integrated systems allow for individuals to access only the areas they need then you can keep everyone happy, by allowing an individual to concentrate on the job they do best. You still retain security, your data is still fully integrated, and the user is protected from the deluge of data (and temptation) that would ordinarily descend.

By allowing companies the ability to tailor an application down to the fundamental requirements of a user, they are, in effect, freeing the user from the constraints of extra tutorials and security implications. At the same time you will be providing them with an environment that feels as though it was specifically prepared for them. Add to this, the ability to automatically transport the users selected environment to whatever computer they happen to be using and the picture is complete.

It may seem a little perverse after taking so much trouble designing software heavy with functionality that we would recommend tailoring an individuals working environment in this way, after all as the MD/CEO of a growing software company I want as many users to use as much of our software as possible right? Well no, designing software for a specific industry leads to hundreds of functional developments and we cannot possible expect all our users to be proficient in the entire system (and nor would we wish it). The functions are built for departments, users, and in short specialized people. People that have a job to do and do not need an additional career mastering a huge software package. Understanding the complexities of I.T. is not a requirement or a necessity.

Make the correct choice…

Do your company (and the employees) a favor, make sure the software you choose to run your foundry has the ability to remain personal, not only in terms of software; but in terms of it outlook on design as this is often a reflection upon its attitude to customer service…

Die Casting Times
September 2008

	Team Spirit	Die Casting Times	Read Article	November 2008
	Generic ERP verses Cast Metal Specific ERP	Foundry Tade Journal	Read Article	November 2008
	How personal is your foundry software?	Die Casting Times	Read Article	September 2008
	A question of "Home grown or not?"	Die Casting Times	Read Article	July/August 2008
	Product Innovations	Modern Casting		December 2007
	So much information, so little time...	Die Casting Times	Read Article	July/August 2007
	Achieving the benefits of integrated foundry software - Part One	Die Casting Times	Read Article	April/May 2007
	Achieving the benefits of integrated foundry software - Part Two	Die Casting Times	Read Article	April/May 2007

Back