Cuil, the new search engine

I just found out that there’s a new search engine called Cuil. I tried search test to 3 search engines; Cuil, Google and Yahoo. I still found out that Google gives better results than others. While Yahoo is almost the same with Google result, Cuil is a little bit different in the results. I like the way Cuil shows more information per search result. But, somehow, it’s quite difficult to see the whole first 10 results. However, I like the web design of Cuil in showing the results, but not the first page. Google and Yahoo web design is very simple as search engine. Back to the search result, the most important thing for me is the relevant retrieved pages, and I think Google is still better one.

Talking about search engine, I remember I chat with my friend about social network search engine. I haven’t tried blog search engine, maybe because I still get it from general search engine such as Google and from there I can have many other links. Anyhow, social network search engine sounds good

For more information about Cuil, visit http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/no-bull-cuil-had-problems/

Social software and CRM

I just think about this topic since yesterday. I’m thinking that one core business process is managing customer service, to do that, organizations can use CRM. I see CRM as a whole process from front-end until back-end system. Is that true? Then, the adoption of social software is also able to be used internally and externally. Hmm, maybe the external usage is interesting. Because I assume that external party is more unpredictable than insiders, which are employees of organizations. If it is possible, social software adoption can be used as front end application to communicate and interact with customers, then it integrates with other system in organization to finally process the end result; reports, forecasting, sales dashboard, etc. The results might depend on customers’ participations in the front end system. Well, it’s kinda interesting though, then I can add more things inside later.

social software and personal knowledge

I have been used wiki quite a long time, just to read and find some information I wanna know, but I didn’t know that it is one of social software tools. It’s like a big dictionary for me. I didn’t know that it can be used to collaborate writing with other people (anyway, I’m glad I knew that now :’p). At first I believe information in the wiki 100% true, no doubt, no question. But then I learn, that people can revise other people’s writing, due to updating facts, or revising some information. Then I have a changing feeling, it’s not a 100% anymore =’] Yes it’s true, since information and knowledge can be used and reused, added, updated, and some aren’t mature, still developing, and sometimes I cross check with other sources as well. So, readers have to become the filter of their own.

Wiki has revision history, yes, but I feel I don’t wanna know about it. The point is I don’t like the history page. Cause I see that the history page is not easy to read. Sometimes I just don’t care about the history tracking and if I could find the information I want, it’s enough. But, in other case, it could be an issue for a user friendly easy to retrieve and compare documentation perhaps?

I’m new in writing blog, but I feel quite comfortable about telling what I study. I also search and read some blogs, ask people whose writings I’m interested in. But then I learn, that people’s writing in blog, are more to opinion (even though facts are also clear), despite they’re experts or novices. So, you know many blogs around, many variative opinions, which can be your sources of information and knowledge, and you are, once again become the filter of those information and knowledge. When I got comments from other people for my writings, I’m very excited, most are because I see that some people read and say something about my opinion or what I say. It’s like an indirect conversation more or less. And what’s important is that they also have the same interest with me!

Another social software tools I use is Friendster, the social network service. Sometimes I feel lazy to update my profile and check my network. Coz my purpose here is just to stay connect and able to contact my friends. Friends of friends are rarely used. I notice that some of my friends can be very active in updating their profiles, write bulletins and blogs, but many have lost also; they never use their accounts anymore. And I realize, I use it only to stay connect with some still existing friends in there and it’s personal use only. I just read bout someone said that Facebook is useless in creating social networking, that he expects friends he has could help in his professional life. It’s true maybe, people only want to make “friends” in the context of personal instead professionalism in social network service. Anyway, as far as I go, this social network service does not give me knowledge except news about my friends only.

Internet forum is quite an older technology of social software. I find it useful, especially when I have some errors of problems connected with my works in IT field (Search engine like Google is very very useful.) Answer and questions type of communication, it’s like Q&A. But sometimes, people also give tips and tricks, best practices and experiences. It’s a good place to update your knowledge, not only to find solutions when you have problems. Anyway, sometimes I don’t get an answer when I pop up a question into a forum, that can make me desperate in finding solutions of my problems =’p 

Well, those are stories of my experience in using some social software tools for my personal knowledge. I feel that wikis, forums and professional blogs are most useful in giving me information and knowledge. Though, I haven’t compared which of them is the most useful, but each has own characteristics. (I mentioned professional blogs, coz some blogs are only stories about daily lives and experinces. Somehow I never think of reading diary-like blogs that most of the reasons is I’m not that interested in knowing other people’s lives that I don’t know =’] (forgive me..) Maybe other people feel it’s interesting? I don’t know.)

The next thing is, I really should try social bookmarking and twitter. It’s kinda interesting =’D

Social software and BPM

Many organizations have used social software tools; emails, video conference, online chat, forum, etc. Newer applications of social software associated with web 2.0 such as wiki, blog, social bookmarking and tagging are also have been used in organizations. Most of the tools were used as a knowledge management tool for knowledge building, knowledge sharing, knowledge networking, information dissemination, etc. Some research conducted case studies of social software usage in companies to support business process. The results are varied, some gain success and some get failure. It is said that most success comes that the use of social software are intended as solution to answer business process’s needs.

The key of social software is in the “social” thing. Participation and involvement of the users, which is bottom up approach make these tools “survive” in the context of organization. Without users’ participation, I think social software will have no use. People in organization, of course need to communicate and collaborate each other, which makes sense if it is said that social software can be used in all business processes, but to what extend? If I think that social software means emails, it is reasonable. But if I see from the newer application related to web 2.0, sometimes it is still quite difficult to imagine that all those processes need blog, wiki, social bookmarking or tagging.

However, I try to create a metrics between social software tools (blog, wiki, forum, social bookmarking, tagging, social network service, and instant messaging) and business process classification (core and support processes). I also believe that the use of the tools are not the same in nature, and the needs of business processes are not the same. So, I conclude that different business process needs different tools to support it. The result is that all the processes can make use at least one of the tool I’ve mentioned above. The organization can adopt the social tools to support its business process, but once again, the adoption needs plan and work. It is easy just to install the tools. But what is important is that the tool can accomodate the needs of the users and business process itself.

One thing that is more interesting is the adoption of social software tools in one organization is not the same with other organizations, so I think social software adoption will be very various and quite dynamic in nature. Some factors that need to be checked in adopting these tools are organization’s culture, change management, user’s behaviour and management support. The adoption is not about technical thing, the management part is as much as important as the technical part. In fact, it could be more to be a concern.

The driver of social software, I think is the users. Use, participate and enjoy. When the users feel that, I think the adoption would be just fine.

How can we make social software adoption to support business process in organization to be a success? – check business process need. - fact that business process need social software tool. – analyze business process need and tool to be adopted. – prepare change management in adopting new technology (management) and the tools to be implemented (technical). – monitor the implementation. – evaluate the implementation.

How do we know that the use of social software enhance business process? – reduce working time. – increase the work that is processed. – save costs. - yield greater production.

How can we measure that the use of social software can increase production and quality? – increase sales. – reduce complains.

How do we find out that the use of social software can support decision making? – real time and more feedbacks from customers. – more information and knowledge exchange can be performed.

Where do you wanna go?

Today I decide to have a “holiday”. So, when I look at the 7wonder site (http://www.new7wonders.com/), I got Santorini, and that is the place I remember I wanna go to – when I have a chance of course =’p So, here comes info about that beautiful place (which even though I haven’t been there, but I think that place is beautiful) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santorini, http://wikitravel.org/en/Santorini Then it led me to the White Towns of Andalusia in Spain – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Towns_of_Andalusia Hmm.. nice places ^^

Dragon Seed

I read this novel, authored by Pearl S. Buck. From my perspective, I see it as a life journey of a chinese farmer in a village. When you want “usual” and peaceful life, but what you get is chaos and war. And when you lose hope of it, you get to see a new beginning. Life’s rolling like a movie that when you walk through it, you don’t realize, but try to track back, then you’ll know and see how far you go. Life is changing, even though you want it or not, life is rolling, you cannot stop the time. Change your life into a better one, realize that time is ticking that makes you do something worth each day. Accept the changes and live it.. That’s life..

Play

Being amazed by these quotes and writings in the middle of the work, it makes me smile

“Play is the highest form of research.” -Albert Einstein

“First, relax. Sip slowly, watch the kids play. See if there’s any birds outside your window. Have a nap. Doodle. Break the circuit of habitual thinking.” -http://www.laughingmind.com

BPM puzzles

Last time I already summarized about BPM’s meanings, etc. Continuing to the benefits, well, I thought it wouldn’t be that difficult, but it was quite hard for me to see the ‘real thing’. But, I read in some papers and agree that they mentioning about efficiency, effectiveness and agility. Please search in the net, and you’ll find lots of it =’] I don’t wanna talk much about it now, coz I still think I haven’t seen the whole picture and the real thing that I can figure out one of it at my workplace long time ago. =p

I’m thinking, even though an organization does not claim that it performs BPM, actually, being realized or not, all organizations in nature will manage all business processes to achieve their objectives.

And now I’m wondering to classify business processes. At first, I thought that an organization will have lots of business processes. Second, not all business processes are the core ones. Third, regarding the social software tools, not all business processes can be supported by those tools. So, I have to find out business process and tools characteristics so they can match and perform in maximum way to benefit the organization.

And yesterday, I met my advisor. She successfully made me confuse with “process improvement” now =’] Seeing BPR vs BPM, I was sure that BPM is a lot broader than BPR, that now, I can think that BPR can be a part of BPM. Actually, I’ve checked in “System Analysis and Design with UML version 2.0″ book, it discussed about BPA (Automation), BPI (Improvement), and BPR (Reengineering). But I think the scope of that book is limited to the technology part. BPA means changing manual process into automation process, means faster process, more efficient (have to make financial analysis) and more effective (have to measure, example by comparing before and after comparison). BPA projects are usually short term projects since it doesn’t change process. The process flow is still the same, it’s just being delivered to computerized applications. BPI means improving the as is system (whether or not it’s still manual or already computerized), maybe cut or add some process in the to be system to make the process more efficient, or add process’ validation that the to be process can be more effective in performing the processes. BPR, as discussed in the book also, is focusing on the to be system that it is said that its goal is to create a “new” process that analyst only spend little time on seeing the as is process. The to be process is supposed to be different from the old one. BPR projects take more time to finish and more risks, more costs, but also can give significant benefit among the 3 approaches. It’s very technical.

That I think, BPM is not only about technology, even manual process can be improved through BPM practice. So, BPM refers to broader scope.

And, what is process improvement? In broad term, it can be any process –> software process improvement and business process improvement. But, if process improvement can refer to any of those, it means that it’s quite the same with BPM? I mean, BPM can be manual, but it is getting closer to IT. BPM sees business as processes, and one of its goal is to optimize those processes. Process improvement’s goal is also to improve process of course. BPM’s other goal is to be able to adapt to the changes happen in business environment, and it is also one of other goal of business improvement. So, what’s the difference between those two?? =’| I consider about BPM lifecycle which is a continuous cycle. I don’t know much about process improvement, does it have a method or something in applying it? Process improvement will not happen in only one time. It’s like a never ending story, and so does BPM. waaa… ok, this will be my homework, huhu..

BPM and KM. They relate to each other, they support one another. It’s like mutual relationship, but I don’t know is there any paper that discuss about this relationship. Does poor BPM can lead to poor KM? Does it apply on the reverse also? Is there any research about this before? How would they prove it? KM practice is more like intangible, hard to measure the benefit I guess. But, anyway, I still wanna find their relation.

Ok, I think there’s a lot :’] Lotsa work to do now!.. Ganbatte ne!