Handling IT Project

In my day to day work, I have to handle various IT-projects. Well as I do so, I can find a lot of similarity and of course some difference between it and our day-to-day life. Let me first tell you what I mean by day-to-day life. For me it means the days spent from the time we wake up in the morning to the time we get to bed. Though every one will have a different experience and every day will be different, but some thing is so common in all the person and all the days that the whole day work can be generalized.

Now lets take a general work day for sane person. We get up, brush our teethes, get ourselves ready for our days work by freshen up, having breakfast and probably a Bath. Then we start off for our days work, by traveling or walking to the place of work. Do our work till Lunch, have a Lunch and then continue with our work. And then come back to home, spend some time with family and friends, then have a dinner and go back to sleep.

For a project, we Initiate the project (project kick-off), make a plan for it, then work on the plan, review the plan in between, control the project using the plan and complete the project. The project will then be implemented, where its life start by getting the users to adopt it by getting trained and using the project. Once they know the project, they would find some mistakes or need some changes in it, where the project will be maintained. The project will go on till we find some better replacement for it, which will again lead to a new project.

This cycle of project will start similar to our day work, like we brush up our teeth to get ourselves a kick to start the day, similar to what we do in a Project Kick-Off. Now once we are wide awake, we make a days plan, some do in a diary while most others like me do it in our mind, this is done while we fresh up, get ourselves ready for the days work. Then like the actual work, we start by implementing the plan, which goes on till lunch break or other breaks at which time, we review our plan, and may change or improve our speed to complete the plan. This all process will culminate when we complete the project and return back to our home turf, where the project is implemented, our users, the family is going to see our work, the behavioral mood which we have brought back after our work, that will be inspected. Some changes/new need may arise and they have to be fulfilled. This will go on till the time we are in bed, when the project is in the dead end and we will touch the bed to have ourselves refreshed for the next day or next project...

Enterprise Resource Planning

This term ERP, means different things to different people. Some thinks, this as a number of different module, interacting with one another, some says, it is a common interface that serves all the need of an enterprise, some even says that it is a big software, which goes on growing and is never completely installed, and even you may hear that this is a software for big organisation. ERP means all of the above and even more. It is a software, which does every thing for the organisation. It is one software, which will be used by all the departments, do all there computer work. No other software for any application, is needed. So defining ERP, is as task which should be best left for the academisians.

Lets see, what it can do for you. If you are presently doing manual work, then this ERP is a step, which will not only introduce you to the world of computers, but will also help to organize the work. If you are doing the work using excel sheets and word documents to store your information and present it, then ERP will not only help to maintain the information and retrive it when needed, but will also help to present it into various format for MIS purposes. If you are using small applications to satisfy the need of various users in your orgnisation, then ERP will help you to connect various information and will also help to eliminate redundancy of the entry.

But does ERP fits my style of working ? Or Is it for me ? This question often hinders in making an ERP procurement decision. But this is like not touching water, but wanting to learn swimming. If you want your organisation to progress, then evaluate various ERP available or get a customized one built and starts its implementation. If will take time to install one to fit your need, but have paitence, and give your continued support. This only can guarantee a sucessful ERP implementation. Happy ERPing…

Queen Baton Relay

Last Sunday, that on 8th March, 2009, the prototype of Queen's Baton was unveiled at India Gate, New Delhi by Lt. Governor Tejinder Khanna, to start the countdown for Commonwealth Game 2010. The games are to be held from October 3 to October 14, 2010. The baton had a mix of Indian culture and Hi-Tech ability. The baton contains the soil taken from all the 28 states of India, thus portraying the diversity of Indian culture. It also has some hi-tech features, like an ability to click pictures of the places it travels and feature of receiving SMS sent to it, which can be recorded. The baton also has a golden leaf inscribed with queen's message. The baton not only does represents resilient spirit of Indians, but also, its prowess in the field of technology and IT.

Sports has taken a big leap in India. Now the country is not fixed to one game Cricket, but is taking its stride forward with other games like Shooting, Boxing, Wrestling, Weigh-Lifting, Archery, Badminton and Tennis. Though traditional game of Hockey is still trying to get terms with its modern form. Other sports like Athletics, Swimming, Table-Tennis, Volley-Ball, Basket Ball, Soccer are well below the Olympic mark, though in Common-wealth standard they fetch India one-or-two medals here and there.

In Commonwealth games we have done remarkably well year-after-year. In 2002 at Manchester, England, India stood 5th with 359 medals (117 G + 98 S + 134 B). While in 2006 at Melbourne, Australia, India was again 5th with 266 medals (104 G + 90 S + 72 B). Though the medal tally suggest a decline in numbers but the overall performance was good. More is expected in this commonwealth game, as firstly it is to be held in India, so Indian Athletes will have a home advantage – the climate and the crowd will be backing them, and secondly the sports culture has got a good push with our recent haul of Olympic medals. We got 3 medals (1 G + 2 B) in last Olympics, which does not speaks volumes about our 100 million + population, though it still keeps our flag flying high at least in some sports.

Sportsmen are doing a great job here, by inspiring millions of people to take up sports and spread the message of peace and harmony. Sports icon like Abhinav Bindra, Vijendra Singh, Shushil Kumar, Akhil Kumar, Jeetender Singh and Shaina Nehawal are creating a whole lot of followers. Who not only just want to take autograph, but also inspires to become one of them. These youngsters can be found in most sport ground or clubs in various nooks and corner of the country. Every kid dreams to see himself/herself on TV and become an icon. But they need more of government support, to provide them with infrastructure needed to train well in their discipline. Without it, we will just find a few medal coming India's way in International Arena. But with proper channeling of the government support-system, India can of course produce 100s of champions in various sports discipline, from its million strong human-bodies....

Goa Vacation

I am back, from a week long vacation in GOA. Refreshed and drenched in the sea beaches of this wonderful paradise of India. The people, the place, the beaches, the ambiance and every thing was well above the expectation. The food, the traffic, the smiling faces of GOA, is still fresh in my mind. The water, the sand, the tourist have left me with a want to stay more, but the work, the home and of-course Delhi has brought me back to where I belong.

GOA, as you know, is famous for its beaches. I visited 8 of them - Benaulim, Varca, Calangute, Candolim, Baga, Siridao, Dona Paula, Miramar and Anjuna. I visited various temples and Churches. I also enjoyed the boat cruse at Panaji. They where all fabulous, the experience was awesome. The beaches where all different in there look and feel. While in Baga, you get waves which are very high, in Anjuna, you get to see the, most beautiful of the beachs in GOA, in Siridao you do not find much of a beach, but it is a Shell collector's heaven, in Candolim, you enjoy the best of sunset view, and in Calangute, you find the most crowded beach of GOA, Miramar and Varca, is where you can have a relaxing sea bath, out of the crowd and Dona Paula is more famous for its view then for its beach, where you can enjoy various water sports.

The Dolphins are well near the sea shore, a boat ride from Baga, Condolium or Calangute can get you near them. But the views or jumps of a Dolphin, depends on their mood, thats what the local boatmen told us. We where lucky to have some glimpses of them. The water sports, like Water biking, Water Skiing, Parachuting, boat ride on rough sea is something, which has to be experienced, to feel those excitement. Goa is one place where you can see the sea and mountain close by. You can feel both the dense jungle of the Aravali Ranges and you can also see the white waters of sea. Goa is also well blessed with rivers, some of the major ones like Sal, Zauri and Beas, provides GOA with fresh water and Fishes.

About Food, you will enjoy the Fish-curry Rice if you are a Non-Veg food lover, or you will enjoy the various baked foods, like breads and cakes. The coconut water, the various fruits, like banana, mango, papaya etc. and dry fruits like Cashews and Resins will be enough to satisfy your taste bud. But don't forget to get a taste of the Port Wine or Fenny when you are in Goa. Bars and Wine shops are plenty, your neck would pain if you try to avoid their site.

Sea is a kind of addiction, when you first see it, it feels such a big - reserve of water with those high tides coming near you as you face it, with such large force, that you heart skips a beat every time those big waves break on the shore. But as you enter it, the waves first starts caressing your feet, the salty water tickles your body, those very big waves take you for a ride and then you start enjoying it. Well that is the time, when you don't want to leave it, and even if you do, you come back again and again. This is not only with the sea, but even with the mountains or every beauty of nature, which tries to pull it with all its attraction. I feel that the nature element in all of us, has the connection with the roots, the pull is just a manifestation of it...