| IT advice and updates for Annex customers | Edition 5, 2009 – Q4 |
Newsletter
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ANNEX ADVICE How to Initiate a Business Transformation By Vivian Kane Business Transformation is a formal initiative to change the fundamental components of a business. Its focus is to improve some aspect of the business intent, structure, products and services, or the people, processes, and tools on which these depend. Because these components are interdependent, a change in one impacts all others. Thus, business transformation is complex with changes across functions and levels of an organization. Read more... Credit Card Security By OJ Jonasson In 2006 the major card brands (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB and Discover Financial) created the Payment Card Industry – Security Standards Council (PCI-SSC). The Council’s mandate was to establish and maintain a universal set of information security standards that would apply to merchants throughout the world who accept payment cards. The result was the Payment Card Industry – Data Security Standard, a complex set of security standards covering 12 well established information security domains. Read more... Working the Core Domain: Delivering Business Value by Shortening QA Feedback Cycles By Robert Reppel One of the truisms of delivering software intensive projects is that fixing a defect or changing the way a feature works is much more costly if done late during development. Changes to systems which are already live are most expensive of all. A key objective for planning such projects is therefore to shorten the time between a feature being specified and the time when QA and usability feedback about it is available. Getting feedback as early as possible has many advantages: Read more... Why Most Leadership Development Initiatives Fail By Mike Desjardins Over the past ten years we’ve had the opportunity to work with well 1,000+ executives and CEOs, focused on helping them becoming better leaders, strategists, and visionaries. In that time I’ve seen the aftermath of many failed leadership development initiatives, that we’ve been called in to fix or replace, and they seem to carry a number of similarities. If you’re a CEO, VP HR, or Director of Leadership Development, I think you’ll find this helpful. Here is a list of the reasons that most leadership development (LD) initiatives fail: Read more... |
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| ANNEX UPDATES |
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Annex CIO Breakfast Series Join us to hear industry experts speak at complimentary breakfast events. Sessions include 30 minutes of networking time during which continental breakfast is provided, a 1-hour presentation from an industry specialist, plus audience Q&A. Use the event for learning, to reward key staff, for networking, or simply to enjoy breakfast away from the office. Register early as seating is limited. Risk Management (2nd session added due to popular demand!) February 3, 2010, 8:00-10:00 a.m. See details and register here Next PMP Exam Prep Workshop The next PMP Certification Exam Preparation workshop offered by The Annex Learning Centre will run on March 5, 12, 19 and 26. The workshop takes place over four consecutive Fridays. We welcome individuals from different companies, or we can run an exclusive session with only your organization’s people. For more information, please visit http://www.annexgroup.com/annex-learning-centre/schedule.asp. The Annex Learning Centre is the only BC-based training organization that focuses entirely on project management education. Dynamic Entrepreneurs of the 21st Century After much anticipation, the new book entitled Dynamic Entrepreneurs of the 21st Century by Michael Caldwell will be available in bookstores in January 2010. We are proud to announce that the Annex story is featured as chapter 1 of the book. To obtain a copy, visit your local Chapters bookstore, or order online at Amazon or Chapters. |
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| PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE |
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Most companies have core values. Defining core values is an exercise in a typical strategic planning process. By taking the time to study various established organizations, it is evident that many have similar core values. Read more... |
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MEET THE TEAM
Nazgol Esfahani
Sales and Marketing Coordinator
Naz is the newest member of our team. Read more...
FEATURED PROJECTS
- Business Transformation Business Case
- Business Transformation Project Planning
- Current State Analysis
- Incentive Compensation Strategy
- Lead Business Analyst
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GIVING BACK
- Tom Dutta, Annex COO
- The World Partnership Walk
- Tom Dutta, Annex COO, and his wife, Anna
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FAST FACTS
- Annex paid out more than $100,000 in referral fees in 2009.
- Annex has worked with nearly 1,200 consultants since 1998.
- The Annex Learning Centre provides post-workshop mentoring and coaching at no charge.
Read more...
