December 8, 2008

"PRIDE"-ISEM PHASE 9 - ISEM EVALUATION (SPECIAL)

This is Part XIX in our series on the "PRIDE" Methodologies for IRM. In this edition we provide a description of the concepts and philosophies used in the "PRIDE"-Information Systems Engineering Methodology (ISEM).

The full text for this section can be obtained by clicking: HERE.

NEXT UP: Introduction to the "PRIDE"-Data Base Engineering Methodology (DBEM).

If you would like to discuss this with me in more depth, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail.

Keep the faith!

OUR BRYCE'S LAW OF THE WEEK therefore is...

"Systems do not have a 'life cycle.' They may go on forever if kept viable with change. The only thing that has a 'life cycle' is a project which has a beginning for planning, a middle for execution, and an end for review."

"MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD"

Friends, be sure to check out our book entitled, "MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD - A Handbook for Entering the Work Force" which is a survival guide for young people as they transition into adult life.

Bonnie Wooding, the President of the Toronto Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) said, "Many of our members are just starting their careers and I will be recommending that they read this book, especially Chapter 3, Professional Development - a primer for business skills and filled with basic common sense advice that is simple, easy to follow and extraordinarily practical; and Chapter 5, Do’s and Don’ts of the Workplace, an excellent resource for those questions you are too embarrassed to ask for fear of looking foolish."

The Miami Hurricane recently reviewed it (10/22/2007) and said,

"the abundance of information the book provides is a good start for anyone about to take the first step into the real world. Though the concept of adulthood may seem intimidating, it's comforting to know that someone has at least written a guidebook for it."

Reviewer Bill Petrey praised it by saying, "Every young person entering the workplace for the first time should be given a copy of this book."

The book includes chapters to describe how a young person should organize themselves, how to adapt to the corporate culture, develop their career, and improve themselves professionally and socially. Basically, its 208 pages of good sound advice to jump start the young person into the work force. Corporate Human Resource departments will also find this book useful for setting new hires on the right track in their career. It not only reinforces the many formal rules as contained in corporate policy manuals, but also includes the subtle unwritten rules we must all observe while working with others. The book lists for $25 and can be ordered online through MBA or your local book store. Complementing the book is a one day seminar of the same name which can be purchased separately for $4,000.00 (U.S.) plus instructor travel expenses. For more information on both the book and the seminar, visit our corporate web site at: http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/morph.htm
ISBN: 978-0-9786182-5-4

MY "PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK" IS "ECONOMICS 101"

There have been a variety of things blamed for the 2008 economic crunch, such as outsourcing work overseas, bad loan policies, the value of the dollar and oil, government regulation, corporate corruption, the stock markets, etc. My guess is that it's probably a lot simpler than all this, namely John Q. Public has forgotten about basic economics. Maybe it's time for a refresher course:

First, don't spread yourself too thin. This means don't spend more than you have or earn. It seems to me a lot of young people today want it all right away; the big house, the big car, the latest electronic toys, etc. This, of course, results in the big bills and big headaches. Maybe we should be less consumed with "keeping up with the Jones'" and more with paying our bills and keeping our creditors happy. To do so, minimize your financial dependencies, such as rent or mortgage, car loans, credit cards, etc. Do some soul-searching and reassess your priorities. That $400 cell phone may look pretty snazzy, but could that money be more wisely spent elsewhere?

Second, maintain a good credit record. Pay your bills on time and avoid penalties. Someone who doesn't pay their bills on time is less likely to get a loan when they need it as opposed to someone who does. Bankruptcy is not the panacea it may seem; it can be a rather arduous process to recover from it and it will be a long time before anybody offers you a line of credit.

Third, try to put something away for a rainy day. This may be hard to do, but it will be worth it during turbulent times (such as what we are currently going through). Don't know where to save your money? Consult a reputable financial planner, someone you personally trust. An independent consultant is every bit as good as some of the big boys, maybe more so.

Finally, the politicians and media have come to the realization that we're in the midst of a recession. I wonder if it's a coincidence that they had this epiphany only after the November elections. We are now in the midst of the holiday shopping madness, and when the dust clears it will be reported that sales are radically down and the gross domestic product will be lower than expected, again. I would use the word "depression", but I don't think we're that far gone yet and will be able to pull out of this. The survivors will be those who keep their cool and pay attention to the basics.

So, who is at fault for our latest round of economic woes? As Pogo said, "We have met the enemy and he is us." High finance is nice, but if everyone had paid attention to Economics 101 we probably wouldn't be in this mess today.

Such is my Pet Peeve of the Week.

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

"BRYCE'S PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK"

Folks, a couple of years ago I started to include my "Pet Peeve of the Week" in these "Management Visions" podcasts. They have become so popular that I now syndicate them through the Internet and they are available for republication in other media. To this end, I have created a separate web page for my writings which you can find at phmainstreet.com Look for the section, "The Bryce is Right!" Hope you enjoy them.

Also, if you happen to be in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, be sure to stop by and check out our new Palm Harbor Business OASIS, a new business venue offering local business people a place to meet, work, network, and relax. Why pay a lot for leasing office space when you can become a member of the OASIS for as little as $100/month? For more information, visit our web site at: http://www.phboasis.com/

AND FINALLY...

I received the following e-mail regarding my Pet Peeve on "Teen Buzz":

A J.S. in Skidway Lake, Michigan wrote...

"This is really interesting, Tim. I can vouch for the acute hearing of teenagers. When my daughter was in high school, our TV was on, but set on pause, waiting to play a VHS tape. I couldn't hear anything, but she got very annoyed and turned off the set. She couldn't believe I couldn't hear the whine and I couldn't believe she could. She is 21 now, so we'll have to try that again to see if presbycussis has set in. She makes fun of me for my presbyopia and my granny glasses. Now we'll see who else is aging..."

An M.R. in Oregon wrote...

"My 16 year old standing here, he hurried and left!! I asked him what did it sound like? He said like a very high pitched squeal, like you said. The dogs did not respond, and my husband and I could not hear it. My parrot did not respond either (I thought she might). Finally my 16 year old in the other room yelled it hurt his ear and could I stop it. Very interesting! Thumbs up for your blog!"

I received the following e-mails from my "Pet Peeve" entitled, "Expanding Government":

A T.N. of Golden Valley, California wrote...

"I agree that the public sector will shrink, as the private sector is already doing. But the other end of that see-saw is welfare for those who are no longer needed for the country to function. Job programs no longer work, they ceased working at the turn of the century. A small middle class is normal. Extended families living together is normal. The past 70 or so years are not at all normal."

A D.E. of Golden Hill, Maryland wrote...

"I'd have to say that you've hit the nail on the head...again. Good post! I think a lot of it has to do with the government learning that if it gets the public to 'think' that it's getting something for nothing, they will believe it and allow government to grow. Case in point, or should I say future case in point, Obama ran a well executed race. He used the typical "Chicago politics" (that, sadly, is no longer restricted to Chicago) or 'promise them everything give them nothing and take as much as you can get'. In the next four years government will grow; sadly it will be exponentially rather than linearly. Great job!"

Again, thanks for your comments. For these and other comments, please visit my "Bryce is Right!" web site.

Keep those cards and letters coming.

MBA is an international management consulting firm specializing in Information Resource Management. We offer training, consulting, and writing services in the areas of Enterprise Engineering, Systems Engineering, Data Base Engineering, Project Management, Methodologies and Repositories. For information, call us at 727/786-4567.

Our corporate web page is at:

http://phmainstreet.com/mba/

Management Visions is a presentation of M. Bryce & Associates, a division of M&JB Investment Company of Palm Harbor, Florida, USA. The program is produced on a weekly basis and updated on Sundays. It is available in versions for RealPlayer, Microsoft Media Player, and MP3 suitable for Podcasting. See our web site for details. You'll find our broadcast listed in several Podcast and Internet Search engines, as well as Apples' iTunes.

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Copyright © 2008 by M&JB Investment Company of Palm Harbor, Florida, USA. All rights reserved. "PRIDE" is the registered trademark of M&JB Investment Company.

This is Tim Bryce reporting.

Since 1971: "Software for the finest computer - the Mind."

END