The evolution of technology.

Information is being accessed in many different ways these days- through mobile devices, laptops, personal computers and the so called smartphones. There are so many ways to keep connected but what does this mean for you?

The working life

With the developments in remote access technology and online security it is now possible to work from your office from home, just this week I remotely accessed my work computer to download files, sort documents and work on a few local issues.

This is a great benefit to those with family commitments.

Equally, to those with education commitments who want to study and work at the same time.

This is something, however, that wouldn’t have been possible a few years ago as the technology was there...it just wasn’t as flexible as it is now. It was also a rather specialised field and you would need extensive computing knowledge to use this technology. Now it is available, as a service, via the cloud ironically, that anyone can use.

Keep connected all day every day

While for many of us the idea of never being able to leave our work behind may be slightly horrifying- this gives you more opportunities to keep control when you’re not there. No longer miss meetings, calls and other important communication with mobile devices that keep you connected all the time.

While if you’re just ill and out of the office that day, worry not that you will have to let the office field itself- set up video conferences and free VOIP chats to relay key issues.

There really has never been a better time to stay connected to our personal and professional lives.

Of course, there is such a thing as information overload and sometimes we do need to disconnect from it all. It’s just that the choice will always be there: do you want to be there? Do you want to be here? What do you want from your day? It shows a social evolution to accept such a flexible and dynamic work life, away from the harrowing 9-6 daily routine.

Again, this post doesn’t break any new ground- it’s just a nice relaxed overview of the way technology has evolved and our lives with it.

We are constantly looking for new things to talk about and will have more information topics soon- thank you for reading!

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation

Aquima: Full of Energy!

Energy prices are constantly on the rise and with the promise of lowest prices from all energy providers customers are very confused and unsure which companies to trust. The new trend has made it very difficult energy providers to have a loyal customer base and are consistently competing for customers.

Government legislation, giving the customer the right to switch between providers at any given time leaves companies very vulnerable. Most customers are just one bad bill away from seeking another company that would promise a lower price.

All these problems are amplified by the current economic situation, most customers are feeling the pressure and the high level of unemployment is causing mass panic. While most companies are spending millions in advertisement to gain new customers, while very little is done in keeping existing ones.

We here at Aquima have come up with very innovative solutions to all of the above. Our fully automated energy meter gives the customer the ability to change the energy source that they are using instantly and at any given time, for example if a customer wishes to use solar energy in summer and be provided electricity in the winter.

With Aquima's energy meter each customer is treated as an individual, giving each customer the feeling that they are important and that his/her energy provider cares about their individual needs, this should provide a much needed customer loyalty.

Guest post for 24th January 2011.

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation

Cloud Computing: The Future for the OS?

With the emergence of increasingly growing amounts of mobile devices it is speculated that personal computers may suffer, as many consumers are already making the change to other devices.
However it could be said that there is hope for a system that is accessed and deployed mostly online, with a platform-free and cost-effective approach.

Online operating systems? I don't know...

It is true that this is a hard to grasp idea. It doesn't seem feasible but if you consider the current state of play with most OS packages- it's actually a natural progression.
These days Microsoft Windows OS activation is done with an online process and the details are stored on an online server. Periodically these can be checked/acessed.

While the same is said for the delivery of many types of software with some newer distribution systems.

Time was you had to find a specialist computer vendor to get your software and utilities, time now is that download these straight to your machine.
This covers everything from software, to video games, to movies and more which can now be accessed as easy as logging into a website. There's already a lot of things which are deployed via online platforms which would only grow, and diversify, were the entire system cloud based.

This is all done in an effort to reduce the amount of physical materials and packaging that is required for the distribution of products, and to provide instaneous delivery.

Could it be successful?

iTunes is a good example of what we're talking about here. It revolutionised what you looked for in terms of personal entertainment- music, films, TV episodes, education materials- it was all provided via an online service which could be accessed 24/7.
Which would instantly download content to your machine once you purchased it and would allow you to access it in minutes. It broke barriers with previous systems.

Now imagine this on an operating system level of size and depth.

A system that provided services, utilities, anti-virus protection and much more in a streamlined and entirely platform-free environment. To be connected to the the service and have very little need for local storage.
Save for your local machine software which would still be required.

This could be the new and very exciting future of operating systems and it would break many new barriers, as it has never previously been done on such a scale.

In any case, this is a little bit of food for thought on what a system like cloud computing could provide for us.

We are constantly updating our information on cloud computing and will have more information soon- thank you for reading!

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation

Webinar: Intelligent Strategies for Tackling Financial Crime

Carkean Solutions will be hosting a webinar on anti-money laundering and fraud on the 24th February 2011, at 2:30pm, which will be hosted by the Digital Systems Knowledge Transfer Network.

The webinar will be covering key topics to do with the impact and causes of financial crime, how much is lost each year as a result of it and how we can work to solve these problems. It is a brief yet concise overview of the industry and how we can work to improve the level of response in fraudelent cases.
We will also be looking at our revolutionary BPM system and highlighting how that can help to create a dynamic and quick-to-react solution for fraud.

It will provide for an invigorating and thought-provoking look at a problem which has become ever-apparent in recent years.

We will be providing more information on how to connect to this exciting event nearer the date of the webinar. If you're interested in this unique opportunity send an e-mail to info@carkeansolutions.co.uk.

Thank you for reading- we'd love to see you!

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation

e-Networking: Pace Yourself

One of the other biggest concerns about social media and e-Networking in general is how you’re going to work on it all. Admittedly, that is probably the most difficult thing you’ll have to deal with when it comes to this.

The finer points...

When do you update? When are you going to run out of new updates? What do you do then? Is there any way you can avoid this?

The best tactic for making sure you never run dry of things to say is to work on what you have that you want to share, where you’re going to post it and then set out a plan to help you reach each part but never exceed it.

Things you should ask yourself are:

• What do I want to share on these sites and where?
• What kind of content is this- self-generated (company news) or externally-generated (industry and product news)?
• When are we likely to run out (realistically)?
• Are we going to be able to update indefinitely?

If you find that particularly on the last two questions you’re saying “quite soon” and “no” (respectively) then perhaps you need to reassess your content. Running out is a bad idea if people are expecting new content regularly, while it’s always a good idea to have a rabbit in the hat- an update you can make if you have absolutely nothing else.

If your content is self-generated then it’s likely that for as long as you’re in business you’ll have something to say, while externally-generated is a bit more sporadic. The two together works quite well to keep a consistent “unbiased” update list.

But, lucky for you- there are a few tricks you can use to help you through a dry spell of updating and content writing.

Around the mountain- not over it.

Tools like Twitter’s ReTweet function are invaluable when you have a drought of content, not to mention they can help get your name around. People can ReTweet your content or, equally, you can ReTweet their content if you think it contributes to your sites.

This is an easy way to find something that you really think works for everyone who reads your content and gives you a free pass to let that be your update. Of course, you shouldn’t do it too much and you shouldn’t rely on it- but if you need it- it’s usually there.

Information is great to use for an update. Not your usual content information but information that you may be compiling as some sort of document, as we do with these, little snippets are great teasers. They generate interest, they give you a free content update and you get some initial and raw feedback on it.
If people don’t like what they’re reading- you know that before you’ve gone through the whole process of officially releasing it.

Guest posts are another great way.
If you’re so inclined (and you’ll most likely have people willing to contribute), get a few drawn up from people and then post them regularly sandwiched between the rest of your content.
More user interaction, a different point of view, a lighter content uploading schedule and lots of great content- how can you lose?
It also helps set the stage for later user interaction and more guest posts as after that you’ll most likely get buckets of e-mails asking about writing them.

And that concludes it. There are many other tips and tricks out there so try to find some helpful (and talkative) e-Networking users and learn from them! Share information, ideas, designs and other useful tidbits to help those starting out.
Not to mention, who knows what you’ll get in return?

As always we are continually updating the bank of information we have regarding to e-Networking so check back in the future- there's likely to be new tidbits. Thank you for reading!

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation

Aquima: Providing Financial Solutions

Financial regulation has been a rather active talking point in recent months since the global recession; this can prove to be a problem with traditional IT systems. Where changes are often expensive and time consuming. And where you could be waiting several weeks to see the changes put in place across all of your systems.

Aquima is different in that you can update your systems in real time and it costs nothing but a small amount of time to do so. There are no extensive lead-on implementation times and changes can be made the same day if you wish. Equally, if you wish to implement them at a later date you can set them up and let Aquima do that for you automatically.

This even applies to documentation and forms as through Aquima’s document creator you are able to access, edit and update these important papers as easily as you can the system.

As you know, combating fraud and identity theft is a time-sensitive matter and requires accuracy to quickly isolate and solve the problem. Aquima provides a dynamic solution that responds as quickly as you do, while providing an unbelievable level of accuracy which helps track problems as they occur.

No longer will you have to sift through layers of data to find what is required for this incident- you can easily comb the entire system in minutes tracking down the possible causes and stop them before they develop further. Which is critical as it allows you to update, reassure and respond to customers in real time and provide answers where needed.

Aquima is not an ‘off the shelf’ solution but a bespoke system which can be tailored to your needs and can be developed to combat the problems you encounter most frequently.

In recent years more systems have become more computerized than ever before, this often leads to the question of security and how well a system protects information. There is also a growing concern of when information can be accessed and from where. These are all things that Aquima takes into account, and delivers on, while storing your confidential information.

Cloud computing allows you to access your information quickly and easily when and where you need it without it being at risk. Our high level of protection and encryption ensure only those who need it, can use it or you allow to use it can access it. Allowing you to continue your day to day operations knowing your information is just a click away.

Incidents with finance usually require a great deal of human input as the situations tend to be unique, while requiring expertise and knowledge from all levels. It is easily possible to make models which many employees can access or limit the access to the select few- allowing Aquima to tackle cases of any size. As, like you know, these cases often start small before escalating rapidly.

Also, were we to look at the worst case scenario, such as several incidents at once, we can once again be reassured that Aquima can handle these as it can support hundreds of models/cases at once. These allow you to have a new-found confidence in the face of what would be, and still is, a very large problem and something that traditional IT systems would not be able to handle.

Thank you for reading as always!
If you have anything to add, any questions or queries, feel free to comment below or on any of our social media sites.

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation

Aquima: Solutions for Petroleum Pt. 2

As promised earlier this month we are re-visting the topic of solutions provided by Aquima for petroleum companies. We discussed many of the problems that petroleum companies faced and their solutions, today we are going to take a different approach where instead of providing solutions for existing problems we are going to look at the innovation aspect of Aquima.

One of the most innovative and useful tools offered by the Aquima system for the petroleum industry is the oil search engine. This is truly an amazing feature, with the ability to predict oil rigs with a very high level of accuracy. The process is a very simple one, data is collected from all previous successful (and unsuccessful) oil searches and through the powerful AI (artificial intelligence) of Aquima a number of highly plausible oil fields locations are drawn up.

The high level of accuracy associated with the application can instantly reduce the cost connected with the initial stage of searching for oil. While the application does not claim that major saving will be made in the testing phase, the savings are made in the initial stages where most companies would rely on costly methods of searching for oil from geologists. Using of powerful computers and data based on endless research a where the smallest mistake would lead to millions of dollars being wasted.

Many companies suffer more than the cost of the investment when drilling into an empty well, it is often that the after effects that are far greater and more costly. The damage to company reputation would certainly lead to share price deflation, hindering the business's ability to secure new investors and keep existing ones. As seen recently a British based company's share price fell by 60% overnight after discovering that a promising oil well was empty.

While the oil search engine application does not save costs after the intial stage there are many tools in the Aquima BPM system that do, these will be discussed in greater detail in the coming weeks.

Guest post for January 11th 2011
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation

Carkean Solutions: Pushing Innovation in Finance

We at Carkean Solutions are passionate about innovation and we're always exploring new ways to provide long-lasting, competitive and exceptional growth to our clients. One way we do this is to provide new technology wherever possible.

For instance, we're working closely with financial organisations to provide systems that are highly transparent and dynamic.
Not only to meet the needs these companies have today but tomorrow, as well.
Transparency in fiancial systems is needed now more than ever. Following the global recession there was an outcry that we see more where our money is going, to who and for what as we were concerned about our money.

But the truth is that many traditional IT systems don't provide this level of transparency.

While it is equally true that many organisations have long lead-on times to sort problems when they occur due to restricted systems.

The last thing we want to imagine is problems with our money.
Identity theft and credit card fraud have become a serious problem as most of our transactions have switched to "new" systems. Whereas, once was the case, signatures were required- all that is now required is a PIN number.
With a card that is none too often checked before being slotted into the reader ready to pay for the purchases.

Which makes this a frightening new truth we have to deal with and one that technological innovation could curb. We are confident that, in the future, in several years time, we could effectively cut down these happenings to a small percentage.
But for now we are looking to cut the possibilities and provide more opportunities to come back, without loss, from these unfortunate situations.

Which is why we feel that technological innovation is the future- as many things are handled by technology these days.

As a management consultancy we get the pleasure to work with many organisations and this takes us to many industries. We see and do a lot. Working with a number of clients and constantly adapting our solutions, and software, to match the new problems which arise from the industry over time.

That's all for now- thank you for reading as always!
If you have anything you'd like to add (comments, questions, inquiries or feedback) just leave a comment and we'll get back to you.

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation

Keeping your money safe.

Money laundering is a far-reaching and immensely crippling problem for financial organisations. Started from something as simple as transferring money, it can be a difficult problem to detect while being even harder to combat.

The heart of the problem is in the methodology.
Laundering takes place in three steps: the first involves transferring the money from the main account to the recipient accounts. Then the money is “layered” to provide a smoke screen to make it seem like it was legitimately acquired. Finally, the last stage involves transferring the ill-gotten gains into a form of wealth or profit.
Due to the layering and integration processes it can be very difficult to track the money after it reaches this point, resulting in losses (or worse).

Previously, the term was applied only to financial transactions related to organized crime.
Today its definition is often expanded by government and international regulators such as the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to mean any financial transaction which generates an asset or a value as the result of an illegal act, which may involve actions such as tax evasion or false accounting.

There are, however, measures which have been introduced to try and choke the ability for organisations/individuals to launder money.
These come in the form of anti-money laundering laws which are upheld by financial regulatory bodies, financial organisations and government policies. Examples of these laws involve diligence when verifying a customer’s identity, or requiring a check to be undertaken when large sums of money are required to be transferred.
In the US, any sum larger than $10,000 requires a CTR (currency transaction report) which notes and details the transaction for future purposes.

That said, many countries and regulatory bodies handle these in different ways.

Some go as far as to provide details of suspicious transfers even if they have not yet been proved (as is the case in the US), while some require proof (as is the case in Switzerland), to be handed to the regulatory body.
This is a form of money laundering prevention as it is possible to catch some transactions before they are able to transfer a large bulk of the money.

It does, thereby, create an amount of work and requires an amount of cost to monitor these transactions. Some would argue that the cost more than covers the benefit of the solution.

That's all for now!
Thank you for reading, as always. We hope to bring you more informative financial and technological news in the coming weeks.

Any comments or questions? Feel free to post below.

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation

Carkean Solutions: Lean Services

Lean services are centred on two concepts: value demand and failure demand. Between these we can ascertain what the customers are expecting from the service, and, in turn, what they’re not expecting and what they could consider wasteful.

As the name would suggest; the ideal situation is to maximise what they would expect/pay for while minimising the waste.

 

Value demand is the demand of the service from the customers, which could roughly be translated to “what you can do right by your customers”.
Making this the hardest of the two types of demand to improve, as it’s not always easy to see where you can add value or extra layers of service. Equally sometimes it can be adverse to increase value, as you could end up making the service too complicated or extensive.
Mostly, however, this is the heart of Lean Services in many ways.
As while you may have failure demand as a second component- increasing value is your main priority.

Failure demand, in comparison, is the demand created when the initial value is lower than expected. As an example: in a call centre, value demand would be created by prompt replies and an acceptable phone manner. Failure demand would be not following up calls, not dealing with them promptly or even answering the phone in the first place.
In this way, while the two are linked quite tightly (as one is the direct result of the other) you cannot statistically compare them.
By treating failure and value demand alike in statistical analysis, failure demand can help give a quite false impression of greater productivity.

We’re all customers to some degree and we all want things from various services. Often, we want a more efficient and cost-effective service or more value for money.
However, some services are cost-intensive and cost whether we like them to or not.

This is why it helps to look from the customer’s point of view and see just what, if you were the customer, you would want from a service.

• What things would be worth your time/money?
• Why would you choose this service over another?
• What does “more value for money” really mean?

Identifying these things (and more) can give you a better idea of what you are delivering, and why, as sometimes while something may work better- it’s more work. More work that may be hard to justify to those doing it, which is something you should always consider.

As the quality of the service is directly related to those delivering it. And if they are faced with the prospect of more work, for the same service, without any foreseeable gain (on their part) quality could drop there.
In order to create value you have to reduce waste, this is pretty much what Lean Services does- reduce waste.

However, that’s a rather broad interpretation so we’re going to single out seven common causes of waste. Not all of them may apply to you or your organisation, but some will do and some will apply slightly:

1. Delay in the delivery of the service to the customer, while their time may seem “free”- you’re vying for that as much as their custom.
2. Having to re-enter data or redo work that has been left undone, not followed up or completed to standard.
3. Moving products, resources, services and labour unnecessarily with no given reason or purpose- time wasting, effectively.
4. Wasted communication (or lack of) where services, labour and resources are not delivered or delivered in error.
5. Lack of products or labour to deliver services, products and resources on time and to the standard required.
6. Losing or failing to retain customers through either bad manners, or being unable to meet their requirements fully.
7. Errors in the end product or service which leads to dissatisfaction and going somewhere else for the customer/party involved.

Borrowing slightly from Lean Manufacturing we can begin to see an eighth kind of waste. This waste is, quite simply, not making sure the needs of the consumer has met before delivering the service to them.
If the service doesn’t meet their requirements they won’t take it.
For example: if you were to look at smartphones and say “What do people want from them?” the answer would, most likely, vary from person to person. Although, there would be a few core features certain types of users would want.

Those would be considered your primary requirements and/or your specification. Following that would make sure you deliver the service that is required, while adding all of your usual extra functionality later.

Lean Services is not a wonder cure but an exercise in efficiency and value-enriched service. It won’t solve all of your problems- but will make your service better, overall, for your customers.
It is useful for many organisations and well worth looking into if you deliver a service regularly.

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation

Aquima: Government Savings

The economy is the most talked about topic over the last two years, elections have been decided based on the state of the economy all over the world.
With the world's leading countries deciding to cut back on public spending in order to cope with the economic crisis, and the growth of debt that each country is facing- we don't have to look far with the new government promising that public cuts of several billion GBP and IT savings would be £95 million.

The proposed cuts to the IT departments can not be realised without major destruction to the services provided which can do more harm than good in the long run. With the help of Aquima software these cuts would be realised with no effect on the services provided. In fact further cuts are possible with improvement on efficiency across all departments. As Aquima uses artificial intelligence only 20% of the IT resources are required.

The problem with the current system is that even within one department many different IT systems are in use meaning that, if there was a change in legislation or regulations required, a lot of IT work is required. Wasting time and money as (for example) a customer would receive different decisions on the same day with different layouts.

Aquima can provide a clear and convenient way of handling documents. Streamlining the creation of documents and giving the flexibility and the speed necessary to respond to large change in legislation and regulations. While providing the platform for quicker responses to customer and eliminating the problem of backlogs and the extra staff required to fix it.

The Dutch Ministry of Education faced a similar problem with a budget of 20bn Euros and 9,000 institutions, where the process distribution has to be highly transparent to avoid criticism. We were able to produce a high-performance document processing and generating system which produces documents in batches and online, alongside a linked system which included an archiving system. Eliminating the need to re-enter the information several times.

The implementation of the Aquima system enabled document adaptation without the need for programming giving the flexibility and speed required for effective management. Documents are produced cheaper and faster through the central registration of knowledge and data.

Aquima enabled the Ministry of Education to have an efficient, flexible and cost effective system in record time with small adaptation. A similar system can be commissioned in the UK that would be more efficient and cost effective than any other system available, and would have a positive impact on all other departments.

Guest post for 22nd December 2010
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an individual not the corporation

Carkean Solutions: Giving you the edge!

We at Carkean Solutions are so passionate about giving you the edge in the market that we just can't stop helping people! 2010 has been an amazing corporate year and we have worked with many new and exciting clients.

In this time we have employed some new, and valued, consultants who are helping us to help you to make your organisation stronger in the face of dynamic change.
While our online marketing managers are working around the clock to make sure the cream of the crop, the best, and most valued, news is there for you to view and access at your leisure. This has been an extraordinary year for technology and delivering our message to you.
At the same time we have seen growth in all areas of our organisation leading to more opportunities in the coming year!

But this isn't all about our sucesses and our relationships but about you, the honoured, and valued, client who we work to help.

It is thanks to you that we are able to say we have done so much.
And it will be thanks to you that 2011 will be an excellent corporate year as now (more than ever) we have new contacts coming through every day. We're here to celebrate not just our sucsses, but our strengths and weaknesses, and to celebrate the great organisations we work with.

We couldn't have done it without you!

I know this is hardly the conventional kind of post you're used to seeing but, as they say- it's the season to be jolly.
So we figured as many of you will be leaving shortly for your hard-earned Christmas vacations, a little "Thanks!" would be in order to show how much you are the center of our organisation.

Thank you for reading as always!
We hope to meet, greet and do business with many of you in the coming months that follow the start of 2011.

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation

Aquima: Putting it Plainly...

One common stereotype that comes up a lot when you look at business process management is that it lacks explanation. For this reason (amongst others) it is hard to show organisations how useful it can be.

The general consensus of opinion is that there is little specific industry information.
While there are many case studies and the like about generic topics (such as cashflow) these can be increasingly difficult to relate, or adjust, to another organisation or to their specific problems.

Which makes it hard to define: "These are the key advantages to your organisation..."

Equally when it comes to implementing the system there is a certain mysticism about how it is implemented. Or if it cost-effective or easy to do.
Without any information about how the system handles their specific problems or their implementation process it then becomes more science than marketing, or more marketing than science, which ultimately makes this something of a mystery and the lack of information leads to two situations.

One is that you comb through the internet searching for topics and could or couldn't come up with something worthwhile.
Two is that you start to take a long hard look at the different BPM packages and try to discern which is better, which is for you and which you want to buy (via price comparison).
The latter is a better approach than the former, but the problem is, quite frankly, when it comes down to systems like Aquima you can't see the benefits on paper. While ARIS, for instance, is easy to think that it will be a great package but you overlook the necessity of coding.

So how does Aquima fit into this?

As you can see from this blog- we have so much information on offer about this exciting BPM package and, were you to contact us, we have case studies and demonstrations (including webinars) that help dispel the mystery.
This is because we believe the best policy is an informative one.
And we feel that Aquima has so much use it's almost criminal not to tell people about how it works and what it could help you with in your organisation.

But we also appreciate that you're a business user and your interests lie not in riddles and jargon- but in the results.
So we try our best to say "These are the things that can help your organisation" alongside "And these are things that have helped organisations like yours" using case studies and information packs.

Just another reason that Aquima bridges the gap between business and IT!

Thank you for reading as always!
We hope this has explained how Aquima can provide another unique feature amongst the sea of BPM packages.

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation

Aquima: Out of the Box!

While most BPM software posesses similar qualities, we here at Aquima are proud to differentiate ourselves as leaders in innovative ways in realising the most practical solutions that would yield short and long term benefits to our client. The software is designed to empower a business oriented person to design the entire system and tailor it to meet their individual requirements by specifications rather then programming.

This feature is our strongest USP due to the fact that even our closest competitors are unable to provide a package that can match these features. As most of the BPM software requires a programmer to design the software process a very complicated process requiring an advanced coding knowledge. A very common issue that an organisation faces is the breakdown in communication between the IT specialist and the business oriented person leading leading to time consuming alterations that can be very costly but may still to prove ineffective. Giving the power to the client to design their software can open the door for innovative and practical solutions that can never be realised by an IT specialist.

Most organisations are expanding, whether into different fields or by vertical and horizontal integration, this means that data will need to be re-entered or shared, while it is virtually impossible to share the data effectively using the common BPM software it is simply a click away when using Aquima. For example, if a bank is using CrediCube (Aquima's risk management program) to score their customers and the bank expandeds its business into the insurance industry using CLAIM-IT (Aquima's insurance program) the data can be easily transferred saving time, money and possible mistakes when re-entering the data.

One of the most practical and unsung features of the Aquima software is cloud computing. This feature allows the user to access data from anywhere in the world, thereby eliminating the need to worry about transporting your data physically from office to office risking the data being lost or stolen. Another advantage is that data can be amended and updated easily by anyone authorised to do so at any given time enabling the firm to have relevant and up to date data at all times, giving the company the platform to make informed decisions.

Where as most of the BPM programs in the market are concerned with defining and arranging process on an abstract level Aquima covers every aspect of the modelling process meaning that we have an executable process. What this means to a business is that you are able to model the entire business process this point is truly significant in determining the future position of the company and how it can proceed to achieve its objectives.

Aquima has been described as the most dynamic BPM and at least 7 years ahead of its time by one of the most respected information technology research organisations (the Gartner Group). Due to the features offered by this package, the remarkable flexibility that gives the users limitless potential on improving every aspect of the business and the speed that is unheard of in the world of BPM packaging. Flexibility is one of the main issues contributing towards major companies going out of business, many organisations simply can't react to the rapid change in the market, and, thereby, are providing products and services that are no longer in need. Aquima's agile package gives a business the ability to react to change in real time giving the firm a competitive edge.

Guest post for 15th December 2010
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation

Aquima: Cost Saving Strategies!

With the ever more volatile economic situation, more and more businesses feel the need to find innovative ways to cut costs while maintaining, or even increasing, productivity to remain competitive. This fact has lead many businesses to abandon the traditional methods of cost cutting which tend to be less productive and may entail high initial cost to restructure the organisation.

Unlike the traditional methods Aquima software is very easy and cheap to set up and even cheaper to run. The software offers easy solutions to complex problems leaving managers time to concentrate on implementing the solutions, saving time and money. One of the many aspects of the software that differentiates it from any other BPM software is that it offers features that can only be found in bespoke programs at only a fraction of the cost.

The program's friendly user interface gives the organisation a whole new dimension in terms of staff flexibility, where most BPM software requires an IT specialist to use the software, Aquima software can be used by any employee at every level saving money on hiring a specialist. Another advantage is that companies are no longer reliant on one employee, solving the reliability problem that companies face especially during the winter season where many employees fall ill, causing the firm to lose money and miss deadlines, thereby damaging company reputation.

The Aquima software requires very little training, making it the ideal program for any business. Many employees tend to resist change especially when it is of technological nature because of the preconceived ideas that all software requires high levels of expertise to use efficiently. Aquima combats this problem by being user friendly software for anyone whether you have an IT background or not, meaning that employees will be happy and motivated, which in turn leads to higher productivity.

The software's remarkable cloud computing feature enables organisations to employ staff that work from home, saving cost on office space while maintaining real time interaction. This feature is very significant in keeping companies very flexible and agile. For example, a company may choose to employ part time staff or free lance staff to reduce the high costs associated with keeping a high number of staff in a downturn and the ability to cope with the pressure of business upturn.

One of the reasons many well-recognised companies go out of business is due to the fact that they lack innovation and have very rigged procedures limiting the company’s flexibility and the ability to react to change in time. The Aquima software encourages innovation by suggesting innovative solutions which can be tailored to suit company needs which in turn gives the company a competitive edge.

Guest post for 14th December 2010
All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation

Aquima: Advancements in Innovation

Technological innovation has been something of a constantly evolving phenomenon in recent years. Every year technology advances beyond previous thought limits to provide, and nurture, new ideas and previously “impossible” ideas.

Artificial intelligence is one of these revolutionary changes as it has allowed computers and software to think for itself. Not to the levels of functional intelligent machines, sentient beings or some such, but to the level where a system can work out some problems by itself without user input.
This can be likened to many of the newer features of the Windows and Mac OS operating systems which provide many tasks without the user specifying. They “just happen” and the systems take care of the rest.

While this does mean that for many they face a lack of control over some of the finer points of the systems they use- the reassurance and convenience of these systems often more than makes up for it.

This has also paved the way for a lot of the other changes which have occurred in recent years as without artificial intelligence, or that ability, these things would never have been possible.
However, thanks to these advancements there are so many things that are now achievable with mobile and computing technology that was not possible before.

Cloud computing is another aspect of constantly evolving technology and innovation which provides a benefit over traditional systems. Through this, we are no longer limited to one platform or the prospect of having to be without information- our information will follow us.
This could possibly mean that it’s harder to disconnect ourselves from that information but, at the same time, the convenience and usability we gain is definitely worth that.

It also shows advancement in internet technology and security that such a system could be, and is, to some quite successful degree, even possible.

So where does all this lead? Back to Aquima!
As these are things, two very important things, that Aquima incorporates which gives it the revolutionary edge over the competition. Artificial intelligence powers the system while cloud computing gives it the accessibility- together they provide a unique system which requires no extra components.

Thanks to it being platform-independent and useful on so many devices there’s no need to upgrade hardware, buy extras or spend needlessly on new components.

Everything that Aquima can do it does straight out of the box and with exceptional results thanks to technological innovation. And, of course, a need to provide a BPM package that is more technology than marketing.
Something that is universally useful to all organisations.
But without the feeling that you’re getting a half-baked cookie cutter system which tries to force you in a preset profile or system.

Whatever you want- whatever you need- innovation and Aquima can deliver every single time.

Thank you for reading as always! If you have anything you would like to add, any questions or just want to give a quick heads up- feel free to comment.

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation

Aquima: Full of Good Ideas!

Today I'd like to refresh our minds with a newly updated product approach for Aquima. We talk about it a lot, but as we use it more, as we see it working for more clients- we feel we should give you more of an idea.

Truly agile and versatile it can be used for everything from a local shop chain to a multinational global investment bank. This is because it is designed to be used by those that have the necessary information for creating models/applications- not just the technologically savvy employees.
Not to mention it provides unheard of functionality and depth for something that isn’t bespoke and costs as this does.

This is because Aquima is an all-inclusive software package which works straight out of the box- no messy implementation, no hours of loading software in, no hassle and no fuss!

On top of this there are extra modules added to Aquima to further its functionality:

o An in-built document creator which allows you to turn the information in your models or applications into a report, invoice or just about anything.
o A runtime engine to create, deploy and update applications/models in real time and be able to see the changes immediately.
o A deployment system that allows you to test for errors, check functionality, check for bugs and make sure your model and application is perfect before going live.
o In-built web deployment functionality as standard. Allowing you to create effective and professional online applications.
o Best of all- all of these modules are fully customisable!

These reasons (and more) are why Aquima is changing the face of the BPM market permanently and positively- proving that powerful functionality doesn’t always have to be complex, but rather that innovation outshines following the pack.

While there is a greater appreciation for technology and computing in general in modern business, they are still regarded as problematic. Many organisations struggle to find computing solutions to their business problems beyond everyday software.

Often this is because of rigid and static software, or the feeling that you're paying for something that is too complex for anyone in your organisation to use. Not to mention paying for implementation, updates, changes, training and so many costs it may just make you wonder what it’s all worth. But these are rather old stereotypes that don't really apply as much in the current generation as they did in the previous.

There are many reasons why technology is beneficial to organisations:

o Up to date technology is more useful now than ever- most systems are backwards compatible and have in-built protection/backup systems
o The initial outlay may seem high but the continual savings are comparable
o "Future proofing" an organisation is always a good idea as at least they won't have to pay even more to implement new systems, if/when they want to
o Online technology has revolutionised networking and promotion
o And much more! There are too many benefits to name and some will only apply to some organisations- so the best way to find out how it works for you is to let it work for you

This is why Aquima is such a great BPM system for any organisation.
It exemplifies these points and more to create something that analyses the weaknesses of CRM and BPM systems, strengthens them and releases something with more power and versatility than previously thought possible. That allows you to mix the necessary human resources with technological brilliance to create a truly dynamic organisation.

Thank you for reading as always!
We hope this comes a refreshing update for all the things that Aquima could do for you (and your organisation).

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation

Aquima: New Development Methodologies

In previous development methodologies there was a very clear focus on rigid development processes. Clearly outlined and structured to be carried out sequentially- this was the standard for a while.

However, many had begun to question whether such ideas still worked.

This led to a series of new development methodologies which were more flexible and lacked the standardised approach, but still, they were pretty rigid. Of course, some still use this traditional methodology but many realised projects could not be blanketed together.
Each project needed to have a different goal or focus in order to be successful.
And so many of the developers, during the coming years, set about to create dynamic methodologies where development could still reach the desired goal but in a tailored fashion.

Aquima leads the way in this fashion for your organisation.
Long gone are the days where software development is ruled by complex coding processes and extremely long implementation times. With Aquima you can set the standards for your models- you can create the systems that will support your organisation.

But how is this possible?

Isn't Aquima a package in itself?

Aquima is a software package much like many other BPM packages but with one key difference- dynamic flexibility.
This is our design methodology. To create with the information you use, for you, in your way and to your specification. Through this we can destroy the old stereotypes of "long implementation time" and "rigid project structure" as you, the business user, or the IT user, can define how it works for you.

Also because of a few key features on Aquima's side (incredibly high success rate, real time updating, lack of re-implementation costs etc.) you can get even more from this, and the design methodology, to propel your organisation into a brighter technological tomorrow.

So think about your current design methodologies. Do they work? Can they be improved? What do you require from them?

Thank you for reading, as always, and we hope that you have found this to be informative. If you have any comments, suggestions or questions feel free to comment!

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation

Aquima: Software Versioning.

Flexibility is required for you to have dynamic software versioning and while, in traditional software development, there is usually very little need for this- with Aquima it provides one of the unique features.

Software versioning is (traditionally) the process by which a piece of software becomes further developed, or upgraded. Often starting with a low number such as 0.1 or 1.0, as the software develops it will grow to higher numbers such as 4.5 for example.
While some software packages which have had continual development also use a different versioning system to denote new versions.
Finally in the process of developing software a project will go through alpha and beta stages, which feature "fixes", and will use a further different versioning system until the process is complete and the software is released.

In short, and for the purposes of this blog, and Aquima in general, versioning systems allow you to have several versions of the same software running.

This is something for which Aquima is highly regarded as sometimes you need to have different versions of the same model running.
In the case of a sale, for example, it is good practice to have a secondary model.
Unfortunately changing back and forth is manual, right? Wrong. With Aquima you can change from model to model without having to do a thing. The power of artificial intelligence only requires that you specify which dates to activate the secondary, or however many more models, that you require and the system will do the rest.

With this technology you can do anything from set up a summer sale to set up your entire marketing processes for the year.
Never having to worrry about whether or not someone has remembered to put out the new information, or having to painstakingly update each thing- or lack the ability to update them- as Aquima provides you with easy to use tools that do just that.

As a more explanatory example:

Version 1.0.5 Standard Operations
Version 1.0.8 Summer Sale

You work with your standard operations model from January 2011 to June 2011 and between July 2011 and September 2011 you are having a sale.

The artificial intelligence behind Aquima would work as follows, that, on the 1st July 2011 it would upgrade the system to 1.0.8 while leaving the other system intact. Then, on the 1st of September 2011 it would downgrade, much as it did updgrade, to 1.0.5 while leaving 1.0.8 safely locked away.

We hope that this explains a rather difficult to grasp concept, as the idea of having several versions running at once is akin to having several documents open at once- it's hard to see how it works.

Hopefully, with Aquima, you can see how easy a process it is.

Thank you for reading as always! And if you have anything you wish to add, wish to say or just a heads up- feel free to comment.

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation

Carkean Solutions: Working with Us.

We have spent some time recently adding different ways you can get in touch with us, recieve information from us and work with us- today we would like to highlight those.

First new feature is our weekly newsletter which compiles hot topics and key issues in many industries. Be it technology, politics or finance- there's five topics and it is easily digested in under ten minutes.
Catch up with the latest news without having to search for hours!
Posted weekly, on Thursday, on Twitter and available to subscribe to for free with extra benefits for all of our subscribers.

The second is our new Contact Us form which allows you to do just that- contact us.
If you're someone who wants to work with us then this is the way you can get in touch with our consultants in one click. No hassle, no fuss and no mess. Just fill in the form and within hours you will be speaking with our experts.
This is exclusive to the Carkean Solutions website and is a really exciting new feature for us. Get clicking now!

The third is related to our newsletter but is something rather unique- free advertising!
As our newsletter is a growing publication and is getting more viewers every week this is a good opportunity to get seen, for free, for six months. If you're interested e-mail us at info@carkeansolutions.co.uk and we'll talk it over with you.
Get yourself seen and for absolutely nothing- what could be better?

The fourth is our entirely redesigned corporate website that is soon to be updated with even better information!

As you can see, everything is coming together for Carkean Solutions Ltd. this festive season. And, best of all, in the new year we'll have even more features for you.
So be on the lookout for more seminars and updates in January 2011.

Thank you for reading!
We hope to hear from every one of you very soon and to get some great information from our devoted readers.

All information presented here is © copyright Carkean Solutions Ltd., 2010 - Not to be used without our permission - The views expressed here are the views of an idividual not the corporation