IBM Lotus Notes/Domino 7 is Here

It's great to see IBM coming up with upgrades and new features in the latest version of Lotus Notes/Domino 7.

"Delivering on its promise of new releases every 14-16 months, IBM has unveiled a major upgrade to Lotus Notes and Domino with version 7. This version offers new collaboration features and tools for administrators and application developers, plus enhancements designed to help increase user efficiency. With Lotus Notes and Domino 7, IBM says it's created an improved collaboration platform designed to meet the needs of knowledge workers.

Many companies are expanding their use of collaboration software, realizing it's much more than e-mail, and are especially interested in increasing user productivity. Lotus Notes 7 has more than 100 new features designed to help users manage an increasing volume of information and work more efficiently. For example, new visual indicators can help users organize and manage their in-box by highlighting high priority messages. There's also a new icon in the inbox that differentiates between group e-mails and messages targeted for specific users. New memory functions automatically save and return to open documents and applications when the user shuts down and restarts his machine, which can greatly improve productivity when users are multitasking. IBM has also expanded instant messaging (IM) and presence technology, across the platform, including e-mails and calendar items, facilitating productivity and responsiveness by instantly connecting users with experts and key contacts. (Source)"

What exactly is a consultant?

Dictionary definitions focus around two words: expert and advice. These two key words are important for understanding what a consultant is. First, a consultant should be an expert. Second, a consultant should provide advice.

One of the common mistakes is to hire contractors when an expert is called for. Contractors are people who agree to perform a job for a price usually for a shorter period of time. In other words, they are supplemental staff. They have no prerequisite knowledge and are expected to complete work.

Many contractors (and contracting companies) call themselves consultants (and consulting companies). But remember: Consultants are experts; contractors are labor.

When you hire a consultant be clear that you are hiring expertise, of which the primary goal is to provide advice. The advice may be in the form of an evaluation and recommendation. It may also be direct training of employees with recommendations. This is, in fact, the way most of my consulting engagements go. I'm there to educate IT management, technical staff, or both, on what they are doing well and what they can do better " or at least how to best utilize the technology they have.

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