As clear as 'Day'
When we asked various software application vendors to explain the difference between the terms "integrating" and "interfacing," so often used in system sales speak, Tony Day, Director of Conquest Ltd, suggested that perhaps we were asking the wrong question. Here's his view on building a system.
What's the difference between integrating and interfacing?
None. You either have one computer program which performs all the functions required. Or you have a set of programs (often called modules if they are supplied by the same company) which either by original design or, more commonly, by subsequent need can share information. One entity cannot be integrated or interfaced with itself. An integrated system is, by definition, separate parts. The only way that computer programs can be linked together is by the sharing of data. How this sharing is done is determined by who wrote the program, when, using what technology and in what data format. To ask whether a system is wholly interfaced or integrated is playing with semantics. Every company wide computer installation is a collection of parts. The real question about interfaced vs. integrated is rather one supplier vs. several suppliers.
So can one supplier do the whole job?
Of course a single program/system could be designed to perform all the functions required by a construction company. With ten years and a strong tail wind it might even get written! Given such a task, only a lunatic would adopt anything other than a modular approach i.e. a number of separate programs to meet the functional requirements of each department which can share information as and when required. So, which bit would the designer tackle first? The most basic function carried out in any company must surely be writing a letter, so lets start off by designing a word processing system. Hang on though, isn't that a bit silly? Hasn't Bill Gates got that one covered? And aren't there already excellent solutions available for planning and estimating?
Apart from the aspect of re-inventing the wheel, it must be obvious, even to anyone who has never seen a computer, that any design for a system to carry out such widely differing functions as word processing, marketing, databases, accounting, job costing, payroll, planning, procurement, estimating, cost planning, bill production, measurement, surveying, valuations, etc. etc. would have to be the biggest compromise since the birth of the Liberal party. To then keep such a system in touch with new technology and constantly update it in line with the changing requirements of each department and the shifting needs of the industry as a whole would be like trying to juggle loose soot.
So what's the alternative?
Go to the market, speak to specialist software developers. They have spent uears in competion, developing and refining applications that match the requirements of each department. Find the best one in each area, making sure you take up lots of references. Once you have identified your best of breed application in each area, sit down and decide what information is required to be shared between them. Ask the supplier if all the required information can be imported and exported quickly and easily (one button) and if the answer is no, don't buy it. Market forces dictate that the best applications available will talk to each other.
What are the disadvantages?
You will miss out on the challenge of trying to achieve the impossible.
You might have to decide some things for yourself.
Not everything will be completely automated.
And the advantages?
Each user in each department gets a computer system, which actually does what he wants. Therefore each user is less likely to throw his computer out of the window. Also departmental training will be carried out by people who know what they are doing.
The specialist software suppliers will ensure that their products continue to evolve to meet the users' requirements. If they don't, you can throw out the bath water but leaving the baby safe and sound.
You won't have all your eggs in one basket. So the egg supplier won't be able to charge more and more for the eggs each year, until such time as he notifies you that they are moving over to a new type of egg, which means you will need an entirely new format of basket and the upgrade cost will be tremendous. Of course, you would retain the option of switching to another egg producer but there might well be big problems with compatibility and shell compliance.
If you choose the right applications, the overall system will cost you much less, will be up and running in a fraction of the time and will work. |
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