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Tips to Implement
Your Own SMS Facility (March 29,2004)
If you are interested in setting up
an SMS or text messaging facility for your company,
I want to share with you the following tips on how to
go about it.
I specifically refer to the processes
you need to understand and prepare for as well as the
steps to go through when talking with mobile phone SMS
service providers.
Define The Information To Be
Handled By SMS Facility
Let us say our planned scenario is SMS inquiry for tracking
cargo movements and locations.
The first item on your list should be a definition of
the information you want available through SMS. I strongly
recommend creating a message and reply template as tool
in order to organize your information requirements.
This template would have a minimum
of two parts: message format and reply format. The following
is an example:
message to be sent -MY CARGO INFO
reply message - Welcome to MY CARGO INFO SMS Facility
- your single source of information for tracking your
cargo movements and locations.
message to be sent - MY CARGO HELP
reply message - Send message CARGO INQUIRE for latest
cargo status, CARGO LOCATE for most recent cargo location,
CARGO PAY to know how much charges will be paid.
The availability of this template will save you many
days of SMS content definition work when you start discussions
with the mobile SMS service provider.
Identify The Network Infrastructure
Configuration
The other important thing to do is to define your network
configuration for the SMS facility. The typical network
scenario is shown as follows:
your database < --> SMS server < -- > SMS
provider < -- > mobile phone
You may either put up your own SMS server or talk to
an SMS web content provider to set it up for you or
even host it in an external location. Your decision
on what approach to follow will depend on how much you
have budgeted for this project.
Decide On The Business Model: Revenue Or Customer Service
I consider this a critical threshold. You have to decide
at this point whether your planned SMS facility is intended
as a revenue-generating activity or purely a free service
you want to provide your clients. The decision you will
make has a direct impact on how the SMS facility will
be expanded later in terms of additional information
content or functionalities.
Talking With The Mobile SMS Service Provider
Once you have your information requirements defined,
network infrastructure drawn up and your business model
decided, you may start serious discussions with the
mobile phone service provider.
The people who will talk to you generally belong to
the Mobile Solutions group of the current service providers.
They specialize in SMS services and are very knowledgeable
on how to operationalize your planned SMS facility.
Be ready to submit the following documentation:
- letter of intent to undertake the SMS project with
service provider
- articles of incorporation or certificate of business
registration of your firm
- your company profile
In addition, you will be required to fill up an information
profile sheet describing your company background and
the general description of the SMS facility you intend
to put up. There is also a separate template to define
in detail the formats for both SENT & REPLY messages.
If you have prepared the message template discussed
above, all you need to do is transcribe its contents
into the service provider’s template.
You will also be asked to provide information on the
volume of SMS messages projected to be handled by your
SMS facility as well as the customer profile of your
targeted SMS users. Take note, however, that this information
pertains only to SMS users using the specific mobile
phone service (both prepaid and postpaid) and excludes
projected volume from subscribers of another mobile
phone company.
Finally, you will be required to agree on two important
documents: a service level agreement specifying response
time and action to be taken during service interruptions,
and a memorandum of agreement that constitutes the legal
contract encompassing the SMS facility. The MOA will
actually detail any revenue sharing arrangement you
aim for if your proposed SMS project is intended as
a revenue generating activity.
Once all of the above are filled up, agreed upon and
signed by both parties, the next step is technical testing
subsequently leading to live implementation.
Happy Texting!
The author has 20 years experience in the development,
project management and implementation of IT projects
in Philippine ports, transport and logistics. He is
presently an independent consultant for IT projects
and initiatives in Philippine ports and transport industries.
For comments or inquiries, email him at
leo@morada.name.
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Technology update:
Videoconference application in international shipping
(March 15, 2004)
Video conferencing (otherwise known
as video meetings) provides a means for efficient communication,
collaboration and decision-making even when people cannot
be physically present in the same location. It has many
of the same advantages as a face-to-face meeting including
being able to see each other's facial expressions and
body language. It also allows people to share files
and data, so that it is easy to hold presentations,
review documents and make fast decisions.
In the international shipping industry,
the application of videoconferencing technology has
reached a new level of sophistication. Medical Assistance
for Ship (MEDASHIP) During the middle part of last year,
a project co-funded by the European Commission was launched
with the aim of achieving market validation of a maritime
telemedicine service for cruise ships and ferry boats.
It is called Medical Assistance for Ship (MEDASHIP)
and its main objective is to supply integrated solutions
for medical consultations on board ships. Based on its
project documentation, the telemedicine service addresses
both passenger ships, cruise ships and ferry boats,
and merchant vessels, and is intended to provide travellers
and crew members an effective medical assistance service
in case of emergency and in all those cases where onboard
medical staff require a second opinion.
The services offered by the MEDASHIP
consortium will actually consist of two categories:
the medical services and the technical ones. Medical
services include telecardiology, ultrasound examination
and videoconference for general consultations. Technical
services include on board installation and integration,
updating and retrofitting of structures already available
on board, design and development of medical facilities.
The cruise shipping market is the primary target of
the service; however, it is likewise projected to include
merchant ships in the near future. What normally happens
in most ships is that in case of onboard medical problems,
the person responsible for healthcare can only contact
a radio medical center and ask for a diagnosis or a
second opinion.
The recent progress in the telematic
field and, in particular, in satellite networks and
videoconference technology, will increase the accuracy
in the telediagnostic process and - in many cases -
allow the application of medical therapies directly
on board. The proponents of MEDASHIP believe that the
benefits of adopting its system are as follows:
* the patient receives a high-quality
medical care that is compatible with the situation on-board
ship or indeed even comparable to land-based medical
care, without additional costs, and, in most cases,
without spoiling his vacation if embarking on a cruise;
* the ship-owners (or his insurance)
get significant cost-savings for unnecessary emergency
trans-portation of the passenger and possibly for repatriation
costs.
This development is good news for Filipino
families who have relatives working onboard cruise vessels
operated by Festival Cruises and Royal Olympic Cruises
that ply the Mediterranean Sea which is the existing
deployment area of MEDASHIP service. MedServe Live Princess
Cruises began installing MedServe Live telemedicine
systems on its fleet four years ago. Its ships visit
destinations around the world, on all continents and
as far afield as Alaska and Antarctica. Destinations
also include Canada, the Mexican Riviera, the Caribbean,
Tahiti, the Mediterranean, India and New Zealand.
The first cruise ship ever to feature
telemedicine is the Grand Princess. The system is currently
installed onboard Golden Princess, Star Princess and
Ocean Princess. Although each ship has two certified
doctors and up to five certified nurses onboard, all
of whom are maritime medicine specialists, telemedicine
makes the specialist resources of various land-based
hospital experts available 24 hours a day. Telemedicine
also offers significant cost benefits.
Before such systems were available,
a ship could spend tens of thousands of dollars on airlifts
if the captain decided to play it safe and rush the
patient to a hospital by helicopter, rather than wait
until the ship reached the next port at the scheduled
time. Cargo worth thousands of dollars also could be
jeopardized and extra expenses incurred, such as additional
port dues and extra fuel, for a diversion that may not
have been necessary. With the MedServe Live system visually
linked to a hospital via a video conferencing system
over the reliable Inmarsat network, a ship or oil platform
has access 24 hours a day and 365 days a year to hospital
careóand in real-time, without any dangerous delay.
Passengers on luxury yachts and cruise
ships, and crews working on ships and rigs in inhospitable
conditions in the most remote parts of the world, can
thus enjoy the highest level of medical expertise. For
our readers interested in knowing more about videoconference
technology, the leading system brands are Polycom, Tandberg
and Vcom. All of them are represented in the Philippines
by their designated local distributors or through integrator
partners.
The author has 20 years experience
in the development, project management and implementation
of IT projects in Philippine ports, transport and logistics.
He is presently an independent consultant for IT projects
and initiatives in Philippine ports and transport industries.
For comments or inquiries, email him at leo@morada.name.
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Understanding
how UN/EDIFACT messages are used (March 1, 2004)
I received an email about two weeks
ago from a regular PortCalls reader who requested if
I can possibly write about UN/EDIFACT messages in the
subsequent issues of ITinerary.
What immediately comes to my mind
are the voluminous and extensive directories that contain
all the technical and user documentation for the numerous
electronic data interchange (EDI) messages that have
become internationally-accepted standards many years
ago among shipping lines and port operators. For those
who may not know, the acronym UN/EDIFACT refers to the
United Nations Electronic Data Interchange for Administration,
Commerce & Trade. It was originally intended to standardize
electronic messages that can be exchanged between trading
partners and therefore promote trade facilitation. Examples
of the continued utilization of UN/EDIFACT standards
in our country are the messages CUSDEC (customs declaration)
and CUSRES (customs response) which are mandatory when
filing electronic import declarations with the Bureau
of Customs ACOS system.
Even in this age of the Internet and
XML standards, UN/EDIFACT is expected to be as robust
as ever. It now has an initiative to develop XML versions
of its numerous message formats. Among the commonly
used UN/EDIFACT vessel movement and container messages
are the following: BAPLIE - vessel bayplan CALINF -
call information (vessel)/advice of expected container
operations COARRI - container discharge/loading report
CODECO - container gate in/gate out report COPARN -
container announcement COPINO - container pre-notification
COPRAR - container discharge/loading order COREOR -
container release order COSTCO - container stuffing/stripping
confirmation COSTOR - container stuffing/stripping order
DESTIM - equipment damage/repair estimate MOVINS - stowage
movement instruction VESDEP - vessel departure Take
note that most container message formats always start
with the characters "CO". This is part of the standardization
rule defined by UN/EDIFACT. If you talk about messages
related to customs administration, the formats always
start with the characters "CUS". Let us illustrate in
the table below who are the message senders and message
recipients for some of the abovementioned messages:
|
SENDER
|
RECIPIENT
|
MESSAGE
|
USAGE
|
|
Liner agent
Ocean carrier
|
Terminal operator
|
CALINF
|
Call
(vessel advice)
|
|
Liner agent
Ocean carrier
|
Terminal operator
|
COPRAR
|
Load discharge order
|
|
Terminal operator
|
Liner agent
Ocean carrier
|
COARRI
|
Load discharge report
|
|
Terminal operator
|
Liner agent
Ocean carrier
|
VESDEP
|
Vessel departure
|
In order to gain further understanding
on how the container messages relate to other UN/EDIFACT
messages used for vessel operations, the chart below
shows at what point in the process flow are they used:
The author has 20 years experience
in the development, project management and implementation
of IT projects in Philippine ports, transport and logistics.
He is presently an independent consultant for IT projects
and initiatives in Philippine ports and transport industries.
For comments or inquiries, email him
at leo@morada.name.
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Now is the best
time for security technologies to prove their value
(February 16, 2004)
For the past two weeks I have interviewed
the senior management teams of Asian Terminals, Inc.
and International Container Terminal Services, Inc.
which lead and manage ongoing preparations for ISPS
Code compliance.
What struck me most during our discussions
was the common thread in port security preparedness
which both organizations are confident will enable them
to achieve satisfactory compliance to mandatory ISPS
requirements: the substantial investments in security
technologies and solutions they made several years ago.
CCTV systems, biometrics, access control, barcoding,
global positioning system technology for tracking, radio
data transmission
- all these constitute an integral part of day-to-day
port management for the country's leading cargo handling
operators.
The substantial investment made in
these technologies are now more than ever demonstrating
their best value within the context of comprehensive
mandatory requirements to implement cargo and transport
security. Industry experts, security specialists and
government policy makers all agree that technology is
the real key to improved cargo security and management.
In a report prepared for the US Treasury Advisory Committee
on Commercial Operations of the US Customs Service last
June 2002, seven categories of technology commercially
available or can be made commercially available within
the next few years to fight the war on terrorism were
identified.
The technology definitions consist
of the following:
* access control & authentication -
Technology to identify and authenticate individuals
or vehicles allowed into restricted areas to perform
functions such as loading of goods to a container. This
includes smart cards, biometrics, picture badges, etc.
*asset tracking - Technology such
as GPS, barcode which are easily used to identify assets
loaded into a container and/or to track the container.
This category includes web-based technology that enables
the identification of assets being loaded into a container,
sealing of the container, tracking of the container,
and enables customs or the cargo owner to inquire in
real-time the location and integrity of the container.
* CCTV or closed-circuit television
- Advances in CCTV to observe activity in an area or
to record the load being placed into the container and
prior to it being sealed. • intrusion detection - Technology
that can be used to determine whether a container or
trailer has been tampered with by visual inspection
or that emits a local alarm and/or notifies a central
control station.
* non-intrusive inspection -Technology
such as x-ray and gamma ray that will detect weapons
of mass destruction such as biological, chemical and
radiological in a container.
* seal - Technology that can be used
to seal container and to assist in the verification
in the integrity of the contents of a container.
* information technology - Provide
accurate and specific shipment information to authorized
individuals or parties in a secure mode.
The critical importance of these technologies
are further amplified in a study prepared by Global
Eyefortransport Research dated November 2002 entitled
"Cargo Security Overview". In particular, the study
identified CCTV as a primary requirement for all new
security applications. Its ability to remotely monitor
and store video images creates incredible use and versatility
for any multi-agency organization. Farflung offices
may also realize not only increased security but improved
operational efficiency. CCTV could accomplish three
objectives: expedite inspection, increase the amount
of cargo inspected, and reduce cost per inspection.
Expedite cargo inspection: If CCTV systems were used
to record the loading of a container, law enforcement
and government officials could virtually inspect the
container by having access to the archived video.
This remote inspection could be accomplished
while the cargo is in transit. Increase amount of cargo
inspected: Cargo can be virtually inspected, thus increasing
time spent on individual inspections. Today an inspection
begins when the cargo reaches a port. The use of CCTV
allows law enforcers to manage the load by centralizing
resources and spreading the inspection tasks among remote
operators in a central control center. Reduce cost per
inspection: The process of centralizing resources for
cargo inspection would reduce costs.
The budgetary contrast of a cargo field
inspector to an operator in a large inspection station
is much less. Not only would the review process be accomplished
faster, the central inspector could easily move from
container to container to accomplish more inspections
than a field inspector.Other than x-ray technology which
ICTSI already disclosed it will acquire at a cost of
more than P500 million, I expect CCTV systems in both
South Harbor and MICT to receive a considerable portion
of total security technology investment as both port
operators currently seek to upgrade their existing systems.
The author has 20 years experience
in the development, project management and implementation
of IT projects in Philippine ports, transport and logistics.
He is presently an independent consultant for IT projects
and initiatives in Philippine ports and transport industries.
For comments or inquiries, email him at
leo@morada.name.
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The latest industry-related
web site enhancements (February 2, 2004)
During the past week I have been visiting
a number of industry-related websites to learn the latest
functionalities and enhancements now available. My findings
and impressions will be our topic for today's column.
As a starting point, let us briefly recall that about
10 years ago, "Internet presence" meant putting static
and concise corporate information materials such as
product brochures, description of services, and list
of contact persons in a company's web site.
More often than not, it likewise included
having a common company electronic mail address. Track
& Trace In March of last year, I wrote about how full-featured
web-based vessel and container inquiry facilities were
being implemented by the country's port operators and
leading foreign shipping lines. These were generally
anchored on a core component called "track & trace",
a term widely used in shipping and logistics services.
I noted then that recent advances in technology, increased
focus on customer satisfaction and business demands
for cost efficiencies in shipping and transport provided
the impetus for web-based shipment inquiry facilities
to extend beyond the confines of "track & trace" and
integrate value-added components into the overall system
design.
These led to web-based electronic bill
presentment and electronic payment of terminal and cargo
charges such as those implemented by ATI and ICTSI.
The world's leading shipping lines are considered technology
leaders in this regard. From basic and straightforward
cargo tracking and vessel schedule inquiry, web-based
"track & trace" was further boosted by functionalities
for event notification and exception reporting. Standard
Web-Based Functionalities The "core" dynamic functionaltities
that have generally become standard features in most
foreign shipping line web sites nowadays are container
& cargo track & trace and vessel tracking (ship schedule
as well as trade route or service).
Clients are also provided with the
option to use track & trace through online mode, electronic
mail, or even through mobile service such as SMS. Others
that belong to this category are event notification
and custom reporting wherein a client can actually specify
the kind of activity milestone or information details
about his shipment that he wants the shipping line to
provide information. I also found numerous implementations
of web-based services for electronic booking and bill
of lading instructions and printing. New and Enhanced
Functionalities One of the newest features I found pertain
to vital reference materials on transport and cargo
security regulations: C-TPAT, 24-Hour Advance Manifest
System, and Container Security Initiative. These provide
important information on how such developments directly
impact the shipper and what the concerned shipping lines
are doing to implement procedures that conform with
those regulations. As an example, the web sites of Yang
Ming Transport and Maersk-Sealand provide very detailed
information on AMS procedures.
Meanwhile, the American President Lines
home page contains a portion called Customer Advisory
with extensive reference links to security and trade
regulations. I also found many examples of online e-commerce
demonstration functions wherein clients are able to
view automated presentation overviews of specific services
available in the web sites. A distinct category that
I give high marks in terms of information relevance
and user functionality are the offline features. The
APL HomePort web portal simply calls it Offline Services
while P&O Nedlloyd elevates it to a new e-commerce threshold
by referring to this as getting the "best of the Internet
without having to connect".
Indeed, it is a business reality that
not all shipping line customers enjoy 24-hour continuous
access to the Internet. Many actually access the web
sites and portals just to access specific features or
retrieve information after which they simply log off
their Internet user accounts to perform other office
tasks. P&O Nedlloyd calls it Offline Shipment Pack consisting
of tools to create and send shipping instructions, a
template for future shipping instructions and receive
bill of lading confirmation -all through email.
There is also a definite trend to
incorporate enhanced security features in terms of mandatory
user registration before a client is able to access
e-commerce services for bill of lading proceesing and
cargo booking. This is understandable considering that
the web sites and portals concerned are designed as
global web sites accessing enterprise-wide information
databases at the back-end. In terms of web content,
organization and creative design, the new ICTSI web
site stands out as a leading example. The opening page
features a video clip that projects the company's corporate
image as global port operator. It uses a web development
technique that results in fast refresh of screen displays
even with large image files. It also incorporates a
very useful facility to download business presentations
in PowerPoint format which are the very same materials
used by senior company management in a number of important
business events and forums.
I am sure we can expect to see many
other new functionalities and enhancements in industry-related
web sites during this year. If there is anything that
this column has missed so far, I encourage our readers
to drop us a line so we can expand the coverage of our
web site reviews.
The author has 20 years experience
in the development, project management and implementation
of IT projects in Philippine ports, transport and logistics.
He is presently an independent consultant for IT projects
and initiatives in Philippine ports and transport industries.
For comments or inquiries, email him
at leo@morada.name.
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Focal points of
interest during 2004 (January 19, 2004)
For the year 2004, it is the intention
of this column to write more on a wider range of IT
technology trends, topics and updates that provide tangible
benefits to the ports, shipping and transport industry.
In this regard, I have identified a
number of focal points of interest which I believe should
be given new or expanded coverage. These will be in
addition to the numerous subject matter featured in
this column last year.
IT Profile of our industry
A focal point of interest is the "human
face" of information technology professionals and practitioners
who man the IT or MIS organizations of the various private
business entities and government offices in our industry.
I recall that when I was still employed as IT Manager
in one of the country's leading port operators, it always
took us time to contact my IT counterparts in the other
port user organizations since there is no readily available
directory of MIS managers or supervisors.
Another interesting topic to write
about is the prevailing hardware profile in our industry.
Contrary to the marketing and sales pitch of hardware
vendors for their latest products, I have this strong
feeling that old and low-end Pentium PCs are still widely
used in many offices. The prevailing extent of industry-wide
Internet utilization is likewise another important subject
matter. Do an increasing number of business users really
make more use of web-based business-to-business transactions
or does "Internet usage" really refer to just electronic
mail?
Government IT Initiatives
This column will focus a lot of interest
and attention on government IT initiatives during this
year. The PPA MIS computerization project is making
a push this year for implementation outside of the North
Harbor and among the next areas of coverage is Batangas
port.
The Maritime Industry Authority just
launched last week its I-Text@MARINA Project (see
story on industry news) and this is an indication
that significant technology developments are bound to
occur among other other government entities outside
of PPA and BOC. One area that will definitely attract
port user interest is whether or not Bureau of Customs
can finally start off its planned migration to web-based
ASYCUDA-WORLD environment. Considering that the existing
ACOS system was implemented during the early 1990s,
the new ASYCUDA version is long overdue.
Electronic Payment Facilities
In relation to customs automation,
can we expect a new electronic payment facility looming
in the horizon for this year?
I understand that some private groups
have been working on a better solution to the electronic
facility for payment of customs duties and taxes currently
operated by the Bankers' Association of the Philippines.
There is even ongoing talk about another private initiative
for electronic payment facility wherein the lead role
will be played by a big government-owned banking institution.
This column shall likewise continuously
follow up developments on the electronic payment of
cargo and vessel charges which a number of banks already
operate in South Harbor and MICT. It will be worthwhile
to find out if their utilization is increasing.
Supply Chain Technology Solutions
As more attention is devoted to cargo
security considerations and end-to-end integrated services
find a niche among logistics companies, this column
will give focus on technology solutions that encompass
the wider supply chain.
Better systems and solutions are being
introduced into the country in the area of warehouse
management and logistics services. Knowing about them
and the tangible business benefits they provide will
be of significant value to PortCalls readers. In this
regard, I have another new focal point of interest this
year and this is the air cargo industry.
Late last year I learned about several
technology initiatives by business organizations enaged
in the air cargo business and I believe these should
likewise be featured in this column.
Cargo and Transport Security
This topic will be a special area of
interest and encompasses three aspects. The first pertain
to initiatives by the US government such as CSI, C-TPAT
and 24-Hour Advance Manifest. The second is the IMO
maritime security initiative on ISPS Code implementation.
The third is APEC Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR)
initiative.
Inputs From Our Readers
This column has received several suggestions
from readers on topics that they want to be written
about. These are always welcome and I'll make sure these
are featured as long as the subject matter are of valuable
interest to our industry in general.
Trivia Notes: A new MIS Manager was
designated last week for ICTSI MICT in the person of
Ms. Catherine Orellano. She joined ICTSI in 2003 as
Assistant MIS Manager. Ms. Elizabeth Follosco, who is
the Project Director of the PPA MIS project, is currently
on extended sick leave and Ms. Amy Aquino who previously
handled the Special Projects office was designated as
acting Project Director.
To Cata and Amy, welcome from all
of your IT peers and colleagues. To Beth, get well and
we expect you back soon.
The author has 20 years experience
in the development, project management and implementation
of IT projects in Philippine ports, transport and logistics.
He is presently an independent consultant for IT projects
and initiatives in Philippine ports and transport industries.
For comments or inquiries, email him
at leo@morada.name.
Nuggets of
IT practical sense for the new year (January 4, 2004)
Happy New Year to all our readers and PortCalls subscribers!
I sincerely hope that the New Year will find each and
everyone of us fully refreshed after a long vacation
break from work since 31 December.
Not many people realize it but New Year's Day is always
one of the most important events for IT managers, network
and database administrators, and system managers - not
because of all the fireworks and pyrotechnics - but
because this time window represents an opportune moment
to perform scheduled computer system shutdown and maintenance.
In our industry, this also coincides with a 24-hour
suspension of port operations (no vessel or cargo operations
from 7PM 31 December to 7PM 01 January) thereby providing
enough time to undertake end-of-year "system housekeeping"
- comprehensive database backups and archiving, preventive
maintenance of host servers and network components,
conducting database integrity checks, configuration
of new databases for 2004 transactions, testing of disaster
recovery procedures such as data tape restoration, etc.
I also did my own simple houskeeping of all the data
files in my laptop just this weekend but in doing so,
I found a file containing useful guidelines for IT and
project management which served as "rules"
to which I always exerted best efforts to abide with
during my lengthy period of work experience since the
1980s.
These guidelines were actually used by me as a simple
way on how to align IT strategy with corporate business
strategy when I was still employed as a full-time IT
Manager.
I take the opportunity to share these with our readers
and I'd like to call them "nuggets of IT practical
sense".
Murphy's Law: If anything can go wrong, it will, and
at the worst possible moment.
This serves as foremost reason for the need to prepare
a comprehensive computer system disaster planning and
recovery plan. Many things can happen when you least
expect them - a newly purchased hard disk malfunctioning,
financial database server crashes during accounting
end-of-month processing, prolonged power brownout in
the middle of payroll processing, email server forced
to shut down as a result of computer virus.
The abence or presence of such plan is one of the most
important considerations in today's risk-based audit
approach in a computerized environment by both internal
and external auditors. Many organizations that rely
heavily on real-time and online business transactions
already equate a corresponding amount of business loss
to every hour or day that mission-critical systems suffer
unscheduled downtime.
Cheop's Law: No system ever gets built on schedule or
within budget.
This poses a big challenge to project managers whose
primnary task is to ensure IT projects are delivered
based on schedules and budgets set by business decision
makers. It entails the utilization of project management
skills and techniques most appropriate to a company's
business environment. Experience shows that the risks
of exceeding schedules and budgets can be mitigated
by good project management practices encompassing adequate
requirements analysis, work estimation, detailed task
monitoring, and early warning and contingency measures
to handle possible lapses in schedules and budget.
The "Heaven - Purgatory - Hell" Planning Analogy
The exact phrase goes this way: "Promise purgatory
but deliver heaven, if you are in hell then things are
beyond redemption."
Within the context of IT project management, it means
that the promised project completion date (purgatory)
must be based on the most prudent and careful work estimate,
but in fact the project manager must aim for an early
delivery schedule (heaven) based on efficient utilization
of slack time and manpower resources as well as critical
path management. Once the project falls behind schedule
(hell), it will be difficult to regain momentum without
incurring greater costs.
Reader Feedback On IT "Wish List"
During the 22 December issue of this column, we enumerated
a "wish list" for technology developments
next year that will have beneficial impact on the cargo
and transport industry. One of these is our wish for
shipping lines with existing web-based shipment tracking
capabilities to sustain further enhancement of these
facilities leading towards more sophisticated features
such as those currently found in APL Homeport - Trace,
COSCON e-service, and Hanjin e-service.
We received an email from Rey Richard Tapic of P&O
Nedlloyd (Philippines) informing us about PONL E-Commerce
facility. It says as follows:
"Ref your column in PortCalls Dec. 22 issue re
web-based shipment tracking capabilities of shipping
lines, I would like to share with you the attached information
flyers about P&O Nedlloyd. It basically introduces
the wide range of e-commerce functionalities that is
being offered/supported by P&O Nedlloyd. We have
both online (web-based) and offline (email-based) cargo
tracking system currently available.
Since we also acknowledge that web-based e-commerce
functionalities are currently not fully supported by
infrastructure in most Asia Pacific countries, we are
continuously developing/ enhancing our Offline packages
to cater to small businesses who do not have broadband
internet connection.
Appreciate if you can keep this information handy for
your next relevant article. You can also visit our website
at www.ponl.com for further information."
I want to thank Rey Richard Tapic for sharing this information.
I already looked into this facility and I believe it
is worth writing about it in our future columns.
The author has 20 years experience in the development,
project management and implementation of IT projects
in Philippine ports, transport and logistics. He is
presently an independent consultant for IT projects
and initiatives in Philippine ports and transport industries.
For comments or inquiries, email him
at leo@morada.name.
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