Using Business Capability Models to inform Tech Training Requirements

11 Wednesday Nov 2015

Posted by in General, Oracle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

We have been going through a slow process of reviewing and refreshing our skills and capabilities within our Architectural team both in terms of what skills exist, and the necessary skill sets that need to be cultivated.

The EA capabilities views such as the Oracle one below which has been drawn from Oracle’s reference model (ITSO) can be used to aide determining what technical capabilities are needed in the solution space. But could also be used to support the determination of skills needs within an organisation in both breadth and to an extent depth.

Where the breadth equates to skills for all the tools mapped onto the technical capability model (ideally validated by mapping the technical capabilities to business capability model to establish utilisation). That mapping also informs the skills depth based on the number of times anyone technical capability is mapped to the business model.

OracleIntegrationRA-capabilities

This can be taken further through the use of value chains in the business domain you can determine which capabilities need to be focused on, therefore what technical capabilities and potential skills development are of most value to your organisation.

So what starts out as an abstract business activity, quickly delivers technical domain value. What is ‘fun’ is that as a Technical EA I can use the work from my business colleagues to make a compelling argument for training budget.

Useful links:

Oracle Open World – Session Presentations

05 Thursday Nov 2015

Posted by in General, Oracle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

Some time after Open World all (well nearly) the presentation material is made available to attendees. Some presenters however don’t wait for that and their presentation material available online through their own various channels. So here are some links to those that I have become aware of:

As I spot the posts we’ll update this blog entry

ITSO Mindmap

05 Thursday Nov 2015

Posted by in General, Oracle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

I’ve just made the latest version of my IT Strategies from Oracle mindmap available via the XMind maps site (http://www.xmind.net/m/cPQH/)

ITSO

Oracle Open World 15 – The Recovery

03 Tuesday Nov 2015

Posted by in General, Oracle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

So we’re back home from a week in San Francisco and the city dominating Oracle Open World conference and almost straightened up after the jet lag (don’t remember ever suffering from it this much).

A very interesting, very busy week that was absolutely shattering (it didn’t help our Hotel was in the middle if the city, but not very sound insulated or air conditioned – so if you don’t sleep well not the best).

I’ll piece together a presentation deck, but briefly, what we picked up/did:

  • Oracle is a cloud company now – with the word cloud presented so many times in a week that the early morning mist (or is that thin cloud) on a couple of days in SF I wasn’t sure if I was hallucinating it or whether it was genuine – it had disappeared by the time I was seeing presentations with the word cloud.
  • Oracle is getting hip with adoption of Docker and Open Stack.
  • Weblogic 12.2 announcements just before OOW somewhat swallowed up in all the other messages but I think this release will have some longer term subtle impacts, just like multi Tenancy database announcements lead  the subsequent cloud transition.
  • Oracle cloud isn’t all sales story – early adopters such as GE talked about their experiences
  • For those of you who want the benefit of cloud on premise – the hyperconvergence of Oracle hardware to SaaS solutions can be deployed on premise – or just the apps.
  • Conversations with Oracle Press and Bob Rhubart of OTN fame.
  • A day with the SOA product leadership – as part of the Customer Advisory Board. Can’t say what is happening but let’s say its all exciting.
  • Various meetings & receptions with Oracle UK and our strategic SIs, plus of course the obligatory Oracle Appreciation event
  • Investment in hardware to provide better security to protect against attacks like Heartbleed & Venom and some fancy new memory coming from Intel.

Checkout blogs such as this one and I’m sure a lot of other material will start coming through.

OOW 15 - Appreciation Event 2015

Oracle Open World

26 Monday Oct 2015

Posted by in General, Oracle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

  We’re into the 1st full day of Oracle Open World conference; Sunday being sessions driven by the user groups with the kickoff key note from Larry at the end of the day.  That’s not to say that the Sunday is a leisurely day with the 1st session at 8am, and the evening networking with UK customers and #UKOUG representation. With yesterday being ‘active’,  today we’re flying – with a keynote this morning, then time to say hello to #OTNArchBeat guru Bob Rhubart. Then conference sessions with brief breaks between long enough to touch base with an Oracle Product Manager so we can have a follow up discussion on the #ICS product. The still has a lot to do with more sessions including the middleware keynote to come and then the evening talking with a vendor.

Oh, and somewhere among this fielding some emails from the office and keeping in touch with the family.

Java EE Development with Eclipse 2nd Edition

06 Tuesday Oct 2015

Posted by in Book Reviews, Books, Packt, Technology

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

I have just been told that the 2nd Edition of Java EE Development with Eclipse has now been published.  This is another book that I have supported as a technical reviewer.  Looking forward to receiving my print copy so I can see how my suggestions and feedback have carried through to the final copy.

You can see the book on the Packt site with  https://www.packtpub.com/application-development/java-ee-development-eclipse-second-edition  or Amazon here

 

IMG_2232

Here is the finished article!

Oracle SOA Cloud

29 Tuesday Sep 2015

Posted by in Oracle, Technology

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

It has been a while coming but the Oracle SOA Cloud was announced yesterday. Surprisingly, the fanfare for this key product hasn’t been held back for Oracle Open World which is only a few weeks away now. So no more building SOA on top of the Java Cloud Service. Along with SOA CS (Cloud Service) is API Management. But the release of information with yesterday’s announcement is coming quickly – for example UKOUG are running an innovation day which has had SOA Cloud session included in it.  Here are a few resources that I’ve seen so far :

It looks like from the details available that SOA Cloud includes the core composites, BPEL and OSB pieces, but BAM, Scheduling, B2B are yet to be released.

The Oracle Customer Advisory Board on the end of Open World should be a very interesting day.

…. For Dummies

23 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by in Books, General, Oracle

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

It seems to becoming the done thing to license the use of the ‘For Dummies’ brand and publishing books (or are they large booklets) on a specific subject. These can then often be picked up as print freebies at conferences. I saw a couple at the Oracle Cloud Event today – though I’d share the ebook versions here:

Ipad with a stylus

20 Sunday Sep 2015

Posted by in General, Technology

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

So despite wha Steve Jobs has said I have always wanted to have  a stylus or pen with an ipad as I can’t type fast enough to keep up in meetings. So the iPad pro having a pencil is a good thing. But that kind of spend is a little over my budget just for a pencil.

Anyway the other day l read an article on Geek.com about styluses and decided to try their recommendation of the Jot Pro . That arrived today, and then installed the myScript Stylus app that replaces the normal keyboard with a writing area.

I have to say the combination is impressive. The jot’s tip being a clear disk means that you can see what your’re writing. Combined with the excellent handwriting recognition from the mystylus keyboard.

The screen protector helps as well giving a bit more resistance so feels more like wnbmg on paper.

UKOUG Journal + ITSO Mindmap

15 Tuesday Sep 2015

Posted by in ITSO & OEAF, mindmap, Oracle, Technology

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

Been a busy couple of days reviewing submissions for the Oracle Scene Journal as part of the UKOUG.  Some really good articles, have been submitted around a broad range of Oracle technologies from core database to mobile and beyond.

I have also been working on a mindmap relating to the IT Solutions from Oracle (ITSO) – you can see previous posts on this including ITSO Mind Mapped here is the latest update which is also available via WiseMap here.

 

ITSO