IWMSconnect delivers on its mission

As an avid supporter of the IWMSconnect web site, I was pleased to receive a report of the site's first year deliverables. This compilation of reports, case studies, planning documents, and surveys represents an unprecedented resource for the workplace software industry. With permission from IWMSconnect management I've reproduced here the contents of its progress report. For those who procure, manage, or provision IWMS software and services, the IWMSconnect site provides huge value for its members' investment. If you're not a member of IWMSconnect, I encourage you to join:


From Dan O'Toole, Founder and President IWMSconnect:

IWMSconnect is committed to providing today’s IWMS business leaders with access to meaningful IWMS business intelligence. As leading organizations continue to face increased budget constraints, alternative sources of data and research are becoming increasingly appealing. IWMSconnect delivers high value – low cost research designed to help your organization’s make informed IWMS business decisions.

Below are a sample 10 resources that will help your organization make informed IWMS business decisions


2010 IWMS Vendor and Professional Service Market Perspective Report
While the IWMS marketplace is undergoing a healthy rationalization of interpreting the opportunities associated with today’s economic climate, market fundamentals appear healthy. We are seeing a significant shift in end user buying trends and priorities, diversified investments in software capabilities and a rationalization of the IWMS vendor and professional service landscape. These findings confirm that despite global economic uncertainties, the IWMS market is responding opportunistically.



IWMS Readiness Planning and Risk Mitigation Guide
IWMSconnect estimates that over 50 percent of IWMS implementations are underperforming relative to original project objectives. Experience shows organizations that sufficiently prepare for the IWMS deployment process in terms of organizational, business process and technology readiness, are better positioned to minimize project exposure, protect IWMS capital investments, and cope with changes to the IWMS project ecosystem.


IWMS Application Requirements
Public Works and Government Services Canada Referential sample of IWMS application requirements and vendor evaluation framework


IWMS: One Destination – Three Ways to get There
Recognizing that ‘IWMS’ is a desired destination for many of today’s leading organizations, IWMS: One Destination – Three Ways to Get There offers CRE and IT business leaders progressive analysis of the approaches used to define IWMS application requirements and select IWMS software (expected release May 31st)



CRE Business Processes
Public Works and Government Services Canada referential sample of Level 2 corporate real estate (CRE) functional business process including account management, program management (strategic planning), portfolio management, real property solutions and services, technical services, facilities management and corporate services




IWMS Leader Network
Access to IWMS industry leaders including marquee end users, renown industry experts, senior veteran IWMS professional service and vendor luminaries



2009 IWMS Market Perspective and Outlook Report
The IWMS market is on the threshold of accelerated growth and innovation driven largely by the expansion of the traditional CRE function to include broader workplace initiatives, increased integration capabilities across enterprise domains, a new focus on enterprise sustainability, reduced implementation cycle time and the emergence of IWMS 2.0 application functionality.


IWMS Professional Service Requirements and Evaluation Guidelines Referential sample of IWMS professional Service requirements and firm evaluation framework



IWMS RFP Templates and Samples
Referential samples of IWMS RFP templates which specifies Scope of Work for Contractor responsible for the provision of an IWMS Solutions and related transformation services



IWMS Industry Thought Leadership Publications
Example:
Integrated Workplace Management Strategies for the
CIO, CFO and Corporate Workspace Strategist
Manhattan Software

Vendor and service firm survey just released

I just learned that IWMSconnect has released it's new survey results of the IWMS vendor and service provider community. To my knowledge this is the first time IWMS vendors and service firms have provided their perspectives on the IWMS market place. While at Gartner I published an annual market review based on many interviews with market participants, but this new survey report provides a more systematic analysis of the market.

For those who haven't seen the press announcement, here it is. I encourage all IWMS followers to check out the survey results!

"IWMSconnect is pleased to announce the release of the 2010 IWMS Vendor and Professional Service Market Prospective Report
The 2010 IWMS Vendor and Professional Service Market Prospective Report provides today’s IWMS business leaders with empirical and candid insights into how leading IWMS software vendors and professional service firms perceive the IWMS marketplace advancing in 2010 and beyond.
• Understand how the current economic climate is influencing the IWMS marketplace
• Benchmark your organization against the latest trends
• Leverage these insights in your product and service development strategy
The Report is based on the findings of the IWMS Vendor and Professional Service Q13 survey and is structured around the following key themes:
• Market Overview
• Alignment of the “IWMS” acronym
• End user priorities and buying trends
• Industry and marketplace trends
Report Abstract
While the IWMS marketplace is undergoing a healthy rationalization of interpreting the opportunities associated with today’s economic climate, market fundamentals appear healthy. We are seeing a significant shift in end user buying trends and priorities, diversified investments in software capabilities and a rationalization of the IWMS vendor and professional service landscape. These findings confirm that despite global economic uncertainties, the IWMS market is responding opportunistically.
HOW TO ACCESS
Visit www.iwmsconnect.com

IWMSconnect fills a void in IWMS market insight

I've been working with the founders of the IWMSconnnect (http://www.iwmsconnect.com/) site over the last year. Since that time, the site has grown to be the authoritative web location for IWMS market insight and a community of IWMS industry leaders and participants. When I was at Gartner, I began to research the facilities and real estate software space back in 2002. Over the period from 2002 to 2007, I watched the space evolve into an enterprise level class of software, and coined the acronym, IWMS or integrated workplace management systems to describe the distinct nature of this class of multi-functional software and services. I launched the Gartner magic quadrant vendor analysis of IWMS in 2004, which was well received by the industry. Since I retired from Gartner in 2007, there has been one subsequent magic quadrant analysis completed in late 2008, however, Gartner has announced that it would discontinue the magic quadrant analysis of IWMS, but publish an annual "vendor guide" which would be more of a directory than an actual comparative analysis of the leading vendors in the space. Gartner will continue to publish research notes on the IWMS space, but a comparative vendor analysis will no longer be available. This leaves a void in the market.

IWMSconnect will begin to fill this void with market surveys, best practice research, white papers, case studies, webinars, and other communication media that will be a focal point and information exchange for the industry. Over the last year IWMSconnect has published a definitive market outlook report, an in depth readiness guide, a number of white papers, and other thought leadership pieces that have attracted industry members like Deloitte, M2 Consulting, TRIRIGA, FM:Systems, Manhattan Software, PlanOn, Qube Global Software, Serco as well as Corporate user members like Pfizer. This year’s research agenda is focused on bringing a new level of depth around independent IWMS research and market analysis. In the next few weeks IWMSconnect will publish its survey of leading IWMS software vendors and service providers on a wide range of market topics. Later this spring, a similar report will be published on IWMS user topics and issues. Clearly IWMS Connect is becoming a vital source of market insight and analysis for the IWMS industry. I encourage anyone associated with IWMS to become an active member of this growing business community. In this period of economic melt-down, it's paramount that both users, software vendors, and service providers leverage resources like IWMSconnect to gain valuable and affordable business intelligence, actively network and participate in their active domain. IWMSconnect is the place for members of the IWMS business community.

A closer look at the Stimulus Bill and IWMS

I just read both the House and Senate versions of the Stimulus Bill. Chances are they will continue to change over the next several days. But one provision seems to be consistent for both the House and Senate Versions and that's the appropriation for the General Services Administration. The House Bill calls for a $7.7 Billion appropriation to be used primarily for upgrading federal buildings for environmental sustainability-ie "high quality green buildings."The Senate Bill increases this appropriation to $9 Billion. Now here are few important conditions of the Senate version:

• At least $7 Billion must be obligated by September 30, 2010
• The GSA has to report detailed projects to the Committees on Appropriation for both the House and Senate within 60 days of enactment of this act.

Now this represents a huge amount of projects that will need to be planned, costed out, and under contract within 20 months. And $7 Billion of the total appropriation are aimed at "green" upgrades. From my experience this level of investment, in conjunction with the stringent time lines here; ie producing detailed project plans in two months, will require a whole new level of systems functionality- functionality that will include at a minimum, detailed building assessments relative to green characteristics or lack thereof, detailed construction estimates, project schedules, with critical path analysis, staff assignments, budget models, and a host of other processes that will involve contracting, procurement, real estate, design, etc. Many software solutions provide the project management capability; very few include an environmental module.

I must assume that the GSA has "shovel ready" projects already teed up; that they have the systems necessary to plan, analyze, and report on these projects, and that delivering a detailed plan in two months will be forthcoming. Just a quick calculation-at $500 per square foot (roughly) for construction this represents a project scope spanning 18 million square feet. From my recollection,this is less than 15% of the total GSA portfolio. Using another estimate of software investment as a percent of total capital invested...this could represent an incremental system's requirement of between $9 -$12 million.

Let the competition begin!

IWMS and the Economic Crisis

We have entered the next stage of economic meltdown. There is no certainty how this next stage will unfold, but there are indicators including the possible nationalization of many banks, the government passage of an unprecented economic stimulus package that will pump billions of money into the domestic economy; and the increasing level of unemployment and business and personal bankruptcies well into 2009 and beyond.

I'm convinced that the power of integrated workplace management systems (IWMS) will be embraced and leveraged by thousands of businesses seeking to substantially improve their cost structure, energy efficiency and worker productivity in this period of global recession (depression?) And the initiatives by the Obama adminsitration will propel this uptake in IWMS particularly for the public sector. Let me explain:

• The stimulus package will stress infrastructure investment particularly for energy efficiency projects. IMWS has the functionality and tools to analyze and track the energy efficiency and carbon footprint of the enterprise.
• President Obama has insisted that the stimulus package be executed with two key priorities-transparency and governmental oversite. IWMS will clearly assist both the private sector and government regulators to track, analyze, and assess the performance of these infrastructure investments. The IWMS functionality of portfolio performance management can be readily adapted to enhance transparency and accountability.
• Infractructure projects will demand sophisticated project and program management tools. These tools are readily available in IWMS software, and would be particularly applicable for the upgrade or new build of educational and medical facilities.
• With a shrinking workforce, at least in the short term, businesses must drive greater productivity and operational effectiveness. By employing the process management capabilities of IWMS, businesses can greatly enhance the productivity of their facilities operations staff.
• The economic meltdown is hitting every sector of the economy, but none more so than the retail industry which is experiencing horrendous declines in consumer demand. By utilizing IWMS, retailers can vastly improve the complex process of store closings and/or redeployments, cutting the cycle by weeks even months, translating directly into improved cash flow.
• At the center of the economic crisis is toxic financial assets, typically sub-prime mortages on properties where loan balances exceed the market value of the properties. Government agencies like the Resolution Trust Corporation of the 1980s will emerge to manage these vast portfolios of underperforming assets. IWMS can be leveraged to manage these complex portfolios, and offer the process tools, reporting mechanisms, and data base management capabilities that will be essential to execute millions of transactions in the disposition of these assets over time.

The confluence of two huge forces: the economic crisis combined with the new adminsitration's insistence on transparency and accountability, will drive focus and demand for the capabilities of IWMS. These systems enhance transparency by providing a lens into the assets and costs of corporate and governmental portfolios. The systems enhance accountability by providing performance management capability around the management of real estate portfolios and workplace services. I predict that the new adminsitration will discover the capabilities of IWMS and take the lead in deploying this software in many of the government agencies including specifically Treasury, EPA, Energy, Commerce, and perhaps both the Defense and State Departments. This is particularly good news for the IWMS vendors and service firms.