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AE SOLUTIONS' CONSULTING SERVICES |
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In addition to being an accomplished custom software developer and reseller of the Printimate™ family of visual document design and printing software, AE Solutions also maintains an active business consulting practice. AE Solutions team of experienced consultants provide a range of consulting services to clients including:
- Custom software development
- Software / Application implementation
- Change management
- Project management
- Needs analysis
- Gap analysis
- Process mapping
- Skills inventory
- Outsourcing Services
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The following is a brief description of each of the services provided by the AE Solutions team of professional consultants. |
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Custom Software |
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The AES team of software engineers are trained Microsoft .Net Developers that specialize in Visual Basic, C#, Winforms, WPF or Java Web applications and SQL custom database application development. We develop applications for Windows 7, Vista, XP, Server 2003 and Server 2008 platforms. If you require modifications to an existing application, a custom add-on or want to develop a new application from the ground up AES has the experience to help. Call at 1-866-210-9282 or email sales@aesvdp to discuss your requirements in confidence. |
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Software /Application Implementation |
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The proper installation setup and rollout / implementation of software whether it is off the shelf software or custom software is critical to the success of the initiative. The AES team of experienced consultants will work with your staff to develop a variable rollout and implementation plan which recognizes the organizational realities and is designed to minimize the downtime and impact on the ongoing workflow. |
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Change Management |
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Change management is a critical yet most misunderstood component of any project. Most organizations are comprised of the cross section of early adopters and change resistant staff members. If handled correctly change can be an exciting and bonding experience that has the potential to energize and invigorate an organization.
If change is handled in-correctly it also has the potential to demoralize employees, result in costly delays and loss of long term or key employees.
How often have you heard the horror stories “I don’t know what happened, the project started out so well, everyone was excited but then everything just stalled and we can’t seem to get the project to move forward.
The AES team of experienced consultants will work with your staff to prevent project stall from occurring by developing a change management plan within the overall project framework that is based on user/ management feedback. This feedback allows AES to build the trust required to achieve the required employee buy-in and prevent project stall while minimizing the transitional resistance and accelerate the progress to project completion.
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Project Management |
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Many firm’s elect to handle the project management tasks internally, however the results have been mixed. Statistically it is generally less disruptive and more cost effective to engage a professional consulting firm to manage the project and facilitate the management and implementation. Professional consultants bring with them years of experience and specialized training back by a solid knowledge of industry best practices. In addition the consultant is free to focus 100% of their energies on the project unlike an internal staff member who has to balance their current job responsibilities with the demands of managing a project. |
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AES Needs Analysis Process |
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The “Needs Analysis” is a systematic study and assessment of the current situation i.e. (process and resources) and the process / resources required to meet the stated business goals or project objectives. The facts clearly show that the majority of all business projects fail to meet their stated objectives. The consequences of a failed project can range from a minor inconvenience to a costly disaster that can cripple the entire business. A comprehensive needs analysis is an invaluable tool that helps avoid disasters and ensure the project achieves the goals and objectives.
One frequent and all too common cause of project failure is the lack of adequate planning and a realistic and achievable completions date. All too often the needs and gap analysis steps are skipped in favor of the quick fix or expedient solution. Frequently the result is that the incorrect solution is chosen and implemented without the required user input or buy-in which inevitably results in a failed project and lost money.
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AE Solutions team of experienced consultants’ systematic approach is designed to avoid the costly issues associated with the unplanned approach. AES will meet with the senior management team and users to solicit input and develop a clear mission statement, document the participant’s roles and responsibilities, identify measureable and achievable project objectives. Though the process AES will meet with the project team to observer the current processes and identify the gaps in the process required to meet the project objectives. The AES team will compile the information collected into a needs assessment document which will form the basis of the Project Plan Report. The project plan report provides a detailed road map which includes the needs and resources required to move the project and or the business successfully forward to achieve the goals and objectives with minimum disruption.
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Gap Analysis: |
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A gap analysis is a critical component of any comprehensive needs analysis study. The first step is to observe and assess the actual performance of the people and the existing process against industry standards. Before moving forward with the implementation of new systems and processes it is critical to understand the functions, drivers and effectiveness of the existing process.
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Assess the Current Situation
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Document the current skills of the participants, and the skill set required to successfully complete the existing tasks / processes. This analysis also should examine how well the existing processes are aligned with the organizational goals, the environment as well as any internal or external constraints which affect the existing processes or workflow.
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Identify Needs of the New Project
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This part of the analysis is focused solely on identifying the abilities, hard / soft skills, resources and processes / workflow required to successfully accomplish the stated goals and objectives of the new project. This phase does not reference the skill set of the existing staff or new hires, or the efficacy of current processes. At this point the analysis will identify and differentiate between critical skills and tasks as distinguished from the perceived wants and needs and the nice to have. For more detailed information, please refer to following section(s) on process mapping, process evaluation, workflow mapping, resource inventory and organizational structure.
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Existing Issues/ Problems |
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What are the existing problems, are they organizational, or skill set, can they be solved by training or process modification? |
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Change Management |
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Will the changes resulting from the new project or process implementation create problems, which do not currently exist but can be foreseen? Can the identified issues be mitigated with training or changes in staffing? |
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New Opportunities. |
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Can the identified changes i.e. ( new processes, skills, technology etc.) present an opportunity to create a competitive advantage. |
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Strengths |
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The changes driven by the implementation of the new project create an opportunity to document existing corporate skill inventories and build on those strengths. This exercise also gives your firm the opportunity to evaluate new opportunities based on the corporate skill inventory resulting from the new project. |
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Training |
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Identify the new skills that are required to implement and use the new process or resources. AES will identify the required training and best practices and as well as potential government or industry assistance programs. |
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Identify the Gaps
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AES consultants will process the information collected during the two prior stages of the process and compile this information into a detailed gap analysis report. This report will identify the gaps that must be addressed in order to successfully complete the project or implement the new process. The “Gap” is defined as the difference between the current and the necessary “skill / processes” and what is required to achieve the stated objectives. This document may also form the basis of the skill inventory, (see section on skill inventory) training plan or procurement plan.
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Identify the Project Priorities |
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AES consultants will with meet senior management and project team to assess the project needs and assign the priorities while taking into account the impact on the project, internal / external and the organizational realities. This is a dynamic and living process which may force changes to the priorities throughout the project to reflect changes in the business environment or organizational needs. For more detailed information please refer to the following section on process setting objectives |
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Identify Workflow / Performance |
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AES consultants will work with management and staff to identify any exiting performance issues, the drivers and the root causes and how they will effect the new project implementation. For further more detailed information please refer to following section(s) on process mapping, process evaluation, workflow mapping, resource inventory and organizational structure. |
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Summary: |
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Upon completion of the needs analysis, AES consultants will provide a detailed report containing the current assessment, the new project/ process needs assessment, a gap analysis, and an action plan designed to address the identified needs in order to ensure the project or organizational goals can be achieved successfully with minimum impact on the firm’s ongoing operation. |
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Skills Inventory |
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Implementing new software or training new employees on how to use new software can create high levels of stress that can negatively impact the effectiveness of the training. A major component of the stress is frequently the skill level or competency of participants. Completing a skills inventory can go a long way to ensure the success of any training initiative. A skills inventory allows the participants to identify their current skill levels, strengths and weaknesses as well as identifying what skills they feel they need to achieve their career goals. A skills inventory can be an integral component of the participant’s career growth plan as well as a valuable corporate resource tool.
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Employee competencies impact directly on overall organizational capabilities and performance. The skills assessment provides a window into your organizations core competencies. In addition a skills inventory can help to identify current or emerging gaps between your organization’s core competencies and your current / future needs. Ensuring employee’s skills are kept up-to-date is a key component in building and sustaining your competitive advantage.
The skills inventory provides the consultant with the opportunity to engage in a non- challenging bi-directional dialog with the participants and your senior staff or training coordinator. This dialog is an important part of the process of identifying the participants current skill sets and competencies and the current and new job requirements in developing an effective training plan in order to achieve the expected outcomes. The skills inventory is assess both the hard and soft skills of the participants. The soft skills are those involved in communication, problem solving, innovation and dealing with change. The hard skills are those involved in using computer hardware, software and application knowledge specifically as they relate to the new software or process your firm or organization is implementing.
Upon completion of the skills inventory, AE Solutions consultants provide a formal report for your review. Frequently this document forms the basis of the training plan designed to eliminate the identified skill gaps and the skill requirements for new hires. Skills inventories are designed to support your organizations stated training outcomes. It is important to note that skills inventories are living documents that need to be updated at regular intervals in order to accurately reflect the scope and depth of your organizations capabilities.
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Process Mapping |
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Process mapping has nothing to do with the Printimate software or any software for that matter. It is a business analysis process, that many companies undertake prior to making a major investment in software or hardware. Frequently these companies will engage consulting firms such as AE Solutions to undertake the review and submit it’s recommendations. The purpose of the review is to examine the existing operations and identify existing processes and workflows that need to be modified or updated prior to making the investment in software or other capital assets.
In cases where a firm already owns the software / hardware, process mapping can help identify disconnects or gaps within your processes which can be a major sources of delays and inefficiencies in the workflow between departments or work groups which can affect employee performance, moral and drive up production costs within your organization.
AE Solutions team of expert consultants will review current and proposed business processes to identify problem areas, costs drivers, workflow efficiency and recommend a solution that among other things, will allow you to get the maximum benefit from your investment.
A major benefit of undergoing a formal process mapping review is that it will generate a comprehensive documentation of your business processes - a requirement for ISO certification and an invaluable aid to your Human Resource Department as a cost effective tool for new employees orientation and training.
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Setting Objectives |
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All too frequently change management and process mapping plans fail because there is no clear agreement on the objectives, the outcomes or there is insufficient buy-in. The project objective must be clearly defined and achievable. The expected outcomes must be measurable and there must be strong management supports and buy-in from key staff. In broad terms it is important to identify the following before commencing the process mapping: |
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- What are the inputs
- What are the expected outputs
- What resources are required
- What are the standards
- What are the quality controls
- What are the new targets / goals
- What are the measurements
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Process Evaluation |
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The methodology by which the success or failure of a process is determined needs to be
discussed and agreed upon at the outset. Frequently this involves a collaborative process
between management and the staff affected with a view to establishing a better solution.
This is an iterative process that can be done with a series of formal meetings utilizing flow
process charts and diagrams or the more informal brain storming sessions.
The deliverable that is generated by this process is a document or a formal set of rules by
which the each part of the process is evaluated, which is directly references to the
process diagram. This document will contain a set of criteria and an explanation on how
those criteria are applied to evaluate the compliance of each component or sub process
within the context of the overall process.
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Workflow Mapping |
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Once the Process Mapping has been completed the organization should be able to quickly
trace the entire document workflow from the point it enters the system, to the point where it exits the systems. It should be possible to clearly identify the criteria, resources, process, sub-process or dependencies, or bottle necks that impact the successful completion of any mapped process. It should also be possible to for any employee to locate themselves in the process map and immediately identify their position within the workflow.
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Resource Inventory |
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Resources and their availability are an integral part of the overall workflow process success or failure. Not only must the resources be available, but also it must be available when required by the workflow. Over commitment of finite resources is a common source of process delays and important cost driver. Resources include not only the hardware and software but also the employees. The resource flow diagrams are a particularly useful tool when dealing with interdependent or automated processes particularly where the physical movement of people or goods are required |
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Organizational Structure |
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An often overlooked component of the process mapping exercise is a review of the organizational structure. The organizational structure should ideally map or directly reference the process map and the process owner to ensure functional alignment. It is important to review the organizational structure on an ongoing basis particularly in situations where companies are growing rapidly to ensure workflow and process inter connections are maintained in order to avoid the negative impact of working in silos.
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