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Cloud Computing

Notes
Forecasting Needs
For the future, Ellegro is considering using the time tracking database that provides
details on hours, such as hourly rates and whether the hours are billable or not. "This is
another way for us to anticipate our resource needs," Statland explains. "Also, the analytics
tool is a feature we expect to use more in the future. It will let us run reports by individual,
team or client. Although we are a small business, we carry out big projects, so a greater
understanding of our performance will allow for better planning."
LiquidPlanner's software is designed to work the way real teams do, according to Liz
Pearce, CEO of LiquidPlanner. "Collaboration tools are often underutilized," she says,
"because they don't mirror actual work processes. Knowledge workers deal with a lot of
uncertainty and change, especially in environments of multiple, complex projects. If the
project plan cannot be readily modified, it becomes too cumbersome and people don't use
the software."
Scheduling is established by setting priorities for tasks, which helps impose realism on
project management. "The software won't let you put everything in as priority number
one," Pearce points out. "And because of the portfolio approach, if a strategic client presents
you with a deadline, it's possible to see the impact on other projects if your team moves
that work up in priority."
Although LiquidPlanner can scale up for large customers, it is well suited to small and
midsize businesses (SMBs) because of its simplicity and low cost of entry; more than half
of LiquidPlanner customers are SMBs. The company has partnered with Box, a cloud-
based solution that provides more extensive document management capabilities, such as
versioning to facilitate document sharing as part of collaboration.
The social capabilities of enterprise applications will continue to be extended because of
the value that collaboration brings to a wide variety of business activities. Meanwhile,
enterprise social software products, which have matured considerably over the past five
years, are achieving increasing acceptance by corporations. "Enterprise social software
solutions are being used in 67 percent of organizations surveyed in 2012, up from
43 percent in 2011," Thompson of IDC says. "This highlights the fact that social software is
becoming part of business processes in the place where work happens."

Questions:
1. Analyze the case and interpret it.
2. Write down the case facts.
3. Write down an effective executive summary of given case.
Source: http://www.kmworld.com/Articles/Editorial/Features/Collaborate-innovate-adapt!--
Collaboration-taps-into-social-networks-to-aid-productivity-85789.aspx?PageNum=2
13.3 Summary

If you have a medium- to large-sized online network, you might have noticed some of
your contacts have been developing their own groups in the form of private groups,
forums or social networks that are a mixture of free or paid memberships.
There are several advantages of creating a group.
Creating a group also has its own disadvantages.
There are various requisites for a successful group.

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