Goodbye - Over and out (for now)

Friends,

With a mixed feelings of sadness, happiness and apprehension, I am announcing my “resignation” from the post of CEO of Innowix, Inc. I am taking on a full-time employment opportunity as an Enterprise Architect/Technologist with a global quick service food company right in Ann Arbor, Michigan area. The company will continue to offer services it has been providing so far but I will have much less of an involvement going forward.

I want to provide a perspective into how things panned out Innowix.

Beginnings

I started Innowix in October 2007 with a vision of creating an innovative, honest, and pragmatic IT consulting company to help our clients leverage technology in the most effective fashion to solve their business problems. I am happy to say that it carried out this vision.

Clients and Projects Executed

Along the way, we helped many clients in Healthcare, Automotive and Government segments.

We executed projects ranging from a single to a few consultant on a time and material basis and a few on a fixed-price basis for our clients. Needless to say, I have learned a few lessons. Some projects were smooth and some were a bit painful.

These projects were for small and large enterprises ranging from HP, Henry Ford Health Systems, GM, Commonwealth of Kentucky, MathTech (for various State Governments) and Xerox. I am also very happy with the fact that ALL the clients can serve as references. 

I am very thankful to all my clients, partners and people who helped me in many ways along the way. I very much appreciate your help, inputs and guidance.  

Intellectual Properties Created and Used

I was successful in creating and using useful approaches for IT strategies, processes and architecture at various levels. I intend to publish some of these to public domain under Creative Commons license.

So, why the change in direction?

Well, lately all my engagements required extensive travel. That meant much less time towards family and on personal health and few fun projects with the kids I have grown to enjoy - Robotics, Science Olympiad and other similar pursuits with the kids. This was the primary drive to make this change.

Missed Opportunities and Lessons Learned

Start with one or more partners

Looking back, I believe a start up such as Innowix would have been better served with couple of additional like-minded partners. I had put together a financial model towards that but I probably should have started the company along with these partners instead of expecting to add some later. I came very close to adding couple of great individuals as partners but it didn't materialize. You need a set of close partners who you can bounce off ideas and who can keep each other on track.

Find time/resources to build products (or now services)

Another missed opportunity is in the development of product(s). I had (I still do!) a few ideas but putting them into execution required a lot of resources which I was very short on.

Maintain positive cash flow and be profitable

I am very proud to say that Innowix was profitable from Year 1 and continued to hold a positive cash flow for the most part (except one year end where one of the client was changing their financial system and payments took more than 3 months to materialize! That put us in a tight spot for a few months but we eventually caught up). BTW – maintaining a positive cash flow is much more difficult than it sounds on paper. This was one advice I received in the very beginning from a friend who strongly recommended that always manage your cash flow and I cannot emphasize this enough to any new entrepreneurs.  

What’s Next?

As mentioned before, Innowix as a legal entity will continue to exist but may go in a “dormant” state. I am going to stop blogging here (not that I was blogging a whole lot!) and move to a new destination to express my personal views on the IT industry and other things of interests. I will continue hosting Puzzle Parties.

May be in future, I will re-start/re-launch this type of operations, hopefully with few partners. But till that time, see you around on the Internet! 

Happy Third Birthday to Innowix – Tasks and Projects in Progress

This is the second blog entry celebrating Innowix's 3^rd Birthday where we describe some of the work-in-progress projects and tasks.

 

Work-in-progress (To be completed in next 2 to 3 months)

1. Helping a bank in Asia Pacific with setting up a Business Process Management (BPM) Center of Excellence (CoE)
   

   This is a very interesting project where I am utilizing some of the Innowix training material around BPM and validating the approaches and recommended practices. For any large organization such as this Bank's, the technology is not an issue but the application of technology within the constraints and frameworks of the organization becomes bigger challenge.
   

   [Sidebar thoughts] The interesting thing is that the bank's BPM platform is FileNet P8 BPM. The issue I have is whether that is a long-term viable BPM platform for an organization when IBM has WebSphere Process Server (also being utilized at the Bank for system workflow) and Lombardi. Next few months will tell us how things are going to work out. I would love to see IBM's roadmap which should depict Lombardi forming a process modeling and Business Architecture tool with quite a few traits from Telelogic's Rational System Architect (creating that Social BPM framework), FileNet's Process Engine capabilities merging within WebSphere Process Server Platform with tight integration capabilities with FileNet's Content Engine and Cognos providing business monitoring capabilities (this last part as I understand is already happening). Let's see what IBM say at their Information on Demand 2010 conference and at Impact 2011 conference.
   

2. Respond to RFPs and deliver projects in partnership with couple of key players for State Govt clients in Health and Human Services (HIE, Child Support, Child Welfare (SACWIS) etc.), DMV, Education, Unemployment Insurance (UI), Transportation and other domains
   

   Innowix has been very fortunate to have large consulting houses as our clients. We are tier-1 vendor for one of top five consulting giants in the State and Local Government business. However, from the growth perspective, Innowix has to look at and partner with other players as well who are emerging in this market. We are currently working with couple of such partners who play in different areas within State and Local Government space. Here's hoping to win and deliver couple of good projects together.
   

3. Working on building out a flexible framework for Case Management and few other foundation tools to augment technology in the market
   

   I have been toying with this idea for some time now. More and more I look around and the need for such a case management framework is becoming more evident. However, I am planning to put something together which need not be a complete product which can be simply deployed and being used on day one but rather a set of components which can be integrated into a large line-of-business application which can rely on this framework. This framework will have key integration points for security, document imaging and management, reporting and customer management etc. More on this in future blog entries. The platform of choice is also open. Of course, putting something in the cloud will be the most attractive given the shape of IT industry. However, the architecture is flexible to leverage cloud computing platforms for all or portions of the framework.
   

4. Working on maturing training for SOA and Business Process Management (BPM) targeting Executives, Sr. and Mid-level managers, Architects and Designers & Developers
   

   SOA is now so 2005 buzzword. However, there are still efficiencies to be gained from the adoption of such an approach. Innowix training material serves as an Introduction to SOA and goes into details about adoption approaches, best practices and governance aspects.
   

   BPM is still a technology which will take next couple of years to mature. SOA forms the underpinning (plumbing approaches) of BPM (business centric application). Executing a BPM project or adopting BPM within an organization requires special attention to defining how businesses can leverage it to become more efficient. BPM is an easier concept for business folks to understand and adopt than SOA.
   

   
    

Next, review our future plans.

Happy Third Birthday to Innowix - Achievements

Well folks, it has been three years since I started in this venture and so far it has been an exciting journey. It is not all smooth sailing as we had few ups and downs (mostly positives!). I am enjoying the lifestyle where I know my constraints and limits and what I can do with those limited means. No complaints or regrets whatsoever.

On this third anniversary, I thought of writing down the achievements, work-in-progress items and most importantly future plans.

Achievements

1. Definition and application of Innowix Architecture Framework and related Solution Accelerators
   

   I have blogged about Innowix Architecture Framework before here. I had a chance to apply it to my second engagement for defining IT Strategy for one of the southern states. The framework helped define clear context for each branch of the organization and define their goals, processes, deliverables and transformation roadmap.
   

2. IT Strategy for a southern state
   

   This project was completed back in 2009 where we helped the CIO of the Transportation Cabinet of this state define an IT Strategy for effective IT services delivery.
   

3. Architecture assessment and Performance Engineering for an Electronic Health Records (EHR) system for a healthcare provided in Detroit area
   

   This project was completed back in 2008 where Innowix helped setup a Performance Engineering approach for a large EHR project running on Microsoft .NET platform.
   

4. DMV Solution for an eastern state
   

   Engaged on a large project and led the architecture definition for technology platform and help arrive at application architecture. This is for a state government in the doming of Motor vehicles.
   

   The project itself is an enterprise-wide system modernization and implementation project encompassing business processes for most of the agency and their field offices. We are utilizing IBM WebSphere suite of products.
   

   Innowix led and completed the formal deliverables for the technology platform definition. Innowix was also responsible for planning out the functionality for first release of the project which went into Pilot this month and is being deployed around the state. This release consists of document scanning and management for specific business process based on EMC Captiva and IBM FileNet products.
   

   We are now engaged in system design and development specifically in the area of implementing business processes on IBM WebSphere Process Server and SOA and Interfaces implementation using WebSphere Message Broker.
   

This has been a very exciting project where I have met tons of talent and a great customer team. Traveling to the location was a little downside but in an all it has been a fantastic experience.

 

Next up, check out what are we working on.

Innowix Services Overview

To provide effective services in the IT domain to our clients, Innowix has created an architecture framework which helps guide execution of various types of IT projects ranging from Business Process re-engineering to simple infrastructure deployment. These IT projects can vary in size and scope and can encompass projects around definition and implementation of IT Strategy, Application Modernization programs, Enterprise Architecture programs, specific business systems development, technology implementation and infrastructure implementation.


 


Following diagram provides a high-level view of Innowix Architecture Framework.


 



Figure 1: Innowix Architecture Framework


 
 


The Innowix Architecture Framework consists of various areas predominant in Information Technology subject matter. The Innowix Architecture Framework consists of methodologies, guidelines, checklists, best practices and tools where applicable for effective execution of projects in respective areas. It also serves as a great reference for defining and managing overall IT Strategy for an organization. This architecture framework can be applied in managing and rationalizing the IT resources and assets in case of mergers of one or more business entities.


 
Innowix has successfully applied this framework for helping Transportation Cabinet of Commonwealth of Kentucky in defining their 5-year IT Strategy and Roadmap.


 


The Innowix Architecture Framework has following main subject areas and four supporting subject areas. Innowix services are organized around these subject areas:

 

Main Subject Areas of Innowix Architecture Framework and related services are:

1. IT Strategy
   
2. Business Solutions
   
3. Technology Platform
   
4. Infrastructure
   
5. Enterprise Architecture
   

 

Supporting Subject Areas of Innowix Architecture Framework and related services are:

1. Project and Program Management
   
2. Information and Data Governance
   
3. User Experience
   
4. System Development (Processes and Tools)
   

Following diagram shows details around services by area:





Figure 2: Overview of Innowix Services

 

More details on Innowix services can be found on Innowix website at
http://www.innowix.com.

Envisioning and Pragmatic execution - Two faces of progress

Hesitating to act because the whole vision might not be achieved or because others do not yet share it, is an attitude that only hinders progress – Gandhi .

Very inspiring and encouraging words! Just because a road is not there or a path not taken or something is not done in usual way doesn’t mean that the current status quo is the best option. Similarly, constraints are drivers for innovation often to try and find alternate ways of doing something and means of achieving one’s goals. That’s one of Innowix’s core values. We strongly believe that constraints (technological, financial, political or business) drive to innovative thinking and approaches and we see these as opportunities rather than constraints.

Of course, this philosophy also has to be accompanied by some pragmatism. Envisioning without constraints is great but execution has to be grounded in reality and pragmatism. I am sure all of you can relate to this easily.

That’s the dilemma I am under. There are tons of product/framework ideas that are I am thinking about. However, there are many constraints – mainly financial (read CASH FLOW!) which keep me firmly grounded in reality. Some of these ideas are simply incremental in nature meaning take something somebody has done and add to it to bring additional value. Some of the ideas are quite radical and when I talk to friends about those, I get very cold or unwelcoming reception. But then I remind myself of this quote and keep telling myself that I have to find ways to convert my vision into reality and I am working on those things!
So, dear friends, please keep those negative criticisms and comments coming. I need to hear that to better my vision and build a better case grounded in reality.

Thanks.