From the front of the Oracle Siebel CRM classroom

This month while talking to a student during a break, we agreed that many businesses still have issues communicating information through the management levels of the enterprise. This issue was particularly focused on IT and projects that fail due to this breakdown. As I was teaching a Business Analyst class at the time, my thoughts focused on what has been a decades old problem. Now, I am not an Organizational Psychologist, but it seems to me that a key issue is how we think and process information.

Spring is upon us and last week I enjoyed taking my class on a walk through Amsterdam on our way out to dinner (Yes, we are now teaching the Siebel Technical courses in Amsterdam again). The city was packed and Dam Square was alive with Pre-Queen's day construction activities. I smiled as my students looked at the latest ride which was undergoing testing, knowing my days of astronaut training have passed. Testing my physical limitations under high G-force has now been replaced by laughing and taking pictures of the victims staggering off the rides.

With the new season comes the introduction of the new Oracle Siebel CRM 8.1 Technical courses. The technical differences between the 8.0 and 8.1 releases appear to be minimal with many of the advancements associated to functional aspects of the product. My intention this month is to discuss the new direction in courses, and provide an opinion or two.

The changes to the curriculum revolve around the Core Siebel courses that lead to certification. I believe that those of us holding Siebel Consulting Certifications benefit through higher utilization than non-certified resources. I also believe that the true benefit of certification is for the customer receiving a higher quality of work with an appreciation for building sturdy solutions that can last the test of time.