Oil giant signs local IT firm to raise standards
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BP picks Wellington firm i-Lign to support new worldwide professional development programme
By Randal Jackson | Wellington | Tuesday, 31 January, 2012 | 7 Comments
Oil giant BP has chosen New Zealand software from i-Lign to support its new worldwide professional development and training programme.
The programme has been largely driven by the need to improve standards following the major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
“I-Lign will manage the whole programme of work,” says Tony Crewdson, chief executive of the Wellington-based software house.
The contract was signed late last year. “I did an online demonstration for them after we were recommended by some New Zealanders working at BP in London,” Crewdson says.
“They said they hadn’t seen anything like it and decided to buy after only 20 minutes presenting to them.”
BP is now introducing the technology to senior management. Training sessions were being held through January before the roll-out. ICONZ is providing the hosting.
Crewdson set up i-Lign 11 years ago but even now he has difficulty in describing in a short sentence what the software does. “I-Lign manages strategic frameworks, programmes, projects, ideas, activities, people, finance, issues and risk decision-making,” he says.
“Where it differs from other software is that it connects systems in one web tool rather than the user having to buy several modules. It’s much cheaper and faster to implement.”
Version 5, released in December, includes what he describes as a social networking tool. “It connects people.
“We’re calling it ‘Communications for a Purpose.’
For example, a chief executive could decide on a new strategic driver and put it out to appropriate partners for comment.
“It’s about new ways of working, embedding it in the business. The tool is like virtual whiteboarding ... I think embedding ‘conversations’ will make our software much stickier.”
Crewdson says i-Lign is now attracting interest from companies which are looking at enterprise solutions. “Typically, with other software they’re looking at multi-million-dollar solutions.
“That’s definitely not the case with us.”
I-Lign is used by 15 government agencies in New Zealand.
Comments
Great sale but...
Great sale, but software tools dont solve problems.
Posted by Anonymous at 11:06:03 on February 1, 2012
Posted by Anonymous at 11:06:03 on February 1, 2012
i-lign
Fantastic result. In over 25 year in project work, there is still nothing that comes close to i-lign. What is usually missing is the capability of the users. This goes to show that people are looking to innovate and think about achieving strategic goals using contemporary thinking. Well done BP.
Posted by Brett Annan at 10:22:18 on February 1, 2012
Posted by Brett Annan at 10:22:18 on February 1, 2012
i-lign
Anyone who has actually used i-lign will be in hysterics. Continuously moving on to new hype initiatives without ever making anything usable. Worst UI ever.
Posted by Lemon Party at 10:18:30 on January 31, 2012
Posted by Lemon Party at 10:18:30 on January 31, 2012
i-lign
Sad case that shows that no software can lift User IQ....
Posted by Orange front at 10:41:25 on January 31, 2012
Posted by Orange front at 10:41:25 on January 31, 2012
i-lign
Oh Puh-lease, i-lign has the clunkiest interface since Access 2.0. Gantt charts are a nightmare and dependency maps are spaghetti diagrams. So Web 1.0
Other than that it does a nice job of project reporting and in the right hands can help with resource planning. But please don't ever stand up and try to defend its interface - Rubbish with a capital R.
Posted by Tangerine Dream at 10:55:39 on February 1, 2012
Other than that it does a nice job of project reporting and in the right hands can help with resource planning. But please don't ever stand up and try to defend its interface - Rubbish with a capital R.
Posted by Tangerine Dream at 10:55:39 on February 1, 2012
i-lign
What it shows from your comment that most likely you are not using capabilities of the software,heavily relying on the project Gantt structures which is an old Microsoft project school and overusing dependences where you can use links and associations.Doing much more of online reporting as you mentioned and understanding new ways of managing your project through new software features would get you much further
Posted by Orange front at 11:19:07 on February 1, 2012
Posted by Orange front at 11:19:07 on February 1, 2012
iLign at BP
Outstanding result from an excellent NZ ISV.
Posted by Phil Sheehan at 9:20:39 on January 31, 2012
Posted by Phil Sheehan at 9:20:39 on January 31, 2012
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