Projects can be overwhelming, but taken in small, deliberate steps, all projects are achievable.

Written by Bill Rice

If you've ever had to create, manage, and complete a project, and you felt the need for some hand-holding, this primer from Colleen Garton and Erika McCulloch is invaluable. It's a well-organized, step-by-step introduction into the mechanics of actually getting a complex project completed and out the door.

Create a program that is right for your organization's maturity and culture.

Written by John Boyer, Bill Frank, Brian Green, Tracy Harris, Kay Van De Vanter

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from the book 5 Keys to Business Analytics Program Success (MC Press, October 2012).

Many organizations overestimate the ease by which a formal Business Analytics Program is put in place. They may not recognize the breadth of impact the program will have on the organization. It is often believed that the hard decisions are over once you choose a technology. The technology in itself has been identified at times as the easier part of the equation. It's the people, processes, and culture of the organization that can often present continual challenges.

This week, I'm talking about education offerings coming this fall, highlighting where you need to be and why you need to be there. Plus there are podcasts, tweetups, and all sorts of other free, community-driven content to keep you in the know.

Written by Steve Pitcher

Yes, I know it's only early August. You know what? The fall conference season is coming faster than we think. There's plenty to choose from, so it's time to start planning. I've taken the liberty of collecting information on a few events you may be interested in attending as well as social media education you may not know about.

This year's event draws 180 people interested in keeping up to date on the latest advances in IBM Power technology.

Written by Chris Smith

The annual OCEAN Technical Conference drew 180 registered seminar attendees, speakers, vendors, and volunteers this year as IT professionals from throughout Southern California gathered to sharpen their skills and learn about the latest wrinkles in IT's ever-changing landscape.

As the generation of RPG programmers who built some of the great IBM i application systems that run many SMBs drifts toward retirement, replenishing their ranks poses some urgent problems.

Written by John Ghrist

Even as long as 20 years ago, it was fashionable to say that if you didn't keep your technology skills sharp, the only thing you'd need to learn for your next job was how to say, "Do you want fries with that?" While that was clearly some hyperbole designed to shock, the base sentiment remains true. If you work in a technological field, you have to keep up with what goes on with the technology, even if your particular enterprise isn't using all the aspects of the technology that it might.

Leaders must continually communicate the organization's ethical expectations.

Written by Jack Beach

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from the book Leadership in My Rearview Mirror, published by MC Press.

Just before Thanksgiving 1969, I was officially informed that I would be getting orders to the Republic of Vietnam following my Advanced Individual Training. This news came as no surprise to me, but Maureen had managed to convince herself that something would change before I got my orders. Her father, who had served in the Navy during WWII, had gotten orders to the Pacific. The war, however, had ended while he was en route, and he never got farther than California. Whoever said "the toughest job in the Army is being a soldier's spouse" knew what he or she was talking about.

The product of more than 100 people, the latest IBM Redbook dissects IBM i 7.1 into a thousand bite-sized pieces.

Written by Chris Smith

The Great Recession may have put a crimp in many people's lifestyles, but apparently it has only renewed interest in IBM i, according to Steve Will, chief architect for the venerable OS. According to Will, companies have been forced to reevaluate all their IT systems with an eye toward efficiency, and the numbers don't lie; IBM i on Power Systems delivers to companies a top-tier service at a very competitive price.

The answer to that question is right here!

Written by Roger E. Sanders

According to a 2003 survey conducted by Jenkins Group, Inc., a Michigan publishing services firm, 81 percent of Americans would like to write a book. And, although it appears that a similar study about writing articles has never been done, it's probably safe to say that a fairly large number of people have entertained the thought of writing for a magazine as well. There are certainly enough books on the subject to back up this theory, as well as support the 2003 survey's findings; a recent search for books on writing at Amazon.com returned an astonishing 149,911 hardback and paperback titles.