The Scope of the Application
In a recent post we talked about the scope of the development in terms of the Preliminary Specification. Today I want to discuss the scope of the application itself. It may seem that these are the same points, however, I think that there is enough of a difference to warrant this post.
To provide the innovative oil and gas producer with the software tools they need, the end user needs to be involved in the design and development of those systems. People, Ideas & Objects is focused on the end user in its developments. Organized around a comprehensive vision of how and what the systems consist of, the Draft Specification details the vision of the application. Organizing the user in these developments has been our priority throughout these developments. Anyone proposing the development of systems for innovative oil and gas producers would have to include the user in this manner. Yet People, Ideas & Objects is the only software developer that is focused on the user. Does SAP provide a comprehensive development of systems based on user input? Do the current bureaucracies believe the issues of the oil and gas industry can be solved without comprehensive user based software developments?
People, Ideas & Objects fills the traditional “ERP” or Enterprise Resource Planning classification of applications. It is a comprehensive solution designed to manage the operations of Joint Operating Committees and producers needs for accounting, administration and management. The Draft Specification defines the general framework of the application. It is anticipated that most, if not all, employees of a producer firm, the service sector and partners of Joint Operating Committees will have access to the application. The various disciplines that are employed in an oil and gas firm, geologists, engineers, landman, accountants and others are included in this definition.
In the People, Ideas & Objects software applications we seek to capture the ways and means of the optimal innovative oil and gas producer. The understanding of the industry is beyond the scope of a handful of contributors and involves the multiple disciplines noted earlier. The collaborative output of the application is well beyond the scope of one individuals understanding of the industry. Therefore clarification and compromise will be a necessary and difficult part of the process. Using advanced business techniques, focused on the conflicts and contradictions that arise, the output will resolve many of the issues within the industry and its application to the Draft Specification. This is a business design process that will involve literally everyone and anyone with experience and understanding of the oil and gas industry. More specifically it is a place where people can contribute their ideas and build their own service based offering in support of the innovative oil and gas producer and end users of the developing People, Ideas & Objects software.
Producer firms also have a critical role to fill in these developments. Their participation helps to define the applications scope of operations. Will the applications include the geographical regions of each area of operations of a producer firm? Will the applications include the types of oil and gas operations that the producer participates in. Without direct participation of the producers in funding and defining the scope of the application, the producer may or may not have all their regions and operations covered. This why the producer needs to participate in these developments now. With the Preliminary Specification set to start on January 1, 2011, and include the scope of the application, now is the time for producers to begin the process of supporting and participating in these developments.
Adding to the scope of the application is the market definitions of the producer firms targeted. The application is proposed to work for International Oil Companies (IOC’s), National Oil Companies (NOC’s), Independents and Start-ups. Using the Joint Operating Committee as the key organizational construct provides value for all producers in the industry. To preclude any market definition would unnecessarily limit the scope and value of the application. Joint Operating Committee’s include all types of producers. Producers need to participate in these communities and ensure their operations geographical and operational needs are met. If you have comprehensive operations, working within these communities at the onset provides real value.
Society is put in peril when world oil production declines. There is evidence that the world's oil production has declined. Therefore the world needs to have the energy industry expand its production. To do so requires that we reorganize to enhance the division of labor and specialization within the industry. As has been proven, this reorganization could achieve far greater oil and gas production. Management of the industry is conflicted in expanding the output of the industry. The less they do, the higher the oil and gas prices and the better they appear to perform. This managerial conflict must be addressed and the performance of the industry unleashed. To do so requires the current management of the industry to fund People, Ideas & Objects and build the systems as defined in the Draft Specification. Please join me here.
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