Comment:

I have a marketing guy that can change lead to gold. He just has to say it on a website.

Sometimes numbers can be presented as marketing alchemy. And, as I have said in other strings: Just because it is in writing, it doesn't have to be true. Some marketing approaches count on people believing anything written.

BTW: Ummm... I am the subject matter expert for GM's Worldwide Facilities maintenance joint task force. I have not seen this group. Wonder if someone in a company called in and asked a question, they answered it then claim them as a client?

Howard

Here is more from the "Real World" today - I promise I am not making this up - this was actually posted on the news wires today:

Quote: BEDFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 7, 2005--MRO Software, Inc. (Nasdaq: MROI - News), the leading provider of strategic asset and service management solutions, today announced that the company has built on its position as the leading provider of Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) solutions. In addition, the Company was positioned in the leader's quadrant in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for the Energy Utility Work and Asset Management Systems Market, 2005.

The news goes on to define the "Magic Quadrant":

About the Magic Quadrant

The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted 2005 by Gartner, Inc. and is reused with permission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of the marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner's analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the "Leaders" quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool, and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.


Man oh Man - if I could only make living like that!

If this is where top management gets its information about maintenance and reliability - I can see why we are in the state we are in.

Are maintenance and reliabiability professionals even aware of Gartner or ARC?

Terry O

Forget Alchemy and go straight to Wizardry! So, who are these warlocks?

Gartner's Magic Quadrant sounds like a video game spell. (or the old Dungeons and Dragons stuff).

You are right, we are in the wrong business!

Howard

Wow!

That level of venom was not really what I was expecting from the post!

It was posted as just one of the many analyst websites who provide information on various segments of the industry that make up the holistic asset management picture. In this case it was a company called Arcwire and I thought the blurb was of interest, so I posted it for others.

Groups like this, contrary to other statements, actually undertake significant global analytical studies on a range of issues. HOWEVER, they are dedicated to the IT sector mainly. Rather than leading change, they are merely commenting on or indicating changes that are occurring according to their analyses. In the case of Gartner they are a multi national organization, not merely an opinion.

Their PAM systems are really a comment on tier one Asset Management systems as I see it, nothing new just a new handle. Will it stick, maybe, does it matter to us? Not at the tactical level I wouldnt imagine.

From my experience they are used by most leading ERP / EAM providers as a means to gauge the market, as well as by IT professionals as a part of the decision making process that they undertake before spending 50 million on one of the leading edge systems.

They arent specicifally reliability industry analysts, nor do they pretend to be. (As I understand it) Rather they are commenters and analysts of the IT side of the industry.

Personally, I dont take too much notice of this information provider and spend more time reviewing the, now famous, magic quadrant reports which I will go into in a bit of detail shortly.

I would also concur with other comments on here and have been voicing the opinion for a long time now. Many times the real big decisions regarding asset management are taken by people, following recommendations by other people, WHO HAVE LITTLE OR NO REAL UNDERSTSNDING OF ASSET MANAGEMENT! Nor of the strategic importance of the discipline.

The stakes are far too high to leave it to quasi experts so if this shakes some of us to action... All the better!

Having said that I do find that many of the recommendations and market analyses of this crew, but more often of Gartner, are almost 100% correct always.

I have been following the magic quadrant reports for around 7 years now and looking back they have accurately guaged the international market withint he large ERP / EAM system space almost every time. I consider this report to be a trusted source of information as it has proved its worth to me personally over the years.

Again, Gartner are an IT analysis company, and their information is used in boardrooms around the world. (They are not nor to do they pretend to be a reliability specialist firm) I have found it useful to be on top of what they are talking about. (Again, personally)

The previous quote regarding Maximo shouldnt be a surprise, it has been common knowledge for a long time that they dominate the energy sector int he USA. (Another group who does this sort of thing is Meta group)

They coined the term "Business Intelligence" as well as a few others. (What normal people call "reporting")

So, in summary, I really didnt expect that level of controversy, not that I dont like controversy, just found it surprising! I merely thought that the information would be of interest.

Cheers,

Guys,

Just a quick comment regarding the previous posting on retaining an analyst and few other comments.

I will focus on Gartner because I am much more familiar with them persoanlly as well as with their techniques etc. I cant speak for Arcwire at all.

Gartner produce a wide range of reports, the magic quadrant is only one of these. They recently began talking about the ERP2 market sector for example and chose which systems fitted within that sector according to the criteria that was laid out.

Retention of an analyst does get them talked about, but not within the magic quadrant. Normally it is in separate product specific reports, alongside the other analytical reports they do. It does not mean that they will get a great review, merely that their strengths and weaknesses will be placed before decision makers in the IT sector.

They also do a great many independant reports such as the recent report "When to use SAP Asset Management" which for me was a fantastic source of information.

The magic quadrant report is purely analytical based on the factors that they mention in their reports. The leaders are the leaders according to the criteria and the regular market sampling that they do. They, at least, dont sell positions on the magic quadrant. This much is for sure.

In summary they remain an IT sector analytical firm, but until we are able to truly wrest control over asset management decision making from those who control them now, through proactive action, then we (asset management professionals) are at the mercy of this sort of thing.

Kind regards,