Key Benefits

Benefits of the FORUM Concept

It is envisioned that the greatest benefit of having a FORUM of User Agencies would come from using the same standard applications and similar or like platforms. This strategy is viewed as an advantage over having diverse applications for agencies performing the same function.

This concept would help reduce sustaining and enhancement costs. The concept would also increase the leverage in bartering for common system acquisition, digital reporting format control to funding entities, facts and data for development fund raising and research for government lobbying.

Structure Highlights of the

FORUM Strengths

Strengths I

• Quarterly Change Management Board meetings to discuss specific system operations and platform management items related to the application design, hardware standards, network communications, system configuration and architecture issues.
  
• Virtual Conferences that are ongoing on the Web Support and allow for near real-time responses to change issues and chat rooms for recent developments impacting the FORUM members. This is also the environment location where the On-line Change Board resides.
  
• Web Support for documentation, application updates, on-line training, general information and bulletin distribution.
  
  

Strengths II

• Strategic planning and support for computing platform load capacity and technological obsolesce. This support activity helps to magnify the unique functionality of the system architect for the FORUM.
  
• FORUM User Agency Retreat Seminars to discuss ongoing issues and concerns.
  
• Use of standard facts and data for professional research supporting both program funding allocation (from government and business) and agency development (fund raising) via FORUM member agreed submissions.
  
• Government Relations coordination based on FORUM common agenda items and specific research design from supporting resources. This support activity helps to magnify the unique functionality of the facts and data coordinator.
  

Strengths III

• UjimaSuites applications support and consultations for the original team creating the concept. This support activity helps to magnify the unique functionality of application architect for the FORUM.
  
• WAN & Internet architectural design and load capacity planning for remote geographical site platforms.
  
• Network architecture, cabling, ISDN installation, and secure communications (fire wall control).
  
• Special consulting for specification determination in the area of group acquisition of equipment, Internet services, and other technical requirements.
  
  

Strengths IV

• Financial analysis for objective decisions based on both sound business return on investment and depreciated technological obsolesces review.
  
• Change Management Board process and administrative support along with strategic project management.
  
• User Agency inventory & evaluations using models designed to provide acquisition by time scenarios and database input using the Asset Inventory Management System.
  
• The membership fee is based on the collective decision of the members' appetite for covering sustaining and enhancement costs of the UjimaSuites Applications.
  
• Co-op center for administering negotiations and communicating with vendors for longer term transition solutions of equipment acquisition and maintenance.