IBM Austin Briefing Center Re-Designed
by Mark Waldrep
President
Datatrend Technologies
I just came back from a road trip visiting clients in Texas. During that brief campaign, I stopped in to visit with some of the executives at the IBM Austin Briefing Center. The facility has just been revamped in a complete overhaul fashion.
New and Improved
All of the briefing rooms are equipped with the latest audio visual technology and communications links. Every sitting station in each briefing room has dedicated high speed Internet access, both wireless and standard cable connect. Clients spending the time to review technologies need not miss a beat with the office back home.
Facility executive lead and manager, Doug Davies, gave me a personal tour of nearly the entire operation. Great attention to detail focusing on visitor comfort and providing an atmosphere that supports the ability to focus on event presentations, was very obvious during the tour. The sound control systems, lighting, design, and use of fine art throughout the facility are impressive, yet promote a comfortable and relaxing experience.
More importantly, this facility reflects an awareness and attitude that encourages customization of event topicality, in support of zeroing in on client-specific interest points, issues, and objectives. With some advance planning, the "card" can include not only AIX and pSeries ... but also storage, database technologies, Intel solutions, and a host of many other platforms. Presentations can be tailored to client-driven needs focusing on business issues and illustrating advantages that can be accrued through leveraging technology.
The IBM Austin experience can include tracks on server and storage virtualization, best practices aligned with specific technology realms, advances in SAN, data retention, and a variety of manageability tools for the enterprise. Very specific tracks can be developed that are aimed at certain industry segments like hospitality, retail, manufacturing, financial services, marketing, and just about anything one can imagine.
Meeting Unique Needs with Each Briefing
Certainly, the most effective briefing is developed and delivered after the application of effort by and between the given client organization and the host facilitator. Datatrend, as host facilitator, will work with a client organization in defining critical business
issues, pending initiatives, thoughts of technology interest covering particular defined platform realms, and in the time frame set for the meeting/visit. After such an information exchange takes place, Datatrend delivers a report to the client for review and approval. The report is presented to our IBM Austin liaison as the first stage in developing a tailored event.
Datatrend will work with our Austin contact in refining the event card. Once a proposed agenda is developed and timed, our client will review the proposed day, and then the event will be scheduled. While Datatrend can bring “Austin in a bottle” to virtually any location for the client, and while more and more vertical education tracks are being delivered via webinar, a well-planned IBM Austin day can be a valuable experience for the visiting client troupe.
Helping clients gain competitive advantage within their particular industry segment, reducing costs, increasing revenue, and improving systems manageability are always front and center in our focus to deliver effective briefings, discussions, and education. If you think you might want to look into the IBM Austin experience further, give us a call or drop us a note. With a concerted effort in defining and designing your day, the experience can be both of value and quite enjoyable.
Datatrend's TrendSetter eNewsletter
April 15, 2005
