Services

Architag has been involved in the implementation of e-business systems of varying sizes since its inception. Our specialty is in being able to help our clients with every aspect of an e-business integration project, from initial "evangelizing" to eventual implementation, conversion, and training.

Most projects fall into one of four categories:

• High-level conceptual consulting
• System and data architecture design
• Implementation including system integration and programming
• Training and user preparation.

The following services have been popular with our clients in the past. Besides these, we can offer any level of support from initial design help to high-level analysis and implementation.

System Integration

Architag Solutions Division has professional consultants who understand the need for intelligent e-business systems. Our consultants know how to develop customized solutions for our clients. We provide vendor-independent advice so you can be confident that our recommendations are what works best for you, rather than the vendors who have products you can select.

Feasibility Study

This service is designed for the company who wants to know if they will benefit from the capabilities of an intelligent e-business system, and what impact such a system might have on their operations. We are constantly keeping up-to-date on current players in the e-business field, so we can help you design a system that takes advantage of current technologies from market leaders.

Proof of Concept

Implementing an e-business system can be expensive and daunting. This service is designed to provide a relatively inexpensive project to prove that the concepts of legacy system integration, supply-chain management, intelligent re-use of data, and multiple outputs will work with the client's data and environment.

We utilize inexpensive off-the-shelf components to keep the cost down, while adhering to the solid concepts of a data-centric view of vital company information.

During the proof-of-concept project, we keep in mind the importance of scalability and eventual implementation. At each step in the process, we will test to make sure that the desired goals are reachable, and attempt to build these capabilities into the proof-of-concept.

With these important issues in mind, the proof-of-concept becomes a way to show that an intelligent, data-centric e-business system can work in your environment.

Sanity Check

There is a person in each organization that we call the "SGML Evangelist". This person is the one who knows that SGML or XML is a solution to the problems in the documentation of his or her company, and is looking for help in getting the company to buy in to those ideas. At some point, a design is developed, based on the evangelist's view of the documentation problems, and how the pieces might fit into an eventual solution.

This service is designed to review such designs, and to evaluate them based on our experience with the tools, services, and products available in the electronic publishing and related industries. We stay close to the products and services available, and so can offer current advice as to the viability of a proposed system, and provide assistance in areas where more work is needed.

Training

Through our Architag University division, Architag offers public training courses in e-business implementation. Our pre-defined modules can be put together in any configuration to provide customized training at a lower cost. Several popular configurations are available. Architag University works closely with vendors of e-business products and tools to offer up-to-date training materials. In keeping with Architag' commitment to vendor neutrality, we use the vendors' training materials when appropriate, and add our own when necessary to give our students a true, objective view of how each vendor's product can work in their environment.

Architag University was founded to expand the business case, technical training, and practical uses for e-business technologies and the tools that support them. Courses have been presented through the University of Wisconsin at Madison; California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo; University of California at Los Angeles; and directly to end-users at client sites.

Architag University also offers private on-site courses customized for your people and delivered at your company's location. If you have four or more people to train, of if you want training customized for your environment, this is a cost-effective solution.