Matthew Haavisto’s OpenWorld + PeopleSoft Recap
While we’ve written some thoughts about Marc Weintraub’s OpenWorld 2014 roundup blog post, it’s always interesting to see the show through another’s eyes, particularly as it relates to PeopleSoft. Matthew Haavisto, whom we consider an observant eye in the PeopleSoft space, posted his thoughts on OpenWorld 2014 over at his blog, the PeopleSoft Technology Blog.
The good news? Haavisto points out the same things we (and Marc Weintraub) saw, because the themes were that prevalent. He starts his summary nicely with exactly what we feel about this year’s OpenWorld:
It was one of the best ever for PeopleSoft. We introduced a lot of new and important features like the new Fluid User Experience and the PeopleSoft Update Manager (and much more). The response from customers was overwhelmingly positive. Our sessions were well attended, and the demo grounds were consistently busy with inquisitive customers.
There you see the recurring big value propositions, again: the Fluid User Interface and the PeopleSoft Update Manager, or PUM. (This is part of the new PeopleSoft Continuous Delivery Model.) While conceptually simple, the value to organizations cannot be understated. They bring a maturity and refinement to the suite that puts it at pace with every other modern ERP/cloud solution.
But here was the biggie:
PeopleSoft offered informative general sessions like Paco Aubrejuan’s “PeopleSoft Strategy and Roadmap—Modern Solutions Delivered with Ease” . In that session, Oracle’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of PeopleSoft Development addressed a standing room only crowd, and described how Oracle’s continued investment in PeopleSoft is delivering key innovations that address our customer’s greatest challenges:
- Delivering a robust solution that is intuitive and easy to use – regardless of device (mobile device or desktop workstation)
- Ensuring that new PeopleSoft capabilities are delivered on a continuous basis and are easy to adopt at a low cost, without the need to upgrade.
This was a great session, and for many attendees probably the session from which they would take the pulse of PeopleSoft and get a feel for the confidence of the future roadmap. And we can tell you, amidst a standing-room-only crowd, the impression Paco left with everyone was one of total commitment and dedication. It was palpable.
And there’s the big takeaway, in broad strokes: new functionality is great, but what everyone was looking for was the energy, the full-speed vibrancy, in which PeopleSoft made it’s name. And it was there, in spades.
Best OpenWorld in several years for PeopleSoft, and everyone we talk to thought the same thing. Exciting times.
