CATAAlliance: Web 2.0 Office

The Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA) announced recently its conversion to a Web 2.0 office model, which will allow the association to act as an example for Canadian IT firms looking to go more agile or on-the-move. Part of the new CATA model involves the integration of social media into the CATA platform, in order to increase outreach and communications power.  It also involves integration with the University community, to expand market and business research in support of the industry's voice and competitiveness.

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Companies interested in being part of the Web 2.0 Office Technology & Solutions Showcase should contact jreid@cata.ca with Technology Showcase in the Header. We will be promoting technologies and solutions to Canadian and International markets using email marketing campaigns to extensive databases, social networks and media, and other outreach resources.

For further background, please take a few minutes to read one of our Web 2.0 media release:

Ottawa, October 23, 2008…Canada's largest high tech trade association, CATAAlliance, will demo its Web 2.0 (aka the Bedouin office) at the upcoming GTEC Trade Show and Forum (October 28-30, 2008, Westin Hotel, Ottawa).

GTEC is considered Canada's most significant Convention on the use of technology to improve government services and operations. The GTEC 2008 focus is appropriately focused on 'Making the Shift to Government 2.0.'

"Work is not a place anymore -- it's a thing you do," says CATA President John Reid. "With the new relationship-building capacity of the Web, and enhanced and affordable tools for mobile workers, we can be 'at work' anywhere."

The term Bedouin Office was first coined by writers in San Francisco entrepreneur Greg Olsen, who described local 'digital nomads' as "Bay Area Bedouins'. Tired of pouring his start-up money into new office headquarters, Greg focused on a service-based and full mobility infrastructure using laptops and cell phones, allowing people to set up shop wherever there is an Internet connection.

According to CATA Webmaster, Alice Debroy, "Going Bedouin is not something you just jump into - you have to be able to support all the usual business functions, like marketing, email blasts, and information sharing. For the past eight months we have had a team of experts guide us in creating the next generation of the Web 2.0 office or Going Bedouin. Our team focused on service-based infrastructure options, including the use of social networks to drive office productivity. It is a well known fact that software is increasingly moving from a product that you buy to a free service that you go to on the web, the software-as-a-service model."

Bedouin Office Advantages:

• Speed: Staff is able to respond faster to client requests, because their office is always with them. We are never off-line; even when we're in different cities the team collaborates on messages and documents.

• Responsiveness: We get closer to our members, because we can visit them without paying the penalty of being away from work.

• Core Value Focus: Going nomad takes your attention away from infrastructure issues and allows organizations to focus on the core value you deliver.

• Efficiency and Savings: We have extended out productivity, because we have broken down the barriers between 'at work' and 'in the office'. You can work whenever you want to. The significant savings we have realized can now be directed to business deliverables.

"This is definitely a case of 'less is more," added Reid. "This is very different from the older concept of home worker. The Bedouin Office gives much more mobility, and puts you in control of when and where you work. Our recipe is proving to be highly successful".

CATA Recipe for Going Bedouin

• Laptop computers and cell phones for team members
• High speed portable internet with Wireless connectivity
• Smart telephony, bundled with zero cost VOIP options
• One mail address and pick up location
• Content management web site with web analytics, RSS feeds, integrated with social 'productivity' networks
• Third party email broadcasting, virtual fax, listserv, database management, video production** 
• Offsite backup of data with appropriate security measures
• Employee collaboration platform for document sharing, calendars, wikis and Group Chat
• Accounting and payroll automated, off site and paperless
• One or more work spaces with CATA research partners
• Team members who value simplicity, agility and self-sufficiency

Reid concluded, "Going Bedouin makes CATA a model user of these best-in-breed technologies -- but it's not really about the technologies. It's about changing the process of work, and the way you do things. Technology is the enabler; it's up to us to show people how their lives can change."

CATAAlliance wishes to recognize the guidance and support /or technologies integral to Going Bedouin: Rogers Communications, MTS Allstream, Igloo Inc., Cisco, Skype, Centrepoint Technologies, Marquis, Algonquin College, Babytel, Iotum, Facebook, RIM, itincanada.ca, Viadeo, Linkedin, Helix Commerce International, Behan Webster Inc., Access Group, Eagle.ca, Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa, Bell Mobility, Got Marketing, UTube, MagicJack, ZIM, and Keshet Inc.

Latest Web 2.0 Addition: CATA Adds to its Web 2.0 Office Saves a Bundle with Calliflower Conference Calling and Document Sharing by iotum


** CATA NetTV examples

1.  Bedouin Office Part 1, Component Technologies - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiK3gwAPveE