Editorial

e-Newsletter | August 2012 Issue 20
Editorial
Mind you, the future is not grim everywhere. China and
Africa are reportedly recording unparalleled growth
rates, arguably because of their drive to work hard
and their wealth of natural resources respectively.
In fact, when the environmental conditions around
us evolve, if we want to be successful, we should be
ready to quickly exploit them. What are considered
to be challenges by others, we ought to consider as
opportunities for ourselves. For example, if the market
is mindful of overspending, we should try to salvage
or leverage on the existing. Emerging technologies
are likewise not a threat but an opportunity: Mobility
and pervading internet connectivity are examples of
what has been the motive for new strategies within
DCDMC, resulting in new offerings in java, open
source, the adoption of a new marketing approach
with focus on Africa and smaller clients looking for
value-for-money. And staff objectives have been set
accordingly.
Have you asked yourselves this question lately?
I sense a lot of expectations from many of my
colleagues in terms of remuneration and reward,
career orientation and progression, technological
preference and many similar wants. Many have
responded to these personal concerns by seeking
for “greener pastures” and some think they have
actually found them and have parted from us. But for
the majority of us who remain here, this legitimate
question remains.
Unfortunately the staff has not always responded
to the company’s expectations based on set
objectives... Sadly it has become a habit for many to
commit and then never really putting in the required
effort or, at least, ask for timely assistance in order
to achieve their objectives on time. Instead time and
time again we have heard the sempiternal excuses
for not completing - sometimes even starting - an
assignment. From my point of view, they were
dismissive arguments that only lead to a repulsive “no
problem - no way” syndrome, whereby an individual
promises certain deliverables initially but in the end,
delivers a couple of flimsy excuses and a job not done.
We live in a world faced with the challenges of a never ending economic turmoil,
which is showing no sign of abatement. We only hear new terms being coined to
reinforce this fear: double dip recession, euro crash, collapse of banking systems,
bailout of entire countries and so the list goes on.
China is not successful by accident. These are
hardworking people who relentlessly strive to earn
every penny of their salary. Around me I see colleagues
who count their sick leaves or who casually abscond
What can DCDM Consulting do for me?
CONSULTING · TECHNOLOGY · OUTSOURCING
from work, or those who love the office because
of the newspapers, internet, telephone, kitchen/
cafetaria facilities, etc. Some others do try to work
but get entangled in the infernal do-undo-redo cycle
of non-value creation. Then we have the challenge of
client satisfaction that is directly linked to our debtor
situation. In the end what really matters is whether
we are profitable in the long run. In order to sustain
our existence.
Have you asked yourselves what you have achieved
for your company, or what you can still do? Some
have, but many have been taking their job for granted
thus creating a situation.
My advice to us all, as the company is set to take
appropriate measures to extricate itself from its
current situation, is that we all make sure that we
work and produce value, on time, and that this is and
remains VISIBLE to management.
Hugues Sauzier
“You must be the change you
wish to see in the world.”
Mahatma Gandhi
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For internal use only
e-Newsletter | August 2012 Issue 20
Quarterly Briefing
DCDMC Quarterly Briefing took place
on Monday 16 July 2012 at Hennessy
Park Hotel, Ebene.
The Quarterly Briefing started at
3:30pm with the DCDMC staff being
welcomed at Hennessy Hotel with a
finger buffet.
There was a high rate of participation
and this was an opportunity to meet
with our colleagues in a relaxed
atmosphere, outside working
environment and to be updated on our
company’s performance.
The CEO briefed the staff on the
company’s evolution over the last
quarter, its performance and its
objectives as well as to the upcoming
move to Ebene.
Corine, our HR manager, presented
some HR related matters including
surveys about Annual Leadership
Survey (ALS) and Global Employee
Survey (GES).
We also celebrated the CEO’s birthday,
followed by an activity organized by
HR on “knowing your colleagues”. This
activity has revealed some hidden
talents and lighted the meeting with
laughter and humour.
DCDMC Weighbridge Solutions
Dinesh Ramdin
DCDMC has been providing weighbridge
solutions to various industries for the past two
decades. Our system is currently being used in
the following economic sectors: cane industry,
construction and distribution, waste management
and warehousing amongst others.
Two major milestones have been achieved in year
2012. Firstly, with the implementation of our
LIBRA weighing solution at a sugarcane factory
area in the west of the island, we are now weighing 100% of sugar cane
harvested in Mauritius. Secondly, we have completely re-engineered the
existing LIBRA software on a new technical platform namely Microsoft.
net and are now using the new version called NEO_LIBRA. NEO_LIBRA
is presently being implemented on six sites for weighing of countrywide
waste for the Government of Mauritius.
NEO_LIBRA is not only weighing software, but a powerful development
tool for creating other software for medium to large enterprises. Though
this software works independently, it can be easily interfaced with other
accounting software, ERPs and DCDMC mobile solutions. Besides the
weighing solution, DCDMC also provides 24/7 support to clients where
weighing of products is a core activity of the business. To date, we have
thirty weighing sites for eight customers in Mauritius in operation to
which we are providing support.
During the past years, the LIBRA software have evolved continuously
with the contribution of many past and present DCDMC employees
to whom DCDMC is very grateful. NEO_LIBRA is all set for the future
projects.
The quarterly briefing ended with a
cocktail.
CONSULTING · TECHNOLOGY · OUTSOURCING
2
For internal use only
e-Newsletter | August 2012 Issue 20
Visit of a delegation from Anhui Provincial, China
Annie WONG, Consultant at DCDM Consulting
It was with great pleasure and expectation that DCDM Consulting
received visitors from China last July 31st. This visit was organised by
the Finance Department which intends to organise similar visits in the
context of ICT this year.
The delegation of about six persons, from the Anhui Provincial Audit
Department was welcomed at our office in Ebène by Ritesh FOWDUR,
accompanied by Su Lin ONG and Olivier EDMOND as well as Annie
WONG, as the interpreter. The delegation consisted of the following
persons:
Mr Liu Zhanping, Director-General, Anhui Provincial Department of Audit
Mr Xu Zhibao, Office Director, Anhui Provincial Department of Audit
Ms Wang Jinhong, Vice Section Chief, Finance Section of Anhui
Provincial Department of Audit
Mr Wu Jie, Director-General, Fuyang City Bureau of Audit
Mr Wang Renhai, Director-General, Tongling City Bureau of Audit
Mr He Jiahu, Director-General, Anqing City Bureau of Audit
The purpose of the visit in Mauritius was to share experiences about
government’s involvement and relation in doing business in Mauritius.
China offers lots of opportunities on the market which are worth exploring. With its open foreign policy, Mandarin, the official language in China
has become widely used around the world.
Anhui, with a total area of 139,427 square kilometres in eastern China,
has a population estimated to 66.8 million. The land in Anhui Province is
very fertile and is suitable for various kinds of crops. The province is also
rich in mineral resources with 138 kinds of minerals identified.
CONSULTING · TECHNOLOGY · OUTSOURCING
3
For internal use only
e-Newsletter | August 2012 Issue 20
Nexteracom Canteen
Priteela Amgum
If you are at the Nexteracom DCDMC office and
you need to take a break,
then the lounge is the
place to be!
Opened from 9 a.m. to
4 p.m, the canteen is a
large opened veranda situated on the 13th floor
of Nexteracom Tower 1.
It provides a panoramic and magnificent view of
the Plaine Wilhems: from mountains ranges and
buildings to the sea view on the horizon.
The canteen, accessible by three companies including DCDMC, has quite an important seating space.
Smokers need not worry! Designated smoking and
non-smoking areas are available.
There are different offerings: fresh and hot pastries
every morning and afternoon as well as a menu of
the day. Fridays is the special ‘ti puri’ vegetarian
menu. The good news is that tea and coffee are
free!
So to those who are feeling sad about the upcoming move to Ebene and who would be missing the
Port Louis lounge, no worry! Believe me, it is worth
it as the canteen will more than make it up to you!
CONSULTING · TECHNOLOGY · OUTSOURCING
De Madagascar à Maurice : nouvelle direction,
nouvelles expériences . . . Marc Ratombotsoa
Certes, quitter Madagascar,
la famille ainsi que les amis
n’a certainement pas été une
partie de plaisir pour moi, mais
s’envoler pour Maurice était
une occasion de découvrir un
nouveau monde, de nouvelles
personnes, de nouvelles
expériences. À l’atterrissage
lors ma première venue à l’ile
Maurice, j’étais exalté, j’avais
ressenti un sentiment de
curiosité, une envie de tout
découvrir et de tout explorer.
Je ne pouvais pas m’empêcher
de comparer ce qu’il y avait à
Madagascar avec ce qu’il y a ici.
La différence est assez palpable
surtout au niveau de la sécurité,
des conditions de travail et
aussi au niveau de vie. En effet,
la population Malagasy subit
actuellement les conséquences
socio-économiques d’une
crise politique qui dure déjà
depuis plus de trois années.
Depuis le coup d’état de 2009,
Madagascar a chuté dans
tous les indicateurs relatifs au
développement. L’insécurité et
la corruption sont en croissance
exponentielle, les sociétés
ferment leurs portes à cause
de la crise, entrainant ainsi
de nombreuses personnes au
chômage. Ainsi, la plupart des
étudiants qui viennent de finir
leurs études se retrouvent sans
emploi. Ce qui est dommage
pour une génération très
promettante, et qui plus est,
très motivée.
Du coup, les jeunes cherchent
ailleurs que ce soit pour étudier,
travailler ou aller s’installer à
l’étranger pour trouver des
meilleures conditions de vie,
de travail ou de rémunérations
: c’est la fuite de cerveaux.
Des intellectuels Malagasy
s’éparpillent un peu partout
dans le monde : médecins,
informaticiens, spécialistes de
tout genre. Tant de capacités
sont poussées à s’expatrier
parce qu’à Madagascar, on
n’apprécie pas les intellectuels
à leur juste valeur, alors que
les techniciens Malagasy sont
recherchés ailleurs pour leur
professionnalisme et leur savoirfaire. Les conditions de travail
sont tellement médiocres que
les propositions étrangères sont
toujours saluées avec joie.
L’ile Maurice est une destination
très prisée des Malagasy,
tout d’abord parce que la
distance de Madagascar est
négligeable par rapport aux
autres principales destinations
comme le Canada ou la France,
mais aussi parce que beaucoup
de Malagasy y travaillent déjà
depuis plusieurs années. En
plus, l’ile est pleine d’opportunité
d’emploi, sans parler de ses
attributs touristiques qui font
d’elle une ile pleine de richesses.
L’hospitalité des Mauriciens
est très remarquable, ils nous
ont séduits avec leur accueil
chaleureux et leur sourire.
Personnellement, travailler chez
DCDM Consulting constitue
pour moi une réelle occasion
de découvrir un nouveau
monde de travail dans un
nouvel environnement, avec
des collègues de travail très
sociables et une équipe très
active qui s’entraide beaucoup.
Bref, tous les facteurs sont
présents afin de partager mes
expériences, de montrer mes
capacités et de pouvoir évoluer
professionnellement.
NB: On ne dit plus “Malgache”
mais “Malagasy”, depuis
que c’est devenu un mot
international.
4
For internal use only
e-Newsletter | August 2012 Issue 20
New in Excel 2013 for BI:
Enterprise Team on Catamaran
Vishant Unathras
As many of
you are already
aware, the first
preview for
Office 2013 is
now available
and there’s
lots of new BI
functionality in
there. Below is
a short summary of what I believe is the
two major changes:
Jocelyne Bordelais
engine! It will also work on the new
SSAS 2012 Tabular model…
There are a whole bunch of other BI-related
changes in Excel like the suggestions for
charts and PivotTables, flash fill, timeline
slicer.
However, the two changes above
represent a master-stroke on the part
of Microsoft: they make Excel 2013 a
serious contender in the self-service BI
tool stakes. The idea is at some point
in time, every company will upgrade to
Office 2013 and doing so will empower
all users with a BI tool on their desktops
and will be good enough for the majority
of BI scenarios – which means that the
need to even look at third party tools will
disappear…
→ PowerPivot has been integrated into
Excel (in the same bundle). This means
you can do all the stuffs like loading vast
amounts of data from multiple data
sources and querying it via PivotTables
directly in Excel. PowerPivot does still
exist as an optional extra however: you
need it if you want to use the more More to follow as we approach the final
advanced functionality that exists in release of Office 2013…
PowerPivot today, such as filtering
data before import, using diagram view,
defining hierarchies and perspectives
and so on.
“Anyone who has never
→ Power View has also been integrated
into Excel: Power View reports become
a new type of sheet inside a workbook,
and you can use it against data held in
the integrated xVelocity/PowerPivot
CONSULTING · TECHNOLOGY · OUTSOURCING
made a mistake has never
tried anything new.
Albert Einstein
The Enterprise team had a relaxing afternoon
and evening through a catamaran tour on
Friday 29 June 2012, after a normal day of
work.
The departure from the Marina at the Caudan
Waterfront around 5.30pm at sunset time
was just great. We left the harbour smoothly
in a joyful atmosphere: drinks and snacks;
chatting and taking photos of colleagues
as well as the beautiful view of the harbour
front.
While admiring the view and listening to
the dynamic songs chosen by the DJ,
the catamaran made up its way towards
Balaclava. Being a winter afternoon, night
fell quickly. The lights of buildings, residential
areas and roads stood out of the view along breeze while chatting around and others
the coast. Some of us were under the charm were busy partying.
of the view and appreciating the gentle Dinner was served on board and each plate
had the assortment of the barbecue: chicken,
sausages, lamb, salads and noodles.
Sometime after dinner, the party was still
on, as we were celebrating Olivier’s birthday,
our attention was caught by unexpected
sparkling of firecrackers coming from one
of the hotels on the coast. The sky was
illuminating and we enjoyed this moment.
As all good things come to an end, the
evening gradually ended up when the
catamaran boarded at the Marina around
10.00pm.
5
For internal use only
e-Newsletter | August 2012 Issue 20
Interview
Joëlle Lee Baw
Q: Raveesh, you just came back from a 3 months’ assignment in
Botswana. Can you tell us more on the project?
The Government of Botswana (GoB) needed a computerised system for a centralised, effective management of HR services in line
with the Botswana e-Government Service Delivery Framework. As
such, the GoB wanted to replace its legacy system by the Oracle
Human Capital Management (HCM). The project is still on going and
being managed by DCDMC (Botswana) staff.
Q: What has been your role on this project?
One of the requirements of the GoB was to have a certified Project
Manager. As such and based on my experiences, I was assigned as the Project Manager
on this project.
Q: As one of the pioneers of DCDMC’s QMS, you must have used QMS Project Management Methodology (PMM) on the project. How has your knowledge of PMM helped
you?
Yes. Indeed after establishing our QMS and being part of the QMS team for nearly 15
months, I was very much eager to apply the PMM which DCDMC has established on this
important project. The PMM helped the project with the right methodology (aligned with
PMBOK® as required by the client).
Q: Which of the PMM templates have you used?
I had actually used ALL templates (Project Charter, Roles & Responsibilities, Risk Register…) which I could take from PMM and had
to customise/adjust accordingly when required until I was on the
project.
Q: What was the client’s feedback on our deliverables, approach
and methodology?
In general, the client was happy with our project approach and methodology being used
on this project. For example, the structure of our first deliverable (i.e. the Project Management Plan) was very much appreciated by the client as it was self-explanatory.
CONSULTING · TECHNOLOGY · OUTSOURCING
Q: Any advice for those who embark on a similar assignment?
I would personally advise my colleagues who would be managing projects to familiarize themselves with the QMS PMM and other specific product delivery methodologies,
processes, templates, etc. This will help them to speed up their delivery time without
re-inventing the wheel. I would strongly advise not to use the templates ditto, i.e. do not
copy/paste templates blindly, but use the templates (where required) cautiously and to
make your own write-ups based on the project context.
Q: Was this your most challenging project you have worked for DCDMC?
No. For me, by definition, all projects are unique. All projects have their own challenges
and as Project Managers, we should know how to deal with them separately, not only by
using past experiences and project management skills, but rather also use their leadership
and soft skills appropriately to manage and lead projects of any size in any geography.
If you need more information on DCDMC’s QMS, feel free to contact the QMS Team:
[email protected], [email protected]
“DCDM Consulting offers numerous
opportunities for growth, education and
advancement within the company, as well
as the chance to grow as an employee”.
Team Leader, DCDM Consulting
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For internal use only
e-Newsletter | August 2012 Issue 20
Expatriate resources
HR Updates
Kailash Balnac
Working with
expatriates
provides various
opportunities to
enhance cultural
awareness and
share knowledge
and experience.
Through hands-on
approaches and strategies, it is easier to
minimise cross-cultural misunderstanding
and encourage positive working
relationships.
DCDM Consulting has had the
opportunity to integrate and make full
use of expatriate resources within our
technical team.
Back in November 2011, during the
early detailed planning stages, I was
advised that expatriate resources were
to join the technical team. As a team
lead, one would immediately anticipate
challenges in respect to administration,
communication and adaptation to
Mauritian and DCDMC’s working culture.
A team of administration and HR
staff, with the coordination of our
CONSULTING · TECHNOLOGY · OUTSOURCING
senior manager, was swift in handling
administration, logistics and transition
issues like permits, accommodation and
ticketing. With their support, the whole
process was transparent to the technical
team and allowed us to focus on solution
delivery.
Communication was no big challenge
as most members of the team are
bilingual. The technical documentation
was described in English and understood
by all members of the team. All
conversations and discussions were
made in a common language to avoid the
risk of losing valuable inputs.
With DCDMC employing industry proven
methodologies and global best practices,
adaptation to its working culture was
swift and the resources proved to be
productive in less time than originally
anticipated.
Looking back, I must say the challenges
anticipated in 2011 were uncalled for and
was no obstacle to the team striving as a
unit to meet the project objectives.
→ New Recruit
Surname
First name
PurdasseeRita
Foolessur
Hansraj
Bumma
Alisha
Jhuputroy
Karuna
Mauthoor
Nadeem
LallemandFabrice
NeergheenArvind
Choolun
Devyoni
Angoteeah Rajnish
Grade
Consultant
Health & Safety Officer
Officer Level H
Officer Level H
Officer Level H
Consultant
Consultant
Software Engineer
Processing Officer
D.O.E
2-May-12
4-May-12
14-May-12
14-May-12
14-May-12
6-Jun-12
1-Jun-12
1-Jun-12
29-May-12
→ Training
Managerial Skills Programme : 20 Aug to 18 Oct 12
How to Test Software : Mon03, Tues04, Wed05 Sept 12
→ New Born
Employee Name
Parvati Beetun
Irshand Kurmally
Shumsheid Jeetoo
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Smity Soowamber
Luc Randrianomenjanahary
Hemraj Bootun
Baby
Boy
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7
For internal use only
e-Newsletter | August 2012 Issue 20
Striking the right work-life balance.
Nitisha Ramkhelawon
Got a feeling that
you’re merely trying to
get through the day?
Or barely making it to
the end of the week
and feeling completely
exhausted by the time
you get home?
Or perhaps got a
feeling that you’re
on the merry-go-round of life and just
wanting to get off? Feeling like you’re
falling behind and never catching up in the
game of life?
If your answer to any of these questions
is yes, then this article is meant for You.
In our hectic, hurly-burly life in the IT
Industry, achieving the right work-life
balance is something we all try to aim for,
but hardly even come close to it. Worklife balance is a daily effort to make time
for family, friends, spirituality, personal
growth, self-care, and other personal
activities, in addition to the demands of
the workplace.
Here are some basic guidelines to help
you achieve the right work-life balance
that you need:
1.De-stress
Relax and take it easy at times.
Pamper yourself; it’s all about you
here. Get your second breath and then
tackle the problem.
CONSULTING · TECHNOLOGY · OUTSOURCING
2. Do a Self- Assessment
Write down your personal vision and
mission statement. Perform a personal
SWOT Analysis to help you better
understand in which direction you
want to head in life.
3.Reprioritize
Reprioritize your activities based on
the above findings. What are your top
5 priorities for this year?
Rank them in terms of highest, high
and low. Prune any activities that are
not productive or non-priorities. Let go
of things that are holding you back.
Remember, this is a continual process.
After sometime, stop. Re-assess and
reprioritize again. This will help coping
with the speed of change in your
priorities.
One mustn’t get pulled in different
directions. One step at a time is the
key.
4. Be disciplined
Adopt a disciplined lifestyle. Discipline
reduces time waste.
Note that there’s a fine line between
discipline and sternness.
5. DO NOT Procrastinate – ‘Time lost is
never found again’ - Benjamin Franklin
Procrastination is one of the most
tempting and easiest methods to get
your way out of something you just
don’t want to do.
Results: Undone things keep
accumulating, and you use up more
energy and time than actually doing it
when it needed to be done.
When something needs to be done.
Do it. Never procrastinate. You can’t
rewind time.
6. Work Smart not hard.
Learn the techniques of getting more
done in less time. You’ll be able to
accomplish just as much, in a smaller
amount of time.
7. Have a positive approach
Look around you. There is so much
to be grateful about. Take time to
appreciate the things that you are
thankful for and let it be a reminder
of how much is going right for you.
Remember, it could have been worse.
After reading this article, answer these
questions:
I need to:
▪ Start doing…
▪ Stop doing…
▪ Continue doing…
▪ Do more…
▪ Do less…
▪ Do differently…
Review, Re-assess, and Act upon these on
a frequent basis and you’re all set to live
again!
DCDMC staff played against Innodis staff
on Saturday 25 August 2012. It was fun to
also have ex-DCDMC staff supporting their
team.
Coming together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.
– Henry Ford
“Thanks to all those
who participated
in the writing
of the articles.
Have your say in
the next issue”
Jocelyne Bordelais
8
For internal use only