Business Offerings
Digitized information and networked computing have contributed to fundamental change in the way learning experiences are provided and used. Pedagogy itself is undergoing transformation as new methodologies and best practices for producing, delivering, and consuming learning content and learning services emerge. However, the current reality is that the transformation is taking place piecemeal and in parallel among the publishers, software vendors, institutions, agencies and people who make up the learning industry.
Riding the tiger of change in an environment of evolving requirements and unconsolidated innovation requires a sophisticated understanding of the disruptive impact of evolving educational, technical, and business practices in order to minimize the risk of project delays and unintended or unforeseen outcomes.
Verbena Consulting LLC helps its clients to optimize choice and exploit trends by providing them with deep knowledge and extensive practical experience on which to base engineering, business planning, and process management decisions throughout the life cycle of projects and programs.
Verbena Consulting LLC has aided in the development of industry standards for integrating educational content and learning technology, and participated directly in ground-breaking implementation projects applying them to commercial and open sources products and services. Verbena Consulting LLC has project-proven experience working with industry-leading efforts to support the delivery and use of digital content in technology-based learning environments. The choice and flexibility that Verbena Consulting LLC enables will increase the number of potential suppliers and variety of alternatives for delivering solutions, as well as enable evolutionary implementation methodologies and contingency-based deployment strategies.
Decision Making
Industry Briefings for Business or Technical Decison Makers
A briefing for decision makers on the implications of and opportunities for:
· exposing coarse and fine grain content to federated search
· providing a complete discussion of asset protection for new business models
· leveraging community efforts to rapidly exploit emerging opportunities
· identifying specific strategies for margin enhancement as a result of interoperability and integration
· enabling various purchase models for delivery of digital and physical content
· enabling institutional level selling and long term commitment for specific content purchased
· providing a more cost effective model for international distribution and product localization
· enabling various licensing models for digital content
Environmentsal Scan / Business Analysis
We can help examine the current marketplace, identify opportunities, prepare market analysis, etc. Jeff and colleagues have prepared environmental scans and business analysis of various levels of formality. They may also want to understand the current competitive landscape, quantify the market size, or identify potential partners from a broad pool.
Informing Vendor Selection, RFP / RFI Development or Response
Verbena Consulting LLC has been asked to help organizations work through a "build vs buy" analysis of the market for commercial and open-source choices offerings. This workproduct can feed into the selection of a vendor, authoring or responding to a RFP or RFI, or informing merger or acquisition due diligence.
Structured Needs Review
In this engagement, consultants will lead a results-oriented dialogue to identify or review and update your requirements, with a view toward exploiting new opportunities and available technology. The review is a high intensity, fast moving conversation among informed participants who already know the details of the application domain and the education marketplace. Experts bring to this conversation, deep knowledge of the strengths, weaknesses, and applicability of the technical and operational means for delivering a solution that exploits emerging capabilities to meet or exceed project requirements.
A high-bandwidth interaction will take place in a 2-day on-site meeting in which all key client participants are present. The dynamic work products of the discussions that results will be captured in real-time and annotated in follow-up interactions to record issues, considerations, decision-making criteria, and an action plan for next steps.
Business Development
We can help you start a business development effort or expand current business development activities in new areas. Jeff held a Business Development Manager (BDM) role at EMC2 Corporation with responsibility for both southeastern and national partners. Jeff worked closely with the sales force on numerous campaigns. Currently, Jeff is consulting to SoftChalk in a variety of areas, including as a Director of Business Development.
Outreach, Marketing and Communications
Conference Presentations
Jeff has been an invited speaker or presenter at a wide range of industry events including: Blackboard World and Blackboard Developers Conference, New Media Consortium, Sakai Conteference, Open i World, Alt-i Lab, Open Repositories, Lotus Developer Conference, IMS Global Learning Consortium events, CSU Digital Marketplace events, MERLOT, Open Source Day, and others. Jeff is available to present, co-present, as well as assist in a review of your presentations.
Alliance Program Design and Execution
We can help you design and execute a strategic alliance program. Jeff has worked on both the design and implementation of strategic alliances at both iXL Enterprises and EMC2. Jeff has been responsible for a number of alliance relationships, including those with Intel, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, EMC, Oracle, Agfa, OpenMarket, Exodus, PSINet, and KPMG. Jeff also has designed alliance or developer programs for a number of software community projects. Verbena Consulting LLC works closely with both Mark Norton of Nolaria Consulting , who is active in the Sakai developer community and Ed Walker of Consulting Services for Education, who is the former CEO of the IMS Global Learning Consortium.
Developer Program Design and Execution
We can help you design and lead a developer program for your software applications or initiative. Jeff has been involved in starting or accelerating developer programs at Lotus Development Corporation, for the Mac Learning Environment, the Open Knowledge Initiative, Open Repositories, HarvestRoad, and OSCELOT. Jeff also designed and delivers the OSID Bootcamp Series. Verbena Consulting LLC works closely with Stuart Sim of XXXXX, Mark Norton of Nolaria Consulting , who is active in the Sakai developer community, and Ed Walker of Consulting Services for Education, who is the former CEO of the IMS Global Learning Consortium.
User Conference Design and Execution
We can help you design, prepare, and put on a user conference. Jeff has been involved in the a few such efforts, including the Alt-i Lab series of conferences, jointly put on by the Open Knowledge Initiative at MIT and the IMS Global Learning Consortium, Open i World, OSCELOT's Open Source Day, and Sakai. Verbena Consulting LLC works closely with both Mark Norton of Nolaria Consulting , who is active in the Sakai developer community and Ed Walker of Consulting Services for Education, who is the former CEO of the IMS Global Learning Consortium.
Governance Programs and Role Definitions for Open Source Project Communities
We can help you develop a governance program for your community efforts. Jeff has been a part of a number of open technical communities, including: Open Knowledge Initiative, Sakai, OSCELOT, Pachyderm, VUE, Education Commons, etc. Jeff has been involved in numerous discussions relating to governance and community development. Verbena Consulting LLC works closely with Stuart Sim of CommonNeed, Mark Norton of Nolaria Consulting , who is active in the Sakai developer community, and Ed Walker of Consulting Services for Education, who is the former CEO of the IMS Global Learning Consortium.