This past week one of our customers in Chicago hosted an 'SAP Experience Day' at which they presented several sessions on how they use LiveCompare to Run and Optimize SAP. Customers and other SAP users from the area were invited and the feedback after the event was very positive. I had the chance to present a preview of LiveCompare 2.2 and focused on the headline features:

• BW Support (here)
• Java Impact Analysis (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)

I also presented how LiveModel has evolved over the past year based on input from customers (one in the Chicago area in particular).  During one of the host's presentations they showed a Visio formatted cross-functional flow diagram.  This combines People (well, roles) and Processes to good effect.  With guidance from our LiveModel customer base we took this a step further and added the 'system' dimension to the diagram.  I wrote about these changes (decorations and more decorations).  This means that in a single diagram you can visualize how People, Processes and Systems come together and interact.  At this level you can play out what if scenarios by assessing the impact of changing a role or a process or even a system.

It was lovely to hear so many positive statements about our products.  That's not to say that I didn't come away with a number of useful enhancement requests that we'll be looking into in the coming weeks.

Before Chicago I was in California and had a free day so I rented a Harley Davidison (Road King) and rode with a good friend through the Pinnacles, over to Monterey and then back to San Jose via Route 9.  A couple of photos from the trip:

These guys are in San Jose and I recommend them.  Their customer service is excellent.

I'm not sure it's possible to trespass on a Harley.  You own the road on a Harley.