Inter Access has launched InterLabs to make its innovative power available to clients and prospects.
InterLabs will present intelligent programmes combining a clear-cut vision with in-depth ICT knowledge and extensive practical experience in client projects.
Antwerp, 9 April 2009 – IT service provider Inter Access launches InterLabs, an innovation centre in which it combines its knowledge, expertise and experience for the benefit of clients and interested parties. InterLabs will approach innovation from the point of view of the client’s problems and context. A level of openness and a connection with clients and prospects are presumed. This allows knowledge and insights to accelerate, so clients and prospects can get informed in a practical way about innovation via technology within their organisation.
With InterLabs, Inter Access offers interactive programmes on the subject of current themes in the market, such as Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and High-Performance Workplace (HPW). Corporate Performance Management (CPM), Business Intelligence (BI), Accelerated ERP implementation and Agile development methodologies will also be covered in the programmes. During the InterLabs session, clients gain practical insight into the way in which these concepts can be applied in their organisation and with which vision they can contribute to more versatility and flexibility, the basic ingredients for their competitive ability.
“Many companies and organisations recognise that they have to start using new concepts such as SOA and HPW, but because of the evolution speed, the complexity and the myriad of possibilities in our sector, companies experience these choices more and more as a dive into a huge ocean.
Within the area of tension between vision and technology, however, a power emerges which allows companies to innovate. We mainly want to inspire companies and offer them a handle to discover this innovative power to approach their problems, from different angles. Considering the complexity and the speed with which things are changing around us, the role of an IT organisation as a technology provider changes as well. Inter Access’ InterLabs therefore meets a real need. Organisations often lack a practical perspective and internal support to determine how these concepts could benefit their organisation, without starting a Proof of Concept. InterLabs will close the gap between vision, theory and practice in a dedicated environment and we will also give some structure to all the information and myths about various themes. The ultimate goal of this initiative is to use a concentrated method to enable an organisation’s staff to view their problems differently using technology, via pragmatic sessions, without having to invest in this themselves. We are available for both large and small organisations. The programmes are unique and accelerate practical understanding and insight under the supervision of Inter Access in our laboratory environment”, says Steve Lannoye, Sales Director at Inter Access Belgium.
By now, InterLabs has completed several sessions. Most sessions were so convincing that they have already led to actual projects. One of the participating companies is the global transhipment company DP World, which is active in locations such as the Port of Antwerp. Aert Wezenbeek, ICT manager at DP World, says: “We participated in a session about the High-Performance Workplace concept, in which Microsoft SharePoint played an important part. The most important characteristic of InterLabs is that it is not just another commercial presentation, but that it offers a mixture of acquiring product knowledge and determining how your organisation can benefit from the product. The latter was especially important to us. Some staff members already knew SharePoint, but had their doubts about the practical possibilities. Thanks to the InterLabs session, we have gained a lot of additional knowledge about it. We are looking forward to a next session about other subjects which interest us.”
In addition, InterLabs as an innovation centre provided a SOA session based on Oracle and Java technology for students of the university college Karel de Grote Hogeschool in Antwerp. “Students considered the session to be the best thing they were offered by a company during their studies”, says ir. Clem Cornelis, lecturer at the Karel de Grote Hogeschool.