Bob Barnett is the Global Editor for the Oracle Product Lifecycle Management Track and has over 12 years experience with Oracle Applications in the Manufacturing area.

He is currently scheduled to speak on the planning of PLM implementation at the OAUG COLLABORATE 09 in Orlando, FL USA in May 2009 .

He can be contacted at bob.barnett@oraclecontractors.com

Bob took time out to answer our “top ten” questions!

How many years of Oracle Apps experience do you have? 

A:I started in 1992 so this will be my 15th year. 

How did you come to work with Oracle Apps? 

A: I started straight out of university as an application development consultant with the NCR Corporation with Oracle R9 implementation of Financials through to a R10.43 implementation. 

When did you become an Oracle Contractor? 

A: I first became a contractor in 1996.  I enjoyed the excitement of travel, airline policies, and TARs/SRs so much that I wanted to venture out on my own.   

What is the most enjoyable part of your work?

A:Meeting different people and working in many different environments.  I really enjoy diving in and implementing new versions and releases of the same modules.  Every project that I do gives new experience at doing some of the same old stuff.  Plus, I get to recommend new enhancement requests based on the needs of multiple industries and business needs.  PLM has given me the tool to provide some great collaboration between more than just engineering, cost, and manufacturing.  It gives me the ability to benefit project manufacturing, food/retail manufacturers, IT conversion specialists, label printing requirements, and more in the product lifecycle business area than ever before.  

What is the least enjoyable part of your work? 

A:The first phases of an implementation when the client is afraid to make some design decisions or when they don’t engage.  It really causes the projects to burn more hours than they need to because most of the fun stuff is done in design and cutover phases. 

What has been the most satisfying project you have worked on and why? 

A: The last project is always the most satisfying.  But is satisfying after you leave and use what you learned to benefit the next client.  I am really happy passing on what I learned on the last project to the next client.  Right now, I have a client who was very similar to the past one.  I am able to answer questions and solve problems faster because I came with a basic understanding of their needs. 

Which consultant / contractor have you learnt the most from / enjoyed working with the most and why? 

A: The very first mentor I had was not a contractor but really matured me in my contracting soft skills.  He was kind and patient.  He retired at the same time that I left to become a contractor.  I really enjoy working with clients who have a lot of knowledge about people and business.   

What do you see happening in Oracle Apps as we move towards “Fusion”? 

A: I see Oracle taking the best ideas out of the acquisitions they have made and putting them into an environment that the current Oracle user base is comfortable with.  If the best ideas are better more ingenious interfaces, business flows, or terminology then what the E-Business Suite uses now, I see Oracle integrating those in.  Since I am an Oracle Configurator expert too, I saw a healthy transition for the configurator product over the R11 lifecycle.  I believe though at a faster pace and a broader scale, that Fusion will see the same type of change.

What are the hot topics in your area of expertise?

A: With MDM initiatives growing today, I see Product Information Management(PIM) and the PIM Data Hub, as a huge benefit to Oracle E-business suite users.   Dynamic item attributes (no more desperation with mtl_system_items.attribute columns running out), HTML interface for item maintenance, mass change of item attributes and item import through Web ADI, bom attributes, change document attributes, New Item Request workflow, so many things to list.  The PIM Data Hub as the closest “off the shelf” solution for enterprise MDM Product initiatives.

What do you do when you are not working? 

A: I collect Marvel comic books.  I have two daughters so I enjoy playing with them in their activities.  I enjoy spending time with my wife talking over coffee and lawn work in the warm weather.  We vacation or holiday when we can.  I hope that in this challenging economic time to get to spend a lot more time with the family.  And of course to share and promote the knowledge from Oracle Applications with the global community.