Hard to believe that we are already a few weeks into another year! Hope this newsletter finds you all back in the swing of things after a busy holiday season.

As we start off this year, we asked Mark Richards, our CEO, to give us a brief reflection on the importance of the consulting business. It is not only a strong reflection for those of us in the IT industry, but also for everyone who needs to realize the value in well designed systems.

It has been said that consulting is a commodity based business. Given the fact that we are in a global economy and companies move IT projects around the globe one could surmise that companies hold all of the good cards! Well, this is not the case. Companies and workers that service the US IT economy have many options to raise their value and control their destiny.

The first principle is value. What does that company or worker offer the client that separates them from the pack? While it may seem that cost dictates decisions, we have all seen when projects are done poorly. More money is wasted on IT projects than most department projects. A company or individual must be able to assess their strengths and weaknesses, compare them to the competition, and then work on the skills or practice areas that will differentiate themselves in the marketplace.

The second principle is the ability to listen to the client and others. Our culture has changed our ability to listen and absorb what the other party is saying. When this condition is corrected, the magic will be allowed to happen! This could be commerce or team relations.

The third principle is integrity. This is an old fashioned value but the one that never seems to lose its thunder. A client senses when they did not get a fair deal, generally when this happens, business ceases between those two parties.

The fourth principle is communication skills. When clients are communicated to at a higher level, they reciprocate. When technology individuals communicate with one another at a higher level, projects move along seamlessly. Corporate teams are like business marriages, each member has a role to play and there has to be solid synergy.

Finally there is the systematic way of looking at all tasks. Absorb the environment, notate all interfaces, align business requirements, review exception logic, and discuss scalability and testing. Do not build something and wait until the end to show end users your creation. Build alliances throughout the creation process and absorb feedback from the business unit that will inherit that system.

Health Note

Recently, a friend of eRichards was rushed to the hospital after a combination of too much salty fish, a glass of wine, and lots of holiday excitement. After almost collapsing, it was very surprising to learn that it was simply a case of dehydration. The following are some tips to recognizing dehydration and benefits of staying hydrated.

Vital organs like the kidneys, brain, and heart can’t function without a certain minimum of water and salt. In underdeveloped countries, dehydration from diseases like cholera and dysentery kills millions every year (usually infants and children). Still, with severe vomiting or diarrhea and occasionally with excessive sweating, you can become dangerously dehydrated right here in the U.S.A.

Being well-hydrated is important to your physical and mental health. Dehydration makes a person tired, cranky, and stiff-jointed. Being dehydrated can bring on headaches, nausea, aches and cramps -- and other, more serious physical ailments. Dehydration can make it more difficult for parents to be patient with children and with each other.

The article says it is only a matter of time before a mega company makes this Australian student's project a highly profitable item. This young man has created a small, well packaged "disposable digicam." With this $25 item, you can send back pictures of yourself on the beach - instead of the usual $.25 you would spend on a post card of someone else in the sun!

Engadget's blog on this item.