It’s celebrations time at Ideagen with the launch of advanced and latest version of their flagship software.
In this 2nd edition of the Exclusive Interview with Ideagen, George Hall who is the Product manager at Ideagen & Ian Hepworth, Chief Technology Officer at Ideagen Plc proudly talks about the new and advanced version of Q – Pulse 7. Swati. Ketkar finds more…
Q – Congratulations on the 25th anniversary of Q-Pulse 7 launch. It is a remarkable feat for Q-Pulse to remain steadily at the top of market competition for 25 years. Can you tell us about the new and updated version of Q-Pulse 7 application? What are the latest features of Q-Pulse 7?
A – George Hall – “Q-Pulse is Ideagen’s flagship software application for quality and compliance management, with strong capabilities particularly in process, document, audit and corrective and preventive action management. The software also helps organisations manage incidents and near misses, risk and training and competency.
“Q-Pulse 7 is Ideagen’s new and improved version of the software which marks its 25th anniversary this year. Q-Pulse 7 maintains all of the software’s original core functionality mentioned above but is now browser-based and complete with powerful dashboard functionality which increases business intelligence and enhances its intuitive user experience.”
Ian Hepworth – “With Q-Pulse 7, we believe we have produced a modern, slick and visually rich software product that has really taken the application to the next level. We have focussed on bringing data from all across the business to life through visually appealing and quickly consumable dashboards to ensure that users can access information that is important to them quickly and easily.
“Also, thanks to its browser-based interface, the system can be accessed anytime, anywhere – significantly extending its overall reach.”
Q – How does the Q-Pulse 7 software help in aviation safety management?
A – George Hall – “Q-Pulse is, arguably, the leading software application for aviation safety management and this statement is strengthened through Ideagen’s client list in the sector, which consists of more than 300 organisations including tier 1 and tier 2 airlines.
“Q-Pulse helps aviation organisations increase their operational intelligence, drive efficiencies and prevent undesirable events. The software helps them;
Anticipate and prevent accidents and problems
Keep staff and the public safe
Protect their reputation, brand and ultimately the wider business
Demonstrate an accountable culture
Demonstrate control of risk
And avoid consequences of non-compliance.”
Ian Hepworth – “With Q-Pulse 7, aviation organisations can now configure their own dashboards so that they can visualise their data in a way that makes sense to them – thus bringing the important data to the forefront which in turn helps them make business and operationally critical decisions.”
Q – Does the improved version of Q-Pulse 7 have an improved hacker-proof system? How do deal with the data-theft challenge?
A – Ian Hepworth – “The brutal truth is that nothing is ever really hacker-proof – if someone wants something so badly then it is highly likely that, given enough time and resources, that they will be able to get it.
“However, for Q-Pulse, for anyone to be able to interact with the system, a user must be granted permissions. The most efficient way of granting permissions and managing security is via the use of Security Groups. The permissions granted to security groups are inherited by members of that group, either directly or through a user’s relationship to a record via dynamic access rights. These security groups are managed by an organisation’s Q-Pulse administrators, and as such, the security of access is down to an organisation’s own personnel.”
Ian added: “To maximise security and access permissions for Q-Pulse, we advise customers to;
Decide on a security structure required within their Q-Pulse system
Identify key personnel to be added to static groups
Identify permissions to be standard for each dynamic group.”
Q – How is the customer response for the latest Q-Pulse 7? What is the next-in-line after Q Pulse 7?
A – George Hall – “The customer response to the new version has been excellent.
“We launched a beta programme where we invited a selection of our clients to help us fine tune the product which was very well received.
“This involved a group of our most prominent and comprehensive users and they provided us with crucial, operational feedback from their own live working environments. So all in all it was a great experience and one that has helped Q-Pulse 7 become the system that you see today.”
Ian Hepworth – “In terms of what is next for Q-Pulse, we have a detailed and ambitious product roadmap that we have communicated to our clients.
“The release of Q-Pulse 7 enhanced the system’s most predominant functions – such as documents, audit and corrective action management – as well as introduced some visually powerful capabilities in the form of dashboards.
“In the coming months, Q-Pulse 7 will be enhanced even further with additional functionality in the form of incident management, risk and asset management as well as the introduction of supplier portal integrations. Validation documentation for Life Science is also just around the corner.
“So, there are a few busy months ahead for the company and for the product itself.”
Q – In today’s constantly changing market condition, how does Ideagen stay at the top of the game?
A – Ian Hepworth – “Ideagen is filled with skilled and visionary professionals who are well versed not only in areas of quality and safety management, for example, but in the development of modern technology and innovation as well as constant competitor analysis.
“Coupled with that, in recent years we have also launched our own dedicated research and development department designed to help us strengthen our product suite as well as identify opportunities for innovation as we look to build the next generation of Ideagen software applications and associated technology.
“Research and development is absolutely critical for any organisation operating in the software and general technology industry. At Ideagen, we have amazing, world class products and an outstandingly talented and experienced workforce, but we understand and have recognised that there can be no room for complacency in what is a constantly changing and ever-evolving sector.
“R&D is crucial for organisations like ours to stay ahead of the curve. If you don’t evolve in the software or technology space, then it is highly likely that you’ll be left behind to die. It’s as simple as that.”
Q – Can you tell our readers any of your most challenging experience so far? How did you tackle it?
A – George Hall – “I think one of the most challenging aspects of implementing a system like Q-Pulse is to ensure that you have buy-in across the entire organisation. Ownership of Safety, Quality and Risk has to come from the top and if the wider workforce feel it hasn’t been or won’t be endorsed then they just won’t bother interacting with it.
“Another thing that is challenging for all of our customers is the culture shift that needs to happen with the adoption of an electronic system. Too many people want to maintain the status quo and software systems such as Q-Pulse aren’t about that. Q-Pulse is about improving and streamlining, changing processes and general ways of working for the better to enable real bottom line improvements for organisations.”
Q – What, according to you should be the steps taken globally to deal with the alarming problem of data-theft and hackers?
A – Ian Hepworth – “Ideagen is certified against the information security standard – ISO 27001 – which means we are audited every year on our information security and how we are handling customer and supplier data.
“This standard doesn’t guarantee that you are hacker proof, however it does show that we are taking all appropriate steps and are handling often sensitive customer data to the best possible standards.
“Operating in the compliance management arena, we believe that it is imperative that we are shown to be following international standards and ‘practicing what we preach’ as they say.
“We also use our own products to achieve and thus maintain compliance with the ISO 27001 standard, which shows the confidence we have in the strength of our own products.”
