Mr. John Marx

John Marx, Managing Partner of Open Systems Group

Open Systems GroupWireless Document AccessThe Future Of Paper

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Join John Marx, Managing Partner of Open Systems Group, for an in depth, and sometimes humorous look at the future of paper.After nine years of experience automating electronic document management systems, Mr. Marx reveals both fact and fiction that will help your organization realize the future.

Session Ten3:30-4:00

CrossLogic

John Marx, Open Systems Group, Solve the Paradox - Eliminate the document!

Since our founding in 1989 by John Marx, OSG has been responding to this challenging new market need by staying ahead of the technology curve.We provide the development and hands-on expertise to offer our customers options in open solutions when proprietary vendors are closing doors.OSG is still a privately owned company that is now in rapid growth mode.We were first founded in Dallas, Texas, and have now expanded to St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, Ft. Worth and San Antonio, Texas.If you are a team player who thrives on new technologies and dreams of putting them to work for market-leading clients, OSG challenges you to take responsibility for your own success.Operate as a true professional while advancing your career.You know that companies can't share data through a closed door.

"The sky is the limit with what this new gear will do," states John Marx.
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Now that this contract is secured, the company is asking the General Services Administration for approval to contract with other defense agencies, said John Marx, the company's chairman.

"Once you make the investment to do that type of work for the government, it makes sense to maximize your offerings," Marx said.

John Marx, managing partner of 80-employee integrator Open Systems Group (OSG) (St. Louis), knew that wireless was the correct route.He recognized his customers' need to rejoin their mobile workforces with the workplace.

In addition to providing custom technology solutions, from systems integration to customer applications development, OSG now implements wireless solutions.These solutions include cellular, CDPD (cellular digital packet data), and spread spectrum technologies.OSG sees wireless applications as a way to eliminate paper forms processing and to enhance workflow for clients that have mobile workforces.An important part of OSG's wireless solutions is its own document management software product, called Para-Docs, which integrates Parascript's (Niwot, CO) natural handwriting recognition software into it.The Para-Docs software handles the IP (internet protocol) communication over the CDPD network.It uses XML (extensible markup language) to create an open architecture for client to server communications.
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'San Antonio's police force has grown to more than 750 officers on patrol, so it's more important than ever to protect audio frequency,' said Marx.Because of its growth, the city knew it would have to expand its radio frequency network, and this would require new tower installations at a cost of $6 million.At the same time, AT&T was installing a CDPD network in the area.AT&T convinced the police department that the network would be reliable enough for use with patrol car computers.

OSG won the bid to replace the patrol cars' radio frequency computers, and now laptops can do those wants and warrants searches over the CDPD network.The laptops are ruggedized and were originally created for the military by companies like Panasonic.
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Marx said the cases are made out of nearly indestructible alloys, and parts are seated differently so they are shockproof.

In addition to the wireless technology for electronic forms processing, the San Antonio Police Department now uses GPS (global positioning systems) and AVL (auto vehicle locator).Police dispatch knows where all the police cars are, and the cars can bring up maps on the computer screen to find the location of a call.When the police get to the scene, they can key in the report and file it electronically.A workflow module routes it to a supervisor who is also in a car on patrol.The supervisor approves the report and transmits it.The electronic form goes to the substation server, the main server, and then to the document management network in San Antonio.
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Vertical markets that have a cost recovery model for timely transition of information need wireless forms processing, according to Marx.For example, in home healthcare, information about patients and their medications can be transmitted immediately to the home office.And, while wireless forms processing can increase the quality of patient care, it can accelerate the billing inventory processes as well.

'Businesses with field force automation talk to us about wireless forms processing,' said Marx.He said interest has come from distributors of products that need to control materials management.Construction companies that do field supervision of expensive construction projects are considering it for use.

Out in the field, small devices like PDAs (personal digital assistants) are typically used in wireless technology; however, their form factors are not adequate for forms processing, said Marx.Full-format clipboard computers, manufactured by companies like Casio and Fujitsu, can be used in the field for wireless forms processing.They have full screens and accommodate Windows-compliant software.The units display the same number and length of lines that a desktop computer does.They are not physically the same size as a PC screen, but the amount of data presented is comparable.

Another industry that can benefit from wireless forms processing is the insurance industry.Insurance companies are recognizing wireless forms processing as a way to streamline the field adjustment process. 'Fewer adjusters can do more field inspections, and the insurance company realizes a definite labor savings,' said Marx.

The service industry, with its large field force, is another candidate.Television cable companies have large fleets of service and installation professionals.Car computers can dispatch the professionals so they can service more calls per day.Each truck becomes more efficient.Other wireless forms processing applications include home appraisals and utility meter reading for gas and electric companies.

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Marx reported that it's difficult to build a cost recovery model in a commercial environment because of cost.The CDPD vendors charge the user based on bytes transferred.However, in public safety, as in the San Antonio police department installation, vendors offer a flat rate regardless of the amount of data passed back and forth.

Transmission speed is also another consideration in the wireless forms processing market.At the present time, wireless connections are typically around 19.2 Kbps (kilobits per second).However, when 56 Kbps technology becomes more pervasive, users will be able to download documents faster.
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Marx reported that in Missouri, where OSG is headquartered, Verizon, a merger result of Ameritech and GTE, provides wireless service.In San Antonio, where the police department is using wireless, AT&T Wireless is the major carrier.

VARs and integrators should beware of dark spots in the network, advised Marx.Networks are strong on interstates, but the signal strength drops in rural areas.Wireless applications must have an offline and online mode.In forms processing, it's especially important that the unit stay operational, even if it's not connected because of a wireless outage.To address this issue, Marx said that his company created what it calls the 'elastic client.' It looks at what the user is producing and caches data locally to the client.It expands the amount of data on the system, so if it has an outage, it still has the data tables to do all the forms validation necessary to finish the operation.

Open Systems Group started 11 years ago in a garage, with no outside capital.Over the past decade, the company has grown through anticipating the needs of its customers and fulfilling them.When a major customer relocated to St. Louis from Dallas, Open Systems Group followed them.The temporary St. Louis office became permanent.
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John Marx aims to continue looking up the road and being ready to meet the needs of his customers by providing them with solutions like wireless forms processing.

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