Five Timeless Rules for Successful Siebel Projects

While the near and not-so-near future for Siebel CRM is truly exciting, with so many new things coming up to learn and write about, it is worthwhile to sit back and browse the archives.

Five years ago, after OpenWorld 2009 (!), I cross-posted an article from the Oracle Customer Experience blog (formerly known as CRM Product Marketing blog).

This is what I wrote back then:

Stating the obvious...

After all these years, thousands of Siebel CRM implementation projects and so much experience of thousands of experts in the field, I can't believe that there are still many Siebel CRM projects which ignore one or all of these five simple rules for a successful Siebel CRM implementation (Credits to Divya from the CRM Product Marketing Blog):

• Standardize on tools and languages
• Keep customization to a minimum (yes a MINIMUM)
• Involve end users
• Communicate with others who have done it before
• Implement regional or online training for end users

Remember: These are recommendations from companies who successfully implemented Siebel CRM.

What can I say, some advice is timeless. So if you are just in the process of reviving your Siebel CRM project with Open UI, better stick to these rules.

have a nice day

@lex

From the Archives: Siebel SWE API

For our 'blast from the past' series, I have dug up this little gem from September 2009, long before Siebel Open UI. Maybe it's still relevant even in Open UI, who knows?

***

If you follow this blog on a frequent basis, you might have noticed my fondness for the Siebel Portal Framework and its usefulness in integrating Siebel with other systems, such as Google maps.

Today, I would like to look at the outbound integration, that is delivering Siebel data to another web based application.

One way to deliver Siebel data to external systems is using the SWE XML interface. You can experience this very easily by pasting the following URL in your browser address bar while the Siebel application is loaded (the below is for the Developer Web Client):

http://localhost/start.swe?SWECmd=GotoView&SWEView=Account+List+View&SWESetMarkup=XML

The Account List View in XML

The important thing in this URL is the SWESetMarkup command which we use to tell the SWE to produce XML instead of HTML (which is the default). As you can see the resulting XML document contains all data from the view including the menu items and their state (enabled or disabled) as well as the data visible to the current user.

There are various additional SWE commands to control the output, namely SWEDataOnly, which you set to "True" to receive only data related XML like this:

http://localhost/start.swe?SWECmd=GotoView&SWEView=Account+List+View&SWESetMarkup=XML&SWEDataOnly=True

There are standard Siebel applications like Siebel Wireless which use that technique to retrieve data via http. These applications are intended to run in mobile device browsers (like the simple html browsers in most mobile phones) and of course these browsers support neither a full-blown High Interactivity (HI) client nor a less resource-hungry but still complex Standard Interactivity (SI) client.

The Siebel Wireless Architecture

The remedy for this (and something very interesting regarding the frequent discussions around Siebel's browser support) is of course XSLT. The SWE converts the XML into anything defined in the xsl file using the SWEXslStyleSheet command. You can pass the name of an xsl file in the WEBTEMPL folder to the command and marvel at the output. Here is an example using one of the Siebel Wireless views and xsl files.

http://localhost/start.swe?SWECmd=GotoView&SWEView=SWLS+Sales+Account+Account+Display+View&SWESetMarkup=XML&SWEXslStyleSheet=SWLSListApplet_html.xsl

Note: You might want to add the SWLS Sales Account Screen to your application definition in Siebel Tools first before you try this. Also ensure that the user account you use has proper responsibility for the views in this screen (SADMIN against the sample database works fine).

Siebel Account List in plain HTML

So if you found this interesting, you might want to explore the possibilites of using Siebel in any http-enabled application. What about creating your own xsl? Let me know of your experience by adding a comment.

have a nice day

@lex

Time to Learn the Languages of the Web (and Good Design)

My fellow instructors at Oracle University and I teach a lot of Siebel Open UI these days. And when I say a lot, I mean like two full classes (a full class is 16 students) per week, per instructor during peak demand.

Of course, Siebel developers of all couleur, be it associate, rookie, graduate or seasoned veteran, are eager to learn how to understand and customize the latest and greatest among Siebel UI technologies.

In the Open UI Foundations class (and a new advanced JavaScript API class, coming soon to a learning center near you), we talk a lot about the languages which form the modern web:

• HTML(5)
• JavaScript (and a fair amount of jQuery)
• CSS

But Oracle does not own these languages, so we have to resort to other resources to learn more about these web standards.

In the following, compiled with a little help from generous students, you will find a list of web resources which serve both the newbie and the experienced Siebel coder to get to grips with HTML, JavaScript and CSS. The list is in coincidental order.

Web Platform

As stated on the start page, "Web Platform is a project of the W3C and the Web Platform stewards � Adobe, Apple, Facebook, Google, HP, Intel, Microsoft, Mozilla, Nokia, and Opera. It�s a collaboration between those who make the specs, those who build the browsers, and developers from all over the world."

Also stated on the page is the fact that Web Platform is a work in progress. It uses the wiki concept, so everone can join and contribute.

At the time of this writing, the "Docs" on Web Platform provide references, APIs and beginner's guides for CSS, JavaScript, HTML as well as other related languages or standards.

I noticed that content from many other resource sites such as dev.opera.com has already been moved to Web Platform.

Mozilla Developer Network

Representative for similar sites from browser vendors such as Google or Microsoft, the Mozilla Developer Network provides beginner-level or advanced tutorials as well as well-structured references for web developers.

On the Google Developers site, I found this valuable tutorial on the Google Chrome Developer tools.

SitePoint

Good web design is something you can learn. The good people at SitePoint provide content by developers for developers with a knack for intuitive, modern web design.

HTML5 Rocks

If you want to go deeper into HTML5, the content available on HTML5 Rocks is as good as it gets. However, it is obviously aimed at advanced web developers rather than the ambitious rookie.

Web Pages That Suck

A little bit tongue in cheek and for more than 18 years (!), WPTS presents badly designed web pages (Caution: some of the content presented on WPTS cannot be unseen). But why not learn from the fallacies and mistakes of others?

In addition, the site also has a lot of pointers to resources with a focus on the good side of web design.

A List Apart

Started as a mailing list for web developers, A List Apart is a "magazine for people who make web pages". Well, this includes Siebel developers ;-).

This list could be much longer, as it should definitely include CSS Zen Garden and many other inspirational web sites that go unnamed here.

What is your favorite resource for learning the languages of the web and which web sites inspire you? Please share with us in the comments section.

My Web History (and Books)

My personal journey in professional computing started with a workshop on internet technology hosted by an internet provider in 1996. This was actually the day when I saw a modem bank for the first and last time so far.

During the workshop we hand-coded HTML and I was hooked. CSS and JavaScript were considered "secret sauce" and I soon started working as a free web developer. I wouldn't dare to even look at the code I produced back then but I must confess that I always strove for simple, usable web design.

One of the books I found very inspirational in my early years as a web developer was HTML Artistry. Apparently, it is still available (as a paper back, what does this tell us?). For a book that has been written in the year when Google was founded, I find that it's still relevant with regards to the design examples. Good design never grows old...

If you're looking for a more recent book on web design, Designing with Web Standards might be a good read.

have a nice day

@lex

Time to Learn the Languages of the Web (and Good Design)

My fellow instructors at Oracle University and I teach a lot of Siebel Open UI these days. And when I say a lot, I mean like two full classes (a full class is 16 students) per week, per instructor during peak demand.

Of course, Siebel developers of all couleur, be it associate, rookie, graduate or seasoned veteran, are eager to learn how to understand and customize the latest and greatest among Siebel UI technologies.

In the Open UI Foundations class (and a new advanced JavaScript API class, coming soon to a learning center near you), we talk a lot about the languages which form the modern web:

• HTML(5)
• JavaScript (and a fair amount of jQuery)
• CSS

But Oracle does not own these languages, so we have to resort to other resources to learn more about these web standards.

In the following, compiled with a little help from generous students, you will find a list of web resources which serve both the newbie and the experienced Siebel coder to get to grips with HTML, JavaScript and CSS. The list is in coincidental order.

Web Platform

As stated on the start page, "Web Platform is a project of the W3C and the Web Platform stewards — Adobe, Apple, Facebook, Google, HP, Intel, Microsoft, Mozilla, Nokia, and Opera. It’s a collaboration between those who make the specs, those who build the browsers, and developers from all over the world."

Also stated on the page is the fact that Web Platform is a work in progress. It uses the wiki concept, so everone can join and contribute.

At the time of this writing, the "Docs" on Web Platform provide references, APIs and beginner's guides for CSS, JavaScript, HTML as well as other related languages or standards.

I noticed that content from many other resource sites such as dev.opera.com has already been moved to Web Platform.

Mozilla Developer Network

Representative for similar sites from browser vendors such as Google or Microsoft, the Mozilla Developer Network provides beginner-level or advanced tutorials as well as well-structured references for web developers.

On the Google Developers site, I found this valuable tutorial on the Google Chrome Developer tools.

SitePoint

Good web design is something you can learn. The good people at SitePoint provide content by developers for developers with a knack for intuitive, modern web design.

HTML5 Rocks

If you want to go deeper into HTML5, the content available on HTML5 Rocks is as good as it gets. However, it is obviously aimed at advanced web developers rather than the ambitious rookie.

Web Pages That Suck

A little bit tongue in cheek and for more than 18 years (!), WPTS presents badly designed web pages (Caution: some of the content presented on WPTS cannot be unseen). But why not learn from the fallacies and mistakes of others?

In addition, the site also has a lot of pointers to resources with a focus on the good side of web design.

A List Apart

Started as a mailing list for web developers, A List Apart is a "magazine for people who make web pages". Well, this includes Siebel developers ;-).

This list could be much longer, as it should definitely include CSS Zen Garden and many other inspirational web sites that go unnamed here.

What is your favorite resource for learning the languages of the web and which web sites inspire you? Please share with us in the comments section.

My Web History (and Books)

My personal journey in professional computing started with a workshop on internet technology hosted by an internet provider in 1996. This was actually the day when I saw a modem bank for the first and last time so far.

During the workshop we hand-coded HTML and I was hooked. CSS and JavaScript were considered "secret sauce" and I soon started working as a free web developer. I wouldn't dare to even look at the code I produced back then but I must confess that I always strove for simple, usable web design.

One of the books I found very inspirational in my early years as a web developer was HTML Artistry. Apparently, it is still available (as a paper back, what does this tell us?). For a book that has been written in the year when Google was founded, I find that it's still relevant with regards to the design examples. Good design never grows old...

If you're looking for a more recent book on web design, Designing with Web Standards might be a good read.

have a nice day

@lex

Turtle Shell, Bones and Scripts

On a quite regular basis I come across discussions or articles about the Chinese translation of "Oracle" (i.e. the company I work for).

The Chinese Oracle logo some years ago.
(Image source: sysdba blog)

A Chinese student once translated the characters ??? to me as "Turtle Shell", "Bone" and "Script". At first this is slightly odd to the Western mind but when you do a bit more research you find articles and translations which simply refer to this phrase as "Oracle" (in the sense of the ancient foreseers).

In addition, the sages of the internet explain that in ancient China, records of divination and deeds were carved in tortoise shells or other animal bones as a means of storing information, hence the other translation "Oracle Bones". There you have it: This is an ancient form of database.

So the Chinese Oracle logo does not only mean "Oracle" per se but also refers to Oracle's flagship product, the database.

have a nice day

@lex

Turtle Shell, Bones and Scripts

On a quite regular basis I come across discussions or articles about the Chinese translation of "Oracle" (i.e. the company I work for).

The Chinese Oracle logo some years ago.
(Image source: sysdba blog)

A Chinese student once translated the characters 甲骨文 to me as "Turtle Shell", "Bone" and "Script". At first this is slightly odd to the Western mind but when you do a bit more research you find articles and translations which simply refer to this phrase as "Oracle" (in the sense of the ancient foreseers).

In addition, the sages of the internet explain that in ancient China, records of divination and deeds were carved in tortoise shells or other animal bones as a means of storing information, hence the other translation "Oracle Bones". There you have it: This is an ancient form of database.

So the Chinese Oracle logo does not only mean "Oracle" per se but also refers to Oracle's flagship product, the database.

have a nice day

@lex