Managing Your Learning Path for Process Manufacturing using Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009

Editor’s Note: A previous announcement covered Scott’s new book Managing Process Manufacturing using Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009.

One responsibility of a Dynamics AX solution architect is to stay abreast of new functionality within standardized AX.  This responsibility becomes a serious challenge for many professionals with limited time availability, especially if it requires a multi-day training course with associated expenses and travel.  Another challenge may stem from intermittent involvement with the new functionality, since many solution architects work with a wide spectrum of client requirements.

Some of the most significant changes include the recently released version of Dynamics AX 2009 for process manufacturing, as well as the releases for lean manufacturing and other industry-specific additions.  Two of my books - covering process manufacturing and lean manufacturing - provide in-depth explanations of the new functionality.  In this piece I'd like to focus on how solution architects can figure out the right amount of incremental learning they need to be educated on the latest in process manufacturing.

The yardstick for incremental learning reflects a comparison between the previous and new releases of AX 2009.  One metric for this yardstick uses the page count for different topics in my latest book, Managing Process Manufacturing using Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009.  The book provides a complete walkthrough of Dynamics AX functionality for the operational and supply chain management aspects of running a process business, so that total page count represents 100%.  A subset of pages focuses on the new functionality for meeting process industry requirements, thereby providing a yardstick of incremental learning.

The following figure indicates the topics covered ...