With all the meetings we've had lately, I thought I was back at Ford there for a while...

from: Office Online

Contact:
Christa Carroll
Outlook Marketing Services
ph 630.922-6995

Jim Kowalski
SSS Research
630.207-4120

GeoInt 2007 Symposium

SSS Research Announces Collaboration with NGA
(National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency)

San Antonio, TX and Lisle, IL – October 24, 2007 – SSS Research today announced that it is working with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) to provide key software as part of its NGA Earth eGeoInt project. Under this relationship, SSS Research provides its GeoBoost Visual Intelligence (TM) software solution to enable situational awareness and location intelligence for multiple constituencies.

“We are very pleased to have been selected to provide the visualization software for this key initiative,” said Dr. Stephen Eick, SSS Research’s Chairman and CEO. “NGA plays such an important role in supporting the Intelligence and Defense communities, we are happy to collaborate on such a critical analysis tool.”

One of NGA’s 12 key focus areas is to look outward to be the most collaborative partner with the IC and warfighter. To support that focus, NGA has identified 3 key principles: Partnerships, Technology, and Standards. The innovative technology developed and deployed by SSS combines with a successful track record of previous projects with NGA to deliver a powerful analysis and visualization tool for the Intelligence Communities.

Before the emergence of Web 2.0 technologies, organizations were limited in their ability to leverage Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) and other location-based data. SSS Research has leveraged Web 2.0 (AJAX) and open data standards to enable geospatial visualization, collaboration, and analysis to users through a software solution
that requires only a web browser. The result is better insight, faster across the entire enterprise in an easy-to-use tool that connects to multiple data sources simultaneously using open standards. A recent study indicated that 80% of data maintained by organizations has a location component; and the demand to access and analyze these data continues to grow. With the flexibility offered by SSS Research’s suite of VITM applications, organizations now have the ability to turn this data into actionable analysis quickly and easily.

About SSS Research
SSS Research has served the Federal IT marketplace since 2003 across many departments and agencies of the United States Department of Defense. Core competencies include thin client visualization and analytics R&D services. SSS has developed a unique Visual Intelligence(VI)TM product set – GeoBoost and GeoTrack - which bring together the power of geospatial visualization technology and business intelligence into a thin-client SOA-compliant platform. Simply put, we help our customers visualize their data in ways never before possible, helping them make better decisions. The Web 2.0 platform allows this solution to integrate with any data source and be deployed and interacted with in real time on any thin-client via browser, including hand-held and mobile devices.

Core commercially-available products include:

• GeoBoost - a Business Intelligence application - combines spatial or geospatial data with business intelligence (BI) data to enable location and time-specific analysis in a unique visualization portal.
• GeoTrack - an asset visualization solution - interacts with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), GPS, or other data and provides a visualization and business rules solution for managing critical assets or personnel, location intelligence and situational awareness.

Just got back from Geoint Symposium 2007 in San Antonio, Texas.  The little town of San Antonio is cute, with the river (and river walk) winding it's way through the town.  The riverwalk was lined with bars and restaurants which really was pleasant.  Just the fact that it was 'below street level' got us out of the way of the cars and roads, made for a fun evening of meandering between bars.  We stayed a 10 minute walk from the convention center in a hotel that was a converted jail.  Bexar County Jail was the county jail from 1878 until 1962.  Of course, this being Texas, the first thing they talked about was the last execution carried out in 1921.  They also took pains to point out where the execution room was, and elevator shaft where the "body drop" took place.  The rooms were converted jail cells -- you could still see where they cut the bars out of the window...

While there, we stopped by The Alamo Mission one morning before the exhibit hall opened.  It was only a few minute walk from downtown.  It was a nice park, but it was unfortunate that the monuments had so much graffiti on them.  I didn't really read the placards so I still don't quite understand what the Alamo was or why I should remember it.  Some Texas thing, no doubt.

It was interesting seeing the map of Mexico from that time frame though -- Mexico claimed all of Texas and up into Wyoming --

The show was a great success, and we were able to demonstrate our technology to several potential customers and clients.  I have a long list of follow up contacts that I need to execute on!

Kurt and Colin work to get the demo's working in our booth...

Below are 2 portraits I snapped of Alex and Mike the last day.  Since I didn't bring my real camera (I was traveling heavy already) the portraits I took of the rest of the crew didn't turn out --- next time!

I just got an email alerting me to the fact that the VS2008 VPC image is going to expire on November 1, 2007, rather than on March 15, 2008 as originally announced.  If you are using the VPC image to test out the new VisualStudio, you need to migrate your data soon.  We've been using VS2008 for a while and are very happy with it, but most of we either installed the bits on our virtual partition, or some of our risky team members installed it right on our the base O.S.

From the email:

FAQ

Q. Will my data be available after November 1, 2007?

A. This is still being researched, however, currently the understanding is that customers will NOT be able to access their date after November 1^st unless the data is moved to an alternate installation location.

Q. Can I reset my system date to re-enable the OS image?

A. Again there is still research being done, however, from the current understanding of the problem resetting the system date back DOES NOT re-enable the OS image.

Just returned from another 2 weeks in South Korea.  Busy trip with most of my time spent inside the office!  I did find a great gym located on Osan Air force base -- a short 20 minute walk from the hotel I stayed at right in front of the main gate.  Even after 3 trips over there, I still haven't been on a DMZ tour, or, for that matter, spent more than a few hours in Seoul!

We (Steve and I) did try to cut out early on Friday, to get a few hours in Seoul before leaving Saturday morning back to the states, but after a 5 hour cab ride in South Korea Traffic, we didn't arrive in the city until almost 2100!  We had a drink, and took a walk around the hotel.  We were 5 blocks from 숭례문 (Namdaemun,  Great Southern Gate)

This is Korea's National Treasure Number 1, constructed in 1396 and was finished in 1398.  It marked the entrance into the city but was partially destroyed by the Japanese during the colonial period.  We also took a stroll through the market which is adjacent to the gate.  The market has been in operation since roughly 1400, and had stalls and vendors which sold everything -- From knockoff coach bags (Steve couldn't find a good deal) to pig's heads (neither of us were hungry), it was for sale...

Detail from the Southern Gate's roof.

Went for traditional sushi one of the nights and it was not only good, the plates were so pretty!  I almost hated to eat the fish, well, almost...

Russ and I had a meeting in Washington D.C. yesterday.  Although I've been to D.C. hundreds of times, I've only seen the insides of conference rooms and airports (BWI, IAD, DCA).  My flight out of Reagan National wasn't until late, and I had an extra half hour in the schedule.  As I was driving around looking for a gas station before I returned the rental car, I looked over and saw Arlington National cemetery.  Rather than sit in DCA bar, I decided to walk around the park for a tick.  It was about 1900 (7pm) so the sun was just setting.  It's a nice park, with a great view across the Potomac of the Capitol.

View Larger Map

I took these pictures with my camera phone, so they didn't turn out very well!

Next time I'll go across the river to the Washington memorial (and maybe I'll remember my camera!)

Any amount of traveling, and you learn that nothing goes as planned.  I was in San Mateo for a meeting late last week, and I had to catch a very early flight back east to get home in time for a meeting that afternoon.  I had asked the front desk to call me a taxi, and they assured me it would be ready, but no taxi was outside the lobby when I went to at 4am.  There was nobody at the desk, and I had already locked the room so I couldn't get to the Internet.  I remembered seeing this video, so I gave it a try.  "San Mateo, Taxi" and I was connected straight away, and then off to the airport I went!

Program 1-800-GOOG-411 into your phone, you never know when you'll be stuck outside a hotel room at 4 in the morning needing to get a cab to the airport!

We've been working on our Silverlight code, and it's getting to a point where I can show potential customers -- I tried to load the code on my Demo machine (XP SP2), and got the following error.

Silverlight error message    
ErrorCode: 2252
ErrorType: ParserError      
Message: AG_E_RUNTIME_MANAGED_ASSEMBLY_DOWNLOAD    
XamlFile: TimeLine1KPoints.xaml    
Line: 7    
Position: 9    

When I setup the virtual directory, I had set the permissions to "Scripts and Executables."  I needed to set the directory permissions to "Scripts only", and my Silverlight application worked perfectly!

Job Title: Manager - Web 2.0 Development

FLSA Status: Exempt

Citizenship: U.S. Citizenship Required

Summary:

This key employee will lead a team of 10-15 developers and 3 team leads reporting to the Chief Technology Officer. The candidate must be skilled in all aspects of the software development lifecycle and must be an expert in the Microsoft Stack and related technologies (ASP.NET, C#, AJAX). The candidate must be able to take on the following roles:

• Manage and mentor a group of developers (40% of time)
• System Architect/Development (20%)
• Program Management (40%)

SSS Research is a dynamic privately held Web 2.0 company that delivers thin client visualization and analytics applications for tracking, system development and integration. SSS Research’s software enables its customers to track people and assets on a worldwide basis through a standard web browser and inform them when issues arise with the tracked assets. In addition to serving commercial needs, SSS Research’s technology has successfully served the United States Government.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

Team Management

• Develop program plans and program budgets, assign tasks and manage workload and deliverables across multiple projects and customers.
• Work with senior management to set strategic directions for major product developments, enhancements and sustainment of efforts.
• Assures the consistent management of projects from initiation through delivery.
• Perform weekly reviews with Sales and Management
• Hire new developers and team leads to support rapid company growth
• Mentor each team to make sure they are growing as needed

System Architecture/Development

• Design and architect the SSS Research Product Platform
• Stay current with new technologies and define the roadmap for incorporation into the platform
• Build a system that scales to meet the needs of the business and customers
• Create the Software Development Lifecycle for SSS and associated processes
• Cerate the Software Quality and Delivery methodology for SSS and the associated processes

Program Management

• Manage deliverables across multiple customers/programs and perform customer reviews as required.
• Be accountable for delivering products per product schedules and budgets.
• Anticipates and manages risks / issues and encourages the organization to proactively address risks and issues in a timely manner.
• Responsible for the enforcement and improvement of project management processes

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Must be able to lead a fast paced “Scrum” environment that employs agile development methodologies where features are defined by the customers.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Must possess a clear, concise communication style so as to interface efficiently and effectively with the customer and the management team
• Must have a high level of interpersonal skills to help drive the customer programs.
• Demonstrated confidence and ability to relate professionally to a wide range of individuals.
• Expertise in ASP.Net, C#, SQL Server 2005, and agile development methodologies.
• Punctual, responsive, reliable and responsible.
• Self-motivated, enthusiastic and capable of developing a multiple concurrent plans and the ability to execute each plan on time and within budgetary guidelines.
• Advanced best practices knowledge of program and project management concepts.
• Able to demonstrate sound negotiation skills when circumstances warrant.
• Able to multi-task and demonstrate exceptional organizational skills while maintaining a strong focus on attention to detail.
• Able to travel on an as needed basis.

Education and/or Experience:

• A bachelor’s degree in a Computer Science; A Master’s Degree is a plus.
• 9+ years of a commercial software development with a focus on building ASP.NET applications.

· Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and programs.

• Experience managing a project team of software development professionals.

· Ability to meet stated customer initiated deadlines.

• Previous experience with tracking systems is preferable.

This position description is intended to by dynamic and subject to change. Position requirements and essential functions may be altered from time to time based upon the needs of the organization and department. This position may be required to execute special projects or other related duties on occasion.

Job Title: Lead Web 2.0 Developer

FLSA Status: Exempt

Citizenship: U.S. Citizenship Required

Summary:

This key employee will lead a team of 3-5 developers and will report to the Manager of Web 2.0 Development. The candidate must be skilled in all aspects of the software development lifecycle and must be an expert in ASP.NET, C# and AJAX. The candidate must be able to take on the following roles:

• Manage and mentor a group of developers (30% of time)
• Act as a developer for core pieces of the technology (30%)
• System Architect (20%)
• Business/System Analyst (20%)

SSS Research is a dynamic privately held Web 2.0 company that delivers thin client visualization and analytics applications for tracking, system development and integration. SSS Research’s software enables its customers to track people and assets on a worldwide basis through a standard web browser and inform them when issues arise with the tracked assets. In addition to serving commercial needs, SSS Research’s technology has successfully served the United States Government.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

Team Management

• Mentor each developer to make sure they are growing as needed
• Develop project plans, assign tasks and manage workload and deliverables
• Perform weekly reviews with Management
• Train developers in new technologies
• Assist in hiring new developers as team grows
• Perform code reviews, software design sessions, architectural reviews on a regular basis

System Architecture

• Design and architect the GeoTrack Product Platform
• Integrate best development practices into the company
• Build a system that scales to meet the needs of the business
• Create and maintain development standards documentation

Development

• Develop new components/features in ASP.NET, C#, SQL and AJAX using Visual Studio.
• Test and integrate components into the system as required

Business/Systems Analysis

• Create business/functional specifications
• Translate functional specifications into technical specifications

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Must be able to work in a fast paced “Scrum” environment that employs agile development methodologies where features are defined by the customers.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Must possess a clear, concise communication style so as to interface efficiently and effectively with the customer and fellow technical personnel.
• Must have a high level of interpersonal skills to help drive the customer project.
• Demonstrated confidence and ability to relate professionally to a wide range of individuals.
• Able to work with minimal supervision and in both an independent and team environment.
• Expertise in ASP.Net, C#, SQL Server 2005, and agile development methodologies.
• Punctual, responsive, reliable and responsible.
• Self-motivated, enthusiastic and capable of developing a plan and the ability to execute the plan on time and within budgetary guidelines.
• Knowledge of project management principles, methods and terminology.
• Able to demonstrate sound negotiation skills when circumstances warrant.
• Able to multi-task and demonstrate exceptional organizational skills while maintaining a strong focus on attention to detail.
• Able to travel on an as needed basis.

Education and/or Experience:

• A bachelor’s degree in a Computer Science; A Master’s Degree is a plus.
• 5+ years of a commercial software development with a focus on building ASP.NET applications.
• Data layer experience using SQL Server and Microsoft technologies preferred.

· Demonstrated ability to manage multiple facets of a project.

• Experience managing a project team of software development professionals.

· Ability to meet stated customer initiated deadlines.

• Previous experience with tracking systems is preferable.

This position description is intended to by dynamic and subject to change. Position requirements and essential functions may be altered from time to time based upon the needs of the organization and department. This position may be required to execute special projects or other related duties on occasion.