First Take - 3 Key Takeaways from Ultimate's UltiConnect Conference Day 1 Keynote

Here are my top 3 takeaways from today’s keynote:

• People First – Ultimate has been stressing their people first perspective on building software since a while, but it is now that this philosophy becomes real and tangible in software with its new recruiting functionality, designed for the main people population in recruiting, the candidate. It will be interesting to see Ultimate apply this philosophy to new functionality coming in 2014 and beyond. There is certainly a differentiating angle with the people first perspective – it will be interesting to see how Ultimate will make this approach even more tangible going forward. 

• Global – Globalization is one of the strongest forces enterprises are facing today and it is good to see Ultimate reacting to that. Support 30+ languages and localizations is a good start, opening an office in London also helps, but Ultimate will have to pick up speed in this area to remain a credible and viable vendor for more global needs and aspirations in its existing and prospective customers. 

• Roadmap – Ultimate shared its roadmap not only for the next 12 – but the next 24 months. And there are major HCM building blocks coming – at the end of that period Ultimate will be complete in terms of HCM automation (as we know it today). Kudos to Ultimate for sharing this, which requires significant fortitude and is seldom seen today for a 12+ month horizon – but sharing product plans is of immense value for customers and prospects to chart their course in their uptake and usage of HCM automation. 

MyPOV