We were given the title Cloud Computing 'expert' and featured in the Institute of Directors (IoD) Director magazine last week. The IoD is Europe's largest membership organisation for business leaders.

The article was a business advice clinic sponsored by IBM. The experts commented on the benefits and challenges of online collaboration tools. AA Translations , a business translation firm, was used as a case study. The question posed was "How can... the cloud improve collaboration and make my business more efficient?". Other experts inlcuded: John McGuire, chief executive of FreshTL and Christopher Barnatt from Nottingham University Business School.

We commented:

"Applications in the cloud are bringing many business advantages, and with the growth in services there are now an increasing number of providers from which to choose.

But when you outsource your core processes to the cloud, it is vital to pick a provider carefully. You must be able to evaluate the supplier's capabilities for the service you are requesting, and you should try out the provider with a small, low-impact project; in other words, dip your toe into the water first.

Once the project is fully operational, you should monitor the experiences of users from an independent viewpoint to be sure the provider continues to deliver."

Click here for the full article.