http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220365
The attached article discusses how Salo, a small company from Minnesota, outsourced all of its IT to a cloud computing provider called mindShift Technologies out of Waltham, Mass. This allowed Salo to focus on the business of providing its customers the best finance, accounting, and human resoources staffing. mindShift Technologies offers its customers a total IT subscription cloud based solution. This gives the small business the bandwidth it needs to use its expertise to get the job done. It removes the need to have IT savvy resources on your payroll and costly infrastructure that need to be supported. The cloud is making it easy for companies large and small, to get out of the business of IT, and get on with the business that brings them revenue.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Steve Jobs - Design Your Own Life
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/10/steve_jobs_legacy_design_your.html#.To_RlA1IVIg.email
Like many of you, I too was touched by the passing of Steve Jobs this last week. I really liked the attached article, which discussed Steve Jobs philosophy about designing your own life. I believe it is what we all should strive for, but is very hard to do. Many of us follow the status quo and don't deviate from it, even if we feel differently. I particularly liked the line that Steve said about designing your own life and living it the way you want to, you can go from "Kiss-ass to Kick-ass". Because he lived his philosophy, there is a lot of technology out there for us to work with.
Like many of you, I too was touched by the passing of Steve Jobs this last week. I really liked the attached article, which discussed Steve Jobs philosophy about designing your own life. I believe it is what we all should strive for, but is very hard to do. Many of us follow the status quo and don't deviate from it, even if we feel differently. I particularly liked the line that Steve said about designing your own life and living it the way you want to, you can go from "Kiss-ass to Kick-ass". Because he lived his philosophy, there is a lot of technology out there for us to work with.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
IBM's Thinking of the next four Big Things in Technology
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/qanda-ibms-tim-sheehy-on-the-next-four-big-things-in-tech/2011/10/04/gIQAZIOLLL_blog.html
In this Washington Post article, Tim Sheehy of IBM discusses the next four big things in technology which are:
In this Washington Post article, Tim Sheehy of IBM discusses the next four big things in technology which are:
- Machines that think - Watson is the best example of this. These machines can learn and compile information the way you and I do, whether it’s through visual information, spoken information or graphics. Health care is the most immediate application where all doctors would have access to machines like this help improve patient care. The law is another application where all cases are online and Watson can help with litigation support. Many more possibilities exist.
- Nanotechnology - This lets you have a system on a chip. Nanomedicine is one application, one could target and find strains of bacteria, like a laser-guided missile for bacteria that’s resistant to antibiotics. think of the possibilities.
- Big Data Analysis - This is about squeezing out as much information from large amounts of data as is possible. It’s very good for prevention of fraud or just finding mistakes in government program. Right now there is work going on with New York to root out errors in their Medicare and Medicaid systems.
- Exascale Supercomting Systems - Leveraging existing technologies to improve computing power by an order of magnitute. Working with the Department of Energy’s laboratories, IBM could look at the energy grid of the whole U.S. and find ways to make it more resistant to failure.
Lines Between Business and IT is Disappearing
http://m.zdnet.com/blog/btl/michael-dell-line-between-business-and-it-is-disappearing/59700
In the article Michael Dell, CEO and Founder of Dell Computers said "Technology is no longer the tool that enables business, but rather it’s actually embedded inside the business function itself. Cloud is enabling an even bigger change, and the line between business and IT is simply disappearing. Based on what’s happening with mobile, cloud and social computing these days, we’re in the midst of a “true paradigm shift.” Customers are looking for value not devices. IT, traditionally a cost center and still so, but they have started to look for ways to reduce cost and help with revenue generation. They have become the driving force in most organizations leading the trasformation to the Cloud helping the company realize its goals.
In the article Michael Dell, CEO and Founder of Dell Computers said "Technology is no longer the tool that enables business, but rather it’s actually embedded inside the business function itself. Cloud is enabling an even bigger change, and the line between business and IT is simply disappearing. Based on what’s happening with mobile, cloud and social computing these days, we’re in the midst of a “true paradigm shift.” Customers are looking for value not devices. IT, traditionally a cost center and still so, but they have started to look for ways to reduce cost and help with revenue generation. They have become the driving force in most organizations leading the trasformation to the Cloud helping the company realize its goals.
Cloud Computing set to "Skyrocket" Driven by the Economy
http://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2011/10/04/cloud-computing-set-to-skyrocket-driven-by-economy-survey/
This article reports some very interesting results of a survey conducted by KPMG International and Forbes Insight of 900 executives. The survey reports that 81% say their organizations have already moved at least some business activities to the cloud and expect 2012 investment “to skyrocket, and economic factors were cited by 76% as an important driver for cloud adoption. The following statement sums it all up for me and as an entrepreneur, I find this very encouraging.
“Cloud is transformative in that it is creating new business opportunities as companies harness its power to efficiently facilitate new revenue, services and businesses. It is breaking down barriers in the supply chain, creating more effective and timely interaction between clients and suppliers. It is delivering speed, agility and cost reduction to IT and other functional areas within the enterprise. The transformative impact of cloud can readily be seen across the enterprise in areas from HR, CRM, and IT infrastructure.”
This article reports some very interesting results of a survey conducted by KPMG International and Forbes Insight of 900 executives. The survey reports that 81% say their organizations have already moved at least some business activities to the cloud and expect 2012 investment “to skyrocket, and economic factors were cited by 76% as an important driver for cloud adoption. The following statement sums it all up for me and as an entrepreneur, I find this very encouraging.
“Cloud is transformative in that it is creating new business opportunities as companies harness its power to efficiently facilitate new revenue, services and businesses. It is breaking down barriers in the supply chain, creating more effective and timely interaction between clients and suppliers. It is delivering speed, agility and cost reduction to IT and other functional areas within the enterprise. The transformative impact of cloud can readily be seen across the enterprise in areas from HR, CRM, and IT infrastructure.”
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Increase Your Company's Productivity With Social Media
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/09/increase_your_companys_productiv.html#.Toi9O6yWa-s.email
I have always believed that if you get employees involved in discussions around company strategy and innovation, it makes for more productive output. This article reports that by using web 2.0 techniques with communities inside a company, it results in more innovation. Unisys has used this technique very successfully and it should be adopted by many more companies. The article states that "Done right, social tools can resolve longstanding issues of knowledge loss and inefficiency. To harness the productive power of social tools in your company, make sure you have the following eight elements in place as you roll out social network for your company:
I have always believed that if you get employees involved in discussions around company strategy and innovation, it makes for more productive output. This article reports that by using web 2.0 techniques with communities inside a company, it results in more innovation. Unisys has used this technique very successfully and it should be adopted by many more companies. The article states that "Done right, social tools can resolve longstanding issues of knowledge loss and inefficiency. To harness the productive power of social tools in your company, make sure you have the following eight elements in place as you roll out social network for your company:
- Strategy: Be sure there is buy-in and engagement from senior executives who are willing to lead by example.
- Alignment: Get involvement from stakeholder groups across the company.
- Technology: Determine the right mix of tools and technologies.
- Pilot: Identify pilot groups like Unisys did with the sales team.
- Governance: Establish guidelines for governance.
- Communications: Develop a communications plan.
- Metrics: Identify hard business metrics like increasing speed to innovation or speed for winning new business.
- Implementation: Create process for enterprise wide implementation new skills needed for success like social media literacy
The Federal Government Using The Cloud
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinjackson/2011/10/01/homeland-security-moves-to-cloud-through-gsa-iaas-bpa/
This article discusses the use of cloud computing by the federal government. It discusses that standards are being put in place for use of the cloud by the many federal government organizations. Their strategy is to approve once and use many times, so all organizations will not have to put in place their own approval, selection, and deployment process. As an entrepreneur working government organizations from federal to state to local, this is very encouraging for business opportunities.
This article discusses the use of cloud computing by the federal government. It discusses that standards are being put in place for use of the cloud by the many federal government organizations. Their strategy is to approve once and use many times, so all organizations will not have to put in place their own approval, selection, and deployment process. As an entrepreneur working government organizations from federal to state to local, this is very encouraging for business opportunities.
Selling is not about relationship building
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/09/selling_is_not_about_relatio.html#.Toi7p0y_A0g.email
This was a very eye opening article. I was always under the impression that relationships made sales, but the study done by HBR proves that to be wrong. They conclude that in this economic recession that the sales rep that challenges the customer wins more sales and the relationship developer salles rep loses sales. I will look for further updates on this study. I wonder if where this is headed is that one approach does not always win and that the best sales rep needs to be adapatable to the economic conditions facing their customers.
This was a very eye opening article. I was always under the impression that relationships made sales, but the study done by HBR proves that to be wrong. They conclude that in this economic recession that the sales rep that challenges the customer wins more sales and the relationship developer salles rep loses sales. I will look for further updates on this study. I wonder if where this is headed is that one approach does not always win and that the best sales rep needs to be adapatable to the economic conditions facing their customers.
Google Taking Over the Travel Industry
http://gigaom.com/2011/10/01/bon-voyage-travel-agents-googles-taking-over-travel/?utm_source=#frankguillen
In this article the author exposes the fact that Google is possibly planning to become an online travel agent (OTA). With Google's already powerful search engine which is being used to lookup hotels (an industry where over $120B was spent on last year), their launch of Google Flight which helps you lookup flights and airline, and their acquition of Zagat which can get you to the best restaurats. The only thing missing from that combination is car rental and a "book it" button and you can see how Google can become your travel agent.
In this article the author exposes the fact that Google is possibly planning to become an online travel agent (OTA). With Google's already powerful search engine which is being used to lookup hotels (an industry where over $120B was spent on last year), their launch of Google Flight which helps you lookup flights and airline, and their acquition of Zagat which can get you to the best restaurats. The only thing missing from that combination is car rental and a "book it" button and you can see how Google can become your travel agent.
What Facebook Really Wants - To Build a Separate Internet
http://m.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2011/09/what-facebook-really-wants.html
I agree with the author of this article when he says that what Facebook really wants is to build a separate internet. He says "Initially, Facebook was just a place to post photographs and see which of your high-school classmates had gone to pot. Then it became a place for organizing political protests, and wasting time playing games. It’s grown and grown in all these ways. It gets credit from many for helping facilitate the Arab Spring, and it now hosts four per cent of all the photographs ever taken. Now, if Facebook gets its way, it’ll be where you read your news, find new songs, and watch video. It will have eaten a big chunk of the rest of the Internet". Unfortunately if this does come to fruition and Facebook gets what it wants, we will be the mercy of the creators of this social media site.
I agree with the author of this article when he says that what Facebook really wants is to build a separate internet. He says "Initially, Facebook was just a place to post photographs and see which of your high-school classmates had gone to pot. Then it became a place for organizing political protests, and wasting time playing games. It’s grown and grown in all these ways. It gets credit from many for helping facilitate the Arab Spring, and it now hosts four per cent of all the photographs ever taken. Now, if Facebook gets its way, it’ll be where you read your news, find new songs, and watch video. It will have eaten a big chunk of the rest of the Internet". Unfortunately if this does come to fruition and Facebook gets what it wants, we will be the mercy of the creators of this social media site.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Avoid Vendor Lock-in In the Cloud
http://gigaom.com/2011/09/24/5-ways-to-protect-against-vendor-lock-in-in-the-cloud/?utm_source=#frankguillen
This article points out the need to avoid vendor lock-in in the cloud. If you allow your company to get locked in, it can and will mean price increases and loss of flexibility, which is why you went to the cloud in the first place. It cites the following steps that can help with this issue:
This article points out the need to avoid vendor lock-in in the cloud. If you allow your company to get locked in, it can and will mean price increases and loss of flexibility, which is why you went to the cloud in the first place. It cites the following steps that can help with this issue:
- Avoid vendor lock-in at all cost - if not done, it can result in cost increases that will rob your company of capital needed to invest in growth.
- Know thy PaaS - use multiple PaaS providers to ensure flexibility.
- Ask hard questions about redundancy and system architecture - the same questions your customers ask you about your solution. Don't settle.
- Pick code that's easier and faster to modify - many vendors impose coding technology constraints on their customers (ex. Force.com - Apex).
School Construction Authority Use Technology To Assist Public Education
In New York City, the School Construction Authority (SCA), and the Board of Education (DOE) have a very strong linkage in ensuring the use of technology to assist in public education. DOE has developed a 5 year information technology plan to better educate the kids in its system. The plan includes the needed infrastructure, bandwidth, class room dimentional layout to support multimedia, and many other technology requirements. The SCA is fully aware of this plan and in putting up new structures, they ensure compliance with the technology needs as required by the DOE.
In its construction operation, the SCA uses technology to ensure efficiency and productiivity. They use technology to ensure on time on budget projects, so the kids get the benefits of the new technology on time and the tax payers are not over charged. They also promote the use of minority and disadvantaged business' in helping them achieve their goal. They use tchnology to track compliance and to ensure there is no gaming of the system.
In its construction operation, the SCA uses technology to ensure efficiency and productiivity. They use technology to ensure on time on budget projects, so the kids get the benefits of the new technology on time and the tax payers are not over charged. They also promote the use of minority and disadvantaged business' in helping them achieve their goal. They use tchnology to track compliance and to ensure there is no gaming of the system.
New CIO Agenda - Enterprise Cloud Computing for IT Innovation
http://m.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2011/09/the-new-cio-agenda.php?utm_source=feedburner
This article does an excellent job of pointing out that in today's economic environment, business survival depends on IT innovation. They point out that enterprise cloud computing
presents CIOs with tremendous opportunities to deliver that innovation. By thinking
like CEOs, they use enterprise cloud computing to play a strategic role in driving new revenue and reducing costs.
Keys to Business Happiness
http://www.inc.com/staff-blog/5-keys-to-business-happiness.html?utm_source=twitterfeed
I must be getting older, because articles like this really appeal to me. I enjoyed that it pointed out happy employees make successful business. Some of the keys to happiness are:
I must be getting older, because articles like this really appeal to me. I enjoyed that it pointed out happy employees make successful business. Some of the keys to happiness are:
- Be an active participant in many communities of interest - expand your horizon
- Have a high level of personal expression - let it out, don't keep it bottled up
- Have a high level of personal empathy - eat your own dog food
- Be grateful and give back - leave the world a better place than when you got here
- Articulate and believe there is a higher calling - there is bigger plan and you are being used to accomplish it.
Small Business Helped By Google Tools
http://www.businessinsider.com/google-analytics-tips-website-2011-9?utm_source=feedburner
As an owner of a small business with web sites that present our artists, and sell our skateboards, music, clothing, etc. The Google tools intended to identify and report valuable information about your customers and their interaction with your site is invaluable. Use of such reported data as:
As an owner of a small business with web sites that present our artists, and sell our skateboards, music, clothing, etc. The Google tools intended to identify and report valuable information about your customers and their interaction with your site is invaluable. Use of such reported data as:
- What Browsers and Operating System are being used - helps you streamline testing.
- What specifically isn't keeping people interested - either remove or market differently.
- What exactly draws people to your site - do more of this.
- When you have hit a million clicks - celebrate but not for long, duplicate that effort.
Makes it possible to plan a strategy to drive success in your business. You can be the decider of your own business destiny, and not leave it up to faith.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Technology Enabling Math Education
A local board of education have been very aggessively pursuing a program to help improve the math understanding and scores of middle school students. They will be using a combination of online training, one on one, and classroom sessions to help the students assimilate the material. They will be rolling out new technology infrastructure to the participating schools to enable access to the appropriate content approved by the school for use. All the technology and content will be targeted at the school campus and the kids can only use these facilities to participate. It would a great addition to the program, if it was extended to the kids while they are at home. With many after school programs being cut because of budget issues, kids could benefit greatly from access to this program at home. Many of them have a PC and internet access at home and can logon to the appropriate web site to get access to the program. Expanding the program to the homes can and will have a significant positive impact on kids that want to do the work but were not receiving it in the proper manner.
Trends Shaping the Future of Commerce
http://gigaom.com/mobile/four-mega-trends-shaping-the-future-of-commerce/?utm_source=#frankguillen
I think the four trends of Mobile, Local, Social, and Digital that are shaping the future of commerce, make it very exciting. Mobile devices have exploded in adoption and use, and with the continued realization of Moores's law, these devices are getting faster and cheaper and can support many new and innovative applications. Combined with knowledge of Local events, Social interactions, and Digital capability, the future looks bright and challenging. As the part owner of a christain Hip Hop music label, an online retail store selling skatebaords, clothing, and music, and a charitable foundation I formed to honor the memory of my mother - who was killed in freak traffic accident, these trends get me very excited about where I can take these business'.
I think the four trends of Mobile, Local, Social, and Digital that are shaping the future of commerce, make it very exciting. Mobile devices have exploded in adoption and use, and with the continued realization of Moores's law, these devices are getting faster and cheaper and can support many new and innovative applications. Combined with knowledge of Local events, Social interactions, and Digital capability, the future looks bright and challenging. As the part owner of a christain Hip Hop music label, an online retail store selling skatebaords, clothing, and music, and a charitable foundation I formed to honor the memory of my mother - who was killed in freak traffic accident, these trends get me very excited about where I can take these business'.
Virtualization of the Workforce
http://mashable.com/2011/09/17/work-from-home-infographi/?utm_source=twitterfeed
This article highlights the growing phenomenon of virtualization of the workforce. I started working from home about a year ago and have interacted with many more professional who are doing the same. We all believe that we are much more productive, spend more hours working, enjoy what we do more, are more creative, and have a more balanced life. This phenomenon will continue to grow.
This article highlights the growing phenomenon of virtualization of the workforce. I started working from home about a year ago and have interacted with many more professional who are doing the same. We all believe that we are much more productive, spend more hours working, enjoy what we do more, are more creative, and have a more balanced life. This phenomenon will continue to grow.
True Workforce Globalization
http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2011/09/13/hcl-looks-to-boost-u-s-workforce/
Having been responsible for driving workforce globilization strategy and implementation for many years, which have always meant, taking jobs away fron US workers and sending them offshore to India, China, and other countries. I am very encouraged to see HCL, an Indian based company, working with US schools to help drive improvment in technology related curriculum, and to start hiring and training more US based students as engineers to take jobs here in the US. This is truely globalization of the workforce.
Having been responsible for driving workforce globilization strategy and implementation for many years, which have always meant, taking jobs away fron US workers and sending them offshore to India, China, and other countries. I am very encouraged to see HCL, an Indian based company, working with US schools to help drive improvment in technology related curriculum, and to start hiring and training more US based students as engineers to take jobs here in the US. This is truely globalization of the workforce.
Enhancing Math Education With Software
http://m.techcrunch.com/2011/09/16/tenmarks-raises-3-million-for-personalized-math-learning-saas/?utm_source=feedburner
I applaud companies that are using their skills and resources to help to improve the math learnings of our students. We know that the US is far behind many other nations like India and China in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and we need to make a serious move to try to catch up. TenMarks is one company that is using technology and content to help get students interested and learning this important subject. I have been involved with the NYC department of education School of One program. In this program they are working to improve the match scores of middle schoolers by proving them with training in the best manner for them to learn, that is online, one on one, classroom, etc.
I applaud companies that are using their skills and resources to help to improve the math learnings of our students. We know that the US is far behind many other nations like India and China in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and we need to make a serious move to try to catch up. TenMarks is one company that is using technology and content to help get students interested and learning this important subject. I have been involved with the NYC department of education School of One program. In this program they are working to improve the match scores of middle schoolers by proving them with training in the best manner for them to learn, that is online, one on one, classroom, etc.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Technology Impact on Parks and Recreation
Technology is being utilized by many local governments to more effectively schedule events at local parks. This ensures that the process to get these events up and running are being handled much more efficiently and with more wide knowledge of their occurnace on the part of the citizens. This helps drive participation and improved quality of life. Technology is also being used to plan recreational programs, get citizens to signup and to monitor customer satisfaction with programs. All in all local governments are using technology to ensure that parks and recreation is a much more smoothly run organization than it has been in the past.
Technology Impact on the Mobility of Disabled and Elderly Citizens
As a result of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, transportation must be provided to individuals who are unable to use conventional public transportation due to their disabilities. Local governments are mandated to provide a safe, and reliable transportation system for residents throughout the city who prove they are disabled.
Technology is being used as an enabler to ensure the system is safe and reliable. Some such technologies include:
Technology is being used as an enabler to ensure the system is safe and reliable. Some such technologies include:
- Automatic vehicle location monitoring and tracking system,
- Mobile Data terminals with navigation,
- Global positioning system,
- Vector street matching,
- Wireless LAN,
- Computer aided dispatch with flashback
- Interactive Voice Response unit,
- Call center with reliable queueing algorhythms,
- Interface to traffic reporting and routing systems
This Act and the technologies that are deployed to enable it's safe and reliable execution are delivering a stonger quality of life for disabled citizens, put in place by the government.
Technology impact on local government
Government organizations at all levels have been negatively affected by the global economic recession. Many local governments have been hard hit financially by reduced federal and state funding appropriations, stretched budgets due to the economy and inflation, shrinking funding sources from erosion of their tax base, and structural deficits such as unsustainable union contracts. These financial issues further exacerbate long standing organizational issues of limited enterprise wide application platforms, lack of cross functional integration, and IT organization's lack of proper business acumen and effective business unit partnerships. Operationally they suffer from problematic annual budget reconciliation processes, non-optimized procurement and asset management processes, limited and/or flawed records management processes, badly needed infrastructure modernization and a insufficient leveraging of IT platforms to achieve business results.
Many of these issues require the same solutions implemented by private sector companies to reduce their operational costs, increase their revenues, and enhance their customer satisfacion. These include:
Many of these issues require the same solutions implemented by private sector companies to reduce their operational costs, increase their revenues, and enhance their customer satisfacion. These include:
- Business process analysis and optimization
- IT architecture blueprint development
- System consolidation, and data integration
- Citizens portal - conduct business 24x7
- Business intelligence, analytics and management dashboards for transparency
- Document management strategies and implementation
- eProcurement and asset management systems
- Content management strategies and implementation
- Cloud based strategies and implementation
- Locator Services
- Address and mail management services
(address cleansing, move updates, pre-sort discounts) - National DMV integration
- GIS center of excellence
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