Month: December 2008
What if you could show key Social Media/Web2.0 sites in one graphic?
Overdrive is a company that specializes in helping others leverage the social media landscape. They produced a great graphic that gives at least a high level overview of the key social media and web2.0 world. Click on the image here for a larger view download the PDF here: Download social-media-map.pdf (1330.3K)
I really like this graphic for a couple reasons. One is that like many other people I long for ways that can help me visualize and grasp things in this fast moving space. I know this does not capture all the social media sites and I know the categories are not as clean as depicted here. But still it is GREAT context and will be helpful to me in explaining to others some of the fast moving cloud based services out there (note to overdrive: please find room to add a section on cloud services, like cloud based office automation).
Another key reason I like this is it proves Overdrive's assertion that they are a company that can demystify online tools and help companies leverage these capabilities. The fact that they are letting any blogger anywhere post this graphic on their site is proof that they understand how these things work. Companies who want to make it in social spaces should give first then receive later.
How did I find this cool graphic? Friends at Facebook sent it to me. I found this cool social media reference through a cool social media site.
The Disruptive Power of Netbooks
The idea of light-weight, low-cost, but very powerful laptops designed for a smaller feature set than traditional laptops has been around for a decade or so. But all indications are that something has changed in the market place. Due to a convergence of many factors, netbooks are growing in sales. These factors include the continual improvement in wireless speeds, the more widespread availability of wifi, the continued drop in cost of hardware, the continued increase in performance of open source operating systems and open source applications, the unstoppable move to more thin-client solutions, and the dramatically increased capabilities of cloud computing services (including the entire web2.0 megatrend and of course the continued innovations of Google in the cloud computing and online applications space).
I just did a few searches on Amazon and Bestbuy for netbooks devices, and pulled up entries for small notebooks like the Acer Aspire One, an 8.9-inch mini laptop that runs Linux Lite and sells for under $300.00. It has plenty of capability and is very lightweight. It comes loaded with applications, including open source office automation packages (I think I would want to download the most recent version of open office if I purchased this). It also comes with a built in camera and is ready for high end video chat.
Will I buy one? There are clearly some of these in my future, I just don't know when. I have a MacBook and I really like it for everything I need in a laptop. I use it around the house and on travel. And, although it is over a year old now, it doesn't need replacement. When it does, however, I'm going to be asking myself why I would want to pay $1000 more for a Mac instead of a couple hundered for a Netbook. So much of what I do I do on the cloud anyway, and the many things I do locally can be done using the free Open Office.
If we assume the same sort of trades are being considered by other buyers, a conclusion starts to emerge. Netbooks are going to be a very disruptive force in the market.
And what is the market saying so far about this trend? Acer is reporting huge success with their netbooks approach, their sales have been growing significantly. They just reported a 78.8 percent growth rate over the same quarter in 2007. And this is during a huge market downturn. HP and Dell are reporting unit sales growth of 13.5 percent and 10.7 percent, respectively. Apple is just about flat.
If you are an enterprise CTO, what should you do with this information? For one, you should consider how to use laptops/netbooks like these in your organization. If done right, you can enhance the security of your enterprise by moving more of your data and applications to secure clouds, and you can also add security features to your netbooks and field a significant enhancement to your security posture. And, since the cost of these devices is far less than traditional laptops you can equip more of your workforce and save money at the same time, which is a very virtuous thing in this economic environment.
Note: I've previously written about several devices that qualify as netbooks, including:
Thin Client Laptops: Functionality, Security, Mobility A review of high end, enterprise quality wireless stateless thin clients using the Sun Microsystems approach;
and
The Future Is Changing Again A review of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) initiative.
I also recommend a recent article at Economist.com called Small is Beautiful.
And, thanks to a friend on Twitter, I just got pointed to a post at GigaOm titled: Why Netbooks are Greener Than Laptops
Tips for the new CTO: How to engineer a miracle
I ran into so many friends at the AFCEA solutions conference this week. One guy I have not seen in person for years is Mike “Ziggy” Steinmetz. Ziggy is a great leader and thinker at Northrop Grumman. He is also a tremendous collector of wisdom and a teacher who helped prepare me for my position as CTO of DIA. Seeing him made me think I should share some of these lessons with you.
The lessons come from the true story of the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team. The guys that did the impossible by defeating the Soviets. We all know the story. And there is a GREAT movie titled “Miracle” that captures it very very well. From the Amazon description of the movie: "Kurt Russell gives a brilliant performance as the dynamic and
determined coach Herb Brooks, who had an impossible dream — beat the
seemingly unbeatable Soviets at their own game. Starting with a
handpicked group of 26 undisciplined kids, Brooks coached them to play
like they never played before, and turned 20 of them into a team that
believed they could achieve the unachievable — and in the process,
united a nation with a new feeling of hope."
Think of the coach of that team, Herb Brooks, and his strategy for winning. He took players who once played for competing teams with long standing rivalries and forged a new team unlike any team that had ever played before. The way he did it has direct lessons for many areas of leadership, especially technology leadership.
Watch the movie and look for these lessons/thoughts:
- Coach Herb Brooks convinced everyone that something different had to occur than had been occurring in the past. ”Only way to succeed is to change the way we play the game. “ Then he engineered a strategy.
- Herb picked his team, not based on who the best technicians were, but who the best team players were: "Not looking for the best players I am looking for the right players." How does this translate to technologists? CTOs want skilled technical experts, but just as important is getting skilled technical experts who can work as part of a team.
- Cheap shots however self justified, hurt the team "This is not about old rivalries." As enterprises transition from the old way of doing things to the new way of doing things they must forget about our own old rivalries.
- Orientation early is by region: "I'm Ralph Cox and I'm from where ever won't get me hit.” Herb worked them till they realized—they are on a new team now. Frequently technologists must have the same light bulb go off. Enterprise technologists sometimes need to be reminded they play for a bigger team than they used to.
- This is the same point Herb drives home when he says “ The name on the front is a hell of a lot more important than the name on the back”
- The team’s identity crisis had to be fixed as it was the source of a lot of the early problems. "Think you can win on talent alone…you don't have enough talent to win on talent alone!" "Name on the front is a hell of a lot more important than the name on the back” “Win loose tie…you are going to play like champions" "If you want to make this team you had better start playing at a level that forces me to keep you here". Herb understood the consequences of the identity crisis the team faced he also understood he could not tell the team what their identity was; they had to figure that out for themselves.
- Herb's unexpected personal comments of concern towards Jimmy Craig…"I've got to know why you are here and where you are coming from" "I'm here aren't I?" "Don't forget to bring your game".
- NHL all stars lost because they played as individual all stars and not as a team.
- "All Stars won't change their game” No one has ever worked hard enough to skate with the Soviets for an entire game…. we will!
- Dedication to improvement and personal improvement were key.
- The Carter "Crisis in Confidence speech" is a metaphor for many old, legacy enterprise technology environments. "More believe they will be less better off in the next 5 years". “Stop crying start sweating, stop talking start walking".
- 1st face-off in Madison Sq garden. Mark Johnson looks at the Soviet Captain and it is still evident he is thinking in terms of individual vs. team effort. "Jimmy Craig's comment "you gotta listen to me" is a metaphor for the communications breakdown that led to the performance on the ice"
- O'Callaghan injury and the decision to keep him. Herb knew that once the team was set it was less disruptive to go down a man than to introduce a new member of a successful team.
- "Pulling the goalie" "Jimmy I Know there is more" "Coach It's my net.” “Jimmy, They just scored 10 goals…right now its anybodies net"
- ”Lets not turn this game into something it is not.” “I’m not sure we have any control over that”.
- ”You earn opportunity” Through hard work you make it “your time”.
- Face-off to the 3rd period. Compare Mark Johnson’s face to that 1st face-off in Madison Sq garden. Finally they meet as mental and physical equals. The difference…attitude and a string of “small successes.” I have seen technology teams like this. I've seen engineering teams who have decided to be world class best and so they are. I've seen technologists set goals for themselves that have them walking among the giants of computer science and enterprise operations.
A CTO needs to do more than watch a movie to be a great CTO. But this movie sure gives you things to think about. So, a big thumbs up from the CTOvision movie review team.
CTOs, Global Cyberwar and Our Collective Future
If you are a technologist, please take a moment to download the PDF of the report by the U.S. Commission on Cybersecurity. This report, titled Securing Cyberspace for the 44th Presidency, is the best proclamation of the challenges of cyber I have read. It is also a roadmap that will help any trying to navigate these very tough issues.
I've been involved in things cyber for a long time. My deepest
involvement began in December 1998, almost 10 years ago to the day.
In all that time I've seen lots of studies and lots of papers and many
treatments of the issues. But I've never seen one that captures the
complexities and the need for specific actions as well as this one.
I'd really recommend you read every word, if you want to be considered literate in this field. But if it will be a little while till you get to it, here are some key points:
The three major findings are: 1) Cybersecurity is now a major national security problem for the U.S., 2) Decisions and actins must respect privacy and civil liberties, and 3) only a comprehensive national security strategy that embraces both the domestic and international aspects of cybersecurity will make us more secure.
The report makes a few points about the Bush Administration's Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative (CNCI). In general the give credit to that initiative, and call it good. I agree, it is a great activity I've previously written about that is led by one of the most effective people in government today and has done great work. But as the comission points out, the work of the CNCI is good but not sufficient.
The biggest shock for me in this study: The amount of funding on R&D for cyber security. I have been looking into the many activities underway, and maybe that look made me deceive myself into thinking it was a well funded effort. According to the comission, however, they estimate that the total R&D funding in the federal government for cybersecurity is about $300million. Less than two-tenths of one percent of the total federal R&D.
The report has a great section on identity manangement.
I am convinced the organizational approaches outlined in the study are the right ones as well. There is only one place in our government where we can lead solutions to this challenge. Where is that? Hey read the report!
What else do I recommend CTOs do besides read the report? I think one way we can all help the cybersecurity effort is to think through which standards bodies are the most important to engage with regarding security. A few are here:
http://www.ctovision.com/2008/05/standards-organizations-ctos-should-track.html
Cloud computing and my small business
I run a small strategic consulting business, Crucial Point LLC.
My core business requires lots of hands on work and time of myself and partners and associates, and like in many other businesses, the less time I spend on admin for myself the more time I can spend being productive. I also need to watch costs and need to be as agile and mobile as possible. One of the approaches I have taken to address those needs is to maximize my use of Google Apps and other related Google capabilities.
Here is some more background on how I use them:
E-mail to my company is really handled by Google Apps. If you send a note to contact @ crucialpointllc .com, or any other active address at that domain, it is handled by the Google e-mail servers. I access the e-mail like you access your gmail. I get it through a browser and can access it anywhere. I can also use a client package to download the mail when I want to. And I use that on my blackberry when I'm on the move (which is just about always).
The e-mail for Crucial Point LLC is also well integrated with other capabilities like Google Calendar, and that calendar is also synchronized with my blackberry. My contacts are also synchronized between my blackberry and my gmail based mail contacts.
I use Google Docs at the site as well. This allows me to create, edit, read and collaborate over spreadsheets, documents and presentations. On most of my computers I run open office and on a couple I have Microsoft office and both of those packages work pretty well with Google Docs, but I try to default to Google Docs for reasons of mobility, security and sharing. I also use embedded forms to collect key info and process it in secure spreadsheets on my site. I get an alert when any of these forms are used. For example, when a company has a request for a tech assessment I refer them to my tech assessment request form at the bottom of the "what we do" page on my site.
At this time I don't really use Google's video or chat capabilities. But maybe in the future?
The Google Sites feature is pretty good too and I've used it a couple times to establish collaborative environments for topics like developing a strategic plan for a client. By using sites I was able to invite in just the right folks for collaborative work. I'm currently working on my new site for my Crucial Point LLC webpage and am doing that in Google Sites, so that will allow an even tighter integration and easier ability for me to edit my main public facing page from anywhere anytime. [Late Entry: my main site at http://www.crucialpointllc.com is now driven by Google Sites]
I can give e-mail addresses and account access to my business partners and can also invite in external folks to collaborate with me.
I also use Google's GrandCentral for key phone services, and I look forward to increasing levels of integration with other Google capabilities there.
I use these and many other Google services for many reasons, but the most important reasons have to do with reducing the risk to my small business. It is a fact of life that all computers fail, eventually, and we all relearn that lesson far too frequently (My almost brand new iMac failed not long ago and had to be totally replaced. Cleaning up the hard drive was no problem and my business continued ahead full steam since I'm leveraging a cloud). These services also make me more agile since I can access them anywhere and can rapidly configure/tailor them to meet my changing needs. They also help me keep the important stuff secure and the sharable stuff shared. I know I'm also saving energy by leveraging their cost effective/green data centers, but for a small company like mine I really have no idea how much/little I'm saving there.
For bigger firms there are far more capabilities, like integrations into Salesforce.com. I don't think I'll be using those capabilities anytime soon. But I plan on continuing to watch them.
(By the way, just as a disclaimer, Google is not a client of mine, but I sure wish they were, that would be cool).
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