Advisors provide a continuous flow of information on the topics covered by each practice, including consultant insights and reports from the front lines, analyses of trends, and breaking new ideas. Advisors are delivered directly to your email inbox, and are also available in the resource library.
The Slow, Steady Climb for Data Mining, Predictive Analytics
Back in December, when I offered predictions concerning important BI trends I saw for the New Year, I said that adoption of data mining and predictive analytics would experience steady growth in 2011, just as it has over the past 10 years or so (see "What Lie
Putting the Customer Front and Center in a Business
A customer-centric approach to business puts the customer at the center of activities, with business operations orientated around customers rather than operations in support of internal business structures. This approach applies to external customers, particularly the customer-supplier relationship within processes and between areas of a business.
Understanding the CustomerSuch a approach starts with an understanding of the customer and a resolution of the following questions:
"Click Here to Learn This One Crazy Secret..."
Aliens, Stability, and Enterprise Risk Management
There was a fascinating article in the Wall Street Journal over the weekend titled "Why We're Not Listening to Alien Chat Shows" (22 January 2011).
Smart Mobile Devices -- Your Next Security Breach?
Smart mobile devices (SMDs) have become widespread among employees in organizations in all sectors of the economy. In contrast to the recent past, SMDs are not only for executives anymore. In the last two years, we have witnessed a rise in the demand for SMDs among all levels of employees. Despite resistance on behalf of IT professionals and especially information security professionals, there is a great deal of pressure by senior managers to synchronize their new smartphones to their work e-mail.
Some Steps Toward Designing Architectural Views
In my last Advisor (see "Understand the Value Equation," 12 January 2011), I talked about the architecture value equation and the role of architectural views in creating value. To refresh your memory, the equation says that if you make it easier for someone to do their job using architecture, then they’ll use it. To achieve that requires the appropriate view.
The Decision for Goodwill (and its Many Happy Returns)
Some Steps Toward Designing Architectural Views
In my last Advisor (see "Understand the Value Equation," 12 January 2011), I talked about the architecture value equation and the role of architectural views in creating value.
The Truth and Nothing But the Truth
Backsourcing vs. the Hotel California Syndrome
"Backsourcing" is the general term used to describe the "repatriation" of IT or other outsourced services. The term first gained prominence about five years ago with two much-publicized failures. Frequently quoted is the decision by Sears to back out of its megadeal in 2005, a year after it had signed. There is also the JPMorgan Chase backsourcing case, also announced in 2005 [1].
Vendors Address Mobile BI Security
One of the biggest concerns among organizations when it comes to adopting mobile BI is security [1]. This is hardly surprising, given that security has always been a major concern of any mobile corporate application, particularly the fear of unauthorized access to, or loss of, sensitive corporate data.
Theories Help Us Understand How Software Teams Are Complex Adaptive Systems
A complex system is a system composed of interconnected parts that as a whole exhibit one or more properties (behaviors) not obvious from the properties of the individual parts.
Green Business Process Management
Why the CIO Needs to Help Fix the Customer Experience
Information technology systems tend to fall into two categories: a) back-office, a-few-people-care-and-most-endure systems or b) front-office, touches-the-customer, core-competency systems that get significant attention. For decades, IT was frequently perceived as the default owner of the back-office systems.
Thinking About Systems, Not Programs; Databases, Not Objects
Happy New Year. The last decade was certainly an interesting one, but one that I wouldn't want to relive -- too much conflict, too much hype, too little real dialog, too little data .... You get my point. My holidays were unusually busy, including a lot of travel, a lot of family, and a lot of time to think and some time to read and collect my thoughts.
Savvy Steps for Retaining an Organization's Knowledge
Knowledge provides the basis for strategies and policies in an organization. Examples of knowledge that affect business strategies include new competitors, regulatory changes, innovative processes to create products and services, new ways of putting together business portfolios, and upcoming technologies.
Include Rotation in PMO Staffing Strategy
Understand the Value Equation
Architects face many challenges in their jobs. Among them are creating architecture and applying architecture. I've said many times that creating architecture alone does not create value. Rather, the value from architecture comes when it is applied. In other words, value is delivered when architecture is used to influence the outcome of decision making, analysis, design, or implementation. Yet another challenge is that architects are often not the people who are responsible for doing the applying.
Characteristics of Collaborative-Agile Business
Understand the Value Equation
Architects face many challenges in their jobs. Among them are creating architecture and applying architecture. I've said many times that creating architecture alone does not create value. Rather, the value from architecture comes when it is applied. In other words, value is delivered when architecture is used to influence the outcome of decision making, analysis, design, or implementation.
Bridging Gaps in Agile Project Management
Among the many and varied conflicts that we experience in life, the toughest ones are value conflicts. Conflicts can be either external or internal in nature. External conflicts are those that can emerge due to decisions in everyday life that may not be appropriate to the context. Internal conflicts are those that are epic battles between the two forces that are inside us, the ego and the conscience.