Lessons from Apple WWDC & Data Management – Part 2: Ubiquity

June 9, 2011 Leave a comment

I paid for it, so I should be able to have access to it when and where I want it.  Moving from one computer to another, or for a mobile device shouldn’t be a barrier.  The interface should be intuitive and content accurate.  There should also be a mechanism to handle exceptions.  Yes, I am talking about iCloud’s music support but I could easily be talking about an organization’s business data and the same principles should apply.

Consumer technologies made IT’s job both easier and harder at the same time.  The computing power that used to cost tens or hundreds of thousands are not available for a fraction of the cost.  Specialized devices are being replaced by mobile apps (have you see Square on iPhone/iPad/Android?  Why need complex credit card machinery when you have accessibility anytime and almost anywhere).  Application designs are becoming more targeted also.  The limited real estate is getting developers and users alike to focus on the most important information.  Push alerts allow users to be notified when there is an update vs. having to run the weekly report for a comparison or waiting on an email.  Enterprise Workflow can now be accessible, practical, and useful at a smart phone near you.

What about information content and quality.  Apple’s new offering state if they know you have rights to certain data, it will be available to you on any of your registered devices.  If you have additional personal data (e.g. ripped CDs) you also have the option, for a modest but transparently stated fee, to make that available in the same platform.  Can your enterprise apps do that or does any data not centrally governed come with a large price tag?

The information age is challenging many paradigms.  I believe one is that of “acceptable data quality”.  In the past, we had more time to check and understand what the quality of the information was.  Now, given the pace of new data creation, we have a lot less time.  So we need to modify our thinking from traditional per-incident assessments to reusable and scalable exception handling processes.

The world is an interesting place.  This can be an adventure and a curse.  Wishing you a productive and fun journey.

Cheers

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Lessons from Apple WWDC for Data Management

June 7, 2011 Leave a comment

Yes, I really will attempt to draw parallels, even though I wasn’t at the event. I have however become a Mac user over the years and having seen how Apple’s approach is driving user and even corporate user behavior, I thought seeking parallels would be a useful exercise.

“PC free” was one of the key points of Steve Jobs’ presentation. With iCloud, Apple continues to cannibalize it’s own market (and likely others’ as well). iPods, except for the ultra portable ones still favored for the battery life, are no longer the hot sellers. Gone too are Flip and other technologies and vendors with the success of smart phones.

Lesson 1. Be aware of what’s coming, for others will
From tool vendors to IT professionals, I have seen many parties succeed or slow down based on their willingness to change and adopt. After the .com boom, the data profession lamented on how quick development had killed many data efforts. Many of the same groups also missed trends that others embraced, putting themselves in a tougher position. Lluck or executive support are still factors. More on that later.)

Apple didn’t give up the music store business with fewer iPods being sold. They reinvented and maintained, even expanded relevance through other services people could relate to.

What would it take data governance to move from maintaining standards to a business results focused service delivery. I mean data discovery, advanced analytical support. I refer to embracing agile techniques an EII/EDM like solutions. These would still rely on and make even more relevant data modeling and data standards. It would also make their value easier to describe and maintain.

More lessons and parallels coming soon

Cheers

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The leader’s fault (Dancing & Leadership)

June 1, 2011 Leave a comment

Today I decided to know my limits and instead of starting Balboa, before three other dances, I simply ordered a Manhattan and watched the earlier dance lesson. It was different to be on the outside, safer and more present, listening and watching but not experiencing. Better for discovery (eg is this something I want to choose over other actives) vs learning.

There was a dialogue that caught my attention though. In a specific move, lead spins out the follower to a ‘stretch’. Then bring back to follower to an elegant turn. As people were practicing the instructor observed and shared a particular pattern. After the stretch into the turn, some leads weren’t stepping back, creating near crashes and looking a bit awkward.

The class laugh. It is all so true that while not always, it is often the leaders fault, even if we don’t always recognize it. After all, as leaders we need to know whether our role is to control and drive, or guide and create space; and when it’s time, get out of the way.

Cheers

Filed under Dance and Leadership