Technology leadership and innovation at Google - how does this relate to 'normal' organisations?

I came across the following article by Google on 'the 8 pillars of innovation' a few weeks ago and it got me thinking... what is innovation and technology leadership for a 'normal' company?

'Normal' companies are not Google... but there are many companies that would *love* to be 'like Google' (at least in some respects e.g. market cap, revenue streams, etc.) and so do some of the ideas presented in the article apply?

In many ways, companies like Google, and Apple, and others, are synonymous with innovation. The visible innovation occurs in the market, with new products and services that are offered. The less visible innovation is happening on the inside - as illustrated in the article and also in Hollywood films like 'The Internship' ;) lol

Its hard to imagine a 'disconnect' between the internal culture and the external culture. They may not be the same in every respect but there is no doubt IMHO that there is significant congruence between the two.

I think that is one reason why when I see a focus on client-facing-innovation I get excited because it probably means that there is a very innovative company on the 'inside'.  It makes me want to be part of it :)

One of the interesting points made in the article is how Google handles 'failure' - never fail to fail!  That part reminded me a lot of when I first became a consultant, at Simsion Bowles & Associates (good 'ol SBA)... Graeme (Simsion) did not mind failures, they were a chance to learn, the only rule was 'fail fast and learn quickly' ;) SBA was a very innovative company, at least in my own experience to that point, and its was a really fun place to work and to grow.

As an IT guy, one of the 'spin offs' I look for in an innovative company is how innovative they are in their use of technology.  I just hate it when IT is seen as 'pure expense' or a 'necessary evil' that makes it really hard to enjoy my work... in my career I have had a gut full of 'bureaucratic IT departments' pushing their view of how technology can and can't be used... the worst thing is its done from a purely 'selfish' or 'ignorant' 'don't create work for me' point of view :-/

As a disclaimer, let me say that last part is not a criticism, it is more of a challenge!

Every company needs to have some control over their technology, its cost, impact, etc. but I think it sometimes goes too far... people so far removed from the 'customer' think they are in charge and that they can make up the requirements... this is where it all goes pear shaped IMHO.

The 'effect' of client-facing-innovation is a catalyst to putting the focus squarely back on the client and their needs and when this happens it can help 'obliterate' the way companies think about technology (to borrow an expression from Michael Hammer in his famous 'don't automate, obliterate' article in the HBR).

The 'spin off' winners are the internal staff who get to share in the innovations created for clients and, to coin another term, 'the cobblers children will *finally* get new shoes'... because the shoes will have been designed for the client and, as we all know, there is nothing more enlightening than 'walking a mile in another person's (the clients) shoes' ;)

I hope our 'cobblers' in your organisation are up for it, there are a lot of new shoes to make ... welcome to the revolution ;) **1

**1 I had a choice between the song 'Children of the Revolution' by T-Rex or Tommy Lee Jones' quote from 'Under Siege' ... I went with the song :)

Agile Data Warehouse development

I am currently 'brushing up' on Agile Data Warehousing approaches to match a need which has arisen in my work.

Being a Scott Ambler fan, I decided to start with Agile Best Practices for Data Warehousing (DW)/Business Intelligence (BI) Projects and also with the TDWI as I recalled that the 2010 conference in San Diego was about agile DW/BI approaches

From the Abler article, I found a link to AgileData methods and also to AgileModelling .  One thought I really liked was the 'Let's keep the modeling baby but throw out the bureaucracy bathwater. ;-)' ... this I *really* like, to me, modelling (and the design aspects that go with it) are key.  If you don't have a 'top down' view of the model and the key design points its very hard to be effective using Agile IMHO... Agile without modelling is a bit like Monty Python's 100 yard dash for people with no sense of direction ;)

 I'd be happy to hear about anyone's experiences with Agile DW/ BI approaches.  I will post more on this as I read more and formulate an overall approach for 'my project'

My new 'project' - Wordpress and GIT

So, my new 'project' is getting Wordpress and GIT working together.

My 'ultimate' goal, at this stage at least, is to have a local install of Wordpress and GIT, running on a Mac Mini on my home network, that 'mirrors' a hosted install of Wordpress (except for some Wordpress settings that need to be changed).

The idea is to be able to make changes to the local development installation, track changes with GIT, and be able to 'push' updates up to the hosted install once I have had a chance to test things out.

Its early days but I have found a few articles on the net that sound promising... here is one that I am studying to learn the basics of what I need to do  Developing on Wordpress using GIT   and here is another Using GIT for Wordpress development  and this Adding GIT to your Wordpress development workflow

Anyone know of any other articles worth reading?

Recommended ebooks on Wordpress Multisite

Check out http://wpebooks.com/2010/09/how-to-enable-multisite-in-wordpress/#comment-478

There are two ebooks on WP multisite that I have bought and can recommend

The first book is by Andrea Rennick and is a short guide to enabling WP multisite.  Its clear and well written, easy to follow and explains the basics of WP multisite.  I knew most of it but it was a good refresher to check my understanding of the key concepts.

The second book is one that has been co-authored by Mika Epstein and Andrea Rennick and is a more in depth look at WP multiple networks and multisite… I'm only part way through but I like the easy to follow style of the book.  I'm learning heaps about WP multiple networks and multisite and I hope I can learn enough to be confident to manage my WP multiple networks / multisite installation.  You can find more info about the second book here http://halfelf.org/ebooks/wordpress-multisite-101/

Both come in Kindle format for use on a Kindle or, as I do, on an iPad with the Kindle app installed.  There are also PDF and ePub formats.

Good work Andrea and Mika I love your work :)

p.s. I came across Mika on some of the Wordpress.org support forums… a very knowledgeable and helpful person :)

See http://wordpress.org/support/topic/warning-upgrade-to-37-killed-my-multisite?replies=12#post-4832058 for an example

The value of 'a topic on a page'

Some time ago, I become interested in summarising a topic on a page.  The interest sprang from some really good posters I found that summarised all the important stuff ragarding a topic e.g. Rational had a really good one on UML and another on RUP.

Around the same time, I found a template that Apple were using for creating 'posters' to summarise a topic on a page and the notion of 'poster sessions' where people would put their poster on a wall and people would meet in a room with multiple posters and read them to get a quick update on topics of interest.

Most recently, I have rekindled my interest in 'topic on a page' and find them a great way of communicating a lot of concepts quickly.  The digital equivalent seems to be a really good infographic or a really good Prezi presentation.

The only trouble is, a good poster is hard to produce.

I'm currently working on a 'Big Data on a page' poster and will post it back here when I have something to share.

In the meantime, any tips on how to create good posters, infographics and the like are most welcome :)

Microsoft knocking down barriers to BYOD

Apparently there has always been some legal issues with companies installing or providing access to Microsoft software on their employees' BYOD's - see this Forrester article from 2012 ... http://blogs.forrester.com/duncan_jones/12-07-13-how_to_navigate_microsofts_licensing_of_byod_scenarios

However, it looks like Microsoft have taken some good steps in knocking down the barriers with the introduction of Windows Intune - see http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windowsintune/explore/byod.aspx 

Im keen to see the barriers knocked down and this seems like it just might - now all we need is for the legal agreements of companies with Microsoft to 'catch up' ;)

Does anyone have any experience with Windows Intune yet? 

The Rosie Project

Last night, I went to another book launch. Actually, it was the first one I have ever attended but I'm sure for some people and the book store on Norton St, Leichhardt, Shearer's Bookstore, it was another one of many.

The book launched was Graeme Simsion's "The Rosie Project" and having read a 'preview' of the book before it was officially published, Im looking forward to starting the official book this weekend, Graeme tells me it's even better now and I thought it was great before.

I won't spoil things by telling you too much about the book itself other than to say I think you will find it a "very good read", as did the Woman's Weekly.

I'd rather give you some of the highlight's from the book launch itself which, unless you were one of the 50 or so people there, you probably missed :)

Graeme addressed the audience from a 'pulpit' above the floor of the book store, with the audience spread out in a number of directions, following the aisles of the book store that radiated out from the corner of the room above which Graeme was standing.

The first part of his address concerned how he'd become rich and given up his day job which apparently had happened about a month ago.

Ive known Graeme for many years and while I know he sets his goals very, very high, I think the part where he told the audience how much money it had taken to give up the day job was, there was a hint that Graeme was slightly incredulous that it had all happened so quickly.

Many months before, I had been having drinks with Graeme and had contemplated putting $10,000 into the project, believing that it would succeed. I wish now I had wired the money the next day or taken out my cheque book there and then *sigh* ;)

The rest of the address concerned how the story had been inspired, how it was originally produced as a film script, and how it had been Graeme's project at his Screen writing course in Melbourne and that he had repeated the subject because a prior version had not been ready and he went back again to finish it.

I was mesmerized by the story, never having heard it before, all the time thinking that this was typical Graeme :) ... listening to the story I felt sorry for the jugernaught, they have nothing on Graeme :D