Visirule for Expert Systems

I have had reason recently to re-examine the use of expert systems to understand and improve complex business processes.  I have mentioned a package called Visirule in this blog a number of times.   Those mentions also outline some of our enterprise experience with expert systems in the mid to late 80s. Some of these systems were used for years to make our processes more efficient.   Visirule and other offerings of their company LPA deserves a look.  See also a detailed powerpoint presentation on how it works.  And a article on the visualization of process logic.   And another related article.

I think it is time for use of Expert systems, combined with quantitative analytics and the availability of increasing amount of available data,  to lead to better business solutions.  Join me in this quest.

Wal-Mart and P&G Team for Mobile Shopping

In a unique and novel approach a faux food truck in NYC and Chicago is decorated with QR codes.  Allows the walking shopper to buy an assortment of popular consumer package goods.  Similar to some of the virtual stores reported on here lately in transit passageways. " ... giving residents an opportunity to scan QR codes with their mobile phones to order P&G products from Wal-Mart Stores. Similar QR codes will be on display at bus shelters in Chicago. "People have yet to really adopt buying consumables online," said P&G spokesman Tim Marrin. "We think having free delivery, and getting this message out to urban shoppers who don't have access to Wal-Mart stores, is a great first start."... "
And more from AdAge.

Mapping Learning to Value

In Chief Learning Officer:  " ...  Economic models change and firms follow, dragging the accountants kicking and screaming. Understanding business’ new value equation can beat the competition. Accepting that learning is linked to value allows us to shift our focus to a different set of questions, the most critical of which is “value to whom?” To answer this question we need to begin with value, and by association, finance and macroeconomic theory ... "

Top IT Trends from Gartner

Top 2012 IT trends from Gartner.  " ... Gartner kicked off its Infrastructure & Operations Management Summit here today with a "top 10" list of the most significant emerging trends that will impact data centers and information technology used by businesses and government from now into the next four or five years. The list was presented by Gartner Chief of Research Dave Cappuccio in a keynote address, in which he explained there's often a cascading effect as one trend such as employee mobile devices and cloud use affects others such as helpdesk operations.... " 

Intrinsic Motivation

The ThreeJoy site points us to Dan Pink's " ... RSA Animate video from his bestseller Drive is a terrific way into the potential for intrinsic motivation in engineering education transformation ... " .  Had missed this  but worth  watching.  Via David E Goldberg.  " ... Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation that is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the task itself, and exists within the individual rather than relying on any external pressure ... " 

Three Dimensional Brands

In AdAge:   This is not about new kinds of reality, but about linking pictures of brands to the real thing. Apple does it well with their stores.   Varies by the kind of product.   And this has seen the outbreak of 'show rooming' in retail. There are products I want to and even need to see, touch and feel before I buy.

Addressing the Complexity of the Supply Chain

Good overview about how 3M is addressing the complexity of its supply chain.  The solutions used are common examinations that a large enterprise has to make.  Analytical methods to address these complexities have been used to improve the supply chain since the 60s.

Achieving the Perfect Map

In the Lat Log Blog;  Excellent piece on elements of a perfect map.  Maps are simplifications of very complex and data rich concepts. The drive continues to think about how to make them even better.  Beyond that, Google looks at how their 3D maps can be improved: " ... we are excited to announce that we will begin adding 3D models to entire metropolitan areas to Google Earth on mobile devices. This is possible thanks to a combination of our new imagery rendering techniques and computer vision that let us automatically create 3D cityscapes, complete with buildings, terrain and even landscaping, from45-degree aerial imagery. By the end of the year we aim to have 3D coverage for metropolitan areas with a combined population of 300 million people.... " 

Business Intelligence in the Cloud

Pretty obvious that Cloud concepts will be important for data delivery to Business Intelligence.   A quick take here.  Expect the trend to continue as more social and sensor data starts to arrive to be leveraged for use.

Crowdsourcing Strategy

Mckinsey on the crowd sourcing of strategy. Can the crowd have strategic wisdom?  And, which crowd should be involved?  The latter is often a key issue in crowd sourcing.  What is the incentive of the people you involve?

Social Networks in the Enterprise

Information Week article on how the enterprise can best use social networks.  I was involved with the examination of social networks to get things done.  Part of the argument was that new hires were coming in with the expectation that social interaction was already part of their day to day work.  But it also led to some lack of focus.  So how to you integrate social networks to the tasks at hand?  I am still supportive of selective and directed social networking use.  Its a means of easy and group connection and interactive.  A good examination of some of the direction.

Pringles Completes Sales to Kelloggs

I don't usually include enterprise activity that is not technical here, but I was involved in the Pringles, Folgers and other Food business for a while so this final move outside of the food business is of interest.  Concerned  in general about less product diversity.

New Smarter IBM Analytics

The quantity of financial sector data is increasing at some 70% a year, says an article in CIO.  So it is clear that even if small and medium, size businesses don't have 'big data' today, it won't be long before they do.  In addition it used to be entirely about gathering your own data, but now in addition there are increasing sources of econometic and search able predictive and even completely public data that make it easier to come to useful conclusions.   You just need to have a toolbox of methods that are easily applied to the data to make it useful.  In addition, there are new methods that deal with specific vertical known problems that are wasting personal and enterprise problems.  A recent example is IBM has done with its smarter analytics solutions:

"The IBM Smarter Analytics Signature Solutions include the IBM Smarter Analytics Signature Solution - Anti-fraud, Waste & Abuse. Each year, health care fraud tops $250 billion, according to the FBI. Tax fraud costs billions more. IBM's adaptive systems learn from the latest data, helping to protect against emerging fraud. The solution embeds advanced algorithms directly into business processes, providing government agencies and insurers with the ability to detect fraud in real time - before funds are paid out. Using IBM's sophisticated analytics, the solution recommends the most effective remedy for each case, optimizing an organization's finite resources. For example, the system might recommend that a simple letter requesting payment be sent to resolve one case, while recommending that a full investigation be opened in another case .." 

As we continue to see this increase of available data, new examples of tailored problem-specific solutions will continue to emerge.   They will also start to include specific expertise for these areas, so that the application of the analytics methods will no longer need room fulls of experts for their application.

In addition the methods will leverage pattern recognition techniques to first detect the problems, then apply the  right methods to solve them.  So it all about being smarter.  Being smart is first knowing you have knowledge about a substantial problem, gathering the right data to support a solution, finding a solution that can be applied and adapted to the given problem and then support the decision maker to apply the right solution correctly.


Such smarter solutions are what every size organization needs.

This post was written as part of the IBM for Midsize Business program, which provides midsize businesses with the tools, expertise and solutions they need to become engines  of a smarter planet. More on that here: goo.gl/VQ40Cg 

SimCity and Facebook

I have had an interest in SimCity since its early days.  Executives came to us soon after its launch to ask if we could produce a similar simulation for the entire enterprise.  At the very least for training, and potentially for constructing predictive simulations of how the entire enterprise would work under new conditions.  We explored those ideas, and it ultimately led to some very creative analytics.   So it was of interest to me that SimCity will now also exist as a game on Facebook.  Will this create further new opportunities? Worth exploring.

SAP Visual Intelligence

From SAP  " ... launched new data visualization software that taps into one of its standby BI releases and relies heavily on HANA, the in-memory database that’s a big part of the vendor’s future. SAP Visual Intelligence, a desktop version of its BusinessObjects Explorer software, enables layered views, queries and report building that SAP intends to be led by business users.... "

MIT Tech Review Goes Digital First

I have read MIT's Digital Review for many years, it used to be my prime source for digital information, long before there was much rich forward looking content on the Web.  I received their print mag for years   Now it is reported that the are going Digital First, with a unique openness.  Good to hear.  More about their motivations in GigaOM.

Bayesian Analysis

For those interested in Bayesian Network Analysis as a modeling technique, I see that BayesiaLab has come out with a new version with many new capabilities.   All described in their newest newsletter.  We used Bayesian network techniques to address certain kinds of analytical models.  Worth knowing about.    Relatively too little used for predictive analytics.

You Can be too Rational

In the Sloan Review:  I agree that you can over quantify.  But you should not ignore the numbers either.  Its also good to think about the exogenous interactions that are still beyond numbers.  Still,  I disagree with being an extra-rational manager, though in practice it does happen.

English Skills for Key Contexts

Correspondent John Lucke tells me about some of the work they are doing at Carnegie Speech to increase English proficiency among airline pilots.  This was written about in a recent NYT article. What interests me is how this approach can be used in specific contexts.  Since we can't all learn new languages fluently, how can we learn speech for key contexts we need?  Pilots are an excellent example.  " ... the true measure of language learning success is the ability to be understood – and to understand – when speaking a language. That is why business , aviation, government, health care and education enterprises count on Carnegie Speech to ensure that their personnel can communicate when their clients, employees and students depend on it.... " 

Diet Glasses

Another example of augmented reality.  And an application of integrating wearable devices to adjust your sensory data view.  I wonder how such a method will be tolerated.  An implanted solution might be better used here.  But consider it as part of a  broader approach to support motivation,  discussed here recently.  

On the Limits of Anti Virus Software

A telling post on the topic.  I recently had to deal with several episodes that were potentially the result of virus attacks.  My installed software apparently did not deal with the problem. A quick search of other similar events found that I was not alone.  The concern continues that we are on the edge of serious viral danger as governments and other well funded organizations build skills in this area.  Are we at the edge of mutually assured cyber destruction?

Technology Testing City

The establishment of a technology testing city.   " ... An international technology company is creating an empty city in New Mexico to test and evaluate emerging technologies without having to worry about interfering with human beings. Who would build a new city covering about 15 square miles in the southeast corner of New Mexico, but not want anyone to live there? Pegasus Global Holdings, that's who. This private international technology company is behind CITE, The Center for Innovation, Testing and Evaluation.... " 

Waves of Motivation

My previous note about Dan Ariely's Conscience+ App led me to reinvestigate the concept of Motivation Waves, as described by BJ Fogg in this excellent video.  He specifically uses the example of health UX design via a keynote address he gave back in March.   He makes the case that it is not about motivating behavior change, but facilitating behavior change.  And how you do that with a number of techniques that involve infrastructure change and small steps.  More on Fogg's site. Where he discusses behavior design and his 'tiny habits' approach.  A friend who is involved in counseling found similarities to her space. Continuing my investigation of this and related approaches for client applications.

Apps of Conscience

Can an App significantly help you make the right choice?  Dan Ariely has published an App called Conscience+, which contains a number of simple reminders about many of the common choices in life we make every day.  I downloaded it and overviewed.  It is Ethical and behavioral.  Padding the expense report and overeating.  And many more topics. Is it enough to just point out the issues involved?  He writes about it in his blog.  This also brings to mind Stanford's Persuasive Technology Lab.  We interacted with their director BJ Fogg  for capabilities in the 90s that addressed marketing persuasion.

Bionic Brains and Beyond

In the WSJ:   " ... High-tech implants will soon be commonplace enhancements under our skin and inside our skulls, making us stronger and smarter. Daniel H. Wilson on our 'superabled' future. .... "    And controversy, like that in the recent spelling bee, where a contestant had received a neural implant, for medical reasons,  that apparently made her a super-memorizer.  

Social Media and Customer Service

In Forbes:  Simplistic, makes some large assumptions.  But should be read by management that does not understand the power of social media.

A Youtube for Books

Now in Beta, called Widbook, a YouTube like play for creating, reading and sharing books. " ... Book lovers and authors can share stories with others in their social networks, as well as create digital bookshelves to peruse. One of the most interesting features of this site is the ability to collaborate with other authors to create a digital book.... " 

Prezi Presentations Re-Examined

Another look at Prezi, the zooming interface.  I see there is now an iPad viewer that lets it work outside of Flash.  A little akin to 'dynamic' transitions in Powerpoint sides, but more interesting.  Attention grabbing, but does it emphasize the actual content?  Or is this an infographic type play?   Also allows a more non linear approach to slides, which I like. Good examples at the site.  Like the one at the right on SaaS in the enterprise. I had plans to try it with a presentation,  but have not used it yet for a serious effort. Point me to more examples, please.

Crowd Sourcing Missing People

Had a meeting with a company, Videolocators, which is crowdsourcing the finding of missing children.   A clever approach that combines text, video and the use of targeted Google Adwords to make an efficient engagement technique to find missing people.  Check out their site and join the search.

Wal-Mart Goodies Sampling Subscription Program

In Adage:   A clever idea for online engagement from Wal-Mart. " ... Walmart.com's march to catch Amazon in e-commerce and integrate online and offline offerings is entering some new fronts and generating sometimes surprising results as the company prepares to launch the latest in a spate of new initiatives -- Goodies, a subscription mail-order-sampling program. Goodies, set to roll out within about a month, will initially focus on artisan and other food products but could expand to other product categories ... " 

Agent Based Modeling

Gib Bassett sends along this interesting link about agent based simulation.  We actively worked in this space for years.  Agent-Based Modeling and Large-Scale Simulation with Shared Memory

Excellence in Retailing Prize

The second annual Hub Prize competition, honoring excellence in the retail experience, is now underway and will run through July 31. Honored entries will be featured in the Hub Magazine's November edition. You can find more details and register here: http://bit.ly/q2G2VW 

Last year's victors included Procter & Gamble, Disney, Starbucks, Safeway, Walmart, Walgreens, Coca-Cola, 7-Eleven, CVS, Kellogg's, McDonald's, Kimberly-Clark and ConAgra, among others. Entries ranged from new products to shopper marketing programs to loyalty programs to apps to e-commerce to pop up shops to new retail concepts and more, across every type of retail experience .... 

Cisco Provides Mobile Forecast

Some interesting stats from Cisco on the increasing use of mobile and how it is driving internet traffic.  A tidal wave is rising. " ... The “proliferation of tablets, mobile phones and other smart devices as well as machine-to-machine (M2M) connections” will drive the increased demand for connectivity, said Cisco in an announcement of its new findings ... " .   Specifically Cisco forecasts there will be 2.15 connections per person on earth by 2016.   Yet more opportunity for big data and analytical methods.  Every device connection is a sensor that is generating data.

Bring Your Own Devices

An acronym I have just learned: BYOD, bring your own devices.  The policy of companies allowing employees to use their own devices for internal use.   The practice and the policy has been tested formally and informally used for some time.  We tested it actively for a decade.  Now that companies like MS are planning to provide full office packages for the popular tablet format, it is likely to become even more common.  What are the implications for MS and the idea?

Future of Money

An impressive special report in IEEE Spectrum on the Future of Money.  With emphasis on the near future direction of electronic payment methods.   Are we in the last days of cash?  How will the changes be controlled?   Devices, encryption, privacy and location will all play a big role in the next steps.  Be prepared as a consumer, and as a vendor.

Finding Your Smile

An idea related to previous work at MIT to determine how people reacted to ideas, products and interaction.  We examined this previously to determine how people reacted to specific products and displays in a laboratory store, to create a frustration index.  A non conscious interaction analysis that can be seen as s form of neuromarketing analysis.

Data Science Summit Videos

A  number of videos from the Data Science Summit via Greenplum that are worth examining.   Useful selection from 2011 as well:   The few I have looked at so far are insightful. ".. Data Science Summit brings together thought leaders from academia, the social enterprise, start-ups, and the public sector to help attendees explore and define their path forward in the new, data-driven world. Through data mining, statistics, advanced analytics and innovative visualizations, data scientists are drawing insights from the abundance of structured and unstructured data.  ... ' 

Wearable Computing

In the WSJ:  More on wearable computing solutions like Google Glasses.  A favorite topic based on our own experiments.  Inevitable?  " ... Some computer scientists increasingly envision a world in which people wear glasses-like devices with a built-in camera and use apps that can recognize objects and faces—using technology called "computer vision"—and automatically retrieve information about those objects from the Web or other sources.... " 

Why we Lie

Why we Lie. by Dan Ariely. Why we do, and how he has experimented with methods to increase and decrease the likelihood of the lie.  As usual a thought provoking article.

Grades and Tuitions are Inflated

Data and graphs from Mark Perry on the inflation of grades and college costs.  Are  they related? Hearing more talk about the necessity of a college education.  I remain traditional on this topic.

Evolving Mind Mapping

I worked with concept and mind mapping for a number of years, and use it still for consulting interactions. It is still evolving.  Allowing us to co-create conversations.  And see innovations through other people's eyes. And stimulate our brains by structuring its use.  Good thoughts.

Turing Centenary

ACM Turing Centenary Celebration to Be Webcast Live!

If you can't attend ACM's Turing Centenary Celebration, you can still experience the thrill of rubbing elbows with ACM Turing Award winners—virtually! On Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16, more than 30 Turing Award recipients will gather to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Alan Turing's birth with personal remembrances, talks, and panel discussions. And ACM plans to webcast the entire event live! Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn about computing's past and future, from the unique perspectives of its pioneers and leading contemporary thinkers.

bookmark this site in your browser now: http://turing100.acm.org/webcast

Taming the Big Data Wave

I have been reading: Taming The Big Data Tidal Wave: Finding Opportunities in Huge Data Streams with Advanced Analytics  by Bill Franks.  

I read this in preparation for several invited talks about the intersection of Big Data, visualization and analytics.  This is an excellent, largely non-technical view of this exploding area.   In particular I like how it addresses the integration of analytical expertise to businesses.  That advice can be used whether your data is 'big'  or not.  Also intriguing was his description of an 'analytics innovation center' and how teams can be used to staff and empower this idea.  Good thoughts there .... we implemented aspects of this in the enterprise, where the centers were set up to address particular kinds of data for functional parts of our enterprise.  That was done because the ready access to specific data sources and subject matter expertise was key to making the idea work

This book is a great introduction to the subject.  Managers should read it.  All technology areas like this exist on quickly shifting ground ... but this is a case where the analytics part is not shifting as quickly, and can often be used in a plug-and-play way to address  business process improvement.  So this will be useful for a long time to come, when integrated with other online and vendor resources that keep you up to date.  Also many and varied industry examples.   I will follow up with more points of view from this book.

Petabytes and PetaFlops

In ComputerWorld:  Word of new examples really big data, and at the same time using really fast computers to examine that data at the NCSA. New challenges are emerging every day. " ... The Blue Waters project will create a 1 petaflop supercomputer to handle real-world science and engineering applications. Among others things, it will aid in understanding how the cosmos evolved after the Big Bang, help predict the courses of hurricanes and tornadoes, and play a role in the design of new materials at the atomic level .... "

Predictive Analytics and Medicaid Fraud

A good example of using predictive analytics with medical data.   Here with billing data: " ... "The beauty of this system is that it recognizes patterns of billing behavior that don't fit in with the norm and then takes it a step further by looking for relationships among providers that can point us to a Web of suspicious accounts," Al Delia, North Carolina DHHS acting secretary, wrote in an IBM blog post. ... " 

Turn any Wall into a Touchscreen

Gestural Surfaces. A look at the Ubi Interactive use of Microsoft Kinect for touchscreen construction. Are we ready for the broader applications of gestures in new ways? I think so. Here relatively low cost, and I see their use of it for advertising displays, an application that is interesting to me.

Finance from Wolfram

And a finance platform from Wolfram Research.  Perhaps an unlikely connection but the possibilities are good.  I like the process-workflow connection;  " ... Algorithmic agility has come center stage in finance. Yet finance tools are often outmoded—failing to use modern, smart computation from other fields. Wolfram Finance Platform injects ultimate computation into finance workflows—increasing your competitiveness in areas as diverse as option pricing, risk analysis, enterprise system development, and interactive reporting. ... " 

Simplicity Isn't Simple

Isn't it?  An interview with Apple design chief.   " ... "Designing and developing anything of consequence is incredibly challenging," says Ive. "Our goal is to try to bring a calm and simplicity to what are incredibly complex problems so that you're not aware really of the solution, you're not aware of how hard the problem was that was eventually solved." ...  "Simplicity is not the absence of clutter, that's a consequence of simplicity. Simplicity is somehow essentially describing the purpose and place of an object and product. The absence of clutter is just a clutter-free product. That's not simple... 

National Retail Data Monitor

Colleague Mike Robinson of Laverdad Marketing  reminded me of an effort we were involved in: The National Retail Data Monitor.   Which is designed  to detect pharma sales patterns to provide early warning for epidemics and bio terrorism.  Mike did a great job supporting this early form of real time big data mining. Check out his inspired marketing work as well.

Text Analytics and the Value of the Unstructured

In Information Management:   Bottom line is that unstructured data is important.  Unstructured is also more than just text, images and video are becoming increasingly important.  "Organizations differ widely in their management of unstructured data. In some cases, they have spent an exorbitant amount of money to leverage some of their unstructured text data – by investing and then reinvesting in search engine after search engine – hoping to improve the relevance of retrieved information. At the other end of the spectrum, many organizations are ignoring their unstructured data altogether, continuing to use only about 20 percent of their total data, that which is structured only, to drive their business. Others have not begun to analyze their unstructured data because they believe that data must be perfect before applying analysis to it. They are waiting to derive new insights while their competitors leap forward .... " 

Simple Charts Tell a Story

In Flowingdata.. An illustration of my favorite precept, that simple is better. It is true that visualizaton can make very complex things appear simpler. But the part that you are observing at any one time should be very simple and clear. The observers attention should be directed and discerning. Some good, and simple, examples.

Big Data and Health Care

An interesting example using the case of sleep apnea contributing to car accidents.

P&G Wins Effie

P&G tops the list of the ten most effective advertisers.  " ... IBM and Microsoft, tied with EA, come in at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. “Effectiveness” is defined as success based on a mix of brand-specific metrics and goals including ROI, sales growth, brand awareness, and spurred action, as assessed by Effie jurors.... " 

Intuit Using Big Data to Delight You

In GigaOM:  Some months back I gave a talk at Intuit on the leveraging of data resources.  This is not an outcome of that, but an intriguing direction that they are taking.    How do you construct 'data for delight'?  Of course the phrase is not dissimilar from what we worked with in the consumer goods industry.

" ... That, Intuit Senior VP of Big Data, Social Design and Marketing Nora Denzel told me, was the reaction of one of her co-workers after getting a view of her personal finances using Mint.com. Company bias aside, the story is telling of how individuals might expect to directly benefit from analytics today. Large companies use big data techniques as methods to simultaneously increase revenue and save operating costs, but the most-direct benefit to consumers is usually a targeted advertisement or a list of possible social networking connections. That’s pretty lame. A consumer service that actually cares about your bottom line…? Well, that’s something. ... " 

Target Connects to ShopKick

In an interesting development Target has connected to the ShopKick rewards program.  I spent some time looking at ShopKick and was impressed by the approach. " ...  Target guests nationwide can earn points for shopping at Target that can be redeemed for a variety of rewards. “We’ve learned from our guests that they appreciate being rewarded for doing what they already love to do -- shopping at Target,” says Bonnie Gross, Target VP marketing and guest engagement. “In our test launch, Target guests in seven cities had the opportunity to experience shopkick at Target and we received rave reviews. Now guests nationwide can start earning valuable points just by shopping our stores.”

Game Dynamics of Customer Loyalty

Good piece on the topic. Gaming principles applied to customer acquisition using virality and examples in a number of current systems. Good to answer client questions about where this can work now.

Crowd Modeling and Simulation

Crowd Modeling and Simulation. A favorite topic as we examined in store behavior. This takes it much further, but the elements of simulation are useful.

Mindshare and Unilever

Mindshare retains Unilevers 1.38 billion US advertising business.

Google Knowledge Graph

In ReadWwriteWeb: A look at how Google is reoriented search to include more semantic knowledge. And provides a connection to related knowledge.

Wolfram System Modeler

Newly announced by Wolfram Research a System and equation modeling tool based on Mathematica. Have not looked deeper yet, but this appears to be quite impressive. The post linked to here has quite a few details including visualizations. Worth a much closer look. See also their system modeler web site.

NFC Use Expands

In Computerworld. NFC is a wireless transmission method, operating over a few centimeters, that is typically used for payment from smartphones. It is now being seen for broader applications. We explored it for tethering laboratory sensors. Expect to see further application.

Future of Gamification

Detailed PEW report on the topic of gamification. Useful overview.

Scaling and Power Laws

Good examination of power laws in the newly revived Exploring Complexity blog. An important idea that is introduced clearly here.

Supply Dynamics

Recently visited:  Material Demand Aggregation: Your Solution for Better Supply Chain Performance
Leverage aggregate demand WITHOUT consigning material, installing software, modifying ERP systems or redeploying personnel. 

Occasion-Based Marketing at Coke

In CPGMatters:   A classic approach to quantifying  in-store behavior.  Coke finds some insight along the way:

Occasion-Based Marketing Triggers Coca-Cola's Solutions 
Understanding shopping occasions and trip missions to the grocery store has always been important for Coca-Cola. But these insights took on greater meaning when research found that nearly six of ten trips (57%) are occasion based with shoppers looking for solutions ...  “If we can put those two together – trip mission and consumption occasion – that’s very powerful,” he said, adding that understanding how shoppers move through the store can help Coke offer products grouped into relevant solutions at key engagement points along the path to purchase. ... "
"

Mobile Grocery Shopping

Are you ready?   Catalina's acquisition of Modiv media.  What will the outcome of this be?  Are consumers ready to broadly utilize in-store scanning?  Based on our research this has advanced for years, and it is inevitable.  " ... More mobile apps are popping up as tools for shoppers to find manufacturer deals and make lists as they trawl the supermarket aisles.... "  And there are specific implications for grocery: "... Since few shoppers can wait for Amazon to ship their gallon of milk, smartphone usage in grocery stores is an entirely different beast than in big-box and electronic retailers, where the "scan and scram" phenomenon of price comparing runs rampant.... " 

A Business Intelligence Tool

I have worked for a number of small and medium size business intelligence applications.  When a business has to address these kinds of problems without a consultant it is often an issue to properly scope out the problem.  or at least find a starting point to outline the approaches available. .  In a recent search for tools I found this complimentary tool from IBM that addresses typical problems found in this area.  And determines the achievable ROI available As they state it:

Can your organization optimize queries? Do you use data cleansing technology? Is there strong executive support for business intelligence? The answers matter. Now find out what they mean for your midsized business. Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know. It can be difficult to gauge your company’s use of business analytics compared to the competition. Are you using the right tools? Are you doing enough?

It is also useful to understand that what you are doing adheres to typical standards in use.    This approach also lets you scope out analytics that connect to the problems you are addressing.  Without a connection between data and methods, it is hard to get started.

The tool assigns a rating of how your company's approach compares to the best-in-class performance of a company your size in each of the business analytics categories that you identify as a concern, and then clearly outlines steps your company can take for continued improvement in key areas of business analytics. At the end of your personalized report, you will have access to Aberdeen's Research Reports on business analytics.

The Aberdeen report lets you figure out how to take the next steps utilizing business analytics.  I am reviewing that now for a specific application.  A useful approach to getting started for the small or medium size business.

This post was written as part of the IBM for Midsize Business program, which provides midsize businesses with the tools, expertise and solutions they need to become engines  of a smarter planet. More on that here: goo.gl/VQ40Cg 

Smarter Commerce for the Mid Size Business

Good futures piece on this topic.
To help companies understand the Smarter Commerce Institute, the SMB Group and CRM Essentials are working on a series of posts discussing how technology is empowering today’s customer, and why companies have to change their approach in order to build strong relationships with them. This is the final post in the series ... 

Curse of Innovation

In Innovation Excellence:  Enumerating the curses of innovation. Regarding Intellectual property, and of course the patent system.

Semantic Smarts in Search

A report on how Google is adding new semantic smarts into its search." ... Reportedly spotted by several users, the search pages are now displaying semantic data nestled to the right of the regular results. Such information tries to tie in relevant facts related to the subject of your search rather than just providing links to external Web sites.... "

Synthetic Biology Accellerator

I have heard the term 'synthetic biology' used many times.  Most recently in the funding proposal for a startup.   It is usually is misused in odd ways.  These folks seem to have it right.  It is about simulating biological processes.  From low level to high level models.  Those simulations can be useful in understanding them. It combines engineering and biology.  It can be used to extend the process design beyond existing biology.   It is not about making  living things.

Tailoring Billboards

Onstar patents a system to tailor billboards to individual drivers:

" ... Like the billboards Tom Cruise encountered in Minority Report, the OnStar-linked ads would be tailored to passing motorists based on personal information they’d shared with their telematics service. Perusing the patent’s text, nightmare scenarios flooded our thoughts. Kids in the backseat? Be prepared to see ads for Happy Meals and nearby amusement parks. Headed to the doctor’s office? A friendly reminder to schedule a colonoscopy, in flashing 40-foot letters.

The most alarming aspect of the patent is how it proposes gathering personal data. Expectedly, the patent covers the use of location-based information from OnStar’s turn-by-turn navigation system. But more intrusively, it also includes the use of in-vehicle cameras to determine unspecified demographics of vehicle occupants. Even power seat positions could be used to estimate the age of a driver.... " 

Working Styles

Mindjet has an interesting document on workings styles. Surprisingly without any registration required.   Good overview with useful links,

Brochures

A long time interest is about the way computers have been sold in media.  The Computer History Museum has an online exhibit of brochures that sold computers with the same advertising principles that sold soap at the time.  I remember seeing some of these, somewhat after that time.  Of course you were not selling to the individual consumer at that time, but providing support to a salesman that would visit.   It was a different context, but the words and explanation provided is instructive.  In my own enterprise, computers that did payroll and inventory were called 'electronic brains', and proudly displayed behind glass walls in public lobbies.

Customer Centricity

We worked with Professor Peter Fader of Wharton in the enterprise.  His book on Customer centricity essentials is now out in its second edition.    "  ... Despite what the tired old adage says, the customer is not always right. Not all customers deserve your best efforts: in the world of customer centricity, there are good customers…and then there is pretty much everybody else. Upending some of our most fundamental beliefs, renowned behavioral data expert Peter Fader, Co-Director of The Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative, helps businesses radically rethink how they relate to customers. He provides insights to help you revamp your performance metrics, product development, customer relationship management and organization in order to make sure you focus directly on the needs of your most valuable customers and increase profits for the long term.... " 

Charmin App Improved

Charmin App Updated: " ... Procter & Gamble brand Charmin has introduced the SitOrSquat: Restroom Finder application for mobile devices, which lets users rate public bathrooms. Charmin launched a similar application in 2008, but the new version has a simplified rating system and a Spanish-language option....   " 

The Data Breadth of the Supply Chain

Today I gave an invited talk "End-to-End Supply Chain: Innovation, Design and Development" at the University of Cincinnati.  I emphasized the integration of Big Data methods and Analytical capabilities.   From Marketing to the Store Shelf.  Integrating data sensors of many types to deliver decision making capability.  The talk was well received and has started to make me think more about this topic and how it can be delivered more simply and widely.   Thanks to Oracle and Teradata for providing some of the slides and support.    Want to help support further thought about this topic?  Let me know.

Solving a Data Science Problem

Vincent Granville on ways to solve a data science problem. An interesting case study that uses a number of common analytic methods.  Well described:  " .... Here we discuss four approaches to solve the following marketing problem: identify, each day, the most popular Google groups, within a large list of target groups. You want to post in these groups only. The only information that is quickly available for each group, is the time when the last posting occured. Intuitively, the newer the last posting, the most active the group. There are some caveats such as groups where all postings come from one single user - a robot - for instance groups that focus on posting job ads exclusively. They should be in your black list.... "

SAS and Teradata

On SAS and Teradata joining forces.  More appliances:  " ... Over the years SAS has worked with many data warehousing vendors. In particular, in the recent past it has collaborated with a number of database vendors to support in-database analytics. However, as far as I am aware the recent announcement of the "Teradata Appliance for SAS High-Performance Analytics - Model 700" is a first, not just for SAS but for any two companies that are respectively in the warehousing and analytics arenas.....  " 

Graph Databases

A recent piece led me to Philip Howard in Bloor on Graph Databases.  An introduction. Which led me to the WP article on the same.   Obvious application of directed labeled graphs, which has a long history in analytical methods.  I can construct these with a package like CMap Tools.    Can I relate the resulting graph to a database?

Reviewing the Buying Brain

An interesting review of The Buying Brain.  Very positive.   Overdone I think, there are aspects of neuromarketing methods that although useful in conjunction with classical methods, remain unproven.

ThreeJoy

Via David E Goldberg    Who we worked with in the enterprise on genetic algorithm methods.

ThreeJoy Associates, Inc. is a leadership coaching firm and change consultancy established to serve individual and organizational clients in higher education to help them grow and develop to better align with the creativity imperative of the 21st century.... " .

See their blog.

What is in-Memory Analytics?

Bill Franks provides a good overview.    Read the whole piece, well put.  " There’s been a lot of noise lately about the concept of in-memory analytics.  As a recent example, if you followed the press around some major conferences in late April, you’ll notice that a lot of messaging was present around in-memory analytics products.  Many people have been asking questions about how in-memory can fit into their mix and how it relates to other options like in-database analytics.  So, what’s up with in-memory analytics? .... "

It is about volume, speed and complexity.  And with increasing data availability, we need more power to transform data into business value.

Wal-Mart Localizing Stores

Wal-Mart is Localizing its stores with Facebook.  I recall this general idea proposed during the early days of web sites being commonly available.  Long before Facebook.  A very good idea to promote local ties to stores.  This could also lead to new kinds of local behavioral data.

Tasting Jams and Dating Sites

Match making online. Head versus heart.   A dated WSJ article which led me back to some of our matching work for many other purposes.    But does it work for matching of products and needs?  Or products and associated products?   This still remains a challenge for retail analytics that has produced insights but not necessarily exact solutions.

Texting Increases Truth

A study seems to show texting increase truthfulness.  Less shading of the truth.  I wonder if this is caused by the limitation of the size of the message? Less ability to shade the truth.  Less time  required, and thus the ability to spill the thought more quickly?  Do Tweets have the same effect?

Organizing Your Business for Innovation

In Innovation Excellence:  A favorite topic, when added to constructing innovation rich contexts.  " ... Innovation is the process of linking an invention to satisfy a specific need in a business or social context. The people who work on finding ways to do this are called as innovators. The people who take the existing technologies and package them together and commercialize it as an offering and build organisational structures to support this, are called entrepreneurs.As I explained in my other blog “Why companies need innovation? A market competition perspective”, innovation is not a choice today for any company rather it is a must for sustainable growth in today’s marketplace.... " 

Intel Employee Magazine

IQ by Intel is a Flipboard like design, with bright graphics, using social measures to promote the Intel brand to younger demographics.  More in Adage.

Wearing Health Devices

In Technology Review:  On wearing small health devices.  Small monitors have been around for a long time.  The challenge may be how to deal with the data and the analytics needed to provide value.

Byron Sharp and the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute

Byron Sharp, professor at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, University of South Australia, has been a long term correspondent.  My former enterprise is a major sponsor.  So I continue to get his mailings.   Note in particular his excellent book: How Brands Grow, mentioned many times here.  Also his TEDx talk.  He adds in this recent mailing that he is now tweeting, so you can follow him here.

He also links to a special issue of the Journal of Advertising Research: on Empirical Laws in Advertising that he edited. Subtitled:  What We Know About Advertising: 21 Watertight Laws for Intelligent Advertising Decisions.  This came from a 2008 conference at Wharton. A comprehensive and excellent document on the topic that I am just going through. Great content.

Also, his excellent blog and a publications list.

If you are interested in Advertising, Brands and the science of engagement, his work is a must follow, or consider sponsoring his work.

Thanks Byron.

International Institute for Analytics

Bill Franks has a number of interesting posts at the International Institute for Analytics blog.  Like a recent post on in-memory analytics.  " ...  At IIA, we study how leading enterprises use analytics to dominate their industries. This focus allows us to go deeper than other multi-disciplined research firms. We are the market leader in benchmarking analytical capabilities and we specialize in supporting executive leadership by industry and function.... "

Hadoop Education for Big Data Analytics

A good view of the need for specialized training and experience for the use of the package Hadoop for Big data problems.  I recently saw an overview of this approach, and I agree.  Think of Hadoop as a data preparation and batch delivery mechanism.  It is even more important to know the specifics of the analytics required to make a big data analytics approach be useful.

Managing Digital Marketing Solutions

In AdAge:  it is becoming clear that the problem is becoming too big. And Agencies themselves are looking to build out their own solutions.  It is clear though that they will need help to do this.  Accenture is a recent example: " ... Tech consultancy Accenture has a head start. It has longtime relationships with chief information officers, who usually buy tech systems. So when marketers needed a system of their own, the firm launched Accenture Interactive in 2009 with flagship client Procter & Gamble. The consulting giant doesn't intend to cede ground to competitors. ... " 

Revolutionizing Trade Strategy: Science and Shopper

I recently happened on an article by DemandTec on trade strategy.   Five ways to revolutionize your trade strategy.  A well put set of suggestions that emphasize the analytical aspects of addressing strategy.  Notable in particular was the idea that companies need to increasingly 'use science' to deliver more precise solutions.   In this discussion I emphasize two areas, this aspect of science, and the goal of really understanding the shopper.

We live in an era where there is an increasing amount of behavioral data about how shoppers interact with shelf, promotion, and ultimately buy.   We even have increasing amounts of data about when the shopper is in new locations, like when they are on the move with their own devices.  We can even infer when the shopper is just thinking about purchases,  while looking for reviews, or scanning for alternative prices.  I did a study of of this kind of consumer behavior during the early days of smart phones.  In the lab and then in real stores.   Did this new behavior empower the shopper or embarrass them?  This spectrum has been steadily evolving.

This sets the stage for both strategy and tactics for retail decisions.  And another item that is mentioned:  Getting shopper centric.   The shopper centers themselves upon much more than just the latest promotions.  They are part of a household, and keenly sensitive to their needs.  They see ads on TV,  on the Internet, and increasingly on their mobile devices. Flyers come to their home, often tailored to the purchases recorded on their loyalty card.

As they walk through a store, they are attracted by in store fixtures and  new product announcements.   Digital screens on the shelf and above them on the wall and ceilings attract their attention.  Increasing numbers of choices are displayed.  Announcements of new products are also interleaved between this exposure in the aisle. Inserting new brand decisions among a flurry of old thoughts.  Can I use that in a recipe?  Will this fit my budget?  Will my household like this new thing?  Three hundred and sixty degrees of decision making in an increasingly tailored retail environment.  The complexity and depth of this new decision making is considerable.

As the article suggests, the 'nuances' of these interactions can be recorded in new ways to allow the tailoring these preferences locally, and leading to better strategic decisions.   New data and larger databases will allow the continued tailoring of the experience.   Newly derived Big Data methods will make this easier to do.  It is a challenge I will be following.

Smart Phones Spread Fast

In Technology Review:  Are Smart Phones Spreading Faster than Any Technology in Human History?   A good historical view that compares them with the spread of other technologies.  It certainly seems so.  The hardware surely.  And even the software, spread by the novel notion of cheap, focused,  almost throw away Apps.   It used to be that software lagged far behind, but this simple modularization idea has sped this up too.

Apps for IOS

I was just introduced to FileMaker.  Have not tried it, but it looks interesting. " ... The FileMaker Platform is a complete software suite used to create, deploy, and manage data-driven business apps for the iPad and iPhone. ... " 

Kraft Foods on Marketing Content Strategy

Good view of foods packaged goods approach.  " ... When you think of “killer content strategy,” do you think of Kraft Foods? For many people, when they think of Kraft, they think of cheese. In fact, Kraft represents a lifestyle. That lifestyle stands for easy-to-make, family-friendly food and recipes.

Kraft has actually been at the forefront of content marketing since long before that term was ever coined. They launched kraftfoods.com back in 1992 – years ahead of the time that many of their competitors would launch websites. This website has grown over the years to include a host of recipes and food-related content. They followed up on their web content with a printed publication, food & family magazine in 2005.... "

Upcoming Retail Supply Chain Presentation

Join me!

End-to-End Supply Chain, Innovation, Design & Improvement

Franz A Dill,

Consultant in Technology, Retired from Procter & Gamble
Thirty years of using data, modeling, design & forward looking innovation to improve the operation of the supply chain, from the raw material supplier to the plant to the store shelf. Where have we been & where are we going? How have methods like optimization & simulation been used? What will visualization of big data mean? What will new kinds of data say & how can it be leveraged in new ways?

Friday, May 18, 2012                                          
11:30 A.M. Presentation & 12:30 P.M. Pizza Reception
Room 110, UC Carl H. Lindner College of Business

Sponsors: UC INFORMS Student Chapter – Institute for Operations Research & the Management Sciences, www.INFORMS.org
Department of Operations, Business Analytics, and Information Systems
Carl H. Lindner College of Business

Training Your Customers How to Behave

New author interview from HBR:  How Starbucks Trains Customers to Behave: " ... Anne Morriss, managing director of the Concire Leadership Institute, explains how the coffee giant increased efficiency and satisfaction by treating customers like employees. She is the coauthor of Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business.... " 

McKinsey on Big Data

An excellent long pdf by the McKinsey Global Institute  on the present status and future of Big Data.  In the process of reading, but a very well done document for reference.  Thanks again to Chris Herbert for the link.