Today from IBM. Mail that understands you ... Imagine email that works for you instead of email that makes you work. .... Guided by analytics, IBM Verse learns your behaviors to adapt to the way you work, wherever you work. And because it's built for business, it understands you have special security and privacy needs, too. ... " .
You can sign up now. It describes this as an analytics, not a cognitive App. Which surprises me. But the classic cognitive function, learning, is mentioned.
" ... Less clutter, more clarity ... Move to a bright place far beyond the mess of senders, subjects and folders.
With built-in intelligence and a user-first, user-tested design, IBM Verse offers a faster, better way to manage your communications across devices, organize inbound and outbound information, and focus on what you need most. ... "
All good thoughts. Would like to try, though for a heavy user changing your E-mail system can be a considerable task. So many links between documents, contacts, mail, groups, applications. Link to video demo. Press release.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Decision Making is Unconscious
Len Stein writes:
" ... Marketers are realizing that decision making is largely an unconscious process. While neuro-scientists continue to expand our knowledge of how the brain functions, psychology will determine how specific decisions are made based on one's values.
Dr. Joel Weinberger, and his partner, professor of psychology Drew Westen (author, The Political Brain), have pioneered the field of implicit association testing. We hope you will want to explore this emerging field and we look forward to discussing the issue. .... ".
" ... Marketers are realizing that decision making is largely an unconscious process. While neuro-scientists continue to expand our knowledge of how the brain functions, psychology will determine how specific decisions are made based on one's values.
Dr. Joel Weinberger, and his partner, professor of psychology Drew Westen (author, The Political Brain), have pioneered the field of implicit association testing. We hope you will want to explore this emerging field and we look forward to discussing the issue. .... ".
MICA Intel Wearable is Fashionable
Fashion changes. Pricey at $495. Will all jewelry soon have an option for computer augmentation? Intel is an unexpected participant. I do like the fact that, unlike options like Glass, it's functionality can be completely hidden. In CWorld.
Understanding the Face of Emotion
Determining emotion from facial images. A long term research and innovation interest. Here news of a September talk in Edge HeadCon. The introductory piece also has some interesting details. Is this breaching the last outpost of privacy?
" ... My name is Lawrence Ian Reed. I’m a Clinical and Evolutionary Psychologist over at Skidmore College. Today I want to talk about facial expression of emotion, and a question that’s been gnawing at me for probably six or seven years. We've got some answers, and I’m excited to talk to you guys about what they are.
The first questions that I asked about facial expression were "how" questions: How do our facial expressions change when we’re feeling depressed or when we’ve got bipolar disorder, or when we’re being deceptive? I don’t ask those questions any more for a couple reasons. One is that the questions I’m asking now are much more interesting. The other reason is that I felt satisfied with a lot of the answers. I’m going to review some of those questions and talk about how they led up to the questions that I’m asking now, and we’ll see what you guys think about what I have to say. ... "
More interesting details at the link.
" ... My name is Lawrence Ian Reed. I’m a Clinical and Evolutionary Psychologist over at Skidmore College. Today I want to talk about facial expression of emotion, and a question that’s been gnawing at me for probably six or seven years. We've got some answers, and I’m excited to talk to you guys about what they are.
The first questions that I asked about facial expression were "how" questions: How do our facial expressions change when we’re feeling depressed or when we’ve got bipolar disorder, or when we’re being deceptive? I don’t ask those questions any more for a couple reasons. One is that the questions I’m asking now are much more interesting. The other reason is that I felt satisfied with a lot of the answers. I’m going to review some of those questions and talk about how they led up to the questions that I’m asking now, and we’ll see what you guys think about what I have to say. ... "
More interesting details at the link.
Google Glass not Taking Off
It was only early this year I was looking at a way to use Glass to aid in some compliance applications. We approached Google, but got no interest. Now Glass appears to be fading. They still have immediate value for hands-free type applications. These exist, and we tested solutions for them long before Glass. But their application as general wearable devices as interface has not taken off. Awaiting our evolution, or theirs. More in CIO Today.
Next 50 Years of Management
McKinsey's always interesting contributions, a look forward at the next 50 years:
McKinsey Quarterly’s 50th anniversary edition
In this unique anniversary edition of the Quarterly, leading management thinkers tackle the management challenges of tomorrow. Leaders including author Tom Peters, former IBM CEO Lou Gerstner, eBay head of HR Beth Axelrod, and The Second Machine Age authors Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee explore topics such as leadership, the future of the organization, machine learning, long-term capitalism, and global productivity..... "
McKinsey Quarterly’s 50th anniversary edition
In this unique anniversary edition of the Quarterly, leading management thinkers tackle the management challenges of tomorrow. Leaders including author Tom Peters, former IBM CEO Lou Gerstner, eBay head of HR Beth Axelrod, and The Second Machine Age authors Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee explore topics such as leadership, the future of the organization, machine learning, long-term capitalism, and global productivity..... "
A Cisco App for Collaboration
In CWorld: The Cisco App is being positioned as Freemium. Will also be interesting to see how this is connected to some of its hardware solutions. See also its similarities to P&G's Business Sphere.
" ... Cisco crashes the enterprise mobile party with new collaboration app
Cisco will package and deliver enterprise collaboration capabilities via a mobile and Web app built to replicate the ease of use of consumer software but designed for ad hoc, workplace team interaction.
The app, called Project Squared, joins a growing number of "consumerized" enterprise mobile and Web apps built by startups and designed to put a spin on collaboration, messaging, productivity, video conferencing and communications. ..
Some of those include Cotap for enterprise mobile messaging, Quip for word processing and spreadsheets, Slack for chat room-like communication, SmartSheet for project and task management and Vidyo and Blue Jeans Network for cloud-based video conferencing. ....
A beta version of Project Squared is being announced at Cisco's Collaboration Summit on Monday and made available for free download for iOS and Android devices. The app, which will also be available for MacOS computers and whose Web version works on Chrome, Firefox and Safari, lets users communicate via text chat, audio and video, hold multi-party meetings and share content. ... "
" ... Cisco crashes the enterprise mobile party with new collaboration app
Cisco will package and deliver enterprise collaboration capabilities via a mobile and Web app built to replicate the ease of use of consumer software but designed for ad hoc, workplace team interaction.
The app, called Project Squared, joins a growing number of "consumerized" enterprise mobile and Web apps built by startups and designed to put a spin on collaboration, messaging, productivity, video conferencing and communications. ..
Some of those include Cotap for enterprise mobile messaging, Quip for word processing and spreadsheets, Slack for chat room-like communication, SmartSheet for project and task management and Vidyo and Blue Jeans Network for cloud-based video conferencing. ....
A beta version of Project Squared is being announced at Cisco's Collaboration Summit on Monday and made available for free download for iOS and Android devices. The app, which will also be available for MacOS computers and whose Web version works on Chrome, Firefox and Safari, lets users communicate via text chat, audio and video, hold multi-party meetings and share content. ... "
Monday, November 17, 2014
Context for Evernote
Have now used the Evernote note taking and information management system for years. I like it, especially since they improved their multiple interfaces. It also acts as a cloud for your writing from multiple devices. I see they have just added a module called Context, which automatically does a search (on limited sources) based on the information you are entering. More on Context.
Had examined this idea in the enterprise. Once called a 'remembrance engine', which would augment your memory based on stored information. In the enterprise it could be particularly useful since it could quickly point to internal information: Local definitions, your previous writing, other people people writing about the same thing, local experts, etc. Ideally making your composition more efficient, and interlinked with related knowledge. In theory it could create a 'wiki' of corporate knowledge. The AI required to do this effectively would be impressive.
How well does Context work? It is often all in the implementation. Will report back after I try it. Some commenters suggest this is a ploy to get associated advertising in front of the users. Others worry about the privacy implications of your text being analyzed by the system, and the difficulty of turning Context off, separately on each device.
Update: The content given is thin, unclear when I should expect some information. Unclear if the results will remain attached to a document, or if I have to save or pin them. Results on different platforms seem to be very different. In some cases where I know there is a very relevant article on one of the sources, it is not brought up. So far: Fair.
Had examined this idea in the enterprise. Once called a 'remembrance engine', which would augment your memory based on stored information. In the enterprise it could be particularly useful since it could quickly point to internal information: Local definitions, your previous writing, other people people writing about the same thing, local experts, etc. Ideally making your composition more efficient, and interlinked with related knowledge. In theory it could create a 'wiki' of corporate knowledge. The AI required to do this effectively would be impressive.
How well does Context work? It is often all in the implementation. Will report back after I try it. Some commenters suggest this is a ploy to get associated advertising in front of the users. Others worry about the privacy implications of your text being analyzed by the system, and the difficulty of turning Context off, separately on each device.
Update: The content given is thin, unclear when I should expect some information. Unclear if the results will remain attached to a document, or if I have to save or pin them. Results on different platforms seem to be very different. In some cases where I know there is a very relevant article on one of the sources, it is not brought up. So far: Fair.
Smart Connected Products Killing Industries
Have heard this before, not universally true. Especially when you have to move atoms vs bits. Or apply scarce resources. Like in all transportation industries to date. Other examples too. Still a useful caution when forecasting the future of any industry. In Wired. Boosting innovation yes, but not making the innovations necessarily successful. Clearly often changing the nature of competition.
Big Data is Here to Stay, and don't forget the right Metadata
With some warnings. I agree, we are never going to gather just less complex, wildly aggregated or less data. We will error on the side of more data. I add, we will still need to decide what to save, based on some notion of valuation, and make sure that we are careful about how we gather the data, and that the right metadata is included. Metadata is not just a time stamp and origin or author any more, it is about the additional data that will support business intelligence and predictive analytics in the future. This is also a forecasting task that is not easy, but essential.
Fujitsu Data Enables LED Light
In CWorld: Fujitsu Develops method which will allow products to send data to smartphones.
" ... LED lamps lighting merchandise may soon shine invisible data that your smartphone can pick up.
Fujitsu Laboratories has developed a method to include ID data in LED light so that pointing a smartphone camera at an object it illuminates calls up linked information stored on a cloud server.
The technology could be used to retrieve information about products on display and even trigger a mobile payments system for purchasing them, according to Fujitsu. The technology could be used by retailers as well as in museums and art galleries or trade shows..... "
" ... LED lamps lighting merchandise may soon shine invisible data that your smartphone can pick up.
Fujitsu Laboratories has developed a method to include ID data in LED light so that pointing a smartphone camera at an object it illuminates calls up linked information stored on a cloud server.
The technology could be used to retrieve information about products on display and even trigger a mobile payments system for purchasing them, according to Fujitsu. The technology could be used by retailers as well as in museums and art galleries or trade shows..... "
Facebook Wants Office Presence
This was an area we examined. What infrastructure would work best to deliver social style interaction among employees, among employees and contractors? Linkedin is an obvious alternative. Now Facebook is also interested in this presence. Was not viable at the time. My initial impression is that they don't know the cultural implications. More: In GigaOM.
Tailored Digital Sign Experience
A long time research interest, better and more personalized interaction with the shopper via digital signage:
" ... Photon Interactive, a company that’s been focused on building mobile experiences for large brands, is teaming up with Panasonic to bring what they say will be a more personalized experience to the digital signs you see in stores.
The goal is to combine Photon’s software with Panasonic displays, so that those displays will know more about the customer. That information can be used to deliver targeted offers, as well as check in, make purchases,and more. ... "
" ... Photon Interactive, a company that’s been focused on building mobile experiences for large brands, is teaming up with Panasonic to bring what they say will be a more personalized experience to the digital signs you see in stores.
The goal is to combine Photon’s software with Panasonic displays, so that those displays will know more about the customer. That information can be used to deliver targeted offers, as well as check in, make purchases,and more. ... "
Keeping Online Reviews Honest
In the CACM: Some useful suggestions and statistics.
" ... As commerce increasingly moves online, consumers worldwide are relying more and more on online reviews to help them make decisions about products to buy and businesses to patronize.
According to a recent study by BrightLocal (http://selnd.com/1xzy0Xb), 88% of U.S. consumers read online reviews "to determine whether a local business is a good business" at least occasionally—39% do so regularly. Also, 72% say positive reviews lead them to trust a business more, while 88% say that in "the right circumstances," they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. ... "
" ... As commerce increasingly moves online, consumers worldwide are relying more and more on online reviews to help them make decisions about products to buy and businesses to patronize.
According to a recent study by BrightLocal (http://selnd.com/1xzy0Xb), 88% of U.S. consumers read online reviews "to determine whether a local business is a good business" at least occasionally—39% do so regularly. Also, 72% say positive reviews lead them to trust a business more, while 88% say that in "the right circumstances," they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. ... "
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Handsets and Clouds
Good questions. Will The Smartphone Become Obsolete? ... A look at how cloud technology may change the future of mobile handsets. ... In the current mobile manufacturing competition, device makers strive to give users a distinct product with unique features. So is it possible to imagine a common, ubiquitous device? That is, a mobile handset virtually the same as every other? Distinguished not by ‘bells & whistles' and physical features, but by its cloud-based, personalized profile, services & apps delivered to the user via SaaS? ... '
Can Retail Tech Save Stores
In Cisco Blog: A number of familiar technology areas we worked in. " .... It’s no surprise retailers are pulling out the stops to get shoppers into stores. E-commerce has been eating into brick-and-mortar sales for years, and the pace is only accelerating. Online sales will account for $291 billion, or 8% of all US retail sales, by the end of this year, and that number will rise to $370 billion, or 10% of all retail sales, by 2017, says Forrester Research. ... "
Mining a Global New Products Database
For food and beverage, mined to produce an infographic on sweetener indifference.
" ... Research firm Mintel recently analyzed its Global New Products Database (GNPD) to further understand the landscape of consumer perceptions, consumer purchase behavior and how manufacturers react to each. ... "
Always seeking databases about new products that contain some of the dimensions mentioned.
" ... Research firm Mintel recently analyzed its Global New Products Database (GNPD) to further understand the landscape of consumer perceptions, consumer purchase behavior and how manufacturers react to each. ... "
Always seeking databases about new products that contain some of the dimensions mentioned.
Kids Programming Toys
In Engadget: An internet of toys? The idea of specially designed, kid oriented technical toys has been around for some time, most notable is Lego Mindstorms. Still inclined to think that its best for kids to use systems that are most similar to those that adults use. The transition is easier. It is more clear that these are serious pursuits.
Thinking Causality in Science and Statistics
I have been looking back to understand how AI has changed since the 90s, when we worked with rule based expert systems. One book that addresses some of the changes is Judea Pearl's: Causality: Models, Reasoning and Inference. Now over a decade old, it contains some interesting gems. Dealing with the mixing of knowledge in diagrams and equations, and developing approaches that have evolved to now commonly used Bayesian Networks. More on his site.
There is also a copy of a lecture that Pearl gave at the time: The Art and Science of Cause and Effect, originally an epilogue in the book. Now available free at the link. Deals with the interesting concept of Causality, which is remarkably complex. The idea is essential in working engineered systems, avoided in the physical sciences, and most always warned against in statistics. The article examines why, and poses some remedies. I disagree with some of his early historical views, causation was not discovered at the time of Galileo, but the lecture is still an excellent read.
Consider also how Big Data methods have backed off the need for strict causation requirements.
There is also a copy of a lecture that Pearl gave at the time: The Art and Science of Cause and Effect, originally an epilogue in the book. Now available free at the link. Deals with the interesting concept of Causality, which is remarkably complex. The idea is essential in working engineered systems, avoided in the physical sciences, and most always warned against in statistics. The article examines why, and poses some remedies. I disagree with some of his early historical views, causation was not discovered at the time of Galileo, but the lecture is still an excellent read.
Consider also how Big Data methods have backed off the need for strict causation requirements.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Service Innovation Revisited
Repeating the below introduction, giving a talk to them next week, more to follow about that. I am further struck how much this has to do with cognitive/advisory tasks. It is all about service: Performing tasks in time with available resources. All this is developed with up to date, accurate domain knowledge, learned or derived from sensors. It is Cognitive, expert systems or AI if you like.
' ... Newly brought to my attention: ISSIP: Providing Service Innovation for our Interconnected World: " ... Service innovations improve the quality-of-life of individuals and the wealth of institutions, from businesses to nations that are increasingly dominated by service revenues and economics. Advances in information technology and policy support the rapid scaling of new service innovations in health, education, government, finance, hospitality, retail, communications, transportation, energy, utilities; even in advanced agricultural and manufacturing systems viewed as socio-technical systems, in which community-oriented recycling behaviors improve the economics, sustainability, and resilience of these human-serving systems. ... " https://twitter.com/The_ISSIP ... '
' ... Newly brought to my attention: ISSIP: Providing Service Innovation for our Interconnected World: " ... Service innovations improve the quality-of-life of individuals and the wealth of institutions, from businesses to nations that are increasingly dominated by service revenues and economics. Advances in information technology and policy support the rapid scaling of new service innovations in health, education, government, finance, hospitality, retail, communications, transportation, energy, utilities; even in advanced agricultural and manufacturing systems viewed as socio-technical systems, in which community-oriented recycling behaviors improve the economics, sustainability, and resilience of these human-serving systems. ... " https://twitter.com/The_ISSIP ... '
Alan Turing Year and now the Movie
" ... June 23, 2012, was the Centenary of Alan Turing’s birth in London. During his relatively brief life, Turing made a unique impact on the history of computing, computer science, artificial intelligence, developmental biology, and the mathematical theory of computability..... " This is from a site that continues the observation. And a Twitter presence. In addition there is a new movie on the topic: The Imitation Game, to be released this November 28 in the US. The movie is on my list.
Naturally Intelligent Interaction
Recently received, The BabyX piece at the link is very interesting. " ... One of my gigs is commercial licensing advisor to Auckland UniServices working with Dr. Mark Sagar Director of The Laboratory for Animate Technologies which is pioneering biologically based methods to give computers the power of expression and naturally intelligent interaction. Check out BabyX which is a computer generated psychobiological simulation which learns and interacts in real time with computational neuroscience models of neural systems. ... Steve Ardire ... "
Intel Edison Chip
In CNet:
"Intel meets its 'makers,' with chips for DIY set and the firms they'll found (Q&A)
The next wave of consumer electronics could come from the maker movement and indie developers. Intel's Edward Ross wants to make the company's chips a key part of that trend. ...
Behind that effort is Edward Ross, Intel's senior director of inventor platforms, who leads the team working on the Edison and Galileo chips. The Galileo chips were first introduced about a year ago as electronic training wheels for beginners and "makers" -- the growing cadre of do-it-yourselfers who show off their inventions at Maker Faire events. The smaller, more powerful Edison is targeted at "pro-makers" interested in taking their designs a step further with potentially market-ready products. ... "
"Intel meets its 'makers,' with chips for DIY set and the firms they'll found (Q&A)
The next wave of consumer electronics could come from the maker movement and indie developers. Intel's Edward Ross wants to make the company's chips a key part of that trend. ...
Behind that effort is Edward Ross, Intel's senior director of inventor platforms, who leads the team working on the Edison and Galileo chips. The Galileo chips were first introduced about a year ago as electronic training wheels for beginners and "makers" -- the growing cadre of do-it-yourselfers who show off their inventions at Maker Faire events. The smaller, more powerful Edison is targeted at "pro-makers" interested in taking their designs a step further with potentially market-ready products. ... "
Watson Academic Perspective
From Jim Spohrer of the Cognitive Systems Institute: " ... Check out this presentation by Prof. Jim Hendler (RPI) entitled "Watson: An Academic Perspective" ... ". The group also just started a speaker series, more on that and their approach to academic engagement.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Edge on AI
On the Edge: A conversation with Jaron Lanier on the Myth of AI. Can or will a recommendation engine fool us into thinking it has real content? Is that the promise of AI? No, but he makes some good points about being vigilant here.
Google includes Flu Trend Data
Interesting. Perhaps an admission that these kinds of patterns cannot be derived this way. Recall we were also involved in a related project, which looked at retail pharma sales to predict bioterrorism.
" ... Finding that aggregate Web searches alone cannot provide an accurate assessment of where the flu has struck and its severity, Google will take into account data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its Google Flu Trends model. .... The Google tool is based on the premise that people turn to the Web when they are searching for information on the flu, making certain search terms good indicators of flu levels. The indicators of flu activity were also provided faster by Google than the weekly reports of the CDC. ... "
" ... Finding that aggregate Web searches alone cannot provide an accurate assessment of where the flu has struck and its severity, Google will take into account data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its Google Flu Trends model. .... The Google tool is based on the premise that people turn to the Web when they are searching for information on the flu, making certain search terms good indicators of flu levels. The indicators of flu activity were also provided faster by Google than the weekly reports of the CDC. ... "
Popular Slideshare Presentations on Data Mining
In KDNuggets: A list of the most popular Slideshare presentations on data mining. Slideshare can be a nice way to get an overview of a method, or even basic training for the self-motivated, or filling in your own understanding of an area of technology.
Kroger Smart Shelf
In Smartbrief: An idea that combines electronic shelf labels and small shelf edge displays. Saw this demonstrated by NCR some years ago.Kroger tests smart shelf technology
Kroger has launched a test of smart shelf technology at a northern Kentucky store that includes touchscreen labels that offer product information. The technology allows store workers to change prices immediately, and eliminating stickers would make more efficient use of employees' time while also providing an "engaging experience for our customers," Kroger spokesman Keith Dailey said. The Cincinnati Enquirer (tiered subscription model) ..... "
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Kawasaki Thoughts on Innovation
Gartner promotes Guy Kawasaki's top ten tips for innovation, given at a recent conference. Not bad, easily digested, OK as top level possibilities for consideration. But also, really and basically: trite. Each of these things have worked, and failed any number of times. What do we do when the tip we have chosen does not work? Do we have to march along?
Steve Ballmer on Machine Learning
In CWorld:
Steve Ballmer, who headed Microsoft from 2000 to 2014, said when looking at what's ahead in computer science research, he's most excited about machine learning, the science of building algorithms so that computers can recognize behavior in large data sets. ... "I think it's the dawn of an exciting new era of info and computer science," Ballmer told Computerworld. "It's a new world in which the ability to understand the world and people and draw conclusions will be really quite remarkable… It's a fundamentally different way of doing computer science."
Steve Ballmer, who headed Microsoft from 2000 to 2014, said when looking at what's ahead in computer science research, he's most excited about machine learning, the science of building algorithms so that computers can recognize behavior in large data sets. ... "I think it's the dawn of an exciting new era of info and computer science," Ballmer told Computerworld. "It's a new world in which the ability to understand the world and people and draw conclusions will be really quite remarkable… It's a fundamentally different way of doing computer science."
P&G Details on Duracell Divestiture
I had covered this previously due to its technology component. Now Via the P&G Alumni Network:
Announcement from P&G
In line with our strategy to explore all options to exit the battery category, we have announced today our plan to divest the Duracell business to Berkshire Hathaway. Berkshire Hathaway has more than $427-billion in assets under management including investments in P&G and other well-known businesses such as IBM and Coca Cola. P&G will exchange a recapitalized Duracell Company for Berkshire Hathaway's shares of P&G stock. Berkshire's stock ownership is currently valued at approximately $4.7 billion. This transaction will likely occur in the second half of calendar year 2015. We will continue to establish Duracell as a standalone business as this will be important for operation within the Berkshire Hathaway portfolio. ... "
Announcement from P&G
In line with our strategy to explore all options to exit the battery category, we have announced today our plan to divest the Duracell business to Berkshire Hathaway. Berkshire Hathaway has more than $427-billion in assets under management including investments in P&G and other well-known businesses such as IBM and Coca Cola. P&G will exchange a recapitalized Duracell Company for Berkshire Hathaway's shares of P&G stock. Berkshire's stock ownership is currently valued at approximately $4.7 billion. This transaction will likely occur in the second half of calendar year 2015. We will continue to establish Duracell as a standalone business as this will be important for operation within the Berkshire Hathaway portfolio. ... "
Twitter Says it gets Largest Daily Audience
Conversation with colleague yesterday about Twitter and its use. In some contexts it is still not well thought of, but I have long been a convert for its value for technical connects. It all depends on if the people you need are on-line. It turns out that many are. Are consumers? In Adage: " .... Twitter Pitches Itself as Reaching the 'Largest Daily Audience' ... New Features to Lure Users and Measure 500 Million Eyeballs Off Network ... "
Apple Moves for the Enterprise
Funny, I remember previous attempts at this. In one case where the enterprise had to crack down to keep their personal and mobile systems from becoming too fragmented and expensive to maintain. Now another attempt. Apple is now doing many of the right things to make themselves relevant in the enterprise.
Overlaying Journey Maps and Process Mapping
In e-commerce Times: Have not used the idea, but how about linking the idea to Business Process models? Why not have time flows and value flows in the same map? " ... You can look at the journey map and its supporting tools as the business' structure-making socio-customer-science effort to keep revenues flowing in one direction and customer happiness percolating in the other, and that would be a good thing. Journey maps will be found all over your business in a few years, starting with marketing's effort to corral customers to sales' attempt to brand them ... "
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Mozilla Extending Global Web and Content Creation Tools
Mozilla had not come into my thoughts or work for some time, but this piece was brought to my attention.
" ... Mozilla has announced today that it is entering a partnership with the GSMA to help enable internet access and local content creation and delivery in geographies with poor Web connectivity.
In a recent white paper, Mozilla described the challenge involved in getting the remaining four billion people of the world online: Web-enabled smartphones and mobile networks need to become easily available and affordable, and locally relevant content needs to become easier to create and access. The organization believes allowing for such content in local languages, is ‘the key to unlocking the value of the Web’ for users worldwide. .... "
" ... Mozilla has announced today that it is entering a partnership with the GSMA to help enable internet access and local content creation and delivery in geographies with poor Web connectivity.
In a recent white paper, Mozilla described the challenge involved in getting the remaining four billion people of the world online: Web-enabled smartphones and mobile networks need to become easily available and affordable, and locally relevant content needs to become easier to create and access. The organization believes allowing for such content in local languages, is ‘the key to unlocking the value of the Web’ for users worldwide. .... "
Business Excellence Function at Nestle
Late reporting this, but have never heard this being established as a function. Will be interesting to follow it. On the further reading it, is this about excellence or reorganization?
" ... Over recent years, Nestlé has consistently strengthened its nutrition, health and wellness strategy and expanded its boundaries with the creation of Nestlé Health Science and Nestlé Skin Health. At the same time, the company has continued its drive to take full benefit of its scale, and to position and organize itself effectively and efficiently for profitable growth.
Given this context, at its meeting on 26 September 2014, the Nestlé Board of Directors supported the proposal to create a new Executive Board function, Nestlé Business Excellence, and to redefine Zone Europe and Zone Asia, Oceania and Africa (AOA). ... "
" ... Over recent years, Nestlé has consistently strengthened its nutrition, health and wellness strategy and expanded its boundaries with the creation of Nestlé Health Science and Nestlé Skin Health. At the same time, the company has continued its drive to take full benefit of its scale, and to position and organize itself effectively and efficiently for profitable growth.
Given this context, at its meeting on 26 September 2014, the Nestlé Board of Directors supported the proposal to create a new Executive Board function, Nestlé Business Excellence, and to redefine Zone Europe and Zone Asia, Oceania and Africa (AOA). ... "
Time not Money is the Key to Happiness
Video and text in Knowledge@Wharton.
" ... In a series of papers — “Happiness from Ordinary and Extraordinary Experiences,” co-authored with Dartmouth professor Amit Bhattcharjee; “How Happiness Affects Choice” and “The Shifting Meaning of Happiness,” both co-authored with Stanford professor Jennifer Aaker and MIT professor Sep Kamvar; and “The Pursuit of Happiness: Time, Money and Social Connection” — Mogilner looks at the different experiences and emotions that factor into human contentment, finding that happiness isn’t just one thing, but also isn’t as unique to each person as we might think. .... "
" ... In a series of papers — “Happiness from Ordinary and Extraordinary Experiences,” co-authored with Dartmouth professor Amit Bhattcharjee; “How Happiness Affects Choice” and “The Shifting Meaning of Happiness,” both co-authored with Stanford professor Jennifer Aaker and MIT professor Sep Kamvar; and “The Pursuit of Happiness: Time, Money and Social Connection” — Mogilner looks at the different experiences and emotions that factor into human contentment, finding that happiness isn’t just one thing, but also isn’t as unique to each person as we might think. .... "
US Data Privacy Confidence at New Low
In the BBC: Telling look at how US consumers are thinking about data privacy. " ... The vast majority - 91% - of Americans believe that consumers have lost control over how personal information is collected and used by companies, according to a survey. ... A further 80% also felt that Americans should be concerned about government surveillance, Pew Research suggested. ... It looked at attitudes to privacy and data in the wake of Edward Snowden's allegations about government snooping.
One expert described the findings as "unsurprising". ... "
One expert described the findings as "unsurprising". ... "
Checking out in the Aisle at Sainsbury
An approach we examined over the years in many forms. In aisle checkout. Recently took a close-up look at how Kroger was testing this idea with a handheld device. The Sainsbury test will also include store item location and a shopping list.
In Gizmag:
" ... No-one likes spending any longer at the supermarket than they have to. Whilst self-service checkouts may have sped things up a touch, one UK supermarket is now set to trial doing away with checkouts altogether. The new Sainsbury's app lets users scan items at the shelf and pay via their smartphone. .. "
In Gizmag:
" ... No-one likes spending any longer at the supermarket than they have to. Whilst self-service checkouts may have sped things up a touch, one UK supermarket is now set to trial doing away with checkouts altogether. The new Sainsbury's app lets users scan items at the shelf and pay via their smartphone. .. "
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Google's Culture of Innovation
In FastCompany: Very different from our approach. Driven by the culture. The culture supported innovation, but did not itself create innovation. You had to go outside for that. Even create specific places for it.
Oracle on Modern HR in the Cloud
We actively used analytics in HR since the 80s. From Oracle:
Analytics and faster onboarding will transform HR
Companies looking to differentiate themselves are turning to HR technology as it becomes clear that attracting and retaining skilled talent is key to providing superior employee experiences. Technology companies are delivering HR systems that make it easier to find and onboard the best employees and retain them by providing more streamlined and engaging experiences.
We spoke with Mark Sunday, senior vice president and chief information officer at Oracle. Here, Mark shares his insights on how IT and HR should team up to deploy services. ... "
Analytics and faster onboarding will transform HR
Companies looking to differentiate themselves are turning to HR technology as it becomes clear that attracting and retaining skilled talent is key to providing superior employee experiences. Technology companies are delivering HR systems that make it easier to find and onboard the best employees and retain them by providing more streamlined and engaging experiences.
We spoke with Mark Sunday, senior vice president and chief information officer at Oracle. Here, Mark shares his insights on how IT and HR should team up to deploy services. ... "
Micro Robots Magnetically Driven
Continuing to follow the use of very small or very many simple robotics solutions. In IEEE Spectrum:
" ... An engineered scallop that is only a fraction of a millimeter in size and that is capable of swimming in biomedically relevant fluids has been developed by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart. ....
Designing robots on the micro or nano scale (like, small enough to fit inside your body) is all about simplicity. There just isn’t room for complex motors or actuation systems. There’s barely room for any electronics whatsoever, not to mention batteries, which is why robots that can swim inside your bloodstream or zip around your eyeballs are often driven by magnetic fields. .... "
" ... An engineered scallop that is only a fraction of a millimeter in size and that is capable of swimming in biomedically relevant fluids has been developed by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart. ....
Designing robots on the micro or nano scale (like, small enough to fit inside your body) is all about simplicity. There just isn’t room for complex motors or actuation systems. There’s barely room for any electronics whatsoever, not to mention batteries, which is why robots that can swim inside your bloodstream or zip around your eyeballs are often driven by magnetic fields. .... "
Building User Models with Twitter
An outline about how Bluemix Watson services can be used with Twitter data to do User Modeling. With a fairly simple process. This is ultimately quite a powerful idea. Targeted advertising and loyalty engagement. Create an automated user model based on online behavior. It remains to be seen how accurate it can be. More to follow here.
Are Fingerprints Pins?
Good piece by Evan Schuman on the physical elements of security. " ... A judge’s ruling that a person can be forced to open his phone with his fingerprint ignores the fact that the fingerprint scan is just a substitute PIN, which can’t be required by law enforcement ... "
Datawatch Wins Hackathon
I happened to be at a small portion of this Hackathon last week. Was an interesting experience. In CNN:
" ... Datawatch .... a leading global provider of visual data discovery solutions, was the winner of a recent Internet of Things (IoT) Hackathon at the IBM Insight 2014 Conference last week in Las Vegas.
The Hackathon was designed to foster new ways to develop cloud-based IoT solutions using Informix as the database repository for sensor data. IBM provided a store of real-time sensor data that could be used to create applications ranging from municipal water usage monitoring to truck fleet maintenance to analyzing the flow of people and traffic in retail stores.
The winner was chosen based on having the most compelling idea for solving a real-world problem, along with providing the most complete solution.
The winning Datawatch entry included an innovative visualization dashboard for monitoring electrical smart meters in homes so that energy companies could be more efficient and effective in the delivery of power. It combined both historical electricity usage data with real-time household data, visualized through interactive, real-time maps for tracking electricity usage by counties, regions and days of the week. Energy companies could use the visualization to foresee trends and spikes in energy demand, diverting power on the electric grid to areas in need or bringing online auxiliary power plants to meet impending demand. ... ."
" ... Datawatch .... a leading global provider of visual data discovery solutions, was the winner of a recent Internet of Things (IoT) Hackathon at the IBM Insight 2014 Conference last week in Las Vegas.
The Hackathon was designed to foster new ways to develop cloud-based IoT solutions using Informix as the database repository for sensor data. IBM provided a store of real-time sensor data that could be used to create applications ranging from municipal water usage monitoring to truck fleet maintenance to analyzing the flow of people and traffic in retail stores.
The winner was chosen based on having the most compelling idea for solving a real-world problem, along with providing the most complete solution.
The winning Datawatch entry included an innovative visualization dashboard for monitoring electrical smart meters in homes so that energy companies could be more efficient and effective in the delivery of power. It combined both historical electricity usage data with real-time household data, visualized through interactive, real-time maps for tracking electricity usage by counties, regions and days of the week. Energy companies could use the visualization to foresee trends and spikes in energy demand, diverting power on the electric grid to areas in need or bringing online auxiliary power plants to meet impending demand. ... ."
Stressed Out by Work
In Knowledge@Wharton:
" ... If you had asked any worker since the Industrial Revolution whether he or she was experiencing stress on the job, the answer would likely have been in the affirmative—and emphatic. But workplace experts say something unusual is going on today. Global competition, downsizing and the constant state of being electronically tethered to the office are combining to create a perhaps unprecedented level of stress. ... "
" ... If you had asked any worker since the Industrial Revolution whether he or she was experiencing stress on the job, the answer would likely have been in the affirmative—and emphatic. But workplace experts say something unusual is going on today. Global competition, downsizing and the constant state of being electronically tethered to the office are combining to create a perhaps unprecedented level of stress. ... "
Monday, November 10, 2014
Amazon Echo and Shopping
In Retailwire: A look at how the Echo assistant and speaker and its implications for a new mode of shopping. Think of the potential cognitive interactions with a device anywhere in the home. A new Smart Home connection? I am reminded of a number of other standalone devices of this type that failed. But now we have better language processing, cognitive capabilities and the Amazon name." .... Amazon surprised the tech community by introducing Echo, a voice-activated, personal digital assistant. While compared to Apple's Siri, Google Now and Microsoft's Cortana in many reviews, Echo is a speaker that's designed to sit in living rooms rather than on smartphones.
.... tech bloggers speculated wildly on how Echo may work to bring "no-click" shopping to reality. Beyond adding to Amazon.com shopping lists, users can buy digital music from Amazon.com. But many predict users will eventually be able to add e-books to their Kindle library or purchase physical items from Amazon directly from Echo. ....
James McQuivey, at Forrester Research, told Wired. "Sure, it doubles as a connected speaker and some people will end up buying it for that, but the Echo will only achieve its real purpose when you start asking it questions, having it complete tasks for you — especially shopping tasks — just the way Apple hopes its users will interact with Apple Watch." ... ;
Also in Mashable.
Consider how much this depends on doing your Cognitive AI right. It turns voice into a multiple direction interface. No keyboard, no mouse, no screen.
One commenter suggested: This is like permitting an open mic in your home ... Caution.
Japan's Robot Week
A report from Japan's 2014 Robot Week in October. Which makes the case that software is becoming more important. It has always been important, in particular as we expect more contextual autonomy than ever before in applications.
Bringing Clarity to Cognitive Computing
An overview of the topic of cognitive computing, from the recent Dataversity webinar. Via Steve Ardire.
" ... DATAVERSITY’s™ Cognitive Computing Forum is taking place this August in San Jose, and in advance of the event, the team here also has released the 2014 Cognitive Computing Survey as well as conducted the webinar Understanding The World of Cognitive Computing. Just like the upcoming Forum, with presenters tackling topics ranging from deep neural networks in practice to expressive machines, the survey results and webinar speakers provide some much-needed insight and clarity into just what the new world of Cognitive Computing (CC) encompasses. All of the various projects really demonstrate how CC connects with human intelligence and Big Data, and why it matters to businesses. ... "
" ... DATAVERSITY’s™ Cognitive Computing Forum is taking place this August in San Jose, and in advance of the event, the team here also has released the 2014 Cognitive Computing Survey as well as conducted the webinar Understanding The World of Cognitive Computing. Just like the upcoming Forum, with presenters tackling topics ranging from deep neural networks in practice to expressive machines, the survey results and webinar speakers provide some much-needed insight and clarity into just what the new world of Cognitive Computing (CC) encompasses. All of the various projects really demonstrate how CC connects with human intelligence and Big Data, and why it matters to businesses. ... "
Moving Data Fast in Disaster
Several recent communications have led us to thinking about how data can be moved quickly and reliably in complex times. Which led to this piece:
" ... Prototype technology developed by AT&T, IBM, and Applied Communications Sciences (ACS) can quickly move large amounts of critical data and software to another location in the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. The technology would enable governments and companies to shift information and software between private and public data centers, as well as cloud services from different providers, in seconds.
"The key idea here is to have a highly dynamic backbone network," says University of California, Santa Barbara professor Adel Saleh. "If the network is under physical attack or cyberattack, you can recover from this quickly." Users could reconfigure systems on the fly to handle changes in needs, such as bandwidth. ... "
" ... Prototype technology developed by AT&T, IBM, and Applied Communications Sciences (ACS) can quickly move large amounts of critical data and software to another location in the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. The technology would enable governments and companies to shift information and software between private and public data centers, as well as cloud services from different providers, in seconds.
"The key idea here is to have a highly dynamic backbone network," says University of California, Santa Barbara professor Adel Saleh. "If the network is under physical attack or cyberattack, you can recover from this quickly." Users could reconfigure systems on the fly to handle changes in needs, such as bandwidth. ... "
Consciousness in Computing
The problems of computing consciousness. An interesting question, but more often wonder what value consciousness will have. Perhaps as a precursor to certain kinds of creativity?
Sunday, November 09, 2014
Future of Matrix Organization
A 1970s McKinsey article on beyond the Matrix Organization. Where has the emergence of technology changed this? Not changed this? " .... Tom Peters examines the flaws of the matrix-organization design and explores several more effective approaches to implement no more than one or two essential corporate thrusts at a time. ... "
Davidow's Complete Product
Brought to my attention, a book review by Rob Thomas, on the Complete Product. " ... William Davidow wrote Marketing High Technology in 1986. While we have seen many phases in technology since then, its a timeless piece of work on how to think about building great products. The fundamental message of the book is that a product development organization has to think about building a 'complete product', not a product. A product is something that a client can buy. Whereas, a 'complete product' addresses all the things around and related to the product: market fit, distribution channels, sales, service, marketing, and positioning. ... "
Taking Autocompletion Further
A simplistic metaphor for intelligence is autocompletion. We are very used to it today. We have knowledge, now how do we use that knowledge to predict what should be next in a given context? In Wired:
" .... Now, a government-backed research team wants to provide similar suggestions to the world’s programmers as they’re writing computer code. That’s right: the aim is to guess what programmers are coding before they code it.
This week, Rice University said that Darpa, the Pentagon’s mad science division, has invested $11 million in this autocomplete programming project, dubbed PLINY, after the ancient Roman author of the first encyclopedia, “Text search prediction is the best analogy,” says Vivek Sarkar, the chair of the computer science department at Rice and the principal investigator on the project. “People will be able to will be able to pick from a list of possible solutions.” ... "
" .... Now, a government-backed research team wants to provide similar suggestions to the world’s programmers as they’re writing computer code. That’s right: the aim is to guess what programmers are coding before they code it.
This week, Rice University said that Darpa, the Pentagon’s mad science division, has invested $11 million in this autocomplete programming project, dubbed PLINY, after the ancient Roman author of the first encyclopedia, “Text search prediction is the best analogy,” says Vivek Sarkar, the chair of the computer science department at Rice and the principal investigator on the project. “People will be able to will be able to pick from a list of possible solutions.” ... "
Saturday, November 08, 2014
Why the IBM and Twitter Data Deal
It has been presented as a means to understand the pulse of the planet. A sensory coup previously impossible. Connecting the firehose of information created in twitter with the analytics and cognitive capabilities of IBM. It certainly makes me think. Is the data represented by Twitter, and other sources, clean enough, precise enough to provide quality predictions? Good introductory interviews in Fortune, which don't answer these questions, but address the motivation and possible first steps. Watching.
Google's Neural Turing Machine
This still does not mean we can replace our conventional machines with such neural networks, but it can have profound implication for analytics.
Google's Secretive DeepMind Startup Unveils a "Neural Turing Machine"
DeepMind has built a neural network that can access an external memory like a conventional Turing machine. The result is a computer that mimics the short-term memory of the human brain. .... "
Google's Secretive DeepMind Startup Unveils a "Neural Turing Machine"
DeepMind has built a neural network that can access an external memory like a conventional Turing machine. The result is a computer that mimics the short-term memory of the human brain. .... "
Innovation Assessments: Fun and Games
Had missed this previously. Worth a look.
Innovation Assessment is one of the pillars of an innovation program. Evaluation should be done as an on-going activity and revised with the most valuable feedback gathered along the entire innovation journey. In the third of a series of articles focused on Innovation Culture, we are going to propose a different approach for Innovation Assessment that by offering a different user experience could increase awareness, engagement and elicit more valuable contributions from key stakeholders. ... "
Innovation Assessment is one of the pillars of an innovation program. Evaluation should be done as an on-going activity and revised with the most valuable feedback gathered along the entire innovation journey. In the third of a series of articles focused on Innovation Culture, we are going to propose a different approach for Innovation Assessment that by offering a different user experience could increase awareness, engagement and elicit more valuable contributions from key stakeholders. ... "
Mobile Optimization
Beyond responsive design. " ... Conversations on whether to build a responsive site or create dedicated landing pages are everywhere right now. Mobile traffic is rising and while marketers are trying to figure out which is the best way to address and test mobile visitors there are a few interesting statistics that can help path the way to higher mobile conversion.
One of our clients has been running a million dollar mobile campaign for over 2 years with a 0.79% conversion rate to purchase. The client was doing the same as the majority of companies are doing today – Using a responsive site to convert mobile Visitors into Customers. ... "
One of our clients has been running a million dollar mobile campaign for over 2 years with a 0.79% conversion rate to purchase. The client was doing the same as the majority of companies are doing today – Using a responsive site to convert mobile Visitors into Customers. ... "
Cognitive Process and the Executive
On cognitive assistance for the executive. First a short history of cognitive assistants from Jim Spohrer. Then a look at some of my previous writings on intelligent executive information systems. Some of this accumulates posts from this very blog. These links are from the service science information archives a " ... Community site for Service Science Education and Research ... ".
Friday, November 07, 2014
Bluemix Cloud Platform Services
For my current work with IBM Bluemix, as it provides Watson services, I have been assigned Jacob Krupski as my Cloud Platform Services representative. Here is his excellent blog, which has lots of interesting hints and information. Upcoming events and links. Includes a good explanatory video of Bluemix. And more.
Watson Analytics Demonstration
Just received, an excellent demonstration of Watson Analytics, which I am currently taking a close look at. Full message here.
" .... We’ve been working hard to prepare an engaging experience for you. We're bringing everyone on board as fast as we can , and we'll reach the open beta milestone soon. We think you’re really going to enjoy it! In the meantime, we thought you’d like to see a little preview of what you can do with Watson Analytics.
Watch this demo for a glimpse into the Watson Analytics capabilities you’ll be using. You’ll see:
• Natural language dialog - use plain English to interact with your data and results (additional languages planned in 2015)
• Data visualizations that lead quickly to deep insights
• Predictive analytics anyone can use (no modeling needed!) to decide on best next actions
Thanks again for your interest and patience, . We’ll be in touch again soon with details for your participation.
Regards,
The Watson Analytics Team ....
McKinsey on the Future of Growth
In McKinsey:
" ... Throughout history, economic growth has been fueled by two factors: the expanding pool of workers and their rising productivity. From the perspective of rising prosperity, however, it is productivity that makes all the difference. Disparities in GDP per capita among countries—or between the past and the present in the same country—primarily reflect differences in labor productivity. That in turn is the result of production and operational factors, technological advances, and managerial skills. As managers improve efficiency, invest, and innovate to be competitive, their collective actions expand the global economy. ... "
" ... Throughout history, economic growth has been fueled by two factors: the expanding pool of workers and their rising productivity. From the perspective of rising prosperity, however, it is productivity that makes all the difference. Disparities in GDP per capita among countries—or between the past and the present in the same country—primarily reflect differences in labor productivity. That in turn is the result of production and operational factors, technological advances, and managerial skills. As managers improve efficiency, invest, and innovate to be competitive, their collective actions expand the global economy. ... "
Complexity of IOT and Experience Design
In Radar: Some excellent points made here. " ... The Internet of Things (IoT) is challenging designers to rethink their craft. I recently sat down with Claire Rowland, independent designer and author of the forthcoming book Designing Connected Products to talk about the changing design landscape. During our interview, Rowland brought up three points that resonated with me. .. .. " Everything should be thought of in terms of experience design. This explores the dimensions in the Internet of Things (IOT) .
Connected Products are Next
In Adage: " ... Products as their own media channel ... " .... But why should anyone in digital media care? Last week at Ad Age's Data Conference, global brands from Loreál to Coca-Cola converged to discuss how IoT-based data (data flowing from and between connectable products, devices, people and brands) can help them build deeper relationships with consumers. While early adopters are now experimenting with creative ways to leverage IoT as a conduit for deeper audience engagement, IoT hasn't reached critical mass yet; IoT discussions still live inside the walls of "digital innovation" and "new product development." ... " By Niall Murphy. Recall discussing this when we were considering only RFID tagging for CPG products on smart shelves.
Advanced Analytics in Consumer Goods: Podcast
Abstract: In Justin Honaman, managing partner for consumer goods for North American industry consulting at Teradata, is interviewed by Ron Powell, independent analyst and consultant focused big data, business intelligence and data warehousing. Ron and Justin discuss the why advanced analytics has become a priority for today’s consumer goods companies. Justin also talks about how consumer goods companies interact more directly with their consumers and why these companies now want to be data driven. He explains how the most successful CPG companies are the ones prioritizing data and information. Podcast.
Drone Ambulances
The Drone ambulance idea does not deliver a patient to the hospital but rather a defibrillator to the patient. Nice simplification idea.
Thursday, November 06, 2014
Big Data and Analytics Fighting Fraud
The November-December Analytics Magazine discusses FraudBig Data, Analytics, Fight Fraud
by Drew Carter and Stephanie Anderson
Fraud doesn't play favorites; it's a multi-industry problem. How to employ analytics for effective, proactive fraud monitoring.
Goal-Driven Analytics
by Eric A. King
Big buzzkill: size and success don't correlate. Big data needs advanced analytics, but analytics does not need big data.
Real-Time Fraud Detection in the Cloud
by Saurabh Tandon
Detecting fraud among online banking customers in near real time by running a combination of learning algorithms on a data set. .... "
Demystifying Cognitive Systems
In Deloitte University Press: Demystifying artificial intelligence ... What business leaders need to know about cognitive technologies...
C-Level Execs and Big Data
A natural next step. The key will be how to make the translation from the analyst speak to the business strategy and process language. " ... An overwhelming majority of executives from companies that have brought big data projects to production are pleased with the results, according to new research by Accenture Digital. However, they also cite security as the major challenge they face.
"One thing we've seen in the past year is that people are not really talking about what is big data anymore," says Vince Dell'Anno, managing director and global information management lead, Accenture Analytics, part of Accenture Digital. "They've done their experimentation. They've got some understanding of it. What they're talking about now is what happens when they need to scale to support, 1,000 or 2,000 or 5,000 users. That's where challenges like security and integration come into play." ... "
"One thing we've seen in the past year is that people are not really talking about what is big data anymore," says Vince Dell'Anno, managing director and global information management lead, Accenture Analytics, part of Accenture Digital. "They've done their experimentation. They've got some understanding of it. What they're talking about now is what happens when they need to scale to support, 1,000 or 2,000 or 5,000 users. That's where challenges like security and integration come into play." ... "
Watson Powered Apps
A testament to the possibilities. Though I believe all of these can be considered Beta. In CIO Mag. " ... IBM is investing $1 billion in its IBM Watson Group with the aim of creating an ecosystem of startups and businesses building cognitive computing applications with Watson. Here are 10 examples that are making an impact. ... "
YouTube Brandlab
Though I have used it for years, never thought about YouTube as an advertising platform. That is changing rapidly. I like the concept of labs to test ideas and engage and problem solve with clients.
In Adage: A Video Tour of YouTube's New York Studio and BrandLab ... On Thursday YouTube is opening its New York City production studio, which will feature a BrandLab for workshops with marketers. .... "
In Adage: A Video Tour of YouTube's New York Studio and BrandLab ... On Thursday YouTube is opening its New York City production studio, which will feature a BrandLab for workshops with marketers. .... "
IBM Streaming Analytics
We did considerable work in using real time data to predict maintenance operations in high speed manufacturing. Some of the methods we developed were ultimately licensed out.
Recent press release:
" ... Among the seven vendors evaluated, "IBM scored highest on performance and scalability." The report notes that "IBM InfoSphere Stream is industrial strength" and "has comprehensive stream processing operators and development tools that can satisfy the gnarliest of use-cases." It also credits IBM's "significant investments in research."
IBM’s status as a leader in the big data streaming analytics market is based on the evaluation of its InfoSphere Streams software. Developed by IBM Research, InfoSphere Streams rapidly ingests and continuously analyzes massive volumes and varieties of streaming data from thousands of sources to help improve business insight and decision making and enable predictive and cognitive analytics. The technology can process millions of messages per second.
IBM’s Big Data and Analytics capabilities are helping to drive transformation in areas such as energy, financial services, healthcare and telecommunications, while C-suite executives including CMOs, CFOs and CHROs across industries are now using IBM analytics to deliver better business results. ... "
Recent press release:
" ... Among the seven vendors evaluated, "IBM scored highest on performance and scalability." The report notes that "IBM InfoSphere Stream is industrial strength" and "has comprehensive stream processing operators and development tools that can satisfy the gnarliest of use-cases." It also credits IBM's "significant investments in research."
IBM’s status as a leader in the big data streaming analytics market is based on the evaluation of its InfoSphere Streams software. Developed by IBM Research, InfoSphere Streams rapidly ingests and continuously analyzes massive volumes and varieties of streaming data from thousands of sources to help improve business insight and decision making and enable predictive and cognitive analytics. The technology can process millions of messages per second.
IBM’s Big Data and Analytics capabilities are helping to drive transformation in areas such as energy, financial services, healthcare and telecommunications, while C-suite executives including CMOs, CFOs and CHROs across industries are now using IBM analytics to deliver better business results. ... "
Wednesday, November 05, 2014
How We Got to Now
Recently encountered PBS series on the process of innovation. Nicely done. Covers the history of discovered technologies, the process of integrating ideas, and the marketing of their value. Leading to changes in our lives and cultures. Somewhat reminiscent of James Burke's Connections.
Team Collaboration Tools
Have experimented with many, but never liked any of them. How much are collaboration styles changing, and do these address that?
" ... Working together: 3 new team collaboration tools ... Flow, Glip and Slingshot try to enhance the ability of teams to converse and collaborate using a variety of tools. .... "
" ... Working together: 3 new team collaboration tools ... Flow, Glip and Slingshot try to enhance the ability of teams to converse and collaborate using a variety of tools. .... "
More Robots, More Moral Hazards
More robots, increasingly autonomous. The challenge of moral and legal hazards.
Whether you find it exhilarating or terrifying (or both), progress in robotics and related fields like AI is raising new ethical quandaries and challenging legal codes that were created for a world in which a sharp line separates man from machine. Last week, roboticists, legal scholars, and other experts met at the University of California, Berkeley law school to talk through some of the social, moral, and legal hazards that are likely to arise as that line starts to blur ... "
Whether you find it exhilarating or terrifying (or both), progress in robotics and related fields like AI is raising new ethical quandaries and challenging legal codes that were created for a world in which a sharp line separates man from machine. Last week, roboticists, legal scholars, and other experts met at the University of California, Berkeley law school to talk through some of the social, moral, and legal hazards that are likely to arise as that line starts to blur ... "
Innovation and Regulation Working Together
From Knowledge@Wharton: Less regulation is very important. " ... The rapid growth of the sharing economy has spawned numerous skirmishes between local regulators and the companies that are disrupting established industries. Is there a solution with which everyone can live? ... "
Barriers to Retail Store Analytics
In RetailWire: Good general overview, full report requires registration. " ... Web style retail store analytics offer powerful benefits for in-store operations, yet retailers face obstacles to successfully implementing the necessary tools and leveraging the data collected. See key recommendations from a recent Forrester study. ... "
Finding Hidden Laws
The Santa Fe Institute on " ... Finding the hidden laws that pervade complex biological & social phenomena ... "
Google Thoughts on Data Viz
In ClickZ: Straightforward thoughts on data visualization. " .... Google Analytics Advocate Adam Singer explores the use of data in order to communicate and tell your company story. ... "
Tuesday, November 04, 2014
Neurotechnology Careers
Lots about brain modeling. But nothing about Neuromarketing. Funding is increasing opportunities. In Science.
Hadoop Predictions
Interesting, but I don't find this particularly useful. I understand why you want easier to use Big Data manipulation tools. But I would really like transparent and easier to use data manipulation, visualization and analytics tools that let me fill the understanding gap between decision scientist and business user.
Prototype Real Holodeck
How about if you built a virtual holodeck representing a retail store? Possible, but will it test similarly to a real store? The technology is here.
Watson Analytics Trial Use Received
Just received a note indicating that I can now finally start my trial use of Watson Analytics. It is positioned as a 'trial use', you cannot retain any data after the trial is over. I assume others will be getting this requested offer soon as well. Do join up to get your own view. Would love to hear more about those experiences here.
I saw several demonstrations at the recent conference and was impressed by what I saw, but did not have the opportunity to get beyond skimming the demonstrations.
In particular would like to understand how external data might be easily integrated and manipulated. Also, if it is true that Watson Analytics will help with some typical data cleansing problems. And, to what degree warnings are appropriate and helpful for particular analytical methods.
Canvassing my network as well to get a broader view. Will report here.
I saw several demonstrations at the recent conference and was impressed by what I saw, but did not have the opportunity to get beyond skimming the demonstrations.
In particular would like to understand how external data might be easily integrated and manipulated. Also, if it is true that Watson Analytics will help with some typical data cleansing problems. And, to what degree warnings are appropriate and helpful for particular analytical methods.
Canvassing my network as well to get a broader view. Will report here.
Monday, November 03, 2014
Optimization Direct for Operations Research
In the early days of my career, most of my work was done with optimization analytics, primarily in R&D, Supply Chain and Manufacturing. We utilized methods that had been developed during the second world War to improve complex transport systems. Called then, and still now: Operations Research. These are predictive analytics methods, but did not typically have the richness of data we have today.
A couple of encounters in the past few weeks have led me to think about how the OR techniques are being used used effectively today. A number of companies are still successful in this area, for example Optimization Direct, just met one of their execs.
A couple of encounters in the past few weeks have led me to think about how the OR techniques are being used used effectively today. A number of companies are still successful in this area, for example Optimization Direct, just met one of their execs.
Signals Group Product Intelligence
Just brought to my attention: Signals Group
" ... Powerful product intelligence driven by data, geared towards action. We saw a need to reduce the risk and increase probability for success in building and launching new products. We believed that faster time-to-insight and evidence-based decisions are not just buzzwords.
As natural problem solvers, intelligence officers and geeks with a passion for data, we believed that the right combination of technology, data, and subject matter expertise could overcome this challenge....
We created a single platform capable of managing different types of data, performing analyses, and linking those insights to real new product development decisions.
We enable corporations and their product teams to build better, more successful products by transforming multiple external big data sources into actionable intelligence findings. .... "
" ... Powerful product intelligence driven by data, geared towards action. We saw a need to reduce the risk and increase probability for success in building and launching new products. We believed that faster time-to-insight and evidence-based decisions are not just buzzwords.
As natural problem solvers, intelligence officers and geeks with a passion for data, we believed that the right combination of technology, data, and subject matter expertise could overcome this challenge....
We created a single platform capable of managing different types of data, performing analyses, and linking those insights to real new product development decisions.
We enable corporations and their product teams to build better, more successful products by transforming multiple external big data sources into actionable intelligence findings. .... "
Writing in the 21st Century
Nathan Heller writes in the New Yorker: " ... In a prologue to “The Sense of Style,” subtitled “A Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century,” the brain scientist Steven Pinker explains that he’s been reading style manuals of late, and that they bum him out. ... " . And Heller goes on to claim inconsistencies. Its easy to pick things like that. It should be our flexible language, not the property of the pundits. Still a good read.
Analyzing Work Styles
We all know that there are very widely varied work styles. But can we accurately use a classification of these to plan and deliver better results? To work better together? In Insideanalysis.
Does P&G Need Retailers Anymore?
In Retailwire: Yes, despite all the changes, it very much does .... The experience endures.
" ... Procter & Gamble's $89 million distribution center near Dayton brings jobs to the region, but as part of a supply-chain overhaul, it also represents the inevitable — and potentially dramatic — transformation of the retail landscape. How big is the direct-to-consumer e-commerce opportunity for CPG brands? .... "
" ... Have the stars finally aligned for a successful direct-to-consumer push by P&G? Consumers who are increasingly pressed for time and dissatisfied with stores have embraced online shopping. Amazon wants a distribution arms race and won't stop short of air-dominance with a fleet of drones buzzing around its fulfillment centers, but P&G's redesigned supply chain has put it closer to consumers than ever before. Consumers want it. The technology is there. ... "
" ... Procter & Gamble's $89 million distribution center near Dayton brings jobs to the region, but as part of a supply-chain overhaul, it also represents the inevitable — and potentially dramatic — transformation of the retail landscape. How big is the direct-to-consumer e-commerce opportunity for CPG brands? .... "
" ... Have the stars finally aligned for a successful direct-to-consumer push by P&G? Consumers who are increasingly pressed for time and dissatisfied with stores have embraced online shopping. Amazon wants a distribution arms race and won't stop short of air-dominance with a fleet of drones buzzing around its fulfillment centers, but P&G's redesigned supply chain has put it closer to consumers than ever before. Consumers want it. The technology is there. ... "
Keyless Entry and Check-in
In GigaOm: Smartphone as keyless entry. Nice idea, but with the usual privacy issues. It was not too long ago I saw an article about hacking hotel doors. " ... Later this week 10 Starwood hotels will let customers use their smartphones to unlock their hotel room door, letting customers using the Starwood app or other Starwood channels bypass the front desk for check-in. Called SPG Keyless, the program will be available to Starwood Preferred Guests who book their rooms through the Starwood mobile app.
When those customers’ rooms are ready they will get a notification along with their key, and from that point on they can just pop on in to the hotel and go directly to their room. You will have to open the app to unlock the door, which means you’re going to need a phone with a charge and your hands free, but it’s a small price for many to pay in order to avoid a wait. ... "
When those customers’ rooms are ready they will get a notification along with their key, and from that point on they can just pop on in to the hotel and go directly to their room. You will have to open the app to unlock the door, which means you’re going to need a phone with a charge and your hands free, but it’s a small price for many to pay in order to avoid a wait. ... "
Medical Data
Attended an online conference call about the sharing and use of medical data for analytics. Quite interesting. My own last couple of years of medical experiences have awakened me to how data is gathered, shared and can ultimately be used (or not) for analytic decision making. Noted speaker in the talk was Dick Moberg, who leads a group that deals with neurological monitoring. Still in the way, the continued siloing of data. Very similar in corporations in general. The belief is that reusable and sharable data trails will be in place within 5 years. This talk is in preparation for the Chicago symposium next week.
Sunday, November 02, 2014
Data Science is Real!
See Carla Gentry's Data Science is Real site. Met and interacted at a recent conference. " ... I’m not an Entrepreneur, I’m not a CEO, I’m a Data Nerd ... ". Impressive work and credentials. See more about her extensive data science services. Go Carla!
More Swash Cleaning Shirts
In Bloomberg: A look at big company collaborative innovation at P&G " ... a venture with Whirlpool Cleans Dirty Clothes fast ... ". Mildly involved during its early days. See link below for earlier mentions. See also about reciprocity.
Informs Marketing Science Article Press Releases
I was reminded that the Informs Analytics organization has a marketing science section that periodically publishes press releases. They are listed here. Starting to follow more consistently now.
Business Model Innovation
In Integrative Innovation:
" ... Business model innovation (BMI) is becoming ever more important as it turns out increasingly difficult for companies to differentiate based on products and services alone. New business models are difficult for competitors to copy, not only because it takes considerable time and effort to build a new business model and simultaneously change several elements of an existing one, respectively. Moreover, a business model has to fit a company’s unique combination of strategy, culture and competencies in order to succeed. ... " This points to an article from the Boston Consulting Group. I wonder too how this will be linked to more explicit modeling methods, like Business Process Modeling (BPM). We used BPM for some portions of innovation understanding. Competency management points to better resource planning.
" ... Business model innovation (BMI) is becoming ever more important as it turns out increasingly difficult for companies to differentiate based on products and services alone. New business models are difficult for competitors to copy, not only because it takes considerable time and effort to build a new business model and simultaneously change several elements of an existing one, respectively. Moreover, a business model has to fit a company’s unique combination of strategy, culture and competencies in order to succeed. ... " This points to an article from the Boston Consulting Group. I wonder too how this will be linked to more explicit modeling methods, like Business Process Modeling (BPM). We used BPM for some portions of innovation understanding. Competency management points to better resource planning.
Conversation with Marc Andreesen
A provocative conversation with a person we used to follow closely. Inventor of the early Netscape browser we all used back then. Optimism is best, he says.
Google Developing Pill to Detect Disease
In Wired. An idea that was first posed back in the earlier AI days. Is it now close to happening?
" ... Google is attempting to develop a pill that would send microscopic particles into the bloodstream in an effort to identify cancers, imminent heart attacks, and other diseases.
Andrew Conrad, the head of life sciences inside the company’s Google X research lab, revealed the project on Tuesday morning at a conference here in Southern California. According to Conrad, the company is fashioning nanoparticles—particles about one billionth of a meter in width—that combine a magnetic material with antibodies or proteins that can attach to and detect other molecules inside the body. The idea is that patients will swallow a pill that contains these particles, and after they enter the bloodstream—attempting to identify molecules that would indicate certain health problems—a wearable device could use their magnetic cores to gather them back together and read what they’ve found. ... "
" ... Google is attempting to develop a pill that would send microscopic particles into the bloodstream in an effort to identify cancers, imminent heart attacks, and other diseases.
Andrew Conrad, the head of life sciences inside the company’s Google X research lab, revealed the project on Tuesday morning at a conference here in Southern California. According to Conrad, the company is fashioning nanoparticles—particles about one billionth of a meter in width—that combine a magnetic material with antibodies or proteins that can attach to and detect other molecules inside the body. The idea is that patients will swallow a pill that contains these particles, and after they enter the bloodstream—attempting to identify molecules that would indicate certain health problems—a wearable device could use their magnetic cores to gather them back together and read what they’ve found. ... "
Saturday, November 01, 2014
Watson Developer Cloud
Andy Boyd, developer contact at IBM, pointed me to the Watson Developer Cloud, just launched. Nicely done. Especially interested in the community aspect of the offerings as they mature. See their getting started section.
Image Recognition: Human v Monkey
In Wired: Looking into the networks necessary for key kinds of sensory intelligence.
" ... For about a decade now, brain scientists like Charles Cadieu have run image recognition tests pitting computers against monkeys. The test measures how well the monkeys can quickly process images on a screen, and then compares it to the performance of a machine. It’s not exactly a test of image recognition, says Cadieu, a postdoctoral researcher at MIT, but of something more elemental; what Cadieu calls the “neural substrate that makes recognition possible.” ... ."
" ... For about a decade now, brain scientists like Charles Cadieu have run image recognition tests pitting computers against monkeys. The test measures how well the monkeys can quickly process images on a screen, and then compares it to the performance of a machine. It’s not exactly a test of image recognition, says Cadieu, a postdoctoral researcher at MIT, but of something more elemental; what Cadieu calls the “neural substrate that makes recognition possible.” ... ."
HP Embraces 3D Printing, Immersion
In CWorld: Will this change manufacturing? The move is good to watch. It is blended reality, they say. New term to me, I prefer 'remote manufacturing' as more descriptive
" .... HP today announced a new 3D printing technology called Multi Jet Fusion that it said will enable mass production of parts with a technology traditionally reserved for rapid prototyping.
The new industrial 3D printer, about the size of a washing machine, is 10 times faster and 50% less expensive than current systems on the market, HP said. The printer can also use a myriad of colors and materials. .... "
A further good idea, they announce the supporting " ... Sprout ... a new immersive computing platform that combines a 23-in touch screen monitor and horizontal capacitive touch mat with a scanner, depth sensor, hi-res camera, and projector in a single desktop device. .... "
" .... HP today announced a new 3D printing technology called Multi Jet Fusion that it said will enable mass production of parts with a technology traditionally reserved for rapid prototyping.
The new industrial 3D printer, about the size of a washing machine, is 10 times faster and 50% less expensive than current systems on the market, HP said. The printer can also use a myriad of colors and materials. .... "
A further good idea, they announce the supporting " ... Sprout ... a new immersive computing platform that combines a 23-in touch screen monitor and horizontal capacitive touch mat with a scanner, depth sensor, hi-res camera, and projector in a single desktop device. .... "
Placing a Price on Data Assets
Am in the midst of addressing just such a task. What is data worth? What is its risk? " .... We know in our gut that data has value. No company can run without it. But what is it really worth? As CEOs realize that data is an asset that can be exploited as a new source of revenue, they will start to ask CIOs about its financial potential. Responding with a shrug and a shot in the dark won't exactly enhance your own value in the CEO's eyes. .... "
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