Cisco has a new Internet of Things white paper. (Registration required) Good, non-technical introduction. It is likely Cisco will be a major player in this space, both in industry and in the home, so their view is useful. Like this because it looks at the business operations angle.
" ... Improve Business Operations with the IoT
The Internet of Things can help you improve business efficiency, control intelligence from a wide range of equipment, enhance operations, and increase customer satisfaction. This Lopez Research Brief outlines the business benefits of the IoT and explains the steps to get started. Download the brief to see how you can take advantage of these IoT opportunities. ... "
Tuesday, March 08, 2016
Future Mobile Trends Need Cognitive and Analytics
Seven Mobile Trends That Will Change How Consumers and Brands Interact
As Mobile World Congress Gets Started, Mobile Innovation Is Far From Over ...
I note that a number of these trends, like chatbots and advanced messaging, include AI/Cognitive elements. Also, those elements will be creating data that needs analytics, such as machine learning pattern recognition, to adapt to the conversation. Lots of opportunity here. ...
As Mobile World Congress Gets Started, Mobile Innovation Is Far From Over ...
I note that a number of these trends, like chatbots and advanced messaging, include AI/Cognitive elements. Also, those elements will be creating data that needs analytics, such as machine learning pattern recognition, to adapt to the conversation. Lots of opportunity here. ...
Cognitive Organizations
What is the meaning of a cognitive organization? Can it have direct conversations with us, and also attentively watch and let us know what is useful, and perhaps most problematically, tell us what to do? The Cognitive Organization.
Monday, March 07, 2016
Report on the Use of Voice Assistants
An interesting report on the increasing use of voice assistants. Is this the interaction channel that will become common in the future. By Mindmeld, a well known player in the space, I am continuing to experiment with voice interfaces in the Smart Home.User Adoption Survey Results Q1 2016
A new revolution is underway in intelligent voice assistants. We discovered this through market research conducted a few weeks ago. 2015 was a definitive year; our research suggests it was the tipping point of voice assistant adoption. The report is available here.
The implications of this trend are many and apply to everyone -- not just the vendors of intelligent voice assistants such as Siri, Amazon Alexa/Echo, Cortana or OK Google. Consumers are expecting intelligent voice interfaces across many devices and applications. To remain competitive in the app space, the growth of voice is important for all companies to heed.
In the words of Opus Research: "As businesses create their roadmaps for technology adoption, companies that serve customers should be planning for, if not already implementing, both messaging-based and voice-based Conversational UIs." ..... "
A History of Machine Learning. What is Machine Learning?
Bernard Marr in Fortune: A short history of Machine Learning. This certainly alerts managers to the direction and speed of how this area is starting to move. The examples shown are excellent.
My only caution is that 'learning' has two parts, first the ability to find pattern in data and store it away. And second how to find and extract that data in a given context and then reapply it to improve some real world work or decision. AI some people call it.
So one example given, inventing a clustering algorithm, is a clever and useful thing. It has many applications from marketing to manufacturing. The Checkers and Chess playing methods cited used forms of pattern recognition, but these are trivial compared to say, understanding and directing the operation of a company's supply chain operations.
So I caution. Just like in humans. Just because we learn, and computers can learn much more and much faster, does not mean we can now directly solve every problem. Machine learning is primarily a set of very useful component tools. Often to augment human decision making. And even sometimes to replace them. But much work is yet required.
My only caution is that 'learning' has two parts, first the ability to find pattern in data and store it away. And second how to find and extract that data in a given context and then reapply it to improve some real world work or decision. AI some people call it.
So one example given, inventing a clustering algorithm, is a clever and useful thing. It has many applications from marketing to manufacturing. The Checkers and Chess playing methods cited used forms of pattern recognition, but these are trivial compared to say, understanding and directing the operation of a company's supply chain operations.
So I caution. Just like in humans. Just because we learn, and computers can learn much more and much faster, does not mean we can now directly solve every problem. Machine learning is primarily a set of very useful component tools. Often to augment human decision making. And even sometimes to replace them. But much work is yet required.
Analytics Magazine: Analytics in the Cloud
The cover story of the March/April issue of Analytics magazine focuses on predictive analytics in the cloud and how every business is now a data business, whether they know it or not. You can also read about the "power company" of the Internet age, myths involved in cloud security, and the democratizing of software trends.Lead Story
Predictive Analytics in the Cloud: It's All About the Data
Exploiting the natural synergy between the cloud and analytics in the Internet Age.
By Dave Hirko
Democratization of Analytics: New Frontier
Making data available to the people who need it and giving them the skills and tools to derive meaningful insights from it.
By Srujana H.M., Sanjay S. Sharma and Amitava Dey
How Would Google Farm?
Lessons from self-driving cars may help win the race to feed the world via the Internet of Agriculture and analytics.
By Alex Thomasson, Gabe Santos and Atanu Basu
How to Turn Organizational Data into Corporate Strength
Understanding and analyzing the organization as a system sets the platform for value-adding analysis and company success.
By Rupert Morrison
Training Strategy in the Analytics Consulting Domain
An alternative training approach that benefits trainers and trainees equally during the teaching/mentoring process.
By Chandrakant Maheshwari
Higher Expectations Drive Transformation
Increasing market demands and high expectations drive transformation and innovation in dynamic industry.
By Randolph Hall and Janice Partyka
Amazon and the Smart Home
In SiliconAngle: Amazon continues to ride ahead on improved smart home efforts, Exceeding Apple and Google efforts. A short overview. Ultimately Amazon has gotten me to experiment with more methods than any other smart capabilities. Very inline with our smart home efforts and predictions of the early 2000s.
E Mail Inventor Dies
I remember being introduced to E mail at the Pentagon in about 1974. Was used then to simply alert people about test results for software and arrange new experiments. Previous to that we messaged the people running the machines we were using to alert them to next steps and needs. Ray Tomlinson, who came up with much of the common expectations and methods, just passed away.
Sunday, March 06, 2016
Mass Data Simulations
In DSC: Fascinating piece on ' Mass Data Simulation'. The earliest part of my career used monte carlo simulation linked with parameterized data, to predict outcomes. The data involved was 'small', but the results were certainly 'big', but had to be converted into a smaller yet decision space. Good to see something related being described and proposed. I could see this being automated in the current realm of very available data. ...
Aeron Chair
In FastCodesign: A look at the history of Herman Miller's iconic Aeron Chair. Known for being common in pre crash startups. We worked with Herman Miller in the innovation space and put some of their designs in our spaces to inspire creativity.
3D Printing and Robotic Assembly
Still a Kickstarter prototype ... Printing and assembling ... Really quite a coup if it can be done effectively. " ... 3D printers are wonderful tools for modern makers and tinkerers, but all by themselves they can make little more than plastic trinkets and pieces of larger projects. Today, we're looking at one of the most interesting evolutions in the world of 3D printing: the Makerarm, a veritable factory-in-a-box that boasts 3D printing as just one of its many capabilities. ... "
BlockChain as Game Changer
So what is it. A good non technical and somewhat visual introduction. In BusinessInsider:
Goldman Sachs says the technology "has the potential to redefine transactions" and can change "everything."
JPMorgan last month announced it was launching a trial project with the blockchain startup led by its former executive, Blythe Masters. ....
If you're wondering what a blockchain actually is, or how its works, you're not alone. Autonomous Research, which calls the technology a "game changer," has released a report to answer all of your blockchain questions.
The important thing to understand is that it has nothing to do with bitcoin — at least for Wall Street's purposes. Blockchain is the technology behind bitcoin, but it has many other uses too.
Wall Street wants to use blockchains to simplify the way it processes transactions. ... "
Goldman Sachs says the technology "has the potential to redefine transactions" and can change "everything."
JPMorgan last month announced it was launching a trial project with the blockchain startup led by its former executive, Blythe Masters. ....
If you're wondering what a blockchain actually is, or how its works, you're not alone. Autonomous Research, which calls the technology a "game changer," has released a report to answer all of your blockchain questions.
The important thing to understand is that it has nothing to do with bitcoin — at least for Wall Street's purposes. Blockchain is the technology behind bitcoin, but it has many other uses too.
Wall Street wants to use blockchains to simplify the way it processes transactions. ... "
SAP Acquiring Roambi
During the earliest emergence of tablets and smartphones for advanced data display, we looked at Roambi to provide mobile, agile data visualization for executives. It is still used by companies like Costco. They were one of the first companies that used the term 'storytelling' in their approach. Now most data visualization players have their own mobile solutions. Word is that SAP is acquiring Roambi. In Xconomy.
Saturday, March 05, 2016
Expand your Signal Hunting Skills
In Forbes: I like using the term 'signal' here.
" .... One of the key observations about the difference between big data sources and those traditionally used by enterprise applications is the strength of the signal. As Anant Jhingran, VP Products of Apigee, pointed out in an interview a while back, traditional enterprise applications use data that has super strong signals, while big data usually has a low signal to noise ratio.
This matters mightily to anyone who has ambition to find value in big data. The key enabler is to create as many people as possible who can engage with one or more big data sets along with relevant contextual data and find the useful nuggets or “signals”. If you don’t have a strategy for growing the number of signal hunters in your organization, big data will remain an artisanal activity, and the real opportunity to create value will be lost. ... "
" .... One of the key observations about the difference between big data sources and those traditionally used by enterprise applications is the strength of the signal. As Anant Jhingran, VP Products of Apigee, pointed out in an interview a while back, traditional enterprise applications use data that has super strong signals, while big data usually has a low signal to noise ratio.
This matters mightily to anyone who has ambition to find value in big data. The key enabler is to create as many people as possible who can engage with one or more big data sets along with relevant contextual data and find the useful nuggets or “signals”. If you don’t have a strategy for growing the number of signal hunters in your organization, big data will remain an artisanal activity, and the real opportunity to create value will be lost. ... "
McDonalds Happy Meal VR Viewers
In Fast Codesign: In what seems to be a trend, McDonalds is testing cardboard VR headsets to be used with smartphones, fashioned origami style from happy meal boxes. Will this convert kids to avid VR users? Something similar just announced by Coke, using their drink boxes. Re purposing packaging is an interesting eco trend.
Mismeasure of Uncertainty
Stephen Few thoughtfully reviews Willful Ignorance: The Mismeasure of Uncertainty, by Herbert Weisberg.
Modern science relies heavily on an approach to the assessment of uncertainty that is too narrow. Scientists rely on statistical measures of significance to establish the merits of their findings, often without fully understanding the limitations of those statistics and the original intentions for their use. P-values and even confidence intervals are cited as stamps of approval for studies that are meaningless and of no real value. Researchers strive to reach significance thresholds as if that were the goal, rather than the addition of useful knowledge. In his book Willful Ignorance: The Mismeasure of Uncertainty, Herbert I. Weisberg, PhD, describes this impediment to science and suggests solutions. ... "
Modern science relies heavily on an approach to the assessment of uncertainty that is too narrow. Scientists rely on statistical measures of significance to establish the merits of their findings, often without fully understanding the limitations of those statistics and the original intentions for their use. P-values and even confidence intervals are cited as stamps of approval for studies that are meaningless and of no real value. Researchers strive to reach significance thresholds as if that were the goal, rather than the addition of useful knowledge. In his book Willful Ignorance: The Mismeasure of Uncertainty, Herbert I. Weisberg, PhD, describes this impediment to science and suggests solutions. ... "
Driving Everyone Towards an Innovative Firm
In Innovation Management:
Innovation is very much the word of the moment. We hear it used in science, the arts, in politics, in society, and often for good reason. For example, the creation and building of the European Union, is one of the most innovative – and indeed frustrating – processes in history. So what actually is innovation? Read more in this article by IMD professor Georges Haour, IMD, one of the world's top business schools.
Innovation is usually associated with technology, but it may not involve any technical advance. The Sony Walkman did not use any new technology, relying instead on a brilliantly innovative concept that could be turned into reality by reassembling known elements. ... "
Innovation is very much the word of the moment. We hear it used in science, the arts, in politics, in society, and often for good reason. For example, the creation and building of the European Union, is one of the most innovative – and indeed frustrating – processes in history. So what actually is innovation? Read more in this article by IMD professor Georges Haour, IMD, one of the world's top business schools.
Innovation is usually associated with technology, but it may not involve any technical advance. The Sony Walkman did not use any new technology, relying instead on a brilliantly innovative concept that could be turned into reality by reassembling known elements. ... "
Advanced Social Media Insights
On Using IBM Watson Analytics for Advanced Social Media Insights - SHIFT Communications PR Agency ...
" ... As marketers and communicators, we must always improve our social media results. Our stakeholders want more followers, more engagement, more clicks, and more ROI.
Until now, we’ve been saddled with descriptive or diagnostic analytics: at best, we can identify what happened. We haven’t been able to explain why, or determine what to do next to improve our results. ... "
" ... As marketers and communicators, we must always improve our social media results. Our stakeholders want more followers, more engagement, more clicks, and more ROI.
Until now, we’ve been saddled with descriptive or diagnostic analytics: at best, we can identify what happened. We haven’t been able to explain why, or determine what to do next to improve our results. ... "
Friday, March 04, 2016
Robots Impacting Jobs
In K@W: Interview with Martin Ford, author of "Rise of the Robots".
" ... Today, robots are increasingly handling many jobs in manufacturing that were done by human hands not more than 20 years ago. This sea change has affected a variety of industries, and it’s one reason why the jobs recovery of the past few years hasn’t included as many manufacturing jobs. Those jobs weren’t just destroyed — they were lost to smart machines.
But while we’re living in a time when computer programs already dominate Wall Street, and when driverless cars and delivery drones are moving from science fiction to mundane fact, those developments may be just the tip of the iceberg. Martin Ford, author of Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future, recently appeared on the Knowledge@Wharton show on Wharton Business Radio on SiriusXM channel 111 to talk about how the robot revolution has affected businesses in a host of industries, what it means for jobs in the years ahead, and what other surprises might be on the horizon. ... "
" ... Today, robots are increasingly handling many jobs in manufacturing that were done by human hands not more than 20 years ago. This sea change has affected a variety of industries, and it’s one reason why the jobs recovery of the past few years hasn’t included as many manufacturing jobs. Those jobs weren’t just destroyed — they were lost to smart machines.
But while we’re living in a time when computer programs already dominate Wall Street, and when driverless cars and delivery drones are moving from science fiction to mundane fact, those developments may be just the tip of the iceberg. Martin Ford, author of Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future, recently appeared on the Knowledge@Wharton show on Wharton Business Radio on SiriusXM channel 111 to talk about how the robot revolution has affected businesses in a host of industries, what it means for jobs in the years ahead, and what other surprises might be on the horizon. ... "
Amazon Continues to Work at Automatic Replenishment
Printer ink, detergent, other essentials for the smart home. As they continue to make headway in making the home smarter. From shopping list updates to direct push button reorder to smart devices that reorder their own needs. This has always been of interest to CPG companies. Further in Retailwire.
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