Buried Technologies

Technical (Installment) Advise Week #43/45 - Tough Economic Times

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:56:00 +0000

Well we thought that doing a weeking piece would be easy. However, as we discovered it isn't and therefore we end up skipping weeks. So although we are still going to do our best to meet with this objective we have decided to properly label these pieces as 'Installments'. This way we don't have to count how many we have missed and can simply provide another in sequential order.

Max & I feel compelled to discuss the tough economic situation we are in. While many point to the present laments, like gas prices or housing market slump, as the precipitating factors, it is in our humble belief that these are simply 'tipping' factors (those things that illuminate systemic problems that exists). We heard yesterday that there have been discussions of GM filing for bankruptcy. Obviously gas prices have has some effect but is anyone asking questions about the frameworks that inhibits their ability to change, the excessive assessment maze that they undertake to qualify a supplier (with little value effect), or the inability of the company to be innovative and adaptive? Obviously GM is or may be in the forefront, but we can assure you that there are 1000's of companies that are in a similar situation. The talk about stockholder value yet they are depriving shareholders of value through diminished ROI (and to compensate ravage the workforce to generate increased income, when the workforce isn't the problem, their framework for operations is). Then someone, with great scholarly abilities, draws aim on outsourcing and laments about job loss. Outsourcing is about making a business decision, just like buying hard commodities. Yet, the ROI that outsourcing affords is lost when operational problems here are pass along to the service provider. Then the contracts are carried out in a very hands off fashion and then the organization points to outsourcing being the problem. We are the problem! We are the problem because we speak a good story about our abilities and our accomplishment, yet with a brazen attitude we point to other surrounding factors as the cause. This leaves us at the doorstep of innovation. Are we innovative? We are deer in the headlights when confronted by challenges, and to go one step further we don't even see the signs. Did the housing boom expect to last forever? People were like drunken soldiers grabbing up whatever they could, at insanely high prices, and became self-indulgent with the feeling of being someone special. We heard a recent news account of a mortgage banker, who formerly worked at a fast food chain (does this give rise for question) who was making a six figure income. Now he was faced with selling of his guitars he had collected when working as this mortgage expert and can't find a job. Not to put him down but as some would say, "you can dress them up but that doesn't make them who they think they are". He is, for all intensive purposes, still a fast food cook. To expect that he's going to land another six figure job is a stretch and if accomplished it's a matter of luck and not a matter of ability. Where is the innovation? People fail because they rely on others and lack the basic ability to live outside the box (and I'm talking about going beyond just thinking outside there). We want innovation but lack the ability to do anything once it's presented. Often it's met with reluctance, reservation, or simply rejection. If this country and others (including outsourcing countries) want to be successful you have to break from tradition, you have to inject a level controlled innovation and stop relying on frameworks and processes that lack the ability to be comprehensive enough to cover all conditions. Frameworks and processes are great for the commonplace events, and even then they are limited. Let's make a pledge to throw open the age of innovation as the solution to our problems. Maybe we ought to consider the elimination of foreign aid to those oil producing countries that are (if we wish to blame them) directly assaulting us at the pumps? Is this innovation or opening our eyes? Till the next installment we remain INNOVATIVE!!!!!

Technical Advise Week #36/41 - Lost Count

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:46:00 +0000

It's not always appropriate to start this way but allow us to apologize for our absence. We simply haven't been on top of our game and we profusely apologize to our readership. On the other hand we kind of hoped that someone would have written to voice concern, complain or inquire... but sadly we got zip. Oh well, we hope that everyone is doing well, ready for summer holiday and have been able to get their projects to a point where they can be left for a brief moment in order that some much need relaxation can occur (much like the bit that Max & I had!).
We noticed upon our return a bit of a malaise in the IT community. What is that all about? Have we run out of steam, lost our innovation or have we move offshore our enthusiasm? Optimistically we hope that this simply reflect deep contemplation, while we are thinking that it's more a case of frustration and confusion. We hear laments ranging from organizational direction, or horribly founded projects, to wholesale movement of IT project development (without much cause other than a few choice people loving to make an occasional exotic trip to a country where they can enjoy the local cuisine). Only too soon do they realize that offshore project management is different, that problems that exist domestically contribute to failures offshore (and don't get resolved offshore either), and that 'high touch' PM is required to bridge gaps in application/business understanding, culture, communications and technological delivery. We often hear that the outsourcers don't understand, but they are technically capable (but are they or is this simply a kind gesture). If they were truly technically capable would they accept sub-standard work from us, or start working without confirmation, or set the tone for development rather than adopting practices that we have that may not fit (in context) the project that is being pursued? One of the reasons why Certellus Corporation formed the International Institute for Outsource Management (www.Int-IOM.org), was to develop the delivery source and guide the buyer through it's professional trade partners like the Outsourcing Institute, Frost & Sullivan and others. Outsourcing can be fruitful if approached with a solid foundation, utilizing viable & qualified service providers and setting realistic expectations. It can be good, but not as bad as it's been when using guided talents in a responsible way.
- Mabel & Max

Technical Advise Week #35 - We Have Arrived

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:05:00 +0000

We hope that you haven't been waiting too long for us. Dad has returned from pretty extensive travel and has is now able to capture our thoughts that have accumulated over the last few weeks.

During his travels we have been reading and researching business topics. How companies engage opportunities, develop the relationship and provide service. We thought everyone thought the same way as we do but there appears to be a gap. Companies outside of the US, possibly because of culture or country isolation have a very different view of how business is engaged. We thought we would list some of these thoughts with the hopes that we can get everyone on the same page in terms of thinking.

1. Businesses seldom buy via the internet, they use the internet to gather information and gain knowledge. Therefore the investment in websites, unless consumer driven, should be kept reasonable.
2. .PPT only works IF there is a person accompanying the presentation (face-to-face).
3. NO ONE will work for commission only sales services. The upfront investment of time and travel is prohibitive. In addition, most service providers will not pay until after they have been paid and based on satisfactory service delivery, these factors are too risky for commission only sales service providers.
4. Commission based rates are higher than normal ones since outsourcer service rates are lower and therefore the commission rate return is diminished . In addition, currency variations can also negatively impact commission rates.
5. Companies who outsource sales & marketing services need to understand that in order to promote them they need to be promotable. What does this mean? Viable, high quality staff resources, delivery capable, and credible. You can't simply boast about your abilities you must provide this information in an objective fashion.
6. Be realistic. One person's success (as of a point in time) does not mean that the same formula will produce success for you. If it was that easy why wouldn't everyone be successful?

We thought to start of we would give you something to think about. Next time we will discuss how to approach making a difference in generating business. - Mabel & Max

Technical Advise Week #34 - The Hills are Alive

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:19:00 +0000

Did you ever wonder what the tipping point of life is? What monumental event that would take place that would impact your life, your job, or your contribution to the 'world' that is most important to you? Maybe our thoughts are provoked by a movie we recently saw, "The Bucket List". It's about two guys, from two different ends of the spectrum in terms of social status who have been diagnosed with terminal cancer. They decide to make a list of things to do before they die, but to not just dream about it but do it. The backdrop is their families who either have turned away from them or view this as a selfish act. We wonder whether this is a bit like our technology/work contribution. If we knew that we only had a little bit of time (in the job, before retirement, or in life) would we have a list of things that we might wish to accomplish? Are they centered on us, or are they centered on our families (aka 'our business stuff'). While we have done any extreme thinking about this, because this was provoked by the weekend movie, we feel that we are living the 'bucket list' daily. For us, we live today as though there is no tomorrow. What is wonderful is that when there is tomorrow we are not only thankful for this but also are encouraged to continue our pursuit. Do you feel this way, or do you simply look at your today plate? In looking back, do you get discouraged with the path? Is this path because it wasn't driven by the immediacy of the work. For many organizations we need to renew our enthusiasm, drive and innovation. We need to learn to think, and not just look for a cook book answer to life (or business). I am sure that we could construct a cookbook that would cover 80% of the conditions, but we know deep down inside that it doesn't contribute to the betterment of our society. Canned answers are to easy, and when confronted with new unknowns that the cookbook will not work (and you need to rely on thinking). We hope you create your 'bucket list' and that it involves the seeking of information for feeding your knowledge. Off to the airport where we will be visiting Dusseldorf-Stockholm-Kiev-Tianjin. All the best, Mabel & Max.

Technical Advise Week #33 - Over-the-Edge

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:23:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered why people hang on so strongly to things that only a slight moment ago we were so quick to cast aside. Some would argue that this is the direct result of moving away from our safety zone, whereas others would contend that it's man's (or woman or pug...) nature to complain. Yes complain, not with cause but because it is so much easier to take the negative then to employ the positive. Yet... why is that when tests are built, or special efforts are exercised to do stellar development, that we turn a blind eye to preventative steps or negative testing (a trait for the purpose of bullet proofing an application)? We guess we would complain and deduce it's laziness, legitimized by time, than a concerted effort to do right engineering. So what do you think? Why do we over produce tests and work that has low yield yet turn a blind eye to potentially rich opportunities? Let us know.
We want to also give you a head's up that we will be quiet for the next three weeks but will return with lots of exciting news. So don't turn away... we will be back very very soon. - Mabel & Max

Technical Advise Week #32 - Proof

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:18:00 +0000

Hi and post-Happy Easter. We ate too many eggs and now we are feeling a bit slow today.
We decided that it was time that we talked about PROOF. Proof is one of those things that we all look for. We look for proof of delivery, proof of concept, proof of value, etc., etc. etc. Our desire is to make us feel that there will be certainty, and it doesn't materialize we use our proof to try and add reason as to why. The reality is that no two things are the same. No matter how hard we try, conditions change. With condition change so do the many things that we can't control. PROOF starts with trust. If you expect to force PROOF from a person the trust opportunity that you have quickly turns sour. We can think of allot of situation where proof is asked for:
- Proof of Employment
- Proof of Employment Work Habit (probably the worst thing to ask since most only give positive recommendations; when the most truthful are those companies who thought the employee was stupid when it was the other way around).
- Proof of Work/Work Relationships (most contracts prohibit discussions in this area) and
- Proof of Concept (actually this is a controlled experiment).
What we have experienced and found is that it starts with people-to-people (or pug-to-pug) relationships, if you don't have that... there is no need to seek proof. If you are looking for certainty, do it yourself (or take the risk and establish a collaborative effort to reach a goal). But don't try to turn proof into certainty! Till next week. Mabel & Max..... Out!

Technical Advise Week #31a - Balance & Harmony (Addendum)

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:49:00 +0000

We wanted to mention that our fellow technical advisor, Dexter, has moved and taken up permanent residency in PonteVedra, FL with a physician and a fellow technical advisor (we don't know the name). Max and I wish Dexter the best of luck and prosperity, his time with us was invaluable.

Technical Advise Week #31 - Balance & Harmony

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:32:00 +0000

A key to inner peace is when one is with self. You are probably all thinking that we are a bit off and that we are about to launch into a fuzzy place. The truth is that Balance & Harmony (the Chinese call it Fung Sui) must not only exist within ourselves but also in our surroundings. Dad was real fearful when Mom took a Fung Sui class in Hong Kong a month ago for fear that she would launch into an office rearranging frenzie. What we discovered is that Fund Sui is more that just the person, and just the physical... it's also the climate that we operate in. Business has made fervent attempts to pramatically solution. The success that have been made has not been from within the method or the technique, but from within the balance (harmony that exists). While we might not like to hear this, it's the effect of coincidence. The case that we put forth is this.... if it weren't coincidence, then why does a solution work for one and not another? As an IT organization looking to make change; whether to accomplish a new goal, foster a renewed cadence, or correct an ill how can we minimize the effect of coincidence. It is through Fund Sui or what we have coined as HIT™ (Holistic IT) a balance approach and a proactive coupling of the breath in an IT organization to not only make change but to be atune to opportunities. Over the last several years we have been, under much secrecacy, testing and tweaking this approach and are now proud to make it commercially available. We feel, to the pleasure of our customers, that we are not offering theory, but have been able to craft a working IT phylosophy for change. Not for purely that purpose but to be a viable, ROI based operation. Through exhaustive research, and that of other companies who didn't even realize that the work they were doing was helping to support our quest, did we discover that IT can flouish. Flourish, not for the sake of self-interest, but for the profitable contributation that it can make to our company and to the domestic IT communities that we reside within. Take some time to think about what you want IT to accomplish, and ask yourself whether a roadmap will get you there or whether a wholelistic climate will? Till next week.... Mabel & Max... over & out!

Technical Advise Week #27/28/29/30 - Responsible

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:54:00 +0000

Sorry for such a long time in posting to the blog. Travel, business commitments and attention to customer matters prohibited us from being 'responsible'. Yes, the word for the week(s) is responsible, and we must admit we weren't responsible. Since it's an election year we hear allot of fanfare concerning the candidates and how people are exercising their 'right' to vote. Yet it appears that their behavior is neither respectful, informed, experienced based or responsible. We make this comment, not because of our candidate not being formidable, but because it seems that responsible behavior is as missing as 'common sense' (which we believe now can be called uncommon sense). Even when someone gets caught red handed in a controversy, rather than acting in a responsible fashion, their sin is simply passed off with a 'I'm Sorry'. The reality is that they are not, and there lacks any form of remorse... so we say, "Act Responsible". My gosh, in most cases neither the penalty or the admission will result in anything different except that responsible behavior expunges the soul. In IT we have to active responsibly. No wonder IT leadership is reluctant to support us after having lived a lifetime of irresponsible behavior. Then we have a sudden burst of truthfulness we are confused by the lack of support. Maybe if we had acted responsible we would be feeling better about ourselves, and allot less concerned about what others might feel or think.

Mom & Dad returned from a successful business trip to Hong Kong and providing services to their growing clientele. A whole new batch of COOPMs were certified and steps are underway to release the GSC in North America. The work isn't done, but we hope that we are on the edge of making a difference in the world of IT, one that we have dedicated much of our life to. Till next week... Max & Mabel.....................OUT!

Technical Advise Week #26 - Happy Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 03:54:00 +0000

Welcome and Happy Holiday Greetings from Max & I. We believe that the best gift that we provide is the honesty. For some, this is met with resentment, it doesn't feel good but with reflect one would see that this is given out of love... nothing more and nothing less. Over the past months we have gone on the roller coaster ride, going from moments of excitement to periodic points of despair. We decided that training is good station to take a moment of rest and reflection. People seek education for allot of reasons. Maybe it's to seek answers, possible used to justify approach, or to gain clarification on trusts (both misguided or misunderstood). One thing that training doesn't provide is correction to corporate ills. People fix problems, training may only provide hints and ideas that might be possible solutions. Ultimately it comes down to people. We can almost predict who will get value from the educational experience by the way they react to the interchange of information. Taking raw information and converting it to usable information provide confidence that there is a way to overcome the most daunting problems. When the information cannot be converted it puts forth the possibility that the investment of time is not well spent. It isn't at all uncommon for 'the to be trained' to lament about the difficulties they face, they are real and looming. Yet when compared to other engineering marvels one would equate the challenge to that of painting a house vs. painting a country, they are often not that insummountable. The participants needs to dig down deep in their talent pool, utilizing every bit of strength they have, to seek and probe (and not look for the answer but to full consume the process towards that end). Training doesn't solve problems, people solve problems. Problems may not be pervasive, they may in fact be sporatic and therefore it's more a case of a situation to manage rather than an opportunity to solve in a large way. We encourage all to be the best that they can't be, to overcome the temptation to slide into a moras of pity, and to be as good as you say you are. This is what management and organizations look for, leaders and not those that have given up before they have started.

Over the next couple of weeks we will be AWOL. Yes, part of team will be traveling to Asia (again) and we will hold down the domestic front. Please let us know if we can be of help. As always we can be easily contacted via email.

- Mabel & Max

Technical Advise Week #25 - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 00:01:00 +0000

We got thinking, after a very successful conference, that many of our friends and colleagues are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. What is perplexing us is whether this is caused by the work, the inputs to our work, or simply the result of too many years of abuse at the hands of an unwitting business climate. When you talk with others in IT they will often lament the work, and fantasize about hobbies or other ventures other than work. The spring has all but left their step and when challenged to move along in their chosen profession they sigh a breath and say it's too late to make changes. We almost feel a bit ashamed to say that we are having a ball. Maybe its because we can stretch out our abilities and our experiences fully and there are no holds/limits placed on our innovation. Will Max & Dexter love to be the creative ones, I (Mabel) chose to take these wild ideas and make reality from them. This goes without saying that Dad & Mom really help out too at least in terms of providing a reality check. We can only wish that Dad didn't have to travel so much. He is off again to China to help them build the capability of their outsourcing companies. Good for us as it keeps us in toys and food, but there are times when we simply enjoy his warm body in bed. Guess this shows that we have our own form of stress disorders, but it's not the type borne out of what we can't control, but from what we can.

Will be talking with you shortly and hope that everyone has or will have a pleasant weekend.

Mabel, Max & Dexter

Technical Advise Week #24 - Technical Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 12:55:00 +0000

We decided that we shouldn't let another moment go by without having a major conference. Max and I decided to invite our new friend Dexter to provide some invaluable input and independent insight into his world of specialization. Dexter comes to us from the practical side, and has tremedous street smarts for his age. His area of specialization is assessments.

Assessments are an important status tool, it helps companies to determine where they stand and can be used to help promote improvements going forward. The best known assessment assessment is CMMi (Capability Maturity Model Integrated) and this has been around since the late 1980s and was introduced by Watts Humphrey of SEI. At the time of introduction is was simply CMM. There is also ITMark which is of a simplier form but is sized to support small to medium sized organizations (offered by the European Software Institute http://www.esi.es/).

There are specialized assessment like V&VMMx offered by Certellus Corporation (introduced in 1988 and is the only one that places heavy review on the use of automation, agile methods and uses a 21 KPA model), TMM that is promoted by Sogeti. There are also International Standard Organization appraisals (ISO) that evaluate capability and quality of delivery.

Many companies, especially those doing outsourcing, have found these useful in promoting their businesses. It shows consumers that the company is interested in improving their 'delivery' operations and also can point to an independent appraisal (vs. self-appraisals). Unfortunately, when buying services, especially far afield, one of the first questions asked is whether the company is strong enough to continue in operations. The International Institute for Outsource Managment provides a VIABILITY assessment that measures this aspect. Originally carried out by Certellus Corporation over 100 Global Star Certification (GSC) assessment around the globe. Many of these original assessments were done for the buyer, but today we are seeing more and more outsourcers seeing value in building their business and also providing a level of certainty about this aspect. As is often said, "You may be capable of delivering but if you aren't viable, you are going to be out of business!".

Hope you enjoyed our work for the week. We (Mabel, Max & Dexter) wishing you a happy and productive week.

Technical Advise Week #23 - Friend or Foe??

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 17:50:00 +0000

Over the few years of our life, and the many years of dad's life, the question of friendship has always found it's way into business. Despite dad's valiant attempts, the question of friendship has always be brought up as a question about business issues. His favorite response is "friends are friends and business is business". To this end he has held true to this and never has allowed one relationship to spill over into another.

Some would say that this is an impossibility, there has to be some degree of consideration. Let us share with you a few cases to illustrate that we are truthful in his conviction.

1. Friendships are not used as a basis for business offerings, in fact on more than one occasion he has turned away offers because of friendships. Some friendships continued but many fell by the wayside. While this makes dad sad, it was probably for the best as it relates to the people who were asking the favor.

2. On a few occassions friends were having personal problems, and asked for business concessions. Dad's view is simple, it's not my concern as a business about your personal issues, it is my concern as a friend only.

3. Making wise decisions in business is a far different situtation than making personal decisions. One cannot apply personal beliefs, then try and then transfer them to business (they don't even apply when trying to reach for similiarities in behavior).

Why do we say this? Your professional life is rich with relationships (some will become friends, whereas most are simply acquaintances). One would more than likely not trust acquiantances as a basis for making strategic business decisions. Friends will most likely not engage you in support for hard personal issues. Therefore it's like oil and water, they don't mix. A friend of dad's make the comment that business & friend relationships is like the farmer who wants as many eggs as possible but realizes that this isn't going to happen so he kills the chicken only to discover that the hen wasn't lieing, there really wasn't an abundance of eggs in the body. A business looks at facts, works from professional statements of agreement, and doesn't use friendship as a stick to pursuade events in a different direction. One will only find that when these sorts of things happen that the eggs aren't there.

Our advise, keep business in business and keep friendship out. It will serve you in the long term.

- Max & Mabel

Technical Advise Week #22 - Resolution?!

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 03:38:00 +0000

As we sit on the edge of yet another year it serves us to reflect on 2007 and set about to set resolutions for 2008. 2007 was a really crazy year with lots and lots of new adventures, pursuits and the journey into the unknown corners of technology. We are sure that some of you are wondering where is the technical content (hint... look into the manuals and don't wait for us to read that bedtime story to you, haha!). Technical content is in the eye of the beholder and for most it's not enough to know a particular technology but rather it's an opportunity to ponder directions and avenues. Why would anyone wish to taken on a technology that is slated for the graveyard? Rather, we hope that our weekly rants serve to stimulate you to take an interest, blaze a trail, and to walk boldly forward. Heaven knows one would be the first to accept this advise, if they knew that success was just around the corner. On the other hand, many would prefer to hide their reluctance behind words of disbelief and ridicule for those who poke and prod them forward. Our joint resolution, for Max & I, is to never stop exploring and challenging the edges of the technology spectrum. Whether it's new found aspects of ERP or whether it's building an industry such as what we are doing with maturing the outsource supplier in far away places, we will continue to do this again and again. Humans have been quick to point out that a dog is man's best friend, and that a dog never forgets. We hold this as true from first hand account and for these reason we are fiecely loyal to our readership, to our parents and to the technology we love. So blow the horn, toast another year past and look forward to the future, not as a follower but as a leader. From Mabel & Max Happy New Year 2008! We look forward to stimulating your mind and your interests.

Technical Advise Week #20/21 - We Did It Again!

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:46:00 +0000

Happy Holidays and Seasons Greetings!

I guess we did it again and missed our regular weekly commitment. It's really hard to type using small hands and short fingers, but we do our best.

Dad just returned from another successful trip to China. This time he was in Beijing for a series of lectures and meetings with leading outsourcing companies. Later he traveled to Yantai to conduct a series of meetings with leading government officials, including the Deputy Mayor and the Director of the Information Systems Bureau. He even showed up on China/Yantai TV (http://a.jiaodong.net/av/tv/play.asp?contentid=31810). We hope you can see it and we hope that it's not time sensitive. The video is in Chinese but you will get to see Dad with the Deputy Mayor and other officials and also the work location at HighYai Software.

We wish to discuss a little bit about perspectives. Many of the articles and studies conducted on outsourcing are from the domestic perspective. Very few describe or provide insight into the views from the service provider standpoint. One must constantly assess how we can bring together these ventures rather than fire vollies at each other, and then complain about the results. We have read books that promote the concept of the world is flat, but what they don't talk about is that the world isn't what is defined by us, but what is defined by specific cultures. Learning and appreciating other cultures, and doing so with respect is the first step toward bridging the gap.

To close we wish you all peace, here and with our global friends.

Technical Advise Week #18/19 - Did We Miss One?

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 15:39:00 +0000

In the Agile paradigm the group is empowered to keep the project on track and to compensate for misgiving that occur. Given this condition, we would have expected that someone would have come forward to remind us that we had skipped a week. We got SILENCE... what does this mean? Is it that we have no readership, was it the holiday season, or was it something else? Max & my response is to provide guidance in what we can control therefore; 1. we have provided ourselves with a To Do list reminder, 2. we ask that you remind us if we are remiss, and 3. if we know that there is a condition (like a holiday) that will be occuring we will take proactive measures to address the issue before it arises. We wanted to bring this up because there are many lessons to be learned from this, all of which are project applicable.

Here is the lessons;

1. Group empowerment is important and a step towards responsibility & accountability,
2. If you are expecting something to happen take proactive measures to address it,
3. Don't rely on others, but don't be afraid to ask for help if it involves them, and
4. Remember that you can only control those things that are within your span of control. Others are accountable for self-control.

Next week Dad is going to Beijing and Yentai as a part of the International Institute for Outsource Management effort and the formation of the International Outsource Management Research Center (IOMRC). This is a great initiative and is uniquely positioned to mature the outsourcing market from the provider side. Given this it may be possible that we may have a couple of weeks lag, we will see whether Dad can do this remotely for us. Since we will communicate with him via Skype we are sure that he will be kept appraised of domestic matters.

- Mabel & Max

Technical Advise Week #17 - On Top (so they think)

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 01:32:00 +0000

Happy Post-Thanksgiving.... Mabel & I decided to get a jump on things, thus allowing us a bit of a long weekend.

Management is an interesting position. From the roots of being an excellent technician, to the heights of supervisory excellence emerges the manager. We view this rise to fame pretty predictable, but once attained the managers is left to survive without a safety net. Sometime ago we started a service called 'Executive Valet Service'. It was our intent to provide a vehicle where the manager could ask questions, seek council, and even probe sources without the fear of being looked upon as inadequate. We saw that not only were managers without collaborators but were often left to their own demise. Not all that long ago we saw a survey of executives that talked of this, but also lamented the fact that amongst their ranks there was a significant level of fall out. Many would say... "oh, that is to be expected", but the reality is that it is caused by the almost immediate jump from technician to manager. Rules that one would apply to the technical realm are not suitable, or applicable, to in managing a globally reaching enterprise. What is a bit interesting is that Senior Corporate Management holds the IT Executive to a standard that they are often ill equipped to meet. The litany of reasons is large; education, experience, business connections (vs. technical concentration), personality (yes, technicians are often inept in this area), but most important is the imbalance that exists between senior management expectations and IT service capabilities. Overlooked is probably by far the easiest and most effective solution.... Coached Facilitation. The difficulty in picking a Coach who can facilitate is that the person needs to be versed in technology, in business and in coaching. While there are many coaches in each of these areas, they fail to be balanced and intensely knowledgeable.

We wish to leave you with this thought, know that your secret is safe with us... but reach out and take the first step to overcome this shortfall. Don't hide in a daily fear, when it is solvable.
For another week Max & Mabel... Out!

Technical Advise Week #16 - Turkey Trot

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 15:43:00 +0000

On the brink of Thanksgiving it has given us rise to think about priorites and values. Mom & Dad attended two conferences this week and brough back lots of observations about the industry we are in and the things that are most important. Since Mom is not a technical person we seem to value her opinion more than Dad's (since he is after all a techie type, haha). Mom said, that she observed allot of people with very sad expressions on their face. It seemed, at least from casual conversations that two isses prompt this; stress and taking yourself a bit too serious. If, in the final analysis, results is the barometer of whether these traits/deeds are worth the effort... the answer seems to be NO. So how can we become more effective? Here are some ideas...

1. Relax
2. Flexibility
3. Utilize ALL Options
4. Relax
5. Build Capabilities and Knowledge
6. Balance Recreation with Professional Pursuits
7. Relax
8. Look for Similiarities and Assimiliations
9. Practice-Practice-Practice
10. Relax

You notice that we utilize 1, 4, 7 & 10 allot but we also exercise #9 too. We practice what we preach. We might also suggest starting implementing your New Year's Resoolutions early (why not right after Thanksgiving?). No need to put things off.

We plan on taking it easy (maybe easier) this week. Friends from North Carolina will be sharing Thanksgiving with us. Both Max & I are looking forward to having Bubba visit us. Bubba is even smaller than us but he we have taught him to enjoy and not to stress. It was amazing to see him enjoy letting go of these old habits and to let his inner-self shine through. We hope that you will do the same and get the full benefit of these blessings.

Our wishes to all and have a very Happy Thanksgiving. Share your joys with others!

Technical Advise Week #15 - In Search of Excellence

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 22:28:00 +0000

Hi all and sorry for the latest of our post. We have been pre-occupied with loads of work and simply didn't realize that time passed us by so quickly.

Over the last several months we have been buried with inquiries from foreign companies asking about certifications and qualifications. When asked why they have such an interest almost all respond by saying that it's the key to getting business. Yet, when we talk with companies here in the U.S. almost all consider them to be but only one of the many factors that will determine whether a contact is awarded or not. Ever since dad entered consulting (before Max & I were born) he has conducted assessments of foreign companies, some dealing with capability (before both CMM & CMMi), others dealing with testing (V&VMMx, TPI) and even corporate viability. He decided more than a year ago to package his assessments into commercial products that could be offered in an affordable and straight forward fashion. Since Max & I are here we provide ongoing support for these endeavors and are now responsible for keeping these current. The GSC (Global Star Certification) is a viability model, it measures how capable a company is of remaining in business (viable). We view the GSC as a augmentation to CMMi and not in competition with. It makes little sense that if a company isn't viable that their capability is of little consequence. Likewise, a incapable company is of little value if it is viable. So we think of these as being hand-in-hand elements. A key difference however is that GSC was specifically developed to assess viability amongst outsources. This means that criteria, including fiscal ratios, have been customized to fit a global community with vary norms of goodness. So, when you look for goodness in a supplier, OR if you are a supplier (outsourcer) looking to get a competitive advantage in the market place look to GSC as a starting point and one that offers high value.

Till next week.... we bid you peace! Mabel & Max

Technical Advise Week #14 - Life on the 'WILD' Side

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 16:59:00 +0000

Welcome to our old friends and greetings to our new readers. Mabel & I decided that after 14 weeks we needed to show a little bit of our pug size and give some well wishes. We are immensely appreciative of being given the forum for sharing with you a little bit of us, a little bit of technology and a little bit about the human factor in software engineering. Does it sound like a farewell speech, don't be confused or mislead.... we are far from giving up this jewel of an opportunity.

Recently we were asked about the topic, "The World is Flat". We read both accounts by Rob Preston from InfoWeek as well as lot of opinions generated by the Peanut Gallery. What did we conclude? We concluded that there are allot of opinions, some are founded, some are not, few are conclusive or decisive, and everyone is impassioned. Some with the position of throwing a controversial topic out on the table, while others are impassioned through self-preservation. The world IS flat in many ways; communications (although we could do much better in the human dimension of using some face-to-face tempering the electronic form that is far to convenient to use), travel (now if we could only do something about travel comfort for all.... yes Mabel, no more traveling in the belly of an aircraft!), cultural awareness (we still need to work on learning that other cultures need to be respected, and that as guests that we need to be respectful), and the act of kindness (refer back to Week #12 'Pass It On'). It's okay to disagree and to share, but we only ask for one thing... take this privilege and be responsible in your use of the privilege.

Another week and we are ready to retire for the day. We look forward and encourage your emails. If you are lucky enough... we might even share your pearls of wisdom with others (and we will do so responsibly).

Technical Advise Week #13 - Peanut Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 14:31:00 +0000

We are constantly tempted to tell you about us and the things we do, on a personal basis. Unfortunately, we get the occasional email that complains about us sharing personal stuff and how it was expected a more technical level of content. Even technical details carry with it the personality of the author. In fact, if you look at certain pieces of 'technical' materials you will find cleverly hidden pieces of personality, pieces that reflect both self and business promotion. Some of these personalities are canonized and viewed as new wave profits, who some might view as "Johnny Come Lately's".

In order to appropriately correct Max & I (you notice that we are grammatically correct as well) decided to talk about waterfall artifacts and how they can be useful in the agile paradigm. Those of you that have studied, and not practice agile methods (XP, Scrum, Crystal, Lean...) know that we value delivery over documentation. However, there are those occasions when there are artifacts that are required. This can be as a result of contractual obligations, regulatory mandate, and compliance requirements. Even though we might question their relative usefulness we need to comply with necessity. As we thought about and pondered the question it came to use that Agile has a value that it can provide in this area. Since the artifact is required it goes through the same story carding/story boarding process that feature requirements goes through. Therefore,

The artifact requirements must be captured (story card)
The story card needs to be prioritized by the BPO
The story card needs to be estimated
Realign priorities based on knowledge gained in #2 & #3
Assign to a iteration or sprint
Perform & Deliver work

What is really interesting is that the estimate, and ultimately the actual work effort are not correlated to the project overhead as a direct result of mandates. If one was to take this to the next level we would then be able to measure not only the cost of mandates but also the value from them as well. This provides a strong motivator for process/artifact reduction as well as a renewal in use where maybe things have been left to slide for a period of time. So... in conclusion, Agile once again helps to provide clarity to process where we may have simply provided and delivered where the necessity was not put into question.

In closing, here's your technical content for today... for those who criticized our 'personal' side. For those who love our personal side... Dad's home and we are going to go for a ride and see things outside! Yippee!!!! Have a great and productive week, Max & Mabel signing out!

Technical Advise Week #12 - Pass It On

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 16:38:00 +0000

Well Max & I are back online this week. Dad did a wonderful job holding down the fort while we got some much needed rest. Now it's his turn to take it a bit easy and get his batteries recharged.

Over the last several years we have seen remarkable change in the Information Technology (IT) sector. What was once a process of iterative process improvement has given way to a totally new and disconnected new paradigm. One thing that is most noteworthy is the consideration for the human dimension. Processes are not longer held out there as reverent Gods, rather we are placing more emphasis on people and group dynamics. The combination, while opening up the possibility of inconsistencies, has proven capable of getting the job done. Inconsistencies are not longer considered evil but rather an opportunity to expand ones view of things, an educational experience. We now see books, in the IT context, that are growing the individual, providing personal empowerment, and finding ways to manage difficult people centric problems. With that said, we got thinking about something that Dad has started doing recently. Each day he takes $1 and writes on the bill (which is probably a violation of at least a half dozen federal laws) 'Have a Wonderful Day'. He is observant to people and how they carryout out their daily affairs. Sometimes it's a person who is not appreciated for services, or it may be a person do has done something special that has effect on the community. He gives them the token dollar and provides these simple instructions...

"Do with this as you may, buy something or pass it along to someone who is special"

No further instructions or requirements are given, in keeping with his 'keep it simple' philosophy. It is somewhat like 'Pay it Forward' or as another person was doing giving out $2 bills for positive attitudes. The money isn't the issue, it's what it symbolizes and how it makes one feel on both sides.

While the new paradigms talk about velocity in terms of work accomplishment, one cannot overlook the velocity that we see in people's attitudes and work ethic. The excitement is contagious. So... maybe you too would like to make a difference. Wouldn't it be great to see dollars showing up on a regular basis with the simple inscription.... "Have a Wonderful Day!".

Technical Advise Week #11 - Outsource Intervention

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 12:58:00 +0000

Well before starting WWIII I thought I should intervene between the two technical experts. Looking over their commentaries (ramblings) for the last few weeks I reached a conclusion that I needed to step in. I believe that I have the authority to do this and if I don't please accept my heartfelt apology (and I am sure that I will pay dearly from the two experts as well).

I thought it might be appropriate to talk about outsourcing since it is a fact of life and no longer viewed as an emerging solution. The International Institute for Outsource Management (IIOM http://www.int-iom.org/) in proud to be a supporter for the Frost and Sullivan's Global Sourcing Conference to be held in Orlando December 2-5. Readers who are interested in attending should contact us at info@int-iom.org for a $250 electronic discount.

In the October 8th edition of informationweek.com the focus was on the U.S. Tech Talent pool shortage. Now before you starting getting out your weapons, they weren't talking about current resources but the pipeline of talent coming into this domain area. In a survey conducted by the Society for Information Management and carried out amongst 130 CIOs and Senior IT Executives the following concerns were expressed.

51% Attract, develop & retain IT Professionals (thus the push to outsource)

42% Align IT & Business (guess we need to do that onshore before going outsource)

40% Build Business Skills (again we have to do that internally and also treat IT as a business, not as a service.... not sure if that shoots SOA in the foot or not, maybe a topic that the expert advisors can take up later... that is if they wake up from getting their intellectural power rest)

29% Reduce the cost of doing business (outsourcing)

28% Improve Quality (we need to do this inhouse before we expect it elsewhere. Bottomline... it's everyone's responsibility per Deming, Juran, Crosby and others)

The rest of the survey showed concerns for security, managing change (refer to Agile notes earlier in this blog), IT Strategic Planning, Better Use of Information, and the Evolving CIO role (which sound a whole lot like the same lament we heard when them when they were managers and we still here today from managers). My two cents on the last part, evolving is a fact of life and not something unique to the role. Our role should in fact be hitched to and encourage change when it makes sense in all of these other areas. Guess I had better stop before I go off on another tangent and yes I guess I had better stop now as the Technical Advisors are now complaining that I'm taking up their space. I suspect the rest did them so much good that they are chomping at the bit to added some commentary.

Technical Advise Week #10 - Hogging the Limelight

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 19:54:00 +0000

Hi, this is Max. I thought it was about time that Mabel took a rest and allowed me to share with you some of my wisdom and energy. As you must have figured by now, I'm know for my enthusiasm, vigor and nimbleness. For this reason I decided to share with you my observations about Agility. Yes, like me Agility share the same vibrant flexibility that allows us to morph to new and interesting challenges. Rather than being hamstrung by methodology frameworks that are unable to have sufficient detail to be universally used or accurately applied, we rely on each other (I think they call it group dynamics) to power through the most difficult tasks. One might think that groups would be more apt to get mired in debate but it's just the opposite. The rapid turnaround (rxP - 2 to 3 weeks, scrum 4 to 6 weeks and crystal 6 to 8 weeks) forces us to get on with business and deliver. Because the training is leaving the station everyone who is anyone is compelled to be intimately involved. The exact opposite held true in early methodologies, and often it was the result of confusion, abstraction, and lengthy gaps between engagement periods.

I asked dad the other day whether development had always been this way. He responded that the success or failure of projects has always hinged upon the people. The methods and the artifacts just happened to be ancillary to all of the fundamental reason for application failure. When I was much younger I came across a book that dad wrote entitled "High Impact Inspections" circa 1994. In that book I was amazed to find a number of similarities to Agile development methods. Although it took him a long time to make the adjustment, he is now firmly on board. I attribute this in large part to his understanding of both legacy methods and evolutionary engineering.

This is Max, signing out, upward and onward! (Mabel says Hi!)

Technical Advise Week #9 - Focused Intensity

noreply@blogger.com (Buried Technologies) — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 18:33:00 +0000

Hi! As we lay on the bed contemplating the day and enjoying a bit of mindless entertainment in the form of Buba the Elephant we started to think about our topic for the week. I must admit that Max wasn't concentrating too hard as he was reveling in Dad's late night arrival. Then all of a suddenly it come to me.... focus, attention, intense, and study. It was then that I realized that although my mind was in several places that my visual focuses was acutely attuned to several things around me. I then started to think of ways that I could experiment with all of this. So I told Max to do various distracting things in totally a random fashion. We all know that this wasn't a hard job for him. As the rush of random experiences bombarded me I started to make a note of what things influenced by focus. It wasn't the distraction or the antics, but rather it was the forces caused by audio variances. Whether low and subdued, or loud and crazy it had virtually the same effect on my ability to be acutely aware of a number of things going on around me. These ranged from the actual act of watch/observing, to those surrounding events that were perceivable in a attentive way.

We realize that the world is one big source of information. In our quest for answers, the answers may actually be right in front of us, but the distractions (noise) numb our ability to pick up on these things. Projects require allot of things to occur and yet failures, despite pragmatic process, involve the act of focused intensity in order to reduce occurrence likelihood. So... listen beyond the noise of events and revel in what you become keenly aware to.