Canadian IT Managers

Chats with Kelly Gotlieb, Internationally Renowned Pioneer in Computing - Kelly talks about the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

Stephen.Ibaraki — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:17:00 GMT

This is the next blog in the continuing series of interviews with top-echelon and renowned professionals. In this blog, I interview Kelly Gotlieb, Internationally Renowned Pioneer in Computing - Kelly talks about the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

Enjoy,
Stephen Ibaraki

Kelly Gotlieb is currently Professor Emeritus in Computer Science and in the Faculty of Information Studies at the University of Toronto (UT). He is a computing pioneer whose innovations and accomplishments helped lay the foundation of an entire worldwide industry, educational stream, and profession. His contributions are so profound and their impact so diverse and in so many areas that the lasting value cannot be comprehended. Have a look at this blog to find out more: http://blogs.technet.com/cdnitmanagers/archive/2006/09/29/459971.aspx

To listen to the interview, click on this MP3 file link

DISCUSSION:

Interview Time Index (MM:SS) and Topic

:00:39:
What is the purpose of the International Science and Engineering Fair or ISEF?
"....To promote interest in computers and information technology; in fact, all science among high school students...."

:01:25:
Where is ISEF held and who attends?
"....The contestants are winners at local science fairs in their own communities/cities and come from all over the world. The winners at those local fairs are invited to compete at an international fair which is held in different US cities...."

:04:02:
Kelly describes the general schedule of the ISEF.
"....The work is very often publication quality. They are high school kids but very often you will see real research that would undoubtedly meet the criteria for being accepted into a paper...."

:07:37:
When did the ACM get involved with ISEF?
"....The first time I did it was about ten years ago and we've been involved every year...."

:09:22:
Are there some memorable moments that you can share from past ISEFs?
"....Several times the computer entry was the overall winner and at that time they get quite a high profile...."

:10:33:
Why should schools get involved with the ISEF?
"....The job market for computer and information technology is very good....Generally the outlook for the pool of trained people in computers and information technology in the future in the US and Canada looks dangerously low, so using the science fair to promote interest amongst students is a really good thing...."

:14:30:
If you were doing this interview on the ISEF, what question would you ask and then what would be your answer?
"....'What mechanisms are there for making sure that teachers and students are aware of the opportunities that come from the ISEF?'...."

Security Council Invitation

ruth.morton — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:51:56 GMT

Greetings,

As the National Security and Privacy lead for Microsoft, I get the opportunity to work with a large number of Canadian organizations and gather security best practices from a wide spectrum. We hold an annual event where we have a dialogue about the security threat landscape and best practices for prevention and response. This year the security council will be held on Nov 18 at the Microsoft office in Mississauga, the agenda covers:

Latest security threat landscape
Best practices for securing social networking
How Microsoft secures its own IT systems
Windows 7 security enhancements and
Panel discussions about a variety of topics

It is a great opportunity to learn about security, network with your peers and provide feedback to Microsoft. We are giving away 20 seats at the event through this blog. There is no cost for attending the forum, but seating is limited and will be allocated on a first-come first-serve basis, please send an email to cdnsec@microsoft.com and I will send the registration code to the first 20 respondents. I hope to meet some of you at the event!

Best regards,
Mohammad Akif
National Security and Privacy Lead
Microsoft Canada

Barry Sellers: Distinguished Fellow, International Technology and Professionalism Top-Authority, Chair CNP Council, Chief Judge International Awards for Professionalism, Executive Board Director and Vice-Chairman NPA

Stephen.Ibaraki — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:05:00 GMT

This is the next blog in the continuing series of interviews with top-echelon and renowned professionals. In this blog, I interview Barry Sellers: Distinguished Fellow, International Technology and Professionalism Top-Authority, Chair CNP Council, Chief Judge International Awards for Professionalism, Executive Board Director and Vice-Chairman NPA.

Enjoy,
Stephen Ibaraki

Barry Sellers has served as a member of the NPA Board of Directors for 9 years for the Network Professional Association (NPA) and most recently as Treasurer/CFO. During his tenure, he has championed, revamped, documented and implemented the NPA Certified Network Professional Certification and is currently working on the Associate Certified Network Professional Certification that focuses on professionalism and ethics, which will be a requirement for the Certified Network Professional Certification. He has held all of the officer positions on the Board of Directors including Chairman over that time. Prior to his time on the Board of Directors, he was the founder and president of the Shreveport Chapter of the Network Professional Association (1993 -1995). He served as the head judge for the Network Professional Association Awards for Professionalism (2002 - 2008). He was awarded the Distinguished Fellow of the Network Professional Association (DFNPA) in 2005.

To listen to the interview, click on this MP3 file link

DISCUSSION:

Interview Time Index (MM:SS) and Topic

:00:43:
Barry comments on what triggered his initial interest in technology.

:01:03:
Can you describe your current job roles and do you have any lessons you wish to share?
"....My current job role is an infrastructure architect for a Fortune 500 financial institution....Some of the key lessons I've learned over the years....Never stop learning....Soft skills such as learning how to do presentations to different types of audiences....How to negotiate and how to influence are also excellent skills to have.....Breadth of knowledge is better than deep knowledge in a single area...."

:03:21:
What were the catalysts to your involvement with IT groups?
"....Wanting to find other people who shared the same interests as I did and a place where we could share problems, solutions and experiences...."

:03:42:
Can you go into more detail about your contributions to IT communities?
"....I always felt that we as an IT community should give back to the community as a whole so I do a lot of pro bono work in places like schools, churches and clubs (such as the YMCA), with fellow members of our local IT community. The work usually involves finding new equipment, troubleshooting, helping with upgrades and doing support work...."

:05:00:
Barry is one of the longest standing members of the NPA holding every position within the organization and he provides information on its history and his role in it.

:06:09:
You talked about the Certified Network Professional (CNP) designation, could you expand on that? What are your views on professionalism?
"....The CNP is the first attempt (I'm aware of) to get an industry-neutral certification. You must have at least 2 different kinds of certifications. We have a very strong position on professionalism. We have an ethics document that everyone must sign when they join the CNP. You also must have a minimum of three years experience....."

:08:22:
You are the Chair of the CNP Council. Can you describe the CNP and its value?
"....The CNP as a certification gives the employer or potential client the knowledge and security that you understand the basics of the vender certifications you have, you have experience, you have a strong belief in ethics and a quest for continuing education...."

:09:02:
You are the Chief Judge for the Awards for Professionalism, the global industry's only awards of this kind. Can you profile the history of the awards, the partners and the next award cycle?
"....The Awards for Professionalism was started because there was nothing out there that recognized people for doing amazing things in the industry. These global annual awards are held in conjunction with the NetWorld Interop conference and have had various partners over time. Some of our partners include Network Computing, Pearson Publishing, Microsoft...."

:10:26:
What is the value in working with professional organizations?
"....First you get like-minded folks together to work through problems....Also from a bigger picture (national or international perspective) it lends credence to the picture that you want to support the industry to accomplish things that are much bigger than your local area...."

:11:25:
Where can people find out more information about the Network Professional Association (NPA) and the Certified Network Professional (CNP) designation?
"....See the NPA website at http://www.npa.org. Also see the CNP website at http://www.cnp.org. They both have excellent information and applications available...."

:12:45:
How would you describe your top innovative achievements in terms of the problems you were trying to solve, your solutions, and the impact it has today and into the future?
"....Where I work we have a constantly changing environment so we have to keep coming up with innovative solutions to meet the business needs....It's a constant challenge and I enjoy it...."

:14:03:
What are the best job resources for IT professionals?
"....The best resource I found is the local IT community....Another excellent resource is the job board run by the NPA and other professional organizations...."

:15:00:
What are your suggestions for managing the economic challenges?
"....There are lots of opportunities out there to do low cost or even free training to further your career...."

:15:42:
How do you manage change?
"....I approach it as an opportunity because in the business I'm in we are in constant change - so it hasn't been a huge factor in what we do. We just have to work at more efficient and effective solutions...."

:16:07:
What are the best ways of making connections?
"....I still come back to networking within professional organizations...."

:16:37:
As a prominent leader, what were your greatest challenges and how did you overcome them?
"....The greatest challenges I had when I was a Chapter leader was managing what was going to be delivered at the next meeting, trying to manage getting vendors in. There was a lot of co-ordination there and I had a lot of help from others who were in the leadership position at the NPA...."

:17:43:
Please make predictions for the future, their implications, and how business executives and IT professionals can best prepare?
"....The best way you can prepare for the future is continuing to learn, not just technical skills but also soft skills...."

:18:22:
What do you see as the top challenges facing us today and how do you propose they be solved?
"....Economic challenges....Ongoing technical challenges because things are changing rapidly....Getting out and being part of the community, both in the professional methodology and just giving back to the community as a whole....

:19:25:
Please provide your views on the IFIP IP3 program on professionalizing the profession. [http://www.IPThree.org]
"....I think the IP3 certification is the perfect way to go and gives the world something to point at and say these people know what they are doing...."

David Maxfield, Bestselling Business Author in Leadership, Influence, and Communication

Stephen.Ibaraki — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:17:00 GMT

This is the next blog in the continuing series of interviews with top-echelon and renowned professionals. In this blog, I interview David Maxfield, Bestselling Business Author in Leadership, Influence, and Communication.

Enjoy,
Stephen Ibaraki

For more than twenty years, David Maxfield has led high-leverage research initiatives that uncover causes of and solutions to managerial, cultural, and operational inefficiencies that directly affect the bottom line. David's career began with his doctoral work in psychology at Stanford University. Since then, his impact on organizational performance has been wide-reaching as he has helped clients such as Hewlett Packard, IBM, Ford Motor Company, Covenant Healthcare, and VISA to increase organizational effectiveness and to become measurably more vital.

Drawing from extensive academic and corporate experience, David delivers topics that are grounded in solid research and application. Speaking in front of more than five hundred audiences ranging in size from small retreats to large keynote events, David has been featured at prestigious venues including Stanford and Georgetown Universities, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, and the National Association of Children's Hospitals. With an unrivaled ability to connect to his audience through engaging stories and captivating examples, David brings concepts to life-motivating listeners to put their newly-found skills and knowledge to immediate use.

Currently David is the vice president of research at VitalSmarts, an innovative corporate training company that teaches skills which deliver significant improvements to the results companies care about most. In the past thirty years VitalSmarts has helped thousands of organizations, including more than three hundred of the Fortune 500, realize widespread and lasting results through its award-winning training programs. Named the 2008 Business of the Year by The Association of Learning Providers, VitalSmarts has also been ranked four times by Inc. magazine as one of the fastest growing companies in America and has taught two million people worldwide. As vice president of research, David has led a series of research projects on a variety of subjects including the role crucial conversations play in the healthcare industry, and how the ongoing failure rate within enterprise projects is consistently linked to the avoidance of a few key crucial conversations. David has also led research projects about diversity, leadership, and influence.

David is the co-author of The New York Times bestseller Influencer: The Power to Change Anything. A respected academic, David has taught at Stanford University and the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University. David is the recipient of the Motorola University's Distinguished Teaching Award and Stanford University's Dean's Award for Innovative Industrial Education.

To listen to the interview, click on this MP3 file link

DISCUSSION:

Interview Time Index (MM:SS) and Topic

:00:33:
David, can you discuss your prior roles and projects and five key lessons that you wish to pass on?
"....Bad things happen and you've got to accept it....You have to believe in your own hard work....Find friends not accomplices....Act first and adjust later....Pick the right problem...."

:03:50:
In your prior roles, what were two of the most difficult challenges that you were not able to overcome at that time? What would you do differently now?
"....Failing to speak up when I really needed to....To look at a solution to a problem to be more simple than it really is and to end up applying a simplistic solution to a complex problem...."

:09:14:
What were the key disruptive forces driving change in your life and how can we learn from your experiences?
"....If there is ever an occasion where we can put ourselves in a situation where we are responsible for someone else's success I think that is a time that defines us, helps us to grow and is an important part of being who we are...."

:14:12:
Can you profile your current roles and work and the value delivered to your diverse audiences?
"....I have three main roles here at VitalSmarts as a consultant, a researcher and a writer....The kind of value that we try to deliver to the different audiences we work with is how do we identify these problems that are worth solving and then how do we organize sources of influence into a comprehensive, overwhelming, powerful strategy...."

:17:09:
In your current role, what are the biggest challenges and their solutions? How does this relate to business?
"....challenges within senior teams....challenges that are organization-wide....social problems....In regards to solutions....positive deviants....crucial moments....societal behaviors....Try to develop a comprehensive influence strategy combining all six of our influence models aimed at just those two or three vital behaviors...."

:21:46:
With the economic challenges, how can we improve the ability of companies to survive?
"....What we are looking at is called financial agility - the ability of the senior leaders of a firm to respond rapidly and effectively to changing economic conditions...."

:26:31:
Can you tell us more about the relationship between major financial adjustments and human behavior?
"....Often the best descriptions of a human response to economic conditions resemble a catastrophe curve....But let me add a positive to this negative: there are organizations that because of the environment they work in have become especially good at recognizing and reacting to change. A term is given them in the literature (senior researcher Karl Weick at the University of Michigan calls them highly reliable organizations) and an example would be a forest fire fighting team......."

:31:23:
What are the conditions and practices that allow an organization to respond well and with agility to economic threats?
"....The first is what I summarize as 'denial'....The second is an organization that does not have a lot of 'undiscussables'....The third is that everyone holds everyone accountable for everything....The final is that when a leader feels he/she is giving up on the team....confronts the team and confronts the problem....Those senior teams that are able to handle those situations are five times faster in their response and ten times more successful...."

:33:19:
What are the most important broader business challenges and solutions?
"....External factors (short term) are a weak economy, debt, financing, consumer confidence. Longer term are the global interdependence....incredible gaps between haves and have nots....education....Internal factors are to some extent responses to the external....How do we improve responsiveness? How do we maintain common purpose across silos, regions, separate companies that co-operate? Related to all this how do we execute on plan?....More broadly how do we develop the next generation of leaders?...."

:37:23:
What are the key trends that are redefining leadership?
"....Globalization of where intellectual property is created and where capital comes from and how to get global efficiencies....We are more and more overwhelmed with data that we don't really understand how to turn into actionable information....The need for greening of our industries and our organizations....As leaders we tend to neglect the bottom 80% of our population...."

:40:12:
What are your predictions about what leaders should be in the future?
"....It's becoming more and more the case that we need to be true to our values and our purpose and flexible in our strategies for obtaining those purposes and values and creating resiliencies....Call it network leadership...."

:43:06:
Which are your top recommended resources and why?
"....My customers....Competitors....The internet...."

:45:15:
David shares an interesting and informative story from his experiences.

Managing the Lifecycle of your Applications

ruth.morton — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:04:48 GMT

Do you or your team develop applications? If so, you have no doubt struggled with managing the lifecycle of those applications. Artifacts such as requirements, source code, and defect resolution are just a few of the success factors associated with creating a great application. Some of the most productive development organizations solve this problem through Application Lifecycle Management (ALM), which combines tools with process in a repeatable and predictable way.

Join Jeffrey Hammond and Dave West from Forrester Research and host John Bristowe from Microsoft for a live, online webcast as they examine why ALM matters, highlight how organizations are using ALM effectively today, and discuss what the future holds for ALM and the software development industry in general. Register now.

Canadian Microsoft SBSC Partners Strategize for 2010 in Orlando

ruth.morton — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:08:00 GMT

Leading Managed Services Providers link up for two days of intense business interaction focused on execution and accountability. HTG Canada continues its work on enhancing the Canadian IT landscape with a focus on giving more.

Heartland Tech Groups (HTG), an international organization of Managed Service Providers is currently holding their Q4 board meetings this week alongside the ConnectWise Partner Conference in Orlando, Florida.

HTG10, the sole Canadian only group is among the 19 HTG groups meeting to plan which MSPs will win as our economy slowly shows signs of gaining strength across Canada. Built on a strong foundation of being true “Go-Givers”, HTG brings together the cream of the crop in the Canadian IT community. Members cover almost all of Canada from Abbotsford BC to the Ottawa Valley.

“It is a dog eat dog world out there,” states HTG10 group facilitator Stuart Crawford from Bulletproof InfoTech. “Canadian HTG members have a distinct advantage over those who elect to go after the market themselves. Having a trusted group of peers to lean on and also help each through our challenges provides our members with a competitive advantage. This is something you can’t easily put a price on, it is priceless”.

HTG peers meet each quarter across the country, focused on sharing best practices, reporting on the financial health of their organizations, planning for the future growth and work together for the benefit of each member. HTG is not just another user group. HTG is a committed group of Microsoft SBSC and MSP partners who live daily by their mantra “Business and Personal Growth Driven by Execution”.

Formed in 2001 by Arlin Sorensen, HTG now has grown to an international organization with members in Canada, United Kingdom and the United States. HTG is currently looking for new members in Canada from Vancouver, Kamloops, Kelowna, Winnipeg, Kingston, Montreal, Fredericton and Halifax, if your Microsoft MSP firm is interested in taking your business to the next level, visit http://www.htgpeergroups.com for additional information.

Jeff Anders, International Innovation Leader and Strategist, co-founder and CEO of The Mark: Shares his ideas on Job Lessons, the Recession, Innovation, Business, Technology

Stephen.Ibaraki — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:13:00 GMT

This is the next blog in the continuing series of interviews with top-echelon and renowned professionals. In this blog, I interview Jeff Anders, International Innovation Leader and Strategist, co-founder and CEO of The Mark: Jeff shares his ideas on Job Lessons, the Recession, Innovation, Business, Technology.

Enjoy,
Stephen Ibaraki

Jeff Anders is the co-founder and CEO of The Mark. He has a decade of experience innovating in companies and international organizations. He worked for five years at Mercer Oliver Wyman as a strategy consultant to executives of Fortune 1000 companies. Later, as an independent consultant, he was retained by Hewlett Packard in India to help launch a team of local PhDs to perform marketing analytics for Western clients. Subsequently, he worked with a software provider in Beijing to raise capital and plan its international expansion. His first international engagement was with an NGO in Kosovo doing economic development. Jeff completed a Bachelor of Commerce at McGill, a MBA at MIT, and a Masters in Public Administration at Harvard.

To listen to the interview, click on this MP3 file link

DISCUSSION:

Interview Time Index (MM:SS) and Topic

:00:44:
Jeff can you tell us a little about yourself including your past and current roles.
"....My background is primarily in business....an undergraduate degree in finance.... five years of management consulting....MBA at MIT....Masters in Public Administration at Harvard....worked in startup companies in both India and China....worked with Michael Ignatieff....co-founder of The Mark...."

:02:19:
How would you describe your top innovative achievements in terms of the problems you were trying to solve, your solutions, and the impact it has today and into the future?
"...These are problems that don't have precedence and there are no textbook answers to what one should do....What characterizes the solutions can be boiled down to two key things: one is the effectiveness of the solution and the second is the ease of implementation...."

:04:20:
Can you overview the origins of The Mark?
"....The Mark tries to showcase Canadian ideas and to propel the thinkers behind those ideas. The Mark aims to harvest Canadian ideas and to bring them to market...."

:09:54:
What are some of the obstacles you are facing right now?
"....The big obstacle right now as with any content-based business is trying to be financially sustainable...."

:12:50:
What are the opportunities that are available beyond what you talked about here today with The Mark?
"....We recruit our contributors based on two criteria: one is professional credibility....the second is the connection to Canada...."

:16:23:
Who are your contributors and what do they hope to achieve?
"....One of the things that Obama demonstrated in the last US election is that you can actually elevate the debate and still reach large numbers of people. That is, in effect, what we are trying to do and at the same time what our contributors are achieving for themselves is that they are building a body of work online...."

:19:03:
What are some of the hot button issues of today in the areas of politics, business, science or technology?
"....One that might be of particular interest to this audience is Michael Geist and the people who are thinking about copyright and privacy....International conflict is another area....Certainly the hot button issues are important, but at The Mark we are going to try to host hundreds of conversations about niche issues...."

:23:05:
What triggered your interest in technology?
"....I went to school at M.I.T. - a thriving, innovative technological environment....From my perspective, I'm not a technologist, I'm not an engineer. I come from the business end and have a political background so for me the technology is just an enabler of the vision that I have for the exploration and the expression of ideas...."

:26:11:
How does the recession deliver unparalleled opportunities for innovation?
"....Periods of uncertainty are ripe for disruption...."

:29:30:
How do you manage change?
"....I don't manage change, I ride the change....For us, change is the medium through which we build and grow because we are evolving with that change....I try to make people feel as if they are the change and have them lead and drive the change...."

:32:09:
Please make predictions for the future, their implications, and how business executives and IT professionals can best prepare?
"....In publishing, the move from objectivity to transparency....people who are transparent in their bias, writing in their expert opinion instead of pursuing objectivity....Another thing is openness in terms of data....Also, you can do more with less and that is probably a universal trend that you can track back hundreds of years but I wonder if it's accelerating now and whether it will continue to accelerate in the future. I certainly hope it does...."

:40:31:
If you were doing this interview what question would you ask and what would be your answer?
"....What is the Canadian angle in all of this?....What it means to be Canadian is demonstrated through the totality of things that are said and written and that message is resonating with people from all professional disciplines...."

Episode #31: Talking About Virtualization

ruth.morton — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Although virtualization technology has been mainstream now for a number of years, it’s still a hot topic of discussion among IT professionals. However, the conversation has changed. No longer is it a question of “should we virtualize?” but rather, “how do we get the most out of our virtualized environment?”, “how do we manage it all?” and “now that we’ve virtualized some of our servers, should we be looking at our desktops?”.

For this edition, I’ve taken a recent webcast that I hosted with guests Galen Schreck, a Principle Analyst from Forrester Research and Bruce Cowper, the Virtualization Lead from Microsoft Canada and have condensed it down to 20 minutes of goodness for your listening pleasure. During our conversation where we took questions from the live on-line audience, we cover topics such as how the Microsoft solution stacks up against the competition, the nuances of licensing and where virtualization technology research may be heading in the future.

Additional resources:

www.microsoft.ca/virtualization

More information about this podcast series can be found on the AlignIT IT Manager Podcast web page.

Comments, suggestions and ideas for future topics can be left below as a comment or emailed directly to the AlignIT program feedback alias at alignit@microsoft.com. You can also reach us on our comment line at 1-800-693-3827.

Direct Download:

Subscribe to the podcast: (so you don't miss an episode)

Learn about Top IT Resources -- Lynn Langit: Renowned Developer, Visionary Executive, Best-selling Author, Top International Solutions Architect, Microsoft Redmond

Stephen.Ibaraki — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:05:00 GMT

This is the next blog in the continuing series of interviews with top-echelon and renowned professionals. In this blog, I interview Lynn Langit: Renowned Developer, Visionary Executive, Best-selling Author, Top International Solutions Architect, Microsoft Redmond.

Enjoy,
Stephen Ibaraki

What inspires someone from Fargo, North Dakota to dream of becoming a United Nations translator? Love of words, of course. A self-described language geek, Lynn is fascinated by languages and semantics. She understands that life rarely travels in a straight line, and her own career reflects this winding path. Lynn moved from a degree in linguistics to become a business executive, and then launched her own software development, training and consulting company. She's done production work with all versions of .NET, BizTalk, K2.Net, SharePoint, SQL Server, Analysis Services, InfoPath, MOM, and Active Directory, and holds an array of certifications, including MCT, MCSD, MCITP, MCSE, MCDBA and MSF. Lynn is also the author of Foundations of SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence from Apress. She gets her biggest on-the-job buzz from developing architecture - translating business needs into technical solutions that provide real value and opportunities. In her spare time, Lynn gives back to the community by supporting children's education. Her current projects include work with the Mona Foundation (Redmond, Washington) and SmartCare (Lusaka, Zambia). Lynn's blog is at http://blogs.msdn.com/SoCalDevGal and she has a weekly series on MSDN (syndicated on MSDN Channel 9) -- geekSpeak.

To listen to the interview, click on this MP3 file link

DISCUSSION:

Interview Time Index (MM:SS) and Topic

:00:40:
What triggered your interest in technology?
"....From an educational background I studied languages and linguistics. In my professional career, I was first a business person and had some businesses in the computer area. As I worked in this area I found I had more and more interest in the inner workings of both hardware and software...."

:01:16:
What two key lessons can you share from each of your prior roles?
"....the combination of practicality and imagination...."

:02:28:
Lynn comments on the biggest obstacles in her career and how she overcame them.

:04:27:
How would you describe your top innovative achievements in terms of the problems you were trying to solve, your solutions, and the impact it has today and into the future?
"....One of the things that I was really excited about in joining Microsoft is what I call 'intrapreneuring'....to be able to contribute through the power of the corporation to the areas of society that I thought that I could make an impact....I spend about 25% of my time around the issue of women in technology. I do that by working with Microsoft on a global program called DigiGirlz, a series of annual events that are hosted to showcase possible careers in technology for high school-aged girls........Another area of interest is furthering the state of languages and tools...I have found that there are a lot of concepts and methodologies in linguistics that don't appear to be available in computer languages and tools...."

:06:56:
You talked about DigiGirlz; didn't you just come from a conference? Can you comment further?
"....My ultimate goal with DigiGirlz is to provide more of a pipeline of technical women from which companies like Microsoft and other technical companies can hire, because especially in the developer's side, we don't even have pipelines...."

:09:45:
How does your background as a linguist factor in your current work?
"....I am really a translator....I'm translating to different audiences so I must tailor my presentation so those audiences can understand and then I'm translating technology - it is a double layer of translation...."

:11:41:
What would be your top tips for doing presentations?
"....You must know the technology and the best way to know that is through implementation....Know your audience....Competition - talk to people who work in competing technologies so that you can understand what they expect and then adjust....Don't expect that you are going to deliver the information in the same format for all the various audiences (that also goes for online)....Practice...."

:14:32:
What tip can you provide from your prior production work and your certifications?
"....The lesson from a Microsoft platform specifically is that if you are implementing on Microsoft, make sure you know what we have to offer...."

:17:05:
Lynn discusses finding resources before doing an implementation.
"....What we are trying to do is be very agile in the way we are providing the information and a trend we are seeing, particularly in the US, is the desire to consume information in a shorter format. I'm interested in feedback from people who listen to this interview to see if we are hitting the target....Another trend is multi-tasking...."

:19:37:
What lesson can you share from your writing experiences?
"....Have a good outline....Have a hierarchical progression to learning....Write in a clear manner....Consider that a lot of your audience will have English as a second language...."

:22:10:
Tell us more about the Mona Foundation (Redmond, Washington) and SmartCare (Lusaka, Zambia).
"....The Mona Foundation is a non-profit organization that was founded by a former Microsoft employee who now works at a partner....Her name is Mahnaz Javid....Mona was an actual person, who was hanged at 17 in Iran for her religious beliefs. That was actually the catalyst for Mahnaz to start this foundation, which provides support to educational institutions around the world....Mahnaz's vision and dream was that through education, particularly education of women and children, that this type of horrible oppression could be mitigated....If anyone is interested it is http://www.monafoundation.org/....
SmartCare is an electronic medical records application that is built on .NET and uses touchscreen and Smart Cards for data storage. It is the vision of a US doctor, Mark Shields and is being implemented in Zambia and being accepted as the national standard. It is now being developed in Ethiopia and South Africa...."

:26:09:
What IT best practices can you share from your blog and geekSpeak?
"....Create baselines....Security....Technology is about people...."

:28:45:
Can you share your experiences as a practicing SQL Server BI architect?
"....Around BI, the first thing to be aware of is: what it actually is, why you would care about it and what it consists of...."

:31:07:
How do you make a business case for implementing Business Intelligence?
"....It's all about concepts....You have to take the time to understand data warehousing concepts which are: you must understand what you are doing when you are clicking through the interface, and in what format the data should be structured so that you can get a good result...."

:32:04:
Can you remind the audience about your two books?
"....'Smart Business Intelligence Solutions with Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008' (MS Press this year) and my previous book 'Foundations of SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence' (Apress)....The current book builds on the previous book so I would definitely recommend the current book...."

:33:15:
Please share your best practices and lessons learned in your many years of experience implementing BI solutions in the real world and in advising students in the classroom.
"....One of the areas that people constantly underestimate is data quality....You have to have high quality data going into your data warehousing, your business intelligence solution, in order to get high quality results....The other thing is to be inclusive, find all your data sources and identify what they are....A second point is to make the taxonomy natural. While you are taking time to clean up the data, capture the actual way people who are going to be using these reports speak....These are two very important areas that I don't see implemented consistently very well...."

:36:21:
Describe your current work and what you hope to achieve?
"....It's been really exciting how I've been able to support Women in Technology initiatives....DigiGirlz is very near and dear to my heart....I see what happens in schools around girls and science and technology and math education. My biggest dream is to somehow make a little dent in this and make it possible for more young girls to enter careers in technology...."

:40:34:
Do you have a link where our audience can go to pick up some of your resources?
"....I post everything on my blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/SoCalDevGal/...."

:42:35:
What are the best job resources for IT professionals?
"....I think that the best jobs never get advertised....The best way to find out what's going on is to talk to people directly. Technology professionals have a great opportunity through user groups....Conferences....Talk to professionals...."

:44:14:
What are your added suggestions for managing the economic challenges?
"....Know from whatever vendor you work with what's free. For example, SQL Express Server 2008 now includes reporting services....Make really great use of all those connections that you are getting through the user groups or through the conferences, etc. because people are your greatest resource. Utilize the people you know in a time-efficient manner for those people...."

:45:55:
How do you manage change?
"....I'm fortunate in that I embrace change....Whether you like change, especially in the US, change in technology is what it's about....One of the challenges is that there is so much changing so fast that it's important that you focus and eliminate certain things. You just can't know everything and it's much better to be deep in a couple of technologies rather than a generalist across all technologies because being deep is more highly valued...."

:47:08:
Can you make some predictions for the future, their implications, and how business executives and IT professionals can best prepare?
"....the Cloud...(but depends where you are)....Attention...(matters in all ways that we deliver content)....Use of special media is a huge trend...(social media cannot be ignored)....."

:51:45:
What do you see as the top challenges facing us today and how do you propose they be solved?
"....In the US in particular, the economy....Take advantage of the free stuff, take advantage of the micro content....Constantly pay attention to what's new....Pay attention to the trends, pay attention to education, have and use your social networks.....be flexible...."

:55:31:
Please provide your views on the IFIP IP3 program on professionalizing the profession. [http://www.IPThree.org]
"....I am a huge proponent of this....Having a professional methodology and a lifecycle methodology is so important...."

:58:09:
Do you have any further comments to share?
"....I get better through feedback so I welcome any feedback whether you agree or disagree with anything that I've said....or any comments or tips that you might have....We improve by working together. The best way to give me feedback is through my blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/SoCalDevGal/....and I do answer...."

Joanne Wong: International Technology Leader, Networking Academy Manager for Canada

Stephen.Ibaraki — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:58:00 GMT

This is the next blog in the continuing series of interviews with top-echelon and renowned professionals. In this blog, I interview Joanne Wong: International Technology Leader, Networking Academy Manager for Canada. Earlier this year, I had a chance to keynote academic conferences managed by Joanne. It was a great experience speaking to hundreds of academic leaders, faculty, teachers, certification and government-related groups. At these sessions Joanne displayed her passion, elite talent, and innovation for education and empowering students. This is an area that I would encourage IT professionals to get engaged: speaking at schools, mentoring youth, donating time/resources to support aspiring IT professionals.

Joanne has a remarkable background of contribution and shares her views on education, success attributes for IT professionals, trends, major community groups and global initiatives. Have a look!

Enjoy,
Stephen Ibaraki

Joanne Wong is the Networking Academy Manager for Canada. The Cisco Networking Academy is a comprehensive e-learning program that enables students to develop valuable information and communication technology skills for increased access to opportunities in the global economy.

Since 2000, Joanne collaborates with leaders in education, government, and business to help them understand the importance of programs like the Cisco Networking Academy in helping Canada to sustain economic competitiveness and innovation. In addition, Joanne supports secondary, post-secondary, and non-profit organizations to ensure successful implementation of the Cisco Networking Academy.

Prior to Cisco Networking Academy, Joanne has worked in the Information Technology field as a manufacturing engineer, account manager, and consultant at various organizations such as IBM, Digital Equipment (now HP), SAP, and SHL Systemhouse (now EDS Canada, an HP company).

Joanne holds a Bachelors of Engineering degree from McGill University and is a member of the Quebec Order of Engineers.

To listen to the interview, click on this MP3 file link

DISCUSSION:

Interview Time Index (MM:SS) and Topic

:00:39:
What sparked your initial interest in computers?
"....I got more into computers in my final year of engineering. I took a course where we built microprocessors for automated processing which combined hardware and software and added more complexity...."

:02:44:
Can you share your earlier experiences at McGill and key life lessons you learned at that time?
"....Engineering at McGill was about teamwork, doing projects with your peers. We were also taught by engineers working in the field, not just university professors, and this brought the real life experience to the studies. From this type of education, we learned that to succeed you not only need your technical knowledge but also excellent communication skills. Engineering is not just theoretical but also practical so you have to think and develop many solutions and there is always more than one way to solve a problem...."

:04:44:
What two career tips did you learn from your time at each of the following: IBM, DEC, SAP, SHL?
"....Respect of others and being able to convey technical terms in a business fashion...."

:06:02:
Do you have any innovative achievements in terms of the problems you were trying to solve, your solutions, and the impact it has today and into the future?
"....Working as a consultant you need to have a vision, a high level view of looking at the business and how software and hardware can solve business issues of getting people to work together...."

:08:00:
What motivated Cisco to start the Networking Academy program more than ten years ago?
"....Networking Academy is Cisco's corporate social responsibility program to return back to the community. They realized that simply donating networking equipment to schools was not enough; people needed the knowledge of how networking worked...."

:10:13:
How did you get involved with Cisco?
"....It comes down to personal networking...."

:10:36:
Please overview the current state of the Networking Academy Program and its Canadian initiatives plus global reach.
"....One of the best things is that there are pathways built between secondary and post-secondary so that students can take an IT course in high school and if they like it they can continue in post-secondary and can get that post-secondary credit...."

:13:26:
We have the WorldSkills Competition in Calgary, I guess you will be there?
"....Yes, Cisco is one of the founding sponsors of WorldSkills...."

:13:51:
Working together, how can we ensure the success of students?
"....Networking Academy provides the online curriculum and its updates for free and all the associated tools such as online assessments, labs and online communities. We always have to think of other ways to help the teachers and students; for example, mentorships and access to relevant work experience, giving industry insightfulness. By working with Culminis and other organizations, we need to reach out to IT professionals to help with the future IT generations...."

:14:58:
Tell us more about your vision and the objectives behind your current roles?
"....To facilitate collaboration on a global basis so that technology education is accessible and interesting....Today's students are tech-savvy, they know how to use technology, now we need to take further steps with them and get them more interested in how to design and build the next technology innovations that can be used in many types of organizations or by individuals everywhere...."

:16:46:
What do you hope to accomplish and how will you bring this about?
"....Students need to realize that IT is not just in their city but around the world so that they can reach for the sky and think beyond what they're used to. The ideas have to come from the students on how to maximize the use of technology to change the world, but they have to be open to work with others elsewhere and adapt to the environment around them....."

:17:40:
What are the best job resources for IT professionals?
"....Their present and past colleagues....They need to network, reach out to others and to find those 'hidden' gem jobs....Also not just joining but actively engaging with professional organizations such as Culminis, CIPS, IEEE, etc...."

:18:25:
How does your professional status as an engineer support your work?
"....Being an engineer has given me that logical thinking process of how to solve problems, always thinking out of the box and looking at all possibilities to resolve a problem....Having a professional status gives that credibility of being a problem solver...."

:19:21:
What are your suggestions for managing the economic challenges?
"....As an IT worker, you need to keep updated on technical knowledge and make yourself more valuable to yourself and to your organization. Also be cognizant of the economy and changes happening around you from a people and political perspective and keep abreast of business needs and changes. Overall, be on top of the changing environment...."

:19:51:
How do you manage change?
"....You have to like change to manage it. That is why I like working in IT because change is a constant and you just go with the flow and be on the top of things...."

:20:09:
What are the best ways of making connections?
"....ATTITUDE, ATTITUDE, ATTITUDE....Keep a smile on your face....Have a positive outlook...."

:20:44:
What can you say about women in technology?
"....Girls are tech-savvy....They have to be creators of the technology, not just users of the technology....They have to be part of the solution...."

:22:02:
As a prominent leader, what were your greatest challenges and how did you overcome them?
"....From two perspectives - from the business side and also from my current work with educators (they kind of meld together).....We have to look at how do we bring together IT solutions, not as a techie solution but as a business solution....And looking at my present role, how do we meld education with technology and how do we get collaboration with educators, non-profit organizations, government and industry to really encourage them to see how technology works, to think outside the box and get educators to realize the benefits of technology...."

:24:23:
Please make predictions for the future, their implications, and how business executives and IT professionals can best prepare?
"...The challenge in technology is not the technology but rather the people who implement and who use technology. Educating users and IT professionals are key for successful technology implementations...."

:26:01:
What do you see as the three top challenges facing us today and how do you propose they be solved?
"....Convergence and the complexity of technology....Globalization....Not enough collaboration...."

:27:38:
If you were conducting this interview, what 3 questions would you ask, and then what would be your answers?
"....Why aren't there more girls in the 'Western' world going into IT programs?....How do we get more companies engaged so that post-secondary schools teaching IT programs or even high schools have more ready access to today's technology?....How do we address the IT workforce shortage in Canada?...."

:30:14:
Throughout this interview you have made reference to ICTC - Who is ICTC?
"....ICTC is a sector council, at the Canadian level they are funded by SRSCC (Federal government)....one of their mandates is to represent industry to government to ensure certain standards, to address certain issues that are happening in the IT industry...."

:32:22:
Joanne, please provide your views on the IFIP IP3 program on professionalizing the profession.
"....Having a global standard for the IT practitioner will address the skills shortage, provide IT worker mobility, ensure high quality and consistency of IT, bring in the business aspect such as ROI to technology adoption, continuous professional development - all positive outcomes of IFIP IP3 mission...."

Pieter Botman: Leading International Consultant and Authority in Software Engineering, Systems Integration, Quality Assurance

Stephen.Ibaraki — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:45:00 GMT

This is the next blog in the continuing series of interviews with top-echelon and renowned professionals. In this blog, I interview Pieter Botman: Leading International Consultant and Authority in Software Engineering, Systems Integration, Quality Assurance. I had an opportunity to meet up with Pieter in London (UK) this summer, where Pieter is lending his considerable talent and deep insights contributing to a major international initiative.

Enjoy,
Stephen Ibaraki

Pieter Botman is an independent consultant based in Vancouver, Canada, with over twenty five years of experience in software engineering, systems integration, and quality assurance.

During his career, Pieter has delivered complex system solutions in various domains including aviation, banking, telecommunications and image processing, and has worked with organizations such as Bell Canada, Digital Equipment, AT&T and MacDonald Dettwiler & Associates. In his current consulting practice, Pieter assists software engineering organizations with focused process assessment and process improvement activities which are tailored to their specific business needs.

Originally graduating with a Bachelor of Applied Science degree from the University of Toronto in Electrical Engineering, Pieter has since focused on software. He has taken numerous technical and post-graduate courses related to the fast moving discipline of software engineering. He also has been a member of many technical and professional associations, including the Association for Computing Machinery, the IEEE Computer Society, and the American Society for Quality and the Project Management Institute. Over the years Pieter has compiled various certifications and qualifications in software engineering, quality assurance, and process assessment. He is a registered Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) in the province of British Columbia.

Pieter contributes to the profession in several ways. He contributes to the development of software engineering standards both within the IEEE Computer Society and within ISO/IEC JTC1 SC7. He serves on several software engineering committees and task forces for the Professional Engineering associations at the provincial (APEGBC) and national (CCPE) levels. He serves on the Professional Activities Board of the IEEE Computer Society and currently serves as the Computer Society's representative to the IP3 (International Professional Practice Partnership) initiative.

To listen to the interview, click on this MP3 file link

DISCUSSION:

Interview Time Index (MM:SS) and Topic

:00:49:
What sparked your initial interest in computers?
"....It wasn't really until I reached university taking electrical engineering that I was able to discover minicomputers and microcomputers and to see first-hand all the detailed controlled interactions. Seeing them control diodes, the LCD displays and graphic monitors, sound synthesizers - that's what really got me excited...."

:2:24:
Tell us more about your vision and objectives behind your current roles? What do you hope to accomplish and how will you bring this about?
"....From an individual personal perspective I see myself as a software engineer and what I'm hoping to do in my volunteer involvement in various professional and technical societies is to help develop the profession of software engineering...."

:03:10:
Can you tell us about your consulting business?
"....I help companies improve their processes, software engineering tools and practices to improve their capabilities and their effectiveness....

:03:44:
Do you have any key lessons that you can share with the audience?
"....From an individual practitioner's point of view, professionalism is a good guide...."

:05:02:
What technical tips do you wish to share?
"....There are lots of exciting developments on the hardware and software side; for example, the advent of multi-core processing such as the Cell Broadband Engine....From the point of view of the software engineer I would recommend: be ready for it, be aware of it and be ready to express it in terms of a model rather than simply at the programming language level or at the assembly language level. Be ready to model that and be ready to carry forward at the design level...."
****NOTE: Cell Broadband Engine and Cell/B.E. are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., in the United States, other countries, or both and is used under license therefrom.*****

:06:08:
What are the best resources for IT professionals?
"....There are a couple of levels of resources. One critical level is the team you are working with right now, they represent the people with whom you have to get the job done. Another level would be your immediate network of professionals that you are in touch with on a regular basis....At a broader level, a professional or technical society...."

:06:55:
You are involved with the IEEE Computer Society. What are some of the benefits being involved with that group?
"....They are, at its core, a learned society. They are developing the theory and practice of software engineering and are the leading publisher in that field. Aside from the theory they are also involved at the professional level...."

:08:10:
Are there any other professional groups with which you are involved? Can you describe some of them and the value they bring?
"....The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC (APEGBC), a part of Engineers Canada....a registered engineer in the Province of British Columbia....American Society for Quality (ASQ)....Project Management Institute (PMI)...."

:10:08:
How does your professional status as an engineer support your work in software?
"...A professional designation helps to get across to prospective employers my level of capability and competence....It has permitted me to be 'at the table' and to help develop the profession by talking to the authorities who regulate the profession here in British Columbia. Also within the computer society it helps me have a 'seat at the table' and to have people take an interest in what I have to say...."

:12:34:
What are your views on software engineering certification and licensing and where is this heading?
"....The most important aspect to the software engineer practice is assurance of competence....We will see a movement towards more commonality on how we certify software engineering professionals...."

:13:58:
How would you describe your top innovative achievements in terms of the problems you were trying to solve, your solutions, and the impact it has today and into the future?
"....I've been a member of teams that have developed useful systems within the context of the situation at the time, using the technology at the time....My personal achievement was part of a team....An achievement has also been a contribution towards the profession in terms of standards and professional work....I've made incremental contributions...."

:15:08:
How do you manage change?
"....From the professional point of view, managing change flows from managing information. Being aware of what's coming down the road and then being able to sift through that mountain of information and judging what's important and judging who the credible authorities are and being able to know where to go for reliable information...."

:17:06:
If you could sum up your life experiences with career tips for the ICT professional, what would be your tips and the reasons behind them?
"....Aim for a professional approach....Become involved....Don't work in isolation, become part of a profession, become part of a professional network....Keep your tools and skills sharp...."

:18:14:
Please make predictions for the future, their implications, and how business executives and IT professionals can best prepare?
"....From a technical perspective, software engineering and software development are going to mutate. They are going to keep rising in the level of abstraction so software professionals are going to have to be able to move from one technology to another very quickly and what they will keep are the abstractions...."

:19:27:
What do you see as the top challenge facing us today and how do you propose they be solved?
"....Speaking from a broader perspective....I think the major challenge is coming together in the world in a profession using common standards and common language. Once we do that we'll be able to move forward and proceed to work together more quickly and more effectively...."

:21:06:
Do you have a sense of what's happening in regards to IT jobs out there?
"....My sense is that there are specialists and there are generalists....There are always positions at the leading edge of technology for specialists..."

:22:23:
If you were conducting this interview, what additional question would you ask, and then what would be your answer?
"...Is the industry going to really remain strong in countries where they don't have strong R & D investment?...."

Protect your IT Assets - 7 days till SecTor

Stephen.Ibaraki — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:34:00 GMT

It’s a great opportunity to grow your connections and skills.

JUST SEVEN DAYS UNTIL SECTOR 09 - Bring a colleague to divide and conquer all of the content.

“Illuminating the Black Art of Security. SecTor brings the world's brightest (and darkest) minds together to identify, discuss, dissect and debate the latest digital threats facing corporations today. Unique to central Canada, SecTor provides an unmatched opportunity for IT Professionals to collaborate with their peers and learn from their mentors. Held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in downtown Toronto, the SecTor conference runs two full days, October 6th and 7th. The event features Keynotes from North America's most respected and trusted experts. Speakers are true security professionals with depth of understanding on topics that matter. SecTor is a must attend event for every IT Professional.”

SecTor - Security Education Conference Toronto 2009
October 5 - 7, 2009, Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Richard Longworth: Leading Award-winning International Technology Authority, Thought Leader, Educator and Celebrated Author

Stephen.Ibaraki — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:59:00 GMT

This is the next blog in the continuing series of interviews with top-echelon and renowned professionals. In this blog, I interview Richard Longworth: Leading Award-winning International Technology Authority, Thought Leader, Educator and Celebrated Author.

Enjoy,
Stephen Ibaraki

After a successful career in private industry and public education, Richard retired in 2007. Richard worked in industry as a programmer, systems analyst, database consultant; and in later years as a college professor, teaching courses in mathematics and IT. His students often remarked that his teaching approach was unique, and enabled them to achieve highly successful outcomes-a testimonial to Richard's belief that good teaching comes from the heart and not the mind. Now, as a retired college professor, Richard spends a majority of the time writing and lecturing on holistic education, global consciousness, and self-actualization. He is an ardent supporter of mindfulness, and has recently published a book for twenty plus year olds on how a change in mindset can lead to a more meaningful life. Richard continues to have strong ties with his past students who seek his advice, wisdom and counsel. His former students form the nucleus of his Gen X followers in creating global consciousness. Some of Richard's future endeavours associated with his work on global consciousness include: applying technology resources (social media for communication, subject databases for indexing and research); a 'Yes You Can be...' series; and the development of a virtual classroom.

To find out more about Richard.

Website & Contact
http://www.rlongworth.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/rlongw

To listen to the interview, click on this MP3 file link

DISCUSSION:

Interview Time Index (MM:SS) and Topic

:00:43:
What sparked your initial interest in computers?
"....It was more coincidental than planned. After graduating from Concordia University (early 70's) with a degree in Mathematics I was asked to join Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in Montreal. My future supervisor at that time explained that mathematics was a pre-cursor into data processing so I would be a natural. In those days it was data processing, computers were quite new....With no background in computers I joined the programming department...."

:04:10:
How would you describe your top innovative achievements in terms of the problems you were trying to solve, your solutions, and the impact it has today and into the future?
"....I derive much pleasure from working on problems and when interested I like to wrestle problems to the ground and come up with a solution. For me, it is not unlike solving a math problem....

:09:50:
How do you manage change and make connections?
"....In most cases by simply observing my reaction towards the change, I become fully aware of my feelings and thoughts about it. Through this observation, I am able to make conscious decisions without becoming emotionally attached....
.....The question, "How do I make connections?" is so different now compared to in the past. I rely more on technology than ever before.....We truly live in a global village where distances are bridged through the Internet; any meetings and research are conducted on-line from the convenience of home or office.....But I still receive more satisfaction, understanding, awareness, humanness when I talk directly face-to-face with a person...."

:14:51:
If you could sum up your life experiences with career tips for the ICT professional, what would be your tips and the reasons behind them?
"....Choose your career well, make it a free choice; something you would love to do the rest of your working life. Find a career that brings you much satisfaction and joy, but also balance your career with good relationships, healthful living...."

:18:38:
Please make predictions for the future, their implications, and how business executives and IT professionals can best prepare?
"....One: Hierarchical views of text and graphics for drilling-down through layers instead of the traditional linear-approach with a single-unified structure....Two: Social network learning with digital textbooks and proliferation of e-books such as Kindle and Sony Reader....Three: Emphasis and further advances in behavioural social networking....Four: Emerging technologies in creating, sharing, researching around content....Five: A shift in scientific and educational philosophy from epistemology (knowledge aspect) to ontology (being aspect)....Six: Movement towards more awareness-based content contrasted to the old paradigm of memory-based content...."

:24:46:
What do you see as the three top challenges facing us today and how do you propose they be solved?
"....The first three that come to my mind are the economy, world hunger and terrorism. These are only three of many that I would consider the top challenges facing us today. Ask me on another day and I may give you a different list of my three choices....To meet and successfully solve the challenges, we must identify and understand the cause since every challenge has a root cause for us to probe...."

:27:10:
During your working career you were a college instructor, teaching courses in IT; now, as a retiree, you are writing, promoting global conscious awareness. Why such a transformation?
"....My interest in conscious awareness actually started 30 years ago when I studied the works of J Krishnamurti. So my recent writings, presentations are not really a transformation but an evolvement....."

:33:38:
Your book is directed mainly to Generation Y, why?
"...The book can help anyone; however, all the examples, scenarios, vignettes in the book are situations that would occur during the post-teen years. Why did I write it for this age group?....I do believe we have a responsibility and a moral obligation to our future leaders to bring forward the notion that a more peaceful, gentler, compassionate way of living does exist....."

:36:43:
What is the major theme, purpose of your book?
"....The major theme in the book is about conscious awareness.....The book is a guide towards self-awareness and self-actualization....."

:38:23:
Could you go a little deeper and explain the concept of conscious awareness, and perhaps point out any benefits.
"....Conscious awareness is about learning more about yourself, enabling you to take complete control because you are fully aware...."

:45:01:
Is there scientific evidence that conscious awareness really works?
"....When we speak of scientific evidence, we are acknowledging that physical proof exists, and the evidence can be measured and observed. Conscious awareness however, is a non physical entity....For those who are interested I would recommend a review of the work done by Drs. John Hagelin, Ramesh Manocha, J.A. Dusek, and websites like http://www.pubmed.gov; as well as studies done at the David Lynch Foundation. If you would like you may contact me through my email at rlongw@telus.net....."

:48:51:
Do you believe there is a clash between science and spirituality?
"....Both science and spirituality search for truth. Digression does occur however since science searches for truth in the physical world, whereas spirituality seeks truth in the nature of (non-physical) consciousness...."

:50:30:
Richard gives us a practical example of conscious awareness from his book.
"....The book suggests that you apply conscious awareness during times when performing repetitive tasks...."

:57:05:
What are your future plans related to your book and teachings?
"....I am convinced that the new paradigm of conscious awareness is taking root. I believe there is an urgent need for change in our global consciousness, as we have discussed today. One approach that could significantly accelerate the process is through the application of technology, particularly social networking....."

:01:01:23:
If you were conducting this interview, what 3 questions would you ask, and then what would be your answers?
"...."What are my current interests?....What is the best way to connect with my work?....What would be my final words?...."

Episode #30: Straight Talk about Windows 7

ruth.morton — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:00:00 GMT

It’s now been just over 2 months since I’ve been back from maternity leave and I’m happy to be able to share with you a new episode of the AlignIT IT Managers Podcast. While I was away, Rick and the team worked diligently to improve the format of the podcast. The upside to the work that he did is that now the host (that would be me!) has much more hands on involvement in the show, right from the topic and guests to the post-production editing. The downside is that it’s taken a lot longer to get this episode out as I learn some new skills. But here it is!

In this episode of the AlignIT IT Manager Podcast, I talk separately with Rob Geller, Microsoft’s Senior Product Manager for Windows Client, and Stephen Rose, Microsoft’s Senior Community Manager for Windows Client. I speak to each about our latest client operating system – what’s new and can add value for businesses along with what’s compelling for IT shops. We also talk about some of the lessons learned and changes made with the release of Windows 7 as compared to when Windows Vista launched.

Additional Windows 7 resources for IT professionals can be found at www.microsoft.ca/springboard.

More information about this podcast series can be found on the AlignIT IT Manager Podcast web page.

On Demand Player:

Direct Download:

Subscribe to the podcast: (so you don't miss an episode)

“What have you been up to lately? How’s the IT department?” Ignite your Career – Episode 3

Rick Claus — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:12:00 GMT

Picture yourself walking into an elevator and having a senior executive standing in there. After the pleasant head nod, you press your floor button and stand to the side. After the doors close - the executive finally recognizes you and remembers you’re in IT. Because it’s a long ride up – she asks you a small talk type question like “So Bob, what projects have you been up to lately? How’s life in the IT Department?”.

Are you ready for this question? How would you answer?

Remember - You’ve got one minute to promote your personal brand and make an impression. Are you ready for that?

This is a serious topic that comes up in conversation when my team is out at events and talking with people. It’s mostly around the issue of looking for a job or trying to break into he industry as they are newly out and seeking employment. Kudos to the ones that are asking – most are seeking advice on what to say and how to promote. What about all the OTHER people in the room who are not doing a good job of connecting and self promoting? Sure – maybe they are gainfully employed now or have not had to look for a new job in a while – but what about if something changed?

Self Promotion / personal brand awareness / pride in projects completed AND being able to clearly communicate them in the proper depth and manner that matches the situation is something that is hard to do. Are you someone like me (believe it or not) who’s a little introverted when one finds oneself in a crowd of strangers, nervous to be the one who does the approaching - but more then happy to talk once approached by someone in a crowd to talk. Maybe you are a bit more extreme – someone who shies away from getting out there at all, making connections and selling yourself. Being confident and taking the time to build and nurture your “public” brand may not seem important to you now – but what about when it really counts?

when you find yourself being passed over for a new role with more responsibility.
when you feel it’s time to move on down a slightly different career path.
when it’s time to strike out into new territory all together and look for a new employer
when it’s time to get into your first career or into your next career change.

How do you stand out from the crowd – even if it’s not your style? Can you summarize your accomplishments from past projects clearly and succinctly? When is the last time you updated your resume or maintained your “project portfolio”?

My team and I have committed to do whatever we can do to support your career growth as an ICT professional both on the traditional “technical skills” side as well as on the “personal/professional skills” side. With this episode of the Ignite Your Career webcast series - I figured it was time to focus a little energy towards this very important topic. When I reached out to the team to see who they would suggest would be good panel members – WOW. I was impressed with who wanted to talk on this topic.

We’re coming at it from all angles here: A brand and image savvy developer, an IT manager looking to hire, a headhunter who can help locate the right candidate or give you an edge and finally an HR professional who knows all about recruiting and staffing processes. Check out this line-up!

Scott Hanselman – Principal Program Manager at Microsoft. You can find him on the web at http://www.hanselman.com/blog/ or listen to his podcast HansleMinutes. Trust me – if you are a developer – you’ve heard of Hanselman.

Andrew Dillane is the Group CIO for the Randstad Canada Group of Companies. He’s the national president for the CIO Association of Canada and is actively involved in the Program Advisory Council for Ryerson University’s Information Technology Management degree program.

Nick Crocodilos is no stranger to the Ignite Your Career webcast series. He’s provided colourful insight and valuable information on how to work with HeadHunters. His latest book How to Work with Headhunters is a great read and his previous book Ask The Headhunter: Reinventing The Interview to Win The Job was the #1 selling interview guide on Amazon for 26 months. You can reach Nick over on his AskTheHeadHunter blog. Note: Nick is making a SPECIAL OFFER for webcast attendees – Save $10 on his new book How to Work with Headhunters by using discount code = ignite

Heather Hamilton – manages Microsoft’s Global Competitive Programs Team which is responsible for monitoring competitive talent landscape and leverage opportunities to recruit the best technical talent possible. She’s a well known blogger over on her site called One Louder and is a requested speaker on topics related to candidate outreach and community building.

I honestly can’t wait for Thursday the 24th. This will be an episode you will NOT want to miss! Register today to attend this free webcast series.

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