lyreborn's blog

Process change – equals live or die!

lyreborn — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 07:20:02 +0000

Overheads in internal administration are pain. The question is how to get rid of them? The answer is change! Technology has open up the gate to change in a way we only could have dreamed about before. People that embrace change and do it swipe the floor with the competition. Change is collaboration between suppliers, manufacturers and dealers. We all have to work together. It will not work otherwise.

The best is to read and listen to some people and organizations that have done it!

We will publish a series of case stories this year that highlight amazing individuals and how they use technology to be winners. Please enjoy the case stories at case studies

How to differentiate – Customize!

lyreborn — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 13:26:35 +0000

Companies want to be special and have something unique to offer. Companies want to differentiate. This could be products, it could be services, it could be processes, and more. Whatever it is the company need to have internal support to manage the differentiator. The differentiator has to work for the company as efficiently as possible.

Then I ask myself, can standard solve a differentiator task?

It can’t! Differentiate can only be achieved by customization. Customization is the key for success. Reason: The differentiator is only standard for one company otherwise it’s not a differentiator.

So, we have to customize. Ok, I got it!

The update terror – O No! not another update

lyreborn — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 07:40:09 +0000

Are you tired of pressing “I agree” multiple times and over and over again to make your computer up to date? I am! How it works today is not sustainable. We need to seek a more transparent model where this happens automatically. Today I have at least 20 different programs that require frequent attention because of updates… and this number is growing. If I have 100 programs that require the same attention I will be busy pressing “I agree” instead of actually doing something! We need a mechanism where we as users can say; “I trust this software from this supplier and just do the updates without disturbing me”!

So please; Microsoft, Adobe, Java …. Configura (yes, we are included in this matter) what can you do to make my daily computer experience better?

Configura 20 Years of Innovation

lyreborn — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:40:15 +0000

We celebrate 20 years in 2010. It has been 20 years of belief and dedication. 20 years of passion and hunger to improve at all time. It’s been ups and downs but we are fighters. We like challenges and we will never stop innovating!

Thanks for being a part of our journey, thanks a lot!

Configura at NeoCon

lyreborn — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 07:13:45 +0000

UPDATED.

Some photos from our redesigned booth at NeoCon. If you haven’t seen the new booth design, check it out in this pdf.

Cate Sword and Alexandra Tseffos

Configura people at our booth 7-7046

You will find more photos in our Facebook gallery.

Sales and design melt together – true or utopia?

lyreborn — Wed, 26 May 2010 06:43:53 +0000

Have you asked yourself the question if a sales person can do design and if a designer can do some sales? I have and Yes, why not! Maybe not in all situations but definitely, Yes, for smaller and standard straight forward projects, Yes.

The whole idea that sales have to communicate customer needs to designers is inefficient, slow, and costly and does not go in line with modern fast service ambitions. Can you imagine a customer waiting a week for a proposal that a sales person could do together with the customer in an hour? I guess and hope you say no!

What we need is;

Managers that lead
Sales people that learn design and practice design
Designers that learn sales and practice sales

I can see that this is fundamentally against how many work today but the question is if we can stop it or if we even should try to stop it?

I think the benefits are great and we can’t stop it!

What do you think?

The Achilles’ heel of computer programming – Redo Reluctance!

lyreborn — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:13:10 +0000

Computer programming is a piece of art. The programmer is the artist. Each master piece in the shape of algorithms and data structures takes days, weeks, months, or years to accomplish. The difference between good and bad programmers is their ability to throw bad work in the bin and start all over again. Programmers that fall in love with their code and refuse to redo are doomed to be ranked as mediocre. Programmers that prefer to redo instead of fixing existing code are the winners and heroes. If you have something that does not really work? Remember; Redo will always win over keep!

The Viking Law – leadership essentials for us all!

lyreborn — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:31:37 +0000

In the mid 90’s the Configura friend and entrepreneur Gunnar Olsson showed me the Viking Law. I was in love immediately. Not many words but a lot of sense and meaning. I value the Viking Law as a must have tool in leading myself and my team. So, here it is, use it with caution, its powerful!

Viking law

Be brave and a driving force

Get straight to the point

Take the chance when it arises

Use many angles of attack

Be versatile and quick footed

Attack one target at a time

Don’t plan everything in detail

Make use of the best weapons available

Be prepared

Keep your weapons in order

Stay in good shape

Be sure to have good friends and allies

Be united on important issues

Choose one chief

Be a good businessman

Find out the needs of the client

Don’t promise more than you can deliver

Don’t overcharge

Work in a way so you can come back

Keep order in the camp

Retain a good overview

Do pleasant things that strengthen the team

Make sure everybody does useful tasks

Take advice from the whole team

Quality Assurance – The needle in the haystack?

lyreborn — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:00:17 +0000

In software development one of the most difficult tasks are quality assurance (QA). The number of possible combinations of hardware and software are huge. And then we add version numbers which makes the task to escalate from hard to scary. Even if something works for one combination it does not mean that it works for the other. Wow! Something has to be done here? I am not kidding! We need to find the needle in the haystack! There are many great software developers and innovators in this world and most of them are friendly and love to do good things. I wish that 2010 deliver improved QA possibilities for our software heroes.

Cloud Computing – right now or later?

lyreborn — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:55:34 +0000

I really like the idea of having my work available on any device wherever I go at anytime. That’s an “I want it all and I want it now” approach to work. Instant sharing of information would make things easier and faster. Cloud Computing creates transparency in our collaborative life. So, let’s go for it… or are we not ready? What do you think?