Project 2012: Day 41

In last weeks CTO post we discussed complexity, and how as senior technologists it’s our role to deal with this complexity. One of the biggest areas you’ll find this complexity is in just how many systems there are to manage, and because of their interdependencies, who is responsible for any given system.

True Story: Back in the day I work in IT Support for Nokia in Camberley, just outside of London. There were two support teams, the R&D Team where I worked, and the Ops Team. The Ops Team were so named because they ostensibly had responsibility for the manufacturing plant, whereas the R&D Team as you’d expect, looked after our R&D facility.

Actually the demarcation had other nuances. E.g. the Ops Team looked after the network (then 10Base2), servers, & printers whilst we looked after devices, OS’s and Apps.

The issues that caused the most contention between the teams: Printing. Printing had an interdependency on the application, the desktop OS, the network, the server OS, and the printer. It was no-one’s responsibility, and it was everyone’s. The demarcation between the team made it easy to avoid finding the root cause.

I’ve remembered this lesson throughout my career, as an IT consultant and solution architect, a strategist, manager, and now CTO.

Fortunately the way to resolve complexities like this, and avoid teams spinning wheels, is relatively simple (although not necessarily easy). I use a tool called the RACI, or more correctly, the RASCI chart.

Here’s how it works:

For every component (process or system) of your architecture you allocated the person/group Responsible. However, you also identify who they’re Accountable to. Who they can call on for Support. Who they should Consult prior to doing anything, and who they should Inform of progress.

I commonly use a spreadsheet for the RASCI, as this allows you to make the chart visible with conditional formatting. This also allows you to pivot on people and see over and under allocation.

There are two ways that you can use the RASCI. The first is to list the systems/processes as rows in the first column, with the names of the individuals/groups as subsequent columns. Then use the letters RASCI at the appropriate intersecting cells. E.g.

The other way is to similarly list the systems etc. in the first column, but to have Responsible, Accountable, Support, Consult, Inform as the subsequent column headings.

Personally I prefer the 2nd approach as this is typically a smaller table, and clearer. Also this method allows you to:

• Put a conditional formatting on blank cells in the Responsible and Accountable columns. This makes it very easy to see if you have gaps.
• Filter on names in the responsible column to check for over-allocated resources
• Filter on the other columns to list the systems that people should be consulted on etc.

Guidelines

• Every system/process needs a person responsible and to whom they are accountable.
• Each system/process should have no more than one person responsible. I.e. if you have a double up, split the tasks onto two rows and allocate these to two separate individuals
• Wherever possible, use individual roles or peoples names. Only use groups in the Consult & Inform columns

Apply this to your scope of responsibility and be amazed at the clarity this provides. You’ll quickly identify the risks in your business, understand where the inefficiencies are, and help communicate responsibilities and accountabilities effectively. Both to your team, and other important stakeholders.

Such a simple tool. So underused.

Project 2012: Day 40

True Story: My mum’s husband was convinced by a partner who came up with the idea in a million. He was skiing in Switzerland (as you do) and whilst heading down the mountain thought about the need for wipers on goggles. A little thought, couple of conversations, and a drive later and they were registering the patent for a wiper blade on the forefinger of ski gloves.

Turns out this hadn’t been patented (in the UK). Phase 2 was to be motorbike gloves. Some 5,000 pounds in legal and registration fees later, and they were ready for prototyping.

So they bought a ski glove, and inspected it to figure out how to attach the wiper blade…
…Only to discover the glove already had a wiper blade.

Lessons

Of course this story teaches all sorts of lessons, from research, to planning a business not a product. But for me it’s the classic example of one of an entrepreneurs biggest blind spots. The assumption that their idea is unique. The world changer.

I speak to so many first time start-up directors who won’t “disclose” their ideas. They want to protect their competitive advantage. They consider asking potential investors to sign NDA’s.

All a waste of time.

Your idea (what) is not unique. Even of your idea was one in a million, there would be 7,000 people in the world (and 23 in Australia) with exactly the same idea.

What is unique is combination of people that make up your team, and your ability to execute and bring your idea to market. So feel free to share your idea, at least the “what” of your idea. The “how?” That’s what sets you apart.

Don’t worry about your idea. Rather focus on your customer, and execute on a strategy that sets you apart from your competitors.

Project 2012: Day 39

Accents

I have a good friend, a South African, with a thick South African accent, who works as a speech pathologist. It always intrigued me that her clientele, Aussie mums who’s children had speech impediments, weren’t worried about their children’s speech developing a foreign accent.

So I asked if this was ever a problem, and received a question in return:

“Which part of speech carries the accent?”

Still flummoxed, I tried again, to receive this bit of advice:

“Think vowels and consonants, which part of speech carries the accent?”

And therein lies the answer.

Apart from a few languages, generally accents are carried in the vowels. Think of the Kiwi: “England Sucks….”

“…All Blicks Tin” (England 6:10 All Blacks)

or one of my favourite lines from the (Irish) Commitments:

“Oim bluck and Oim prood” (I’m black and I’m proud)

Whereas speech impediments, stammers, stutters, lisps etc, are carried in the consonants.

So the next time you’re trying to emulate an accent, think of the vowels

Project 2012: Day 38

We’re back onto shooting great video today, and like camera angles, we’re continuing on the them of effective shooting.

Remember that every video you shoot is telling a story. Every video. From the corporate interview, to the birthday party. You are telling your audience a story. That means you need to know your audience of course.

Stories have common elements, and any good story uses a couple of techniques to keep the audience engaged. The most powerful of these is…

…curiosity. (see what I did there? )

This is what keeps us turning pages, starting the next chapter in our books, and tuning in to the next episode of our favourite TV show. We just have to know what is going to happen next.

So how can you create curiosity with your shooting. Here’s one technique that I use:

Don’t show everything.

This sounds so simple (and it is) yet how many (amateur) videos do you see where everything is in focus, or is just laid out for the world to see? The reason the video is boring, is because the audience don’t have to ask any questions.

Clearly you’ll need to put a little thought into your shot before you shoot. But if you do, this subtle effect will radically improve your videos.

Think of things like:

• Focusing on the face of your son, when he opens his present, and not ever showing the present (until much later perhaps when he runs out of the house with his new toy and friends) – raise the question “what did he get to bring so much joy/surprise?”
• Shoot from behind your daughter’s half-closed door and catch just her arm brushing her hair as she prepares for her formal (prom)
• Shoot the reactions of the guests when the best man get’s up to toast the parents of the bride.

You get the idea, use focus, occluding objects, and alternate subjects to not show the obvious, and keep your audience at the edge of their seats.

Project 2012: Day 37

So you’re looking for your dream job, or the next one anyway. You are, as they say, Job Hunting…

…Yet when I speak to people about how it’s going, or what they’re doing, I get the following answers:

“Well, I’ve submitted my CV, and I’m still waiting for the recruiter to call.”

“Had a great chat with the recruiter, but the company is slow in getting back to them.”

“I’ve downloaded 15 jobs to the [website] profile, and have sent an application in to each. I expect to hear any day now.”

Clearly, none of these people have been hunting. Or farming for that matter. Trapping perhaps.

Y’see, there is a distinct lack of action in any of the above statements. If you’re hunting, you’re active. Yes, yes, there are times when you wait in stealth for your quarry. But never without action in the first place.

If you want to land your next job, be proactive on the communication. Some techniques:

1. Always endeavour to get the email/phone details of the hiring manager, and their PA.
2. Whenever you’re talking to recruiters (corporate or agency) never simply accept “we’ll call you.” Politely suggest a couple of good times that could be “mutually convenient.”
   Agency: “Thanks for your interest, I’ll contact the hiring manager, and get back to you”
   You: “That’s great, I’m keen to progress this, Friday afternoon or Monday morning I should be available for a chat, and I can probably arrange time for an interview next week. When would it be good for you to let me know?”
3. If they don’t call you by the agreed time, call them!

Yes, you don’t want to be a pest. And yes, you don’t want to continue flogging a dead horse. Sometimes you do have to wait. That’s fine, all I’m suggesting is that you quantify the real reasons, and length of time you can expect to wait, and you manage the communication.

If you’re running a number of job prospects, with a number of contacts for each one, you’ll need to have some system in place to track the activities. So that when Wayne phones about the Airline, you don’t confuse him with Bob about the bank.

But everyday, you should have at least one active task for every job prospect you’re chasing.

More on that, next week.

Project 2012: Day 36

True Story: Back in 1998 shortly before moving to Australia, we had our first Christmas as a family rather than at either of Lucy or my parents’ place. As we were starting a new family tradition, we put to the children that for Christmas Day we would devise a menu of our favourite dishes.

Needless to say, we had various gourmet pizza’s for our mains. But for dessert, we had the following, scrumptious, easy, freezer pudding. The Frozen Mess.

Ingredients:

• 1 box (10) small meringue nests
• 250ml thickened cream
• 1l Sorbet (Mango works really well)

Method:

• Get the sorbet from the freezer to thaw slightly whilst assembling the dessert
• Whip the cream until peaky
• Hand crush the meringue nests
• Mix the cream and crushed meringue nests together in a mixing bowl
• In a pie dish, smooth a layer of half the cream & meringue nests along the bottom
• Next smooth a layer of half the sorbet
• Smooth the rest of the cream & meringue nests
• Top off with the rest of the sorbet
• Pop into the freezer for at least an hour, but preferably overnight

To serve, remove from the freezer during the main course of the meal. Or just 10 mins before, to ease cutting into slices.

As you can see, another “easy as” desserts, and still a family (& guest) favourite.

Project 2012: Day 35

I had the ignominious pleasure of heading to my first boarding school at the tender age of seven. Pretty much the first chapter of Bryce Courteney’s “The Power of One,” was my personal experience. But as with all crappy experiences, they have a habit of teaching powerful lessons.

One of those I learned in the dining hall. When one is cooking for 1,000 people, it’s impossible to cater for tastes, especially when one has a budget to meet. This results in food that you, as pupil, just don’t like. But back in the 70’s, in rural South Africa, discipline was administered via corporal punishment. So you ate everything on your plate.

Furthermore, the rule at the table was” “Last one finished clears the plates.” Why we never put in a roster I’ll never know, but I do know that you ate! Everything, and very quickly. Any food left would brook a hiding, and dilly dallying meant clearing a table for 10.

So how does this relate to personal success. Simple. The lesson I learned to minimise any punishment, was to eat my worst foods first. Spinach, cabbage (over-boiled with lumpy mash), and brussel sprouts, all were the 1st things I ate. Ignore the taste, and know that your reward is the tastiest things on the plate: Roast chicken, potatoes, and peas.

It’s the same with your daily tasks. Do the ones you hate first, the admin, expenses, or resolving conflict. Then all you have to look forward to are the things you enjoy.

Project 2012: Day 34

As a CTO I’m passionate about a number of topics:

• How technology can empower people or businesses for success
• Technology trends and how these shape our world
• Influence, both at the macro and individual scale

This week I want to discuss complexity, how it informs, and shapes our IT strategy.

It never ceases to amaze me how really smart people can determine a strategy, even execute on this strategy, yet get it so wrong. And fail dismally. Often the plan put in place was “best practice.” Over the years I’ve come to observe a couple of things:

• There is no such thing as “best practice” (despite what consultants prosetylise)
• We see patterns that don’t exist
• Hence, most successes are half chance

Clearly I’m using hyperbole to make a point, but bear with me here.

It’s a given that any system has a myriad of moving parts. As humans our brain is wired to recognise patterns. The whole reason we lay down memories is to make sense of the overwhelming sensory inputs, and recognise patterns.

In fact the 6 principles of persuasion that Cialdini postulates [Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion], only work because we short-cut tedious decision making according to patterns we recognise.

So when it comes to “best practice” we see similarities between our organisation and say a competitor in the same industry, similarities in the systems we’re implementing, then seek to reduce cost or effort by following the same process. Over time implementers repeat these and create the “best practice.”

Yet, we can adopt the same strategy as another company, in the same geography, and still fail. Why is that?

Often this is an execution issue. Like a fat smoker, we opt for short-term benefits, a donut, rather than sticking to the strategy, the diet for the long-term results. But my experience is that this is less common than we believe. It strikes me that smart execs analyse trends, make smart decisions to implement good strategies, are committed to staying “on strategy,” yet still many fail.

As with any “best practice” the reasons given for failing are that the company hasn’t implemented the strategy correctly. But the strategies are wrong.

Two recent tech successes: Apple and Amazon – one heralded an entirely new way to access information, in an already crowded mobile market – the other redefined a 500 year old process, the published printed word, not to mention the way we will deliver computing, again in a crowded technology market.

Neither company adopted “best practice,” nor strategies their competitors held to.

Not the Same

When you consider the complexity of any organisation, the processes that make the business run, then the IT systems that support those processes, there is a lot less in common than meets the eye. Hence what we actually believe, and often act upon.

Of course, every parent knows this.

So the IT strategy for two banks of the same size, in the same geography, will of necessity be different. Even if they have the same IT platforms, they will have different networks, office buildings, cultures, resistance to change, governance processes, risk mitigation strategies. Why should we consider that integrating a complex system in both companies should be anything like the same?

So rather than seeking “best practice” I believe we should seek “adaptive strategy.” Whenever we’re confronted by people proposing that something is best practice, check their assumptions. Best practice for whom, compared to which other practices.

Random Points

There’s a great scene in the movie “A Beautiful Mind” about John Nash, the brilliant economist & Nobel Laureate, that shows how he saw patterns in newspapers, the stars, everything. Only, the patterns were random points connected in his mind alone.

I don’t believe there’s any getting away from recognising patterns in complexity. As I mentioned earlier, this is how we’re wired. As CTO’s it’s our job to understand complexity and define technical solutions to support and enable this.

Part of the challenge is that we see and fixate on patterns in too few dimensions. E.g. we appropriately recognise trends in technology, security & risk mitigation, but then miss patterns in governance, change management, corporate climate, and social trends.

Check Assumptions

So, I’ve argued that the patterns we see could well be random points, and not a pattern at all. That the similarities we cling to, in order to implement the best strategy, are superficial at best. And that nevertheless, it’s our role to implement a successful strategy.

I suggest a three pronged approach:

• Describe as much of the complexity as possible & never stop adding to your description. Use tools such as PESTLE, RACI, Root Cause Analysis, Visual & Mathematical Models, Intel’s BVI, and the 6 Thinking Hats to describe your business and IT systems as clearly as possible.
• Check your assumptions (& analysis) with as diverse a group of people as possible. I had lunch with a friend who happens to be the GM of a new client of ours last Sunday. His perspective is that the new helpdesk was “pretty ordinary” and in chatting to him, it turned out that the helpdesk had pretty much nailed their SLA’s, yet as a customer he still felt unhelped & dissatisfied. It was a humbling perspective for me, and invaluable feedback. So when you believe you have a handle on the complexity, go and talk to the HR Director, a new employee, and other stakeholders. Ensure that your team has diverse thinkers: Process types, Creatives, Analysts and Empathists.
• Be humble and adaptive, this is not cast in bronze. As you learn more about the complexity of the system, be prepared to hold on to old technologies you felt were outdated, adopt new ones you believed were immature, and iterate. Consider Borders, and more recently, Kodak, both companies that didn’t understand social impacts of changing trends, or couldn’t adapt their strategies to thrive.

It’s almost a given that as CIO or CTO, you will have deep knowledge, strong opinions, and a quick intellect. This almost a personality profile for the role. However, in an increasingly integrated and complex world, I suggest using the collective strength of the team to ensure your strategy is teh best one for your business.

Project 2012: Day 33

Today is a special day for a couple of reasons. Firstly it’s my daughter Em’s 22nd birthday. Awesome!

Secondly, this is the day that I come off my motorcycle P’s. My year of probation is up!!

So what does this have to do with Yoda, and Start-ups.

After over 2 decades of not riding motorbikes (after 6 years of riding) I decided to get back on two wheels. There are two approaches to getting this done:

1. Plan, prepare, analyse, save, train, and try your best
2. Do it.

From sitting the L’s exam, booking & and attending the 2 day L’s training, to buying my Scooter, was 3 weeks. That included selling my Nissan Navara 4WD.

And this is the same with everything, learning the drums, doing a degree, getting married, & starting a business.

As Yoda says:

“Try Not. Do, or do not! There is no try!”

Your best approach to getting the start-up running is to stop trying, stop analysing, and do it.

Doing it, committing to a launch forces you to consider the minimum technology you need, the 1st marketing campaign, your 1st ten customers. Once you have motion, you can change direction, but if you’re stuck in analysis paralysis, you’re just burning, not earning money!

Project 2012: Day 32

Answer to Day 25:

If you take a point on the circumference of a wheel that touches the road, it will go up in an arc, and down to a solitary point. I.e. unless it’s stationary, the point is moving upwards, forwards, and downwards.

However, if you extend the diameter of the wheel beyond the level of the road, the point that touches the road will do the same, but the point on the circumference that drops below the road will go backwards to go forwards.

What wheels have this attribute? Train wheels. So the a point on the circumference of a train wheel will go backwards to help the train move forwards.

Who’s with me?

Lucy, Em, and I have signed up for the inaugural Australian “1 Million Kilo Challenge.” This is all about pledging to lose weight over 10 weeks from the beginning of Feb. Over the country, the target total of weightloss pledged = 1,000,000 kg.

That’s a lot of butter.

To support those pledged, the organisers are providing diet and exercise plans. But I’m adding two characteristics that I know prove successful for me. Accountability and Competition.

So with a couple of friends we’ve created our own competition:
[Giving up] The Seven Deadly Sins of February. First person to pike takes the others out to dinner.

So what are these 7 mortal sins we’re forgoing to shed the tractor tyre?

1. Wrath – Alcohol (If you do have a drink you must donate $20 to your favourite charity)
2. Gluttony – Chips (hot and crisps)
3. Greed - Any added sugar
4. Pride - Any added salt
5. Acedia – Caffeine (coffee & tea)
6. Envy - Soda’s – diet or otherwise – sparkling water is the only carbonated drink allowed
7. Lust – Chocolate

I’ll be weighing myself and measuring my weight at the beginning of the month, then again on the 29th, and will post how successful this has been.

How about you? Feel free to join, not only for weightloss, but also for an overall reset for general health.