Two interesting (and fun!) articles I came across as I made my return journey to Scotland from the States.

Big Data (link to article)
 David Weinberger in The Atlantic Monthly explores the idea that the complexity of the data we accumulate and the models generated to process it, may in cases be too great for our human minds to ever understand. He uses as an analogy, "It's a bit as if Einstein dreamed E=mc2, and we confirmed that it worked, but no one could figure out what the c stands for."

He identifies three drivers of data generation: (1) "economics of deletion", ie it costs less now to store something digitally than it does to filter through it, (2) "economics of sharing", ie digital items are increasingly easier to share, especially if compared against items that previously only existed as a physical object, such as a book or photo and (3) the incredible increases in the processing power of computers.

Big data itself then leads to what he calls "database-based science" that may be too complex to be broken down into theories, as the real world can be more complex than any model can depict. He says that we might understand how something works, but not why. In response to this, he mentions Cornell University's Eureqa computer programme that through iterative steps generates equations to identify data that is likely related.

The part that I identified with was his summary of a letter written in 1963 by a Mayo Clinic doctor, in which he refers to facts as bricks. "And so it happened that the land became flooded with bricks. ... It became difficult to find the proper bricks for a task because one had to hunt among so many. ... It became difficult to complete a useful edifice because, as soon as the foundations were discernible, they were buried under an avalanche of random bricks."

In my project work as a data analyst, it reminds me that I need to seek out and focus on the causal elements in the work I do. It also highlights to me the business value of my company's real-time complex event processing solutions, like the example showing how to effectively manage electrical car charging stations in London.

Digital Marketing (link to article)
A writer from my hometown identifies five trends he sees in digital marketing. The Number one: explosion of mobile. This is in line with trends that Danny Wootton (Mobile Channels) and Pete Blunsdon (Intranet Design Annual 2012…) referenced in recent entries in their blogs.

I hope you enjoy these articles too.  

I came across Prezi courtesy of a Logica colleague. He and his team had used it to strategically engage the a client in a winning bid proposal.

I'm now a big fan and enjoy using it with my project work. As I deal with certain types of engineering information, I find it especially helpful in showing design drawing details.

The Prezi website has some great examples. Please let me know if you're keen and I can send you links to a few of mine.

Practical info: A basic account is free of charge but means that any presentations you create are open to the public - it is cloud based software. I have a paid account so can keep my presentations private – likely important if you are using for work. Prezi does offer a very handy free of charge 30 day trial...

One of my goals: each day, leave the office with an empty inbox, confident knowing that I'm taking action on ALL my e-mails in an effective and efficient manner. 

To accomplish this, I use a process suggested in the book Getting Things Done, by David Allen. 

For your reference, below is my reproduction and adaption of the process flow chart.

A few comments and disclaimers: 

• I thank my brother, Paul Tanghe, for introducing me to David Allen and his GTD concepts.
  
• I acknowledge that for me – a junior employees – I receive less e-mail than senior consultants, project managers, and many others who have greater responsibilities. So with a lower volume of e-mail, I start from an easier starting point than most!
• For as efficient as I may claim to be with my work e-mail communication, I'm sad to report that I am horribly behind with my personal e-mails! This also highlights the fact that if you get behind on your e-mails, it is difficult to catch up. If you are very behind, it might even be worthwhile filing all into a separate folder so you can start fresh, and as time allows, work away at the "archived" folder.
• This is a generic structure that each person should adopt to align with their own unique working strategy. I believe each person's strategy should be unique as each of us has our own individual objectives and environmental factors.
• You must determine the best way to initially screen your incoming e-mails. (This point makes more sense once you understand the below process flow.) For example, it might be that you only view your inbox at specific periods in the day. One idea would be first thing in the morning, just before lunch, and then just before the end of the day.
• You need to determine when it is best to work through your messages that have been deferred. For example, after I have cleared my inbox in the morning, I will then open up my "AA – Follow Up" folder, and work through my deferred e-mails. (Highlighted as this is a key element.)
• Less frequently, you need to look through your delegated messages. For example, I will look through my folder "AB – Delegated" once a week to see if I need to send reminders or if the action has been completed. If completed, then file the message for future reference.
• One of the drivers of this system is the desire to reduce the stress levels we face in our work lives. If we're able to manage e-mail communication more effectively and efficiently, I feel we are able to do this. If my inbox is full of messages, I will continually throughout the day be thinking of what I might be missing or what I need to remember. However, if my inbox is clear – ie if I'm on top of my communications – I'm less likely to be subconsciously trying to remember what I might be forgetting or overlooking.
• Looking for inspiration in managing your e-mails? Read about Mark Cuban, the billionaire owner of the American basketball team the Dallas Mavericks. (I think he initially made his money when Yahoo! bought a company he started.) He posts his e-mail address on the score board at home games and responds to most, if not all e-mails he receives. I confirm this based on personal experience.

(1) You receive an e-mail message. 

(2) Decision 1 = Decide if the e-mail requires an action. 

• If no action is required (NO), then either:
• (a) Delete the e-mail, eg e-mail reminding you about submitting timesheets, assuming you have already updated yours (DELETE), or
• (b) File it for future reference, eg e-mail with an informational update from your project manager (FILE)
• Note: You should create at least one subfolder to file your e-mails. I have multiple, including ones for specific projects – "TB" and "BP" – as well as for central functions "Graduate Practice" and "HR".
• If an action is required (YES), then proceed to Decision 2.

(3) Decison 2 = Estimate how long the action required will take. 

• If less than 2 minutes (N0), then do it (COMPLETE). Idea is if you don't do it now, you will spend at least 2 minutes later searching for the message, opening it, reading it, and then deciding what to do.
• If more than 2 minutes (YES), then either: (a) Defer the action, eg e-mail requesting analysis of data or e-mail that can't be actioned until a date in the future (DEFER) or (b) Delegate it to someone else, eg e-mail requesting you determine functionality of a software programme or e-mail advising you need to book flights for an event (DELEGATE).
• Note, if DEFERRING IT: Rather than leave this message in your inbox, move it to a follow up folder. I named mine "AA – Follow Up". You might also use Outlook functions, such as assigning it as a task, or placing a reminder in your calendar, or flagging it.
• Note, if DELEGATING IT: Once you have delegated, you can then move the message to specific folder. I named mine "AB – Delegated".

A great opinion item for my company was published last week on the Pierre Audoin Consultants (PAC) Blog. In discussing one of Logica's UK propositions, Applied Customer Insight, it suggested that the partnership of Logica with Ogilvy is distinctive in the market and wonders if we might in fact be starting a trend.

You can find the PAC blog entry here and a screen snapshot below.

I had not heard of PAC before, but in looking through their website, I learned they are a market research firm focusing in IT services – so this is great praise to be receiving.

I find this helpful external analysis as someone who hopes to eventually shift into the team within Logica's Business Consulting practice that is delivering our ACI services.

I was happy to see this announcement.

As someone who collaborates closely with AVEVA employees on a project, I can attest first hand to the benefits of our two companies working together. Nice to know this relationship has been formalised on a global scale.

Here is a link to the official press release.

A good article from TDWI on business and social trends identified five driving forces critical to BI sustainability:

1. Cloud computing and the interconnectedness and full compatibility of all computers.
2. Data integration and data quality key for differentiation, as collecting analytics is now commonplace.
3. Necessity of intuitive and user friendly analytic tools, as BI must be used professionally by non professional analysts.
4. Social media: “analysis drives conversation, and conversation drives good decisions”, plus, great potential in collecting data at levels previously not possible.
5. Need for BI to be accessible on an iPad and a BlackBerry – ie accessible and engaging on a mobile level.

You can find the article here.

For some of us, it may have been 15 years ago. For others, maybe 5 years. For me, it was 5 months ago. Nearly all of us at some point have gone through a job search. Perhaps we might even be going through run right now.

If you had the opportunity to pass on lessons you learned (or are learning) during this process to people who are or will be going through a similar search, what would you say? What could you tell them that might improve the effectiveness of their search?

I had the chance on 20 April to speak to full-time on-campus programme students at Heriot-Watt University's Edinburgh Business School.

My closing summary comments:

• your objectives & environmental factors are unique to you; so too should your strategy 
  
• generate opportunities & make a difference
• get involved with the H-W EBS community, now & after you graduate

On Wednesday, 16 March, I had the pleasure of attending in Edinburgh the annual Association of Project Management (APM) Scottish Conference, titled “Good Project Management: What Is It & Is It Transferable?”

I first came to know of APM as a student member. I have found it a fantastic community for advancing and facilitating Project Management (PM) knowledge and networking. As an early career goal, I aim to become APM Professional certified. Upon starting with Logica, I was pleased to learn there is an active connection between us and APM.

I arrived at the conference with a goal of taking away 3 main points. This is what I came up with:

1. Good PM

a) ‘We know why projects fail; we know how to prevent their failure – so why do they still fail?’ – Cobb’s paradox.
· Implementation is key = ‘Between the idea and the reality...Between the conception and the creation...Falls the shadow.’ – TS Elliot
b) Project Managers must be able to connect just as easily with the engineering director as the marketing director. Key in doing so? Using the relevant language that each person understands.
c) The responsibility of the Project Managers and PMO is to manage the dependencies of the different teams and departments.
d) Good PM requires effective governance and a focus on delivering value.
e) Good PM It is overwhelming transferable.
f) Frameworks are critical, but must be used properly. Put a framework on a project and then resize to fit your strategic and technical needs.

2. What is governance? Drawing the project to the organisations goals and objectives.
a) Project governance is a set of relationships that provides means to attain objectives and monitor performance.
b) Every project failure is a failure of governance and every failure of governance is a failure of the PM leadership team. – paraphrased from Siemens.
c) Governance means different things at different levels of the organisation – it all depends on what end of the telescope you’re looking through. Communication and transparency can overcome these differences.
d) Policy and processes must be aligned.
e) Insight to risk management in practice: current BAE aircraft carrier project near Edinburgh has identified 250 risks and opportunities; 60 of these are actively managed.

3. What is critical in managing value through delivery? Think functionality; delivery capability; seek early engagement with end users; and be effective, not just efficient!
a) Value is subjective. Think = f (stakeholder’s needs & priorities). Collectively, the sum of stakeholders’ needs represents the backbone.
b) Avoid the dash to “concrete”. Design and planning as first step is key. If less than 70% of design is not complete before “pouring concrete” – ie starting work, cost will exceed budget.
c) Key in contracts = manage performance against KPIs. One example = PM team was given incentives based on earned value performance within the calendar year. The result? They pursued production at the expense of the overall project delivery to meet the end of year goals. The better solution in this case? Change to a life-cycle earned value performance incentive.

As a closing comment, I realise that when I’m facing the challenge of meeting daily project deliverables, spending time and effort on groups like APM’s seems an unnecessary luxury. However, I have found that the inspiration and knowledge these professional communities distinctively generate allow me over the long-term to become more effective in my work. Plus, it is great to be at the forefront of shaping the future of my profession. For example, APM is pushing to introduce chartered status for PM professionals.

I respectfully suggest that whether it is APM, its PM alternative PMI, or other groups like British Computer Society, The Institution of Engineering and Technology, it is great to get involved!

Please contact me for further information on APM, including copies of presentations given at the conference, or to share your thoughts on any of the above!