WordPress
How AI Eased My Recent Website Migration
A long post about how our robot overlords saved me considerable time and money.
Free Posts
In order to read entire posts with this tag, you have to create a Free account and log into it. They are my gift to you. I’m a giver.
AI
Why Most Niche Software Vendors Will Soon Perish
AI is making many execs at smaller companies nervous. They should be.
AI
AI's Continued Lack of Transparency and Consistency
Adventures in truly amazing, opaque software that makes basic errors.
Communication
The Joy of Diversification and New Endeavors
I reflect on my decision to leave my teaching position and channel my inner Billy Beane.
Communication
Thank You for Spamming Me, Nobull
The company's incessant spam made me make a long-overdue change.
AI
Can AI Write in My Voice?
An experiment that conjures up images of teleported steak.
Consulting
The Curiosity Dividend
A post on the benefits of embracing the unknown.
AI
The Case for a Regular Tech Audit
I'll take the benefits of curiosity over the costs of problem-solving.
Communication
The Miscellaneous Mindset
A post on the benefits of not staying in your lane.
AI
On AI, Psychedelics, and Spinal Tap
Maybe incoherent output isn't so worthless after all?
Higher Education
Three Freelancing Models
Thoughts on a few ways to make a living for yourself.
Communication
Notion and Slack for ... Relationship Management?
Spreadsheets and group chats no longer cut it. The gap between work and personal applications is shrinking.
AI
Does writing a book resemble the Waterfall method or Scrum? Yes.
A book is that rare breed of product that fuses two very different ways to build a mousetrap.
Notion
Notion Formulas Based on Attachments
Impossible? Think again.
AI
Can AI improve atrocious writing?
Yes, but that's the wrong question to ask.
AI
The Amazon Coffee Rebellion
It turns out that there's a ton of overlap between free joe and reinstating a booted CEO.
Communication
Department Names Don't Matter. Just Help Me.
More Apple issues are grinding my gears.
AI
How Fancy Text Helps Me Identify Spam
Here's a simple way to weed out these bots and clowns.
AI
On OpenAI and Employee Empowerment
What happens when a dissatisfied board and a loyal workforce with white-hot skills collide? We're about to find out.
AI
On AI, Priorities, and Product Development
Thoughts on ignoring a popular product's glaring weakness to pursue sexy new features.
AI
AI and Indolence
A short post on spammers and laziness.
AI
What I Really Want From AI
In the name of all that is holy, can someone please invent a better computer diagnostic tool?
AI
Not Just Hollywood: The Nine Are Coming for You, Too
Thoughts on a few of the powerful forces colliding as we speak.
Big Data
Outliers
Thoughts on parallels between emerging technologies from last decade and the WFH debate.
AI
Power, Prestige TV, and Packages
The forces I describe in The Nine continue to collide. Get used to it.
AI
On Skiing, Spanish, and AI Hallucinations
I put the buzzy new chatbot Claude to the test.
Future of Work
Overcoming FOBE and the Multi-Tool Problem
You may use a variety of low-code/no-code apps. Think about ways to track them cohesively.
Low-Code/No-Code
Low-Code Lessons From My Website Overhaul
Thoughts on spaghetti architecture, citizen developers, subtraction, and simplicity.
AI
AI Is Everywhere
The hype cycle is on overdrive.
Book Reviews
Book Review: Wonder Boy
A look at the life and times of one of the era's most ambitious entrepreneurs.
AI
Forces Are Colliding
Moonlighting in the age of AI.
AI
Collaboration, AI, and the Long Game
Thoughts on giving people a pass.
Trends
Employee Empowerment and Pity City
Times have changed, but MillerKnoll CEO Andi Owen never got the memo.
AI
Can ChatGPT improve collaboration?
My head is spinning with possibilities.
AI
Following the AI Money
A tried-and-true rule of thumb suggests that big things are on the horizon.
AI
Why I Don't Write With ChatGPT
Thoughts on the generative AI tool that's taking the world by storm.
AI
On ChatGPT, Duplicability, and Citizen Development
Thoughts on the AI tool that's all the rage today.
AI
On Amoeba and Notion
Low-code and no-code tools don't fall neatly into a single category.
Low-Code/No-Code
Characteristics of the Modern Citizen Developer
A quick infographic to answer Seinfeld's immortal question, Who are these people?
Low-Code/No-Code
What's the Difference Between Low-code and No-Code Tools?
A short video on essential definitions.
Data Issues
How to Switch LC/NC Vendors
Thoughts on saying goodbye to one and hello to another.
Communication
Professional Scribes vs. Amateur Writers
Thoughts on how these two groups approach the craft of penning a book.
Collaboration
Cluelessness in Virginia
The pendulum has swung towards employees. LinkedIn management understands as much, but one governor never got the memo.
Future of Work
Why Office Mandates—Even From Petulant Billionaires—Won't Fly
Thoughts on Tesla, Twilio, and proximity bias.
Collaboration
On Calendly Etiquette
When egos, tech, and the desire for efficiency collide.
AI
Simon's Laws of Interorganizational Communication and Collaboration
Project charters are meaningless unless people, you know, actually follow them. Sadly, this isn't always the case.
Technology
On Piano Teachers, Windows XP, and Aversion to Change
A trip to the Genius Bar brought back some interesting memories.
Communication
Does Your Prospective Employer Truly Embrace Remote Work?
In which I offer unsolicited advice to applicants trying to separate fact from fiction.
Future of Work
The Case for a Transparent Hiring Process
In my first post of the new year, I chime in with thoughts on how one can serve as a critical point of differentiation in the war for talent.
Faves
What CD Sales Teach Us About the Future of Work
In which I drop a panoply of music references and liken the idea of returning to an office to a nearly obsolete product.
Dataviz
On Hybrid Work, Book Figures, and da Vinci
Employer flexibility is on the rise—and I don't see that trend abating.
Collaboration
Slack Continues Its Assault on Multi-Tasking and Manual Work
No, yesterday's updates won't eliminate multi-tasking. Make no mistake, though: Users will spend less time toggling between and among disparate applications.
Communication
Why I Never Describe Myself as Results-Oriented
Call me persnickety, but this trite phrase really grinds my gears.
Consulting
Thoughts on Consultant Certifications
Despite what many software vendors claim, they are neither necessary nor sufficient to deliver the goods.
Collaboration
On Blocks and the Future of Collaboration and Productivity
Virtual LEGOS and more collaborative documents will make Google Docs look quaint by comparison.
Collaboration
Slack and Its Ilk Shine a Light on Organizational Problems. Be Thankful.
Internal collaboration hubs can quickly manifest thorny cultural issues. That's exactly why some leaders oppose them. Big mistake.
Collaboration
How Author Indecision Leads to Missed Opportunities
Thoughts on the downsides of dithering while writing a topical business book—or paying someone to do it for you.
Collaboration
On Collaboration Tools, Interview Litmus Tests, and Higher Education
Flip the script and interview the interviewers.
AI
Solving Tool Overload and the Search Dilemma
More tech isn't the solution. Pick a lane and stay in it.
Collaboration
Thoughts on Slack Clips
Another valuable edition—and feature that makes the comparison to e-mail even more absurd.
Dataviz
Zillow, Location, and the Beginning of the End of Compensating Wage Differentials?
I dust off my old HR hat in today's post and drop a reference from The Wire.
Collaboration
The world of work isn’t returning to its pre-Covid state. Why should your tech?
Yeah, we want things to return to normal. Tech-wise, however, that mind-set is a mistake.
Collaboration
Why I Don't Offer Turnkey Consulting Arrangements
Foolish is the soul who believes that successful change management involves a cookie-cutter approach.
Collaboration
The Great Resignation Will Hurt Some Firms More Than Others
Four ways that hubs and spokes will lessen the pay of key departures.
Collaboration
On Collaboration, E-Mail, and the Discman
A parallel between antiquated tools.
Collaboration
A Better Way to Work
Hubs and spokes in action.
Collaboration
On the Parallels Between Collaboration Hubs and Smartphones
A useful analogy to unleash the true power of Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom
Communication
How Not to Start a Book
An absurdly complex 85-word sentence right off the bat all but guarantees crickets, confusion, or both.
Collaboration
Does using collaboration hubs correlate with better outcomes?
A personal and decidedly unscientific analysis.
Future of Work
In Which I Stitch Together Booleans, Books, and Influence
Yeah, the three concepts are related.
Faves
Nailing Your Book's Title and Subtitle Is Really Hard—and Essential.
Thoughts on the most important ten or so words that authors write.
Collaboration
In Defense of Slack
Cal Newport is a smart dude whose new book is based upon two fundamental misconceptions.
Collaboration
Why Effective Collaboration Requires Lifelong Learning
Thoughts on nudging others to change their ways.
Collaboration
Zoom Third-party Apps Have Exploded in the Last Year. Here's Why.
Called it.
Collaboration
On Zoom, Experimentation, and Cat Filters
Thoughts on why so many of us are afraid to go beyond the bare minimum.
Collaboration
Early Thoughts on Microsoft Viva
The company is going all-in on the Hub-Spoke Model of Collaboration.
Collaboration
Should your organization use more than one internal collaboration hub?
Thoughts on whether it's a good idea to split your knowledge. TL;DR: It's not.
Collaboration
The Hub-Spoke Model of Collaboration
Here's the big idea at the center of <i>Reimagining Collaboration</i>.
Collaboration
A Simple Model of Collaboration Maturity
A quick video based on Reimagining Collaboration on how to think about this topic.
Technology
How Many Slack Channels Do You Need?
In this quick video, I answer this frequently asked question.
Collaboration
Thoughts on Salesforce's Acquisition of Slack
The collaboration hub isn't dying. It's just finding a new home.
Collaboration
Thinking Differently About Collaboration
We have entered the era of hubs and spokes.
Collaboration
Collaboration and Singing
Thoughts on the relationship between the two.
Technology
When Client Training Expectations and Reality Collide
Spotting red flags for custom classes.
AI
Ruminations on the Future of Work
What might typical work day look like in 2028?
Dataviz
Obliviousness in Higher Education
Some schools' actions are downright absurd.
Collaboration
Thoughts on Zoom's New Presentation-Sharing Features
It's a step in the right direction but it's not quite where it needs to be yet.
Communication
Zoom Education at the Bank
An everyday encounter illustrates a common misconception with the product.
Slack
Thoughts on Slack Connect
Communication among employees in different organizations is now more robust and easier than ever.
Collaboration
Slack Tip #5: Quickly Edit Your Last Message
Scroll no more.
Platforms
Thoughts on Twitter and Section 230
Kudos to the company for its principled stance.
Higher Education
Never Waste a Good Crisis
Thoughts on what students can do in these trying times.
Faves
Geeking Out Over Scrabble in Python
Writing a little script to calculate the streak needed to hit a user-defined winning percentage.
Analytics
Visualizing My Students' Slack Messages
A Tableau dataviz that explores the relationship between days active and messages sent.
Higher Education
Professors: Expect Your Student Evaluations to Drop
The online experiment likely means lower numbers at the end of the semester.
Higher Education
Tips for Professors Teaching Online for the First Time
Some tools to help newbies weather the transition.
Communication
Slack and Change Management
Thoughts on why it's essential to overcome employee resistance.
Dataviz
Tableau Animations Are Here. Professors Take Note.
It's a great time to spruce up a few assignments for my upcoming dataviz class.
Collaboration
Thoughts on Slack and Flexibility
The collaboration tool proves that one size need not fit all.
Analytics
The Wild Wild West of Analytics Programs
Pedagogy and definitions around higher ed's trendy new discipline are anything but consistent.
Dataviz
Advice for My Dataviz Students
Parting thoughts as they embark on their careers.
Communication
Thoughts on Slack, Culture, and Workplace Boundaries
Don't let one CEO's toxic behavior poison your view of the tool.
Collaboration
Using Slack in the Classroom: A Case Study
How professors can use the collaboration tool to engage their students
Communication
Finding Teachable Moments in Poor Student Presentations
How a disappointing result can lead to true learning.
Collaboration
13 Slack Tips
Some advice on how to use the collaboration tool from my forthcoming book.
Analytics
Doing More With Slack
Thoughts on how most users interact with software applications.
Communication
Adding Spice to a Mundane Lecture Topic
Illustrating business processes need not be that boring.
Project Management
Thoughts on the Hertz Debacle
$32M doesn't get you what you think when you hire large consulting firms.
Dataviz
How a Good Syllabus Can Set the Right Tone With Students
Why not show them that you've got a little personality?
Dataviz
A Visual Look at the Success of NBA Franchises
Some teams have been remarkably consistent.
Analytics
The Analytics Project That "College Me" Would Do
If I were 21 again ...
Analytics
Who's Won the Most Majors? An Interactive Dataviz
With the US Open going on, why not play with some golf data?
Analytics
Visualizing Men's Grand Slam Winners
Playing with data and discovering insights have never been easier.
Management
What I Learned Visiting an Amazon Fulfillment Center
Thoughts on my recent tour of an insanely large facility.
Management
Thoughts on Facebook's Mistaken Deletions
The company's explanation doesn't come close to passing the smell test.
Data
Is your organization embracing interactive dataviz tools?
Powerful new applications allow for greater insights and help overcome the IT-business divide.
Consulting
Business Intelligence: The Tools Change but the Concepts Don't
Thoughts on new applications and old ideas.
Higher Education
Having More Fun With Python in the Classroom
Why not make a simple PowerPoint slide a little more interactive?
Higher Education
How Data and Metadata Can Thwart Contract Cheating
Digital breadcrumbs may help curtail a growing problem.
Analytics
The Beauty of Structured Data
When it comes to survey design, Stephen Covey is absolutely right.
Higher Education
Calling Bullshit on Elizabeth Holmes' Ignorance
Anyone who knows anything about Theranos should take the psychopath's claims with a 50-lb. bag of salt.
Higher Education
Why All College Students Need to Know the Basics of Coding
Even finance, accounting, and marketing majors should understand what makes software tick.
Analytics
Teaching Highlights From 2018
A look back on two things that made me smile this past year.
Dataviz
Reflections on Carnegie Mellon 25 Years Later
Thoughts on the most important skills and abilities that I picked up at CMU.
Higher Education
Making Class Memorable With a Basketball-Inspired Python Example
A little program to calculate game logs and stimulate student interest.
Faves
Having Fun With Python in the Classroom
Using pop-culture references to make potentially boring coding exercises more interesting.
Communication
In Defense of Using PowerPoint in the Classroom
When you see horrible slides, blame the Indian, not the arrow.
Collaboration
Four Myths About Slack
Shedding some much-needed light on what the collaboration tool can and can't do.
Analytics
What I've Learned From My Student Evaluations
Thoughts on what the data tells me—and what else I'd like to know.
Higher Education
Thoughts on Teaching Older Students
What do when someone possesses a great deal of professional experience.
Collaboration
Lessons From Slack's Origins
A pox on you if you think that the idea behind the popular collaboration tool was someone's master plan.
Collaboration
How to Successfully Introduce Slack in the Classroom
Tips for professors new to the collaboration tool.
Analytics
Why I Often Answer Analytics Students' Questions With Questions
Thoughts on the Socratic method, critical thinking, and providing too much guidance.
Analytics
Does Uber treat its driver-partners fairly?
Thoughts on the company's data and price discrimination.
Higher Education
Why I Teach
My motivations behind my choice of vocations.
Analytics
Three Main Types of Capstone Project Problems
Thoughts on some common issues and what to do about them.
Higher Education
The Case for Early Student Evaluations
How feedback at the start of the semester can help nip issues in the bud.
Analytics
Four Sites That I Recommend to My Analytics Students
Those who can effectively incorporate data and analytics into their writing are poised to prosper.
Analytics
Three of My Favorite In-class Exercises
A few of the ways that I try to make learning as active as possible.
Higher Education
Why I Have Never Visited My Rate My Professor Page
And why I never will.
Analytics
Why I'm Switching to Canvas This Summer
I'm all in on ASU's new learning management system.
Collaboration
Tools of a Tech-Savvy Professor
These applications and tchotchkes make my life quite a bit easier.
Analytics
Three Ways to Manage Capstone Projects
Looking at the different approaches to impart knowledge.
Analytics
Visualizing Flows
Sankey diagrams can display data in very interesting ways.
Communication
Slack Channels of a College Professor
How I separate communication with my students and keep myself sane in the process.
Analytics
Characteristics of My Best Students
These traits set my star pupils apart.
Faves
Courses I Would Love to Teach
If I could wave my magic wand ...
Analytics
Dataviz: Interactivity Increases Understanding
A few more minutes of development can pay off in spades.
Dataviz
Why I Barely Tweet Anymore
From ten times per day to ten times per month.
Analytics
Reflections on 2017
Thoughts on an enormously turbulent year.
Communication
How I Use Slack Inside of the Classroom
Adventures in the collaboration tool that has taken the world by storm.
Analytics
Why I Wrote Analytics: The Agile Way
Motivations on why I penned book number eight.
Management
The Future of DevOps
Thoughts on where it is going.
Project Management
DevOps Challenges
Thoughts on what hinders organizations' efforts to redefine IT.
Trends
The Case for DevOps
A look at an increasingly common way of "doing IT."
Trends
Enterprise IT Trends for 2018
Some early thoughts on what to expect next year.
Higher Education
What to Learn?
Thoughts on the next set of hot skills.
Higher Education
The Case for Lifelong Learning
Thoughts on whether your education will ever really end.
Big Data
The Case for Data Lakes
Data is more complicated than ever. One-stop shopping sounds pretty good.
Analytics
Understanding Data Lakes
Thoughts on an increasingly popular way of storing information.
Analytics
The Speed of Analytics
Thoughts on how long it takes to turn raw data into insights.
Analytics
Expectations for Analytics: The Agile Way
Thoughts on the new book.
Technology
Thoughts on Smarter Transportation
The case for more intelligent infrastructure.
Analytics
How Analytics Will Enable a Better, Smarter IoT
Get ready for far more intelligent devices.
Technology
American Kingpin: An Interview With Nick Bilton
I sit down with the Vanity Fair writer to talk about his new book.
Technology
A Look at the Evolving Role of the CIO
Thoughts on new challenges and opportunities.
Trends
The Increasingly Digital Workplace
Observations on changes in the last ten years.
Analytics
Why Analytics Today Are More Democratic
It's no longer 1995.
Analytics
The Relationship Between Infrastructure and Analytics
Think that the two are unrelated? Think again.
Analytics
How Analytics Can Improve Collaboration
How can we improve things? Let me count the ways.
Collaboration
Workplace Collaboration: The Case for New Tools
Thoughts on moving away from old stalwarts.
Trends
The Promise of the IoT
I'm still optimistic despite some personal setbacks.
Trends
Last October's IoT Hack: No Black Swan
Contemporary wireless protocols and legacy systems weren't meant to coexist.
Analytics
Traditional Data Warehouses Can't Do It All
Thoughts on the future of data storage and analytics.
Big Data
Big Data and Hype: Where Are We Now?
Checking in on its current adoption.
Management
Compliance: Boring but Essential
That no one ever brags about it doesn't make it any less important.
Analytics
How Basic Analytics Can Prevent Compliance Debacles
Thoughts on how simple measures can prevent catastrophes.
Analytics
The Case Against Analytics Projects
Successful companies today adopt a totally different mind-set.
Analytics
What's holding back organizations' analytics efforts?
Thoughts on the most formidable obstacles: people and culture.
Miscellany
A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston
A look at the new memoir from one of our finest actors.
Big Data
Why Big Data Means Big Salaries
Those with coveted data and technology skills will flourish in this new era.
Analytics
Does your organization's infrastructure support Big Data?
Thoughts on an increasingly important question.
Big Data
The Case for Interactive Data Visualizations
Why it's important to move beyond static dataviz.
Strategy
Why Legacy Infrastructure Holds Large Organizations Back
A refusal to simplify technology enhances the startup advantage.
Communication
Striking the Right Balance: The Tension Between Flexibility and Security
Thoughts on getting the best of both worlds.
Project Management
The Millennial Imperative: Embracing New Technologies and a New Mind-Set
Attracting talented youngsters means changing the culture, not just the tools.
Miscellany
Success and Luck
An interview with Robert H. Frank on his new book.
Analytics
Who’s Looking for Free Tech and Analytics Expertise?
I am seeking a variety of interesting capstone projects for my ASU students. You in?
Big Data
Chart Design for Mobile Devices Made Simple
Think that one size fits all with visuals? Think again.
Technology
The Case for Multiple Clouds
Welcome to the multi-cloud world.
Big Data
Uber, AirBNB, and the Adjacent Possible
New technologies are yielding new and disruptive business models.
Analytics
On Databases, Tattoos, and Teaching Philosophies
An approach to dealing with ever-shortening attention spans.
Big Data
How Big Data Is Changing Conventional Lending
It’s unlikely that the future of lending will resemble its past.
Big Data
Why Big Data Is an Increasingly Big Deal in Colleges
Students who can make sense out of Big Data stand to do very well.
Big Data
Who will run your organization's IoT efforts?
IT need not be involved in each and every technology-related decision.
Big Data
The Vast Data Sources of the IoT
Think that only human beings generate a boatload of data? Think again.
Platforms
Platform Lessons From Microsoft's Smartphone Surrender
Thoughts on first-mover advantage.
Technology
BYOD: Where are we now?
Seven years after the term entered the business vernacular, many organizations are still struggling.
Platforms
The Explosion of Platform Books
Platforms matter more than ever, and that isn't changing anytime soon.
Analytics
Beware of Analytics in Isolation
Just because you're looking at numbers doesn't mean that they are the right numbers.
Communication
Why Most Business Case Studies Fail
If they're so important, then why do they usually suck?
Communication
What I Learned Writing for Inc.
Lessons from my year as a scribe at an über-popular site.
Technology
When WordPress' Default Search No Longer Cuts It
Poor or nonexistent search functionality has never helped any site gain traction.
Technology
How to Handle Support for Decommissioned Enterprise Apps
It’s only a matter of when your organization faces this dilemma.
Big Data
Dataviz 101: Who’s Your Audience?
It's critical to think about different personas when solving dataviz dilemmas.
Book Reviews
Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble
A look at Dan Lyons' controversial new book.
Big Data
What's the future of Big Data?
Now that the initial hype has died down, here are some thoughts on where we're going.
Analytics
Analytics for the Greater Good
Think that Big Data only means big money? Think again.
Big Data
Using Dataviz to Spruce Up Blog Posts
Thoughts on answering readers' questions via interactive data visualizations.
Communication
Reflections on the One-Year Anniversary of Message Not Received
Has business communication improved or exacerbated?
Platforms
As a Matter of Fact, the NFL Is Not a Platform
To claim otherwise is absurd.
Big Data
Never Confuse Can and Should
A really bad visual serves as an important reminder.
Communication
Can e-mail do this?
Thoughts on the silliness of using e-mail as a task- or project-management tool.
Collaboration
6 Radical Ways to Reduce E-Mail
What to do when simple, polite, and politically correct methods no longer work.
Big Data
Big Data and Confirmation Bias
Tips on overcoming our own foibles and limitations.
Big Data
How Big Data Enables Competitive Intelligence
Recent events surrounding Twitter and Apple can teach us a great teal about business today.
Communication
The Relationship Between Jargon and Credibility
The former has a very real impact on the latter.
Management
Yahoo's New Exec-Retention Strategy: Free Cookies
Marissa Mayer's audacious new plan to keep top talent from departing.
Big Data
Why is Google resurrecting Plus? In a word, data.
The data wars are far from over.
Big Data
Why I Despise the Term 'Influencer'
The term implies that influence is a binary, not a continuum.
Communication
Is your resume clear?
Thoughts on what you're communicating to prospective employers.
Technology
Lessons From Starbucks' New CTO Appointment
Every company is becoming a tech company. Some just haven't realized it yet.
Platforms
Twitter's Platform Problem
The company has violated the second rule of platforms: Cherish developers. Don't piss them off.
Analytics
How to Build a Culture of Analytics
Four tips on getting started.
Communication
Twitter's New Commercial: Message Not Received
More of the same from the beleaguered social network.
Analytics
Ignore Web Data at Your Own Peril
It's never been more important to capture what others are saying about you.
Big Data
How to Use Data to Evade Questions
AirBNB co-founder Brian Chesky's master spin class.
Big Data
The Electric Possibilities of Big Data
Never before have we been able to ask and answer such profound questions.
Technology
DevOps and the New IT
Exploring some of the major business ramifications of cloud computing.
Analytics
Why Analytics Matter More Than Ever
Companies that effectively use them will be far more successful than those that don’t.
Communication
Why Jargon Has Prevailed
Thoughts on consultants, MBAs, and the management "scientists."
Big Data
Why Data Generation Will Become More Passive
The Internet of Things changes the very notion of how data is born.
Social Media
The Foolishness of Relying on Social-Media Numbers
A little yarn about just looking at specious statistics.
Big Data
On Visualizing Data and Laziness
There's just no excuse today for making customers hunt and peck to find relevant information.
Communication
Four of the Biggest Mistakes That Non-Fiction Writers Make
There's no shortage of laziness out there.
Management
Thoughts on the New Google
Why major changes to even very successful companies and business models actually make sense.
Big Data
Demystifying the Data Scientist
A little FAQ on a white-hot profession.
Communication
Proof That You Don't Need Rely Upon E-Mail
At least, not nearly as much as you think at work.
Communication
Advice to Startups: Stop Using the Word 'Platform.' Please.
Why simplicity and questions are far better stratagems.
Communication
The Vicious Cycle of Conference Mediocrity
Skimping on speaker expenses is a near surefire way to leave attendees wanting.
Big Data
The Data Wars Revisited
Companies are increasingly using data as swords and shields.
Big Data
Donald Trump and the Beauty of Big Data
How data journalism can prove someone's idiocy.
Big Data
Big Data: Necessitating New Partnerships in New Media
The trend is unmistakeable.
Big Data
Partners Can't Do It Alone: The Case for Removing Internal Obstacles
A few obstructionists in key places can derail even the most promising new tools, projects, and products.
Communication
Cross-Platform Data-Driven Mobile Blah Blah Blah
Do you understand what this company does? Me neither.
Big Data
A Better Way to Vet Potential Partners, Part II
Don't see a documented case study? Big red flag.
Communication
Jargon and the End of AOL
Surely there has to be a better, clearer way to announce this.
Communication
Communication Failures at the Collision Conference
It's obvious that most technology professionals have a long ways to go.
Communication
A Better Way to Vet Potential Partners, Part I
Thoughts on applying greater rigor during the vendor-selection process.
Faves
The Long Term Has Never Been Shorter
Why we need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Faves
The First Rule of Platforms
Thoughts on first-mover advantage.
Big Data
Big Data: Preventing Big Failures
Thoughts on avoiding the pitfalls of traditional IT projects.
Communication
Working With Partners: The Case for Actually Talking
Incessant e-mailing among partners and clients is far from ideal.
Communication
Who or Whom? As a Matter of Fact, Grammar Does Matter
It's hard to argue with the benefits of speaking clearly, simply, and correctly.
Big Data
An Intelligent Approach to Cloud Computing
It's essential to know which business goals your organization is trying to accomplish.
Big Data
How to Speak Data to the Data-Challenged
Tips on communicating to everyday people without confusing them.
Communication
New Rule: No More Urgent E-Mails
A look at this contradiction in terms.
Communication
New Rule: After Three E-Mails, We Talk
Yes, it's time to move beyond e-mail.
Platforms
Why People Need Banking, Not Banks
Thoughts on Apple and the On-Demand Economy
Platforms
The New Microsoft: A Plank in Other Platforms
New CEO Nadella's new moves clearly underscore the arrival of the age of platform.
Communication
On Restrooms and Eye Glasses: An E-Mail Parable
Constant and unnecessary distractions add up, even if they are momentary ones.
Big Data
What the Pandora Debate Teaches Us About Big Data
Not everything can be tested, much less accurately.
Analytics
The Case for Small Data Analytics
Why the emphasis on the Big stuff is often misplaced.
Communication
What Makes Message Not Received Different?
Thoughts on the new book and a window into my writing process.
Communication
Should Speakers Wing It?
Thoughts on purely extemporaneous speaking styles.
Communication
When One Message Yields Two Very Different Reactions
K&P remind us that we're often not being as clear as we think.
Communication
Communication Canaries in the Coal Mine
Thoughts on an important signal from potential partners.
Big Data
Mark Twain and the Need to Move Beyond Simple Metrics
Thoughts on exclusively relying on basic statistics.
Big Data
The Case for Proceeding Without a Data Scientist
Why it may be wise not to wait for one.
Big Data
Adding New Data Sources: An App-Like Future
What we can learn from the app mind-set.
Communication
Complacency and Communication
A great deal of one leads to a lack of the other.
Analytics
Building a Platform: Big Data Considerations
Organizations that embrace data and analysis will do far better than those that don't.
Big Data
How Platforms Lead to Big Data
The most successful companies today realize that data is critical to their success.
Platforms
Understanding Contemporary Platforms
How they differ from traditional technology marketplaces like eBay or Craigslist.
Big Data
Data-Based Design: Ignore at Your Own Peril
Highly technical design is becoming more data-driven, faster, and smarter.
Big Data
The Case Against a Data Center of Excellence
Thoughts on a centralized group of data experts.
Big Data
Dataviz, Design, and the Smaller Screen
With less real estate, simplicity has never been more important.
Analytics
The Myth of the Big Data Switch
People who believe in immediate returns are sorely mistaken.
Communication
Early Thoughts on Google Inbox
Is the squeeze worth the juice?
Big Data
Dataviz, Data, and Developers
Examining whether decisions today should begin and end with data.
Communication
Arrogance vs. Ignorance
Thoughts on which is worse.
Collaboration
How to Liberate Employee Knowledge: A Starting Point
The latest tchotchkes only get us so far.
Big Data
Facebook: The New King of Data Brokers?
Thoughts on the sale of user information.
Big Data
Big Data and Privacy: Have We Reached a Turning Point?
Maybe Zuck was wrong after all.
Big Data
Book Review: Dataclysm
Thoughts on Christian Rudder's text. Two words: Buy it.
Big Data
The Folly of Blaming Excel
Problem in Chair, Not in Computer
Technology
Five Tenets of Cloud Computing
There's much more nuance to the term than many would believe.
Big Data
Big Data: It Depends
Thoughts on the silliness of answering certain data-related questions.
Big Data
The Folly of the Perfect Prediction
Never conflate the terms better and perfect.
Analytics
When Dataviz Manifests the Obvious
The explosions of data and dataviz are mixed blessings.
Trends
Cloud Computing Lessons From Apple
Don't think of cloud computing as a discrete "IT project."
Big Data
Publishing, Piketty, and Predictions
Thoughts on our inability to accurately predict.
Analytics
On Lawnmowers and Data Management
Big Data? Don't forget the small stuff.
Big Data
Android Fragmentation: A Dataviz on Platform Strategy
An interesting way of manifesting Android's Wild Wild West.
Analytics
The Case for Employee Data Self-Service, Part 3
This is the third post in a three-part series on data democratization.
Big Data
Breadth vs. Depth
Some thoughts on a fundamental tradeoff.
Big Data
The Case for Employee Data Self-Service, Part 2
This is the second post in a three-part series on data democratization.
Big Data
The Case for Employee Data Self-Service, Part 1
This is the first post in a three-part series on data democratization.
Big Data
The CDO Is No Elixir
Thoughts on a trendy new title.
Trends
Why I Cut the Cord
Thoughts on ending my nearly 20-year relationship with cable companies.
Big Data
The Myth of the Data Scientist
Why hiring one isn't an elixir to an organization's data dilemmas.
Big Data
How Casinos Use Big Data to Catch the Bad Guys
NORA is a fascinating example of how businesses are transforming before our very eyes.
Technology
The Future of Retail and the Cloud Wars
The race for cloud-computing dominance is heating up.
Big Data
A Visual Look at Ray Allen's Stats
Static box scores seem so 1998.
Big Data
U.S. Income Inequality: A Compelling Dataviz
Want to advance your political agenda these days? Bring data.
Analytics
Big Data, Risk, and The Matrix
How Neo's choice of pills relates to the tech topic du jour.
Big Data
The Visual Organization Slides
A visual look at my new book.
Big Data
The Case for Data Discovery
Thoughts on the limitations of old reporting tools.
Analytics
The Folly of Basic Statistics
Counting is easy; measuring is hard.
Big Data
The CDO Paradox
Thoughts on a seemingly logical business question.
Big Data
How to Get Over Your Inaction on Big Data
My second Harvard Business Review post is up.
Management
The Case for Guidelines Over Rules
A few thoughts on one of my least favorite words.
Communication
9 Things I've Learned as a Published Author
Reflecting on a milestone of sorts.
Big Data
Jeopardy!, Game Theory, and Data
Everyone can use new data and strategies, often with amazing results.
Big Data
Data and Politics
Data and data visualizations are increasingly being used to advance agendas.
Big Data
A Word to the Big Data Skeptics
Cynics are everywhere. Are they right?
Communication
When A/V Issues Attack
Talks rarely go off without a hitch. Don't act like Michael Bay.
Communication
What's Inhibiting Employee Productivity?
Are we missing that one über-useful tool? Nonsense.
Project Management
Inadequate Testing: Examining the PM's Role
A few thoughts on recurring patterns.
Big Data
Four Big-Data Models
There's no one right way to "do" Big Data.
Communication
The 4 Pillars of Good Business Writing and Speaking
Examining what makes for a solid read/talk.
Big Data
Big Data and Cloud Computing: Not Just for Big Companies
Some thoughts on two of my favorite subjects.
Project Management
Healthcare.gov and the Importance of System Testing
Since we never seem to learn, a post about the obvious.
Big Data
Dataviz and Organizational Health
On the importance of seeing potential dangers.
Big Data
Amazon and the Importance of a Data Culture
Success at the company has always stemmed from its use of data.
Big Data
Big Data FAQ: Separating the Signal From the Noise
Answering a few basic questions on a very hyped topic.
Platforms
Healthcare.gov: Government IT Project Failure at Its Finest
Learning from a historically awful IT debacle.
Technology
Reflections on 15 Years of Remote Work
It has come a long way—and it's not going back.
Technology
BYOX
A look at the nascent trend of employees bringing their own devices, software, and files.
Consulting
Six Archetypes of Bad Project Managers
A few thoughts on the worst types of people who run projects.
Technology
Working Remotely and the Limits of Technology
Never underestimate the impact of culture.
Technology
The Pros and Cons of BYOD
A look at the costs and benefits of one of today's most important trends.
Big Data
Fixing Healthcare: Let's Start With Technology
Keep refining algorithms. Keep using data.
Big Data
On Big Data, Numbskulls, and False Knowledge
Channeling my inner George Bernard Shaw.
Big Data
Expand Your Data Focus
Looking at the importance of external data sources.
Big Data
Netflix, Big Data, and the Big Leap of Faith
What will you find in your massive datasets?
Big Data
On Privacy, Brand Value, and Big Data
A look at some of the privacy issues associated with Big Data.
Communication
On Language and Reorganizations
I've seen worse jargon in my day, but this is near the top of the list.
Big Data
Visualizing Healthcare Data
What happens when consumers can visualize data related to their health?
Platforms
Enterprise 2.0: A Report Card
It's here. It’s just not evenly distributed.
Consulting
ERP: It All Starts With an “E”
An enterprise system should be just that.
Big Data
On Big Data, Privacy, and Transparency
When you can't get away from the very thing that it ought to be getting away from.
Platforms
Why I'm Bullish on WordPress
The content management system is poised for continued growth.
Technology
Folding the Best Hand: A Tech Strategy Lesson
When you can't get away from the very thing that it ought to be getting away from.
Communication
Do Speakers Need to Use Slides?
A few thoughts on whether PowerPoint is required to give a talk.
Management
On Narcissism and Business Etiquette
Inconsiderate people lose credibility with you–and the opportunity to work with you again.
Big Data
Healthcare: Ripe for Disruption via Big Data
Maybe Big Data can bring some degree of sanity to an industry sorely lacking it.
Technology
Uncertainty vs. Risk
Debunking the myth that the two terms are synonyms.
Big Data
Big Data: Executive Permission Not Required
You don't need anyone's permission to get started with Big Data.
Technology
Business Continuity: The Response Is Essential
Crises happen. How will your organization respond when they do?
Analytics
Big Data: A Big Opportunity for HR
Few functions would benefit more from embracing Big Data.
Big Data
The Different Types of Conference Speakers
What kind of speaker are you?
Technology
Acceptable Downtime: A Relic of a Bygone Era?
Today, every business always needs to be up and running.
Big Data
Big Data Is Often Counterintuitive
Think Big Data will always manifest the obvious? Think again.
Big Data
Jargon Watch: Big Data as a Service
Why the "as a service" moniker is unnecessary and even confusing.
Big Data
Forks, Seinfeld, Toilet Paper, and the Internet of Things
If forks are changing, what makes you think that your databases will not?
Trends
BYOD 2.0: A More Holistic Perspective
A smarter approach to handle the devices that employees take to work.
Communication
The Real Reason Your Inbox Is Overflowing
Sure, there are lots of tools that promise to solve your email woes. What's the solution?
Analytics
Poker, Predictive Analytics, and Big Data
It is a great metaphor for business because we rarely possess perfect information.
Big Data
Will the iPad and Big Data Save Retail?
In my latest IBM-sponsored post, I look at the effect of iPads and Big Data on holiday shopping.
Big Data
On Hadoop, Security, and Data Silos
Data silos just grind my gears.
Big Data
Data Is Location-Agnostic
Thoughts on cloud computing, ubiquitous technology, and data quality.
Big Data
Big Serves and Big Data
Big Data represents a big opportunity for tennis players and mid-sized organizations alike.
Communication
The Case for a Videographer
You've prepped your talk and calmed your nerves, but here's one step you might be forgetting.
Technology
The State of the Cloud
A look at the evolution of cloud computing in the last three years.
Big Data
Why Big Data Is Like Porn
It isn't terribly easy to define, much like a few other subjects.
Communication
Post #500: In Defense of the Big Idea
On merits of big ideas in a culture that emphasizes the tactical.
Project Management
The Enterprise Risk Pendulum
Why organizations treat risk differently.
Faves
The World of No
Are all "no's" created equal?
Big Data
Data Is Not a Platform
Data is not the endgame.
Data Issues
Intelligent Data-Management Strategies
Your company has the tools. Does it have the game plan?
Platforms
SAP and Enterprise Ecosystems
How enterprise software vendors are embracing platforms and ecosystems.
Big Data
Understanding Big Data
Examining the explosion of data and what organizations are doing about it.
Technology
The End of Big BI?
Are its days numbered?
Communication
On Seinfeld, George Carlin, and Language
Far too many of us misuse words.
Technology
Mobile BI Comes of Age
Understanding the factors that have led to growth of mobile BI.
Platforms
When Laziness Trumps Technology
We have the right tools. What about the right mind-set?
Technology
On Macs and Facial Expressions
Understanding the genius of Apple.
Management
57 Percent: Facebook's Magic Number
Is too much power in the hands of a company's founder a bad thing?
Platforms
Why Yahoo! Isn't Google: A Theory
My HuffPo piece comparing the two companies.
Platforms
The Hubbub over Google's New Privacy Policy
My HuffPo piece on the company's policy shift.
Platforms
Why Google Music Is a Necessary Plank in Its Platform
This isn’t 1998.
Platforms
Becoming a Platform Company
On one company's mission to build a platform.
Collaboration
On Collaboration, Preferences, and Stubborness
Why we need to break our routines and change the equation.
Announcements
Excerpt From The Age of the Platform
Read an excerpt from my forthcoming book.
Technology
Small Business Website Tips
Leaving your site untouched for six months at a time is downright dangerous.
Communication
On Creativity and Committees
Thoughts about collaboration and greatness.
Big Data
Parsing Data With Microsoft Excel
How to turn junk into order.
Publishing
In Defense of Books
Why tweets, blog posts, texts, and magazines only take us so far.
Technology
On Bubbles, Groupon, and Ponzi Schemes
Is Groupon just a scam? Is this déjà vu all over again?
Data Issues
And Then What?
When you can no longer blame legacy applications.
Management
The People Factor
Forcing change in risk-averse organizations.
Technology
Nephophobia and Outsourcing
Why the Amazon EC2 issue fodder for cloud naysayers?
Collaboration
Modernizing Your Applications, Part 3
Is your organization giving your employees the right tools?
Communication
Three Ways Writers Evolve Over Time
Before publishing your blog post, ask yourself if it’s too stiff.
Cartoons
Travails of a Technology Consultant #18: Geddy & the Mac
Still having fun with my Mac.
Communication
Labor and Love
Do you love what you do? Why not?
Faves
Why Microsoft Access 2007 Sucks
I despise the new version of the database application. Here's why.
Announcements
Kickstarting My Third Book
I'm forgoing traditional publishing and am bringing it to market in a different and more collaborative way.
Trends
The Social Customer
Anyone can claim to be an expert on social CRM these days.
Miscellany
Old School: Companies That Still Just Don't Get It
This level of cluelessness just amazes me.
Consulting
Long-Term Greedy
Balance the long-term development of your business and reputation with short-term needs.
Data Issues
My Rules for Purging Data
Some tips on a horribly misunderstood practice.
Faves
The Delicate Balance Between Busyness and Simplicity
Where do you stand?
Management
How to Manage Divas
How do you manage high-maintenance folks?
Technology
The Technology Adoption Life Cycle
Why do organizations often take a wait-and-see approach?
Communication
A Blogging and Service-Related Mystery
You have to read this to believe it. Submit your own incredible tale to win a copy of my new book.
Miscellany
Publishing Mysteries
A look at modern day mysteries of the publishing world.
Collaboration
Enterprise 2.0 and Collaboration
Why HR is trailing the pack when it comes to collaboration.
Collaboration
Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast
Lessons from the BRITE conference.
Technology
When Vendors Attack (Each Other)
Leasing software isn't the same as buying it.
Publishing
Is Amazon Becoming the New Wal-Mart?
Is Amazon getting too big for its britches?
Book Reviews
Social Media 101 by Chris Brogan
Essential reading from a smart cookie.
Publishing
An Open Letter to Jeff Bezos
Mr. Bezos: Tear down that wall.
Social Media
Web Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics
Why is Web data so misleading these days?
Project Management
How Not to Run an IT Project: A Case Study
You have to read this to believe it.
Social Media
Facebook, Scrabble, and the Limits of Free
Users and customers are not the same.
Trends
Technology and Unemployment
How are the two related?
Technology
When It's Time to Abandon Ship
Why it's tough to get away from old standbys.
Consulting
Can Consultants Lead?
Three viewpoints on an interesting subject.
Consulting
The Practice Mentality
Denial is a better way of getting through another day.
Consulting
When Consultants Attack ... Other Consultants
It’s unfortunate when consultants bicker. Read about why this still happens.
Collaboration
Social Networking in the Workplace
Social networking in the workplace is one hot topic these days. Read why.
Consulting
In Defense of Consultants: A Punch-Out Based Rant
Clients who routinely ignore consultants' advice must forfeit the right to blame said consultants forever.
Analytics
The Chopping Block: Cutting Features From an IT Project
Consider dropping non-essential features for the good of the project and the organization.
Project Management
Project Management Lessons From Rush
What you can learn about project management from the world's greatest band.
Collaboration
Management Lessons From In-N-Out Burger
An excellent book about a cult company.
Project Management
Five Parallels Between Golf and IT Projects
Believe it or not, they are pretty similar.
Collaboration
New Tools, Same Problems on IT Projects
Collaborative applications can vastly improve project management. So why don't they?
Project Management
Social Networking, Miller's Crossing, and Running Things
A post tying these subjects together.
Consulting
Doing Things Right and Doing the Right Things
Rare is the organization that uses its systems wisely.
Consulting
Changing System Integrators: A Baseball Analogy
Blind faith in consulting firms is rarely justified.
Project Management
The Role of the Project Manager on a Failing IT Project
PMs are important but not omnipotent.
Project Management
The Need to Publicize System Failures
Why we need to peel back the onion.
Consulting
Is a Consultant Project Manager Truly Necessary?
Thoughts on the pros and cons of a dedicated PM.
Consulting
When Vendors Raise Annual Support Fees
Software vendors have recently announced increases in their annual support fees. What to do?
Consulting
The Different Focuses of Consultants and Clients
Clients and consultants often have unique and different focuses during business hours.
Consulting
Traditional or Milestone Consulting: Which Is Best?
Read about the different types of arrangements for people like me.
Consulting
When Vendors Decommission Applications
Rare is the organization that will try to fight this in court.