Technology, Faith and Human Shortcomings
Posted by scottvandam in Technology on August 18, 2010
On a recent flight from Chicago to Houston I decided to take in a podcast published by Ted from the great preacher and pastor Billy Graham. The podcast was from a 1998 TED conference held in Southern California with the theme of technology. Rev Graham in his address notes that technology and innovation is nothing new. He clearly and effectively draws parallels of today’s advances in the micro-chip to that of the introduction of the Iron Age invented by the Hittites during the reign of King David in 1010 BC.
The Iron age revolutionized the way society functioned through productivity gains by way of better tools, agriculture methods and weaponry. Like the iron age the information age is advancing productivity improvements, enhancing interaction and changing the way our society wage’s war. Yet, just like in King David’s time the Iron Age never did solve all of human’s problems. Technology will never solve:
1. Human Evil
2. Human Suffering
3. Human Mortality
I encourage you to watch this video or download the podcast and reflect. Consider Thomas Edison who once said “When you see everything that is happening in the world of science and in the working of the universe, you cannot deny that their is a captain on the bridge”
Defining IT Project Failures
Posted by scottvandam in Technology on August 4, 2010
It has been almost a year that my good friend Paul Hart and I started the Waggware Strategy Lab Video Blog. Things have been quiet at Waggware on the V-log front but I thought I would re-publish one of our more popular video segments.
In my current role as Director of Sales & Marketing, I serve as a principle in the various projects that we run and am ultimately responsible if the project succeeds or fails. From my vantage point the biggest reasons for failure is lack of communication which leads to missing the mark on meeting customer expectations.
Managing all of the stakeholder’s expectations is critical and great care should be used in communicating often. This includes listening, asking for feedback and constantly asking each and every stakeholder what their overall goal’s of the software project are so that those expectations are met. The following video is a discussion on what defines an IT failure, perhaps it will give you some ideas on what to do to avoid an IT project failure.
#IT Fail – Defining IT Project Failure from Waggware on Vimeo.
What do you do to avoid IT Project Failures?
How to Buy Enterprise Software
Posted by scottvandam in Technology on July 29, 2010
At Waggware (IT Services Firm) where I am responsible for all Marketing and Sales activities I have the opportunity to offer highly flexible, customizable and outside of the box solutions aimed at improving my customers business processes. The great thing about being in the consulting/services business is your not tied down to selling just one boxed solution but rather package together best of breed solutions that achieve results. However you need a plan and an approach to pull the best solution into play.
I’ve developed a 9 stage framework that I assist my customers with when looking to implement enterprise software. Depending on the size of the engagement or software investment I often scale up or down on the level of activity I conduct during the selection phase. I’ve embedded my presentation below for your use and review.
Selling Technology Requires Gathering Better Business Requirements
Posted by scottvandam in Marketing on July 19, 2010
An important part of selling anything is fully understanding your customers needs. This is ever-so increasingly important when selling technology solutions. This week I have a series of customer meetings with an ongoing theme to illicit business requirements that will help to assist in the recommendation of software application’s that will drive and achieve intended productivity goals. Here are a list of five illicitation techniques I use when gathering business requirements:
- Shadowing/Observation – Job shadowing allows an observer to study an end user perform their work in order to understand workflow. Some business analysts will actually do the work to gain a solid understanding of the work.
- Use Cases – a method that tells a story about how a system will be used to achieve a goal from the perspective of a user of that system. The goal should be to help a technical expert and non-technical people alike understand how the behaviour should be. Use cases should be used to organize and document the functional requirements of an automated system.
- Storyboards – Stake holders and developers working together by drawing up the elements that are believed to be a part of the application. By leveraging story boarding along with probing questions you will gain a good thorough review of your customers workflow.
- Prototyping – capture the look and feel of the user interface by drawing screen shots, screen flows and so on.
- Structured demonstrations – If your purchasing an application, getting the end users to use the system for normal tasks is a very effective way of finding out what is missing in an application.
Use a variety of these techniques and ask a lot of questions. Gathering requirements is often tedious work, but is the most important activity that ensures your customer get’s what they want every time!
My Tweet Weekly Summary
Posted by scottvandam in Musings on July 19, 2010
It`s been another amazing week of summer in southern Ontario. I`ve said this before, but no one enjoys a summer like a Canadian! To prove it I’m writing this blog post fire side in the great out doors, listening to chirping birds, while enjoying a glass of Prince Edward County`s finest Wines.
Here`s my re-cap of my twitter highlights this week.
- Apparently, I started my week off by my son trying to surf the hammock (I`ll have you know that no one was injured)
- The National League beat the American league in the All Star Game! The last time that happened Bill Clinton was serving his first term as President and it was 1996! I am a big baseball fan! Go Yankees!
- I wrote a blog post about being in the sales profession as being the best profession ( I love selling )
- I also got really excited about the fact that Waggware is growing like crazy (It`s awesome that we`re growing as fast as we are!)
- And finally, since I am involved in the technology industry, I`m excited about attending my second Oracle Open World! It`s gonna be another great convention in San Francisco! Looking forward to meeting more leaders in Technology and networking with the Oracle crew.
See you next week!
The Best Profession!
Posted by scottvandam in Marketing on July 15, 2010
Image by RandomESHG on Flickr
I love the Sales and Marketing profession. I’ve been in the game for 15 years.
No other career gives an individual the freedom, flexibility and reward than Sales. A sales colleague of mine likened the sales profession to being the chairman of the board, general sales manager, chief financial officer, executive vice president, janitor and chief cook. In short being a sales professional gives you the independence of being your own boss.
Yet sales professionals are big problems for customers, prospects, bosses, and spouses. They are cussed at parties, gossiped about behind closed doors, miss family time, travel a lot, work long hours, work flexible hours. Sales people make a lot of noise, they interrupt, make mistakes, listen to complaints, respond positively to grievances and sometimes waste peoples time.
Yet no profession moves more freight, loads & unloads more ocean liners, freight trains and transport trucks, introduce new products, open new factories and keep the wheels of the economy rolling than any other profession.
I am proud to be a Sales Professional.
Re-Focus, Re-Connect, Re-Organize, Re-Charge!
Posted by scottvandam in Musings on July 7, 2010
Taking a rest is re-energizing, sounds obvious doesn’t it? Nothing can improve your health, productivity, family life and stress levels than time away from the regular grind. Yet I am shocked that half of American’s won’t take a summer vacation. With so many fruitful benefits of taking a break, we are not doing ourselves or anyone else any favours by skipping vacation. Here are the four reasons why I take a 2 week summer vacation:
- Re-focus - I’ve been spending countless mornings alone enjoying the tranquel water in solitude with nothing but a cup of coffee, my notebook, and Bible. This has allowed me to re-focus on what is important in life.
- Re-Connect – I’ve been able to focus on my relationships with my 3 children and wife spending one on one time with everyone. I played a round of Golf with my daughter, spent hours fishing with my son, and spent dozens of hours with my wife around a quiet campfire. These are moments that I will cherish forever.
- Re-organize – Taking time away allows you to take a 1,000 view of your life with no distractions and re-flect and re-tool what changes you need to make in life, relationships, career and family life.
- Re-Charge - simply put, I’m relaxed, I’m calm, and am getting the itch to make a difference in the daily tasks of regular work/life.
Here’s to vacation! What are your plans?
Out of Office Reply: “Gone Fishing”
Posted by scottvandam in Musings on June 27, 2010
I’m indulging myself in some much needed rest and relaxation. This post finds me on the North Eastern shores of Lake Ontario enjoying a tranquil summer night contemplating the importance of a sabbath rest.
Over the next two weeks I’m taking in quiet moments with family & friends, fishing with my children, embracing moments of solitude, immersing myself in God’s creation, reading a few books and indulging my creative urges by writing song (with my guitar of course).
I brought a number of books that I plan to tackle including The Screw Tape Letters by CS Lewis, The Autiobiography of F W De Klerk “The Last Trek, A New Beginning”, Linch Pin by Seth Godin and I’m re-reading Loving God by Charles Colson.
So if you find me unresponsive to tweets, emails and phone calls over the next 2 weeks it’s because I’m busy enjoying the important stuff in life.
Leadership: Create Conditions in Which Others Generate Great Ideas
Posted by scottvandam in Musings on June 15, 2010
I read a tweet this evening that inspired me to share a video I watched last night. Sally Hogshead from her Twitter account reminded both her followers and myself that:
“Your job as a leader is not to have great ideas, but to create conditions in which *others* have great ideas.” ~Sir Ken #taom
The vehicle to accomplish this is through effective communication.
Whether you are a leader in business, government, a ministry or a not-for-profit the most important job you have as a leader is to communicate. How leaders listen, engage, speak, take action and model behaviour has a direct impact on how the front line interacts with the customer, how engaged partners get results, and customers make recommendations on your offerings.
Social Media is giving leaders an unparalled opportunity to listen, engage, speak and take action. The following video is living proof of this by way of Michael Hyatt’s explanation of how he leverages social media to lead and earn influence with his employees, customers, stakeholders and partners at Thomas Nelson Publishing. Have a listen as to what he has to say at the Christian Leadership Alliance Annual conference in San Diego last year.
How Can Christian Leaders Get Started with Social Media? from Michael Hyatt on Vimeo.
Let me know what you think!
UnPlug and Read a Book
Posted by scottvandam in Musings on May 15, 2010
I’m linking to Michael Hyatt today and his post on defending books. Reading a good old fashioned book is one of the best ways to wind down, imagine, dream, contemplate, explore, expand and learn. So turn off the TV, close the laptop lid and shelve the blackberry. The experience is most therapeutic!
On my reading list this month is a good mix of economics, politics, religion, business and technology.
The Post American World by Fareed Zakaria
The Armageddon Factor – The Rise of Christian Nationalism in Canada by Marci Mcdonald
Twitter: scottvandam
- Enjoying labour day weekend http://plixi.com/p/43520608
- Interesting analysis on who Oracle will buy next. Who do you think the giant will buy next? http://ow.ly/2zvKJ
- Back in the County taking in the final days of Summer before the rigid routines of post summer return - its gonna be a hot one today
- 1 size does not fit all RT @bitnetonline: Just because everyone's "going social" doesn't mean u & your business have to? http://ow.ly/2z1oY
- Devote at least 4 minutes in the AM with your spouse (simple but good idea) ---> http://ow.ly/2z1dD
