The Rebirth of The Nerd

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COCHRANE a s s o c i a t e s
The Rebirth of The Nerd
Peter Cochrane ca-global.org conceptlabs.net coch
rane.org.uk
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In just 30 years the Nerds became the richest,
most influential, people on the planet!
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Given the continuing 85 failure rate of
major IT programs, that knowledge and ability
doesnt look so irrelevant or worthy of
derision today!
Throughout the 70s, 80s 90s people like this
were derided discounted!
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Management views in the 70s - 90s

• - I dont need to know about or understand
• technology to manage it!
• - I dont care what the techies say, I want it
• doing my way!
• Nerds are an unfortunate part of my life
• organization if only I could get rid of them!

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The result - Headlines like this!
NHS IT project costs soar October 12, 2004, 0940
BST The program to upgrade the NHS computer
system is going to cost much more than expected,
possibly as much as 30bn
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The real problems? Not including the
users Not understanding the technology Not
understanding the difference between -
Data - Information - Knowledge
The result - Political adjustments!
LibDems attack NHS IT programme Call for
independent review Friday 19th May 2006 The
LibDems claimed NHS IT was failing to meet the
government's own targets. Patricia Hewitt's
claims that the project will cost 6.2bn was at
odds with the CEOs prediction of costs in excess
of 15bn.
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IT being the CIO is not a game for amateurs
neither is the management of - Information
- Knowledge - Decisions - Foresight
- Projections - Modeling
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When computers arrived we simply
moved our paper processes onto the screen
generated even more paper!
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In an increasingly mobile terminal people
environment we have to think finding rather than
filing.
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New/Young People
Keeping the board, the people,
the company one step ahead!
The best of the best?
Actively searching out Info knowledgeon the
net et al
Modeling, making projections, provide decision
support
Mobile Workforce
?
Actively gathering, using, creating Info
Knowledge.
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So, what kind of modeling?
Any/Everything Goes
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An events company should understand crowd
dynamics and behaviors
An advertising agency should understand the
coming onslaught from the young
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Organisational modeling!
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Beyond the new complexities to
come
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Business Capital
Financial F
Knowledge K
Social S
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Business Capital is Non-Linear
fo
F
fi
S1
so
si
S
K2
S2
K1
K
ki
ko
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The Eco-model
Distribution
Manufacture
Raw Materials
RETAIL
Ecosystem
Consumer
Trash
Trash
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Mobile
B-B
B-B
B-B
Distribution
Manufacture
Raw Materials
RETAIL
Ecosystem
B-C
C-C
C-B
Consumer
Trash
Trash
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Young people

• Have a short attention span
• Multi-task like no other generation before
• Are able to absorb more information faster
• Use Google is their first point of search
• See Wikipedia as the preferred knowledge base
• Come with a vast and established network
• Spend a lot of time on line
• See games as a tool to augment real world
  experience
• Share more readily via blogs
• Use RSS feeds to reach friends

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Socrates - by my son _at_ 11 years!
He cared for people He helped people He taught
people He asked important questions He proposed
good solutions He always told the truth So they
killed him!
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Everything moving to the edge?
Networks get dumber as the periphery is getting
smarter. Almost everything can be done better at
the periphery rather than in the core!
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A stinging tale from NY .

• A big company recruitment drive 2006

Is this all of us in 2009?
GOTO
http//management.silicon.com/careers/0,39024671,3
9157324,00.htm
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Changing attitudes and expectations
Technology
New Entrants Pushing limits Experimenting Demandi
ng Exploring
Existing Workforce
Technology Capabilities
Trying to keep up Trying to change Struggling Giv
en up Going to die
Time
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IT Capabilitiesyoung and old
100
Young People
IT Capable
Managers
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People
Time
2005
1985
2025
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Prediction
Company IT Departments will go the same way as
the typing pool young people are strictly DIY
not DIFM
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Increasingly it will be about assessing taking
calculated risks
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A world of opportunity risk.
Thank you, cochrane.org.uk conceptlabs.net
ca-global.org
COCHRANE a s s o c i a t e s