Perspectives on an Information Technology Career Presentation to the CEO, Scholar, and Expert Forum,

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Perspectives on an Information Technology
CareerPresentation to the CEO, Scholar, and
Expert Forum,Oakton Community College

• Larry Cioffi
• Senior Project Executive
• IBM Global Services
• April 21st, 2005

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Discussion Topics
IBM Overview An Information Technology
Career Some Food for Thought
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What is IBM?

• An innovator?
• A sales force?
• A collection of vertically integrated
  multibillion-dollar global businesses?
• A global brand?
• A blue-chip stock?
• A turnaround story?
• A really big company?
• All of the above?

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The IBM Company
IBM focuses on the high-value intersection of
business insight and technological innovation for
enterprise clients.

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IBM and the IT Industry Today
High-value, innovation,integration
High-volume, undifferentiated products or services
Consumer
Enterprise
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IBM Global Services

• Worlds largest business and technology services
  provider
• 46.2 billion in revenue
• More than 175,000 employees in 165 countries
• Largest outsourcing company
• Largest consulting company
• Largest product support services company
• Number 1 in Disaster Recovery
• Helps customers
• Capitalize on IT to improve business performance
• Manage IT operations and resources
• Principal lines of business
• Business Consulting Services
• Integrated Technology Services
• Application Management Services
• Strategic Outsourcing Services

• Services
• Financing
• Hardware
• Software
• Technology
• Research

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IBM 2004 Revenue
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1
96.3 B
Source IBM Annual Report - 2004
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IBM History

• Incorporated in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-R
  ecording Company (C-T-R)
• In 1924, C-T-R became International Business
  Machines Corporation
• 1910s-60s
• From punch-card tabulating machines to room-sized
  calculators to mainframe computing systems for
  large enterprises
• Changed the nature of accounting, calculation,
  and basic back-office business processes

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IBM Innovation The Foundation
Herman Hollerith

• ASCC
• Automated Sequence Controlled Calculator

Punch Card Tabulating Machine
Vacuum Tube Computers
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Industry Makers
Relational Databases
System/360
Magnetic Storage
DRAM
RISC
FORTRAN
Typical mathematical formula
Equivalent FORTRAN statement
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IBM History

• 1970s-80s
• IBM product line broadens from mainframes to
  minicomputers and personal computers
• Applications move beyond back-office enterprise
  to departmental operations and personal
  productivity
• 1990s
• With the Internet and open standards, the network
  computing model is embraced and advanced
• Coined e-business to describe how network
  computing can transform core business functions
  and transactions

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The IT Industry Eras of Computing
Source U.S. Department of Commerce, Sept.
2000 2000/2001/1H02 Estimates
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Recent Breakthroughs
Silicon Germanium
Deep Blue
Copper
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Future Bets
On Demand Innovation Services
Blue Gene
Carbon Nanotubes
MRAM
WebFountain
Millipede
Autonomic Computing
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Future Bets
On Demand Innovation Services
Blue Gene
Carbon Nanotubes
MRAM
WebFountain
Millipede
Autonomic Computing
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Open Innovation
Linux
Grid Computing
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Discussion Topics
IBM Overview An Information Technology
Career Some Food for Thought
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My Career at a Glance
Technology based

• IBM College Co-op, Summer, 1980
• Iona College, New Rochelle, NY
• Computer Science Major, Math Minor, 1981 graduate
• Hired into IBM in June, 1981, Junior Programmer
• Programmer/Project Leader, Corp. I/S, 19811984
• Systems Engineer, Branch Office, 1984-1987
• Obtained MBA from Iona College in June, 1988
• Northeastern Area Staff Assignment 1988-1990
• Systems Engineering Manager, 1990-1994
• Project Manager, IBM Global Services, 1995-1997
• Project Executive, IBM Global Services, 1997-2000
• Obtained Project Management Institute
  Certification
• Senior Project Executive, 2001-present

Business based
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The IBM Project Executive is accountable to both
IBM and the client.

• Grow the business, (IBM)
• Maintain solid client relationships
• Collaborate on new projects

• Deliver the contract, (client)
• deliver, deliver, deliver
• know my business, industry

• Manage my business, (PE)
• Achieve financial commitment to IBM
• Ensure successful delivery of services
• Meet and exceed client expectations of IBM

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Discussion Topics
IBM Overview An Information Technology
Career Some Food for Thought
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Some food for thought.

• Follow your passion!
• Set ambitious goals, and periodically adjust
• Know how you feel about change and plan your
  career accordingly
• Continuous learning and professional development
  is vital to a successful career
• Consider implementing a personal board of
  directors
• Peak performance occurs when opportunity and
  skill are in balance

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Peak performance occurs when the perceived
challenge matches the perceived skill
A joyful life is an individual creation that
cannot be copied from a recipe. Happiness is a
condition that must be prepared for, cultivated,
and defended privately by each person. -
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Worry Anxiety
High Performance / Flow
Opportunity / Challenge
Boredom Anxiety
Capability / Skill
Adapted from Beyond Boredom and Anxiety by
Mihaly Csikzentmihalyi
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Thank you, and good luck!
Lawrence C. Cioffi Senior Project Executive IBM
Global Services lcioffi_at_us.ibm.com