My Digital FootPrint

“ Data is Data ” explored that data is not oil but that data is something that is unique and we should call it for what it is; #Data. The reason explained is that all the analogies: oil, gold, sunshine, commodities, time and labour, fail to bring out the uniqueness of data. Whilst the thinking explored in that post still stands, a year on I have to challenge one key assumption, which I will come to. I recently posted ideas of where memory comes from , and specifically the links between memory and identity. We have different types of “memory” for myself, society and nature and now data/ digital might be creating a new type of memory. The reason memory and its link to data is worth exploring is that both depend on relationships to derive “value.” Data without relationships is worthless. Memory without relationship (connection) is worthless. The assumption that we need to look, “In our complex digital world what type of “memory” do we want the system to have?” Memor...

The purpose of this post is to set out the logic and background thinking to help create a digital strategy based on the concept of consumer TRUST. By the end you should have a framework to debate internal assumptions and hurdles which may be preventing your organisation from realising a transformation to digital thinking. A post exploring the consumer TRUST and why they matter is linked here. If your not sure about the types of consumer trust that exist, please do read that one first. This post starts out by looking at the strategic options which have dominated management thinking for over 50 years and how they are challenged by platforms and Data; including Big Data. It considers what happens if companies maintain existing strategies and styles, since these dominant forces (strategy and style) have path dependency (as in the economic definition). There is a recognition that the pressure of short term reporting and financial planning, with linear models, leads to a lack of appet...

How to survive and thrive in the third digital revolution : #designingreality By the brothers Gershenfeld, Neil , Alan and Joel This books takes the concept of FabLab from the common understanding of a simple fabrication lab where you can make one of (almost) anything (here is a global list of FABLABs ); to how digital tools changes economics and the competitive nature of nations policy.    One to read but be very open minded to ( and the bias of) Path dependency (you can only continue on the path as the constraints and inertia prevent you from change) Why it will be so hard for companies to adopt to this thinking. “The first digital revolution was in communication, taking us from analog phones to the Internet. The second digital revolution was in computation, bringing us personal computers and smartphones. Together they fundamentally changed the world. The Third is digital fabrication.” The book brings the perspectives of science, technology, soc...