Come on, Apple; you can multi-task!
My iPad is great. Although completely unjustifiable on any financial basis, I bought a “top of the range” first generation iPad soon after it came out and have never seriously regretted it.
The addition of apparent multi-tasking, in upgraded versions of the operating system, seemed to be a good idea at the time. But for me, with experience of using it on a daily basis, it really is not. This is a counter-counter-intuitive case where “less is more” does not apply. Good old intuition applies: less is less!
The lack of proper multi-tasking is not good; this is compounded by the pretence of some kind of multi-tasking; and I find it increasingly irritating.
Come on, Apple, you can do it!
“Service design” is what exactly?
The term “service design” seems to have been cropping up in a variety of contexts recently. This sounds interesting, possibly useful and, perhaps even, ground breaking.
However, based on initial investigation, I am non-plussed and increasingly sceptical. Read more…
Experience – the Apple iPad video
In a deceptively simple video, Apple have captured in 30 seconds what most of their competitors will never figure out in a generation.
Organising for innovation
Aspects and characteristics
It is unlikely that anyone doubts that the ability of an organisation to innovate is strongly dependent on the nature of that organisation. Its nature can be described by various characteristics (including cultural, behavioural and structural characteristics) and by several aspects (including the static and dynamic aspects) of those characteristics. Read more…
Standards: who’d have them?
Whether to standardise?
“If only there were a standard!” How often have we heard this lament about the need for consistency and the benefits of uniformity? Standards free us from decisions and incompatibilities, and are extremely useful in many situations.
On the other hand, there is the sceptical approach: “The great thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from.” So goes the “standard” joky banter about standards; and it continues: “and if you do not like any of those available, then another one will be along next year.” Read more…
LikeMinds turn to “innovation and opportunity”
Yesterday, LikeMinds 2011 was announced. Yet again, the fields of enquiry chosen for the conference are topical, substantial and accelerating: “innovation and opportunity”. What a choice!
This will be the fourth LikeMinds conference in the UK in Exeter; other conferences have taken and will take place around the world: in Helsinki and in Dubai, for example. Amazingly, the Exeter conference has also doubled in size for the third time; yes, this conference will be eight times the size of the first one. Surely this doubling cannot continue, … or can it?!
Innovation
Innovation is on everyone’s agenda these days, and there are good reasons why. We feel the need for innovation in so many fields, that one has to question whether this is leading us to a better future or whether, like the increasing size of the LikeMinds conference, this pace is sustainable as the power law of human development is raised to the next index as it diverges towards oblivion. However, this perceived need for innovation is not, in my humble opinion, the reason why innovation is on everyone’s agenda; I have described, posted on and spoken about this previously and expect to do so, from time to time, again.
Opportunity
Opportunity is, on the other hand, not on everyone’s agenda, it seems to me. Read more…
It’s not about the technology! Or is it?
New experiences, behaviours and techniques come along from time to time. As children, at school, there was always the latest “craze” whether it was for conkers or marbles or assegais (remember those?). As adults, at work and at play, we call them innovations, whether they are new materials, techniques, goods, services, fashions or whole new experiences.
“Social”
At the time of writing (early 2011), one significant “craze” is for “social media”, “social networking”, “social” anything, or, even, simply “social”, … as if we were not social or, at least, sociable before! It’s all the rage. Now we (yup, that includes me) are calling it “social communication” and just round the corner, allegedly, is “social commerce”. It’s fun, it’s different, and it’s a substantial change in something or other, … but in what? Read more…
No, Nokia, No!
Oh dear, what a crying shame! Today is an awful day in the mobile communications industry.
Symbian is dead; Nokia jumps to Windows Phone 7
Many predicted it, some welcome it, others are horrified. I am horrified.
This seems such a long time ago: Go, Nokia, Go!
What is there to say? … oh well, life is simpler now … ho hum, “long live Android” …
The big one for Steve Jobs? Let’s hope not!
Today, we hear the news that Steve Jobs is taking leave of absence from Apple, on medical grounds. This is the second time; and, last time, his illness was extremely serious.
While hoping that this is much less serious, I am unfortunately reminded of the proverb in “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho:
Everything that happens once can never happen again.
But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time.
Let’s hope not and wish Steve Jobs all the very best for a full recovery!
Innovation strategy – where to aim?
At an inspiring BrightIdea meeting on innovation management in 2010, mentioned in a previous post, I was given, by Vincent Carbone (COO), the opportunity to present some high level thoughts.
The general upsurge in interest, activity and capability in the area of innovation management is continuing; however much of this is, as yet, tactical in nature. Now that the techniques, tools and tactics are becoming more widely available and accepted, it seems worthwhile to pay increasing attention to the strategic issues in the management of innovation.
Here is my presentation and some resulting discussion on this topic, kindly provided by Paul Tran:
The slides and notes are available here.
The meeting was superbly hosted by UBS in Zürich, Switzerland in 2010 on October 19.
