R.E.A.L. Talk with Sam Holcman

R.E.A.L. - Realistic, Enabling, Actionable, Logical. Every day we hear jargon and see writing from so-called “experts,” and we don’t know what we should follow and what we should avoid. Published practices aren’t always best practices!

Listen to episodes from Sam Holcman’s radio show, webinars, and podcasts, Real Talk with Sam Holcman. Each episode gets to the bottom of what business executives, managers, practitioners, and staff actually need to create innovative solutions that deliver- no utopia required.

This business podcast provides practice-based insights into business transformation, enterprise architecture, business architecture, organizational transformation, and technology transformation based on real-world practices. We provide you with insights that can provide true value to organizations and individuals that face today’s and tomorrow’s competitive pressures and provide a usable takeaway from each program.

Architecting to Create Business Agility to Compete in the Post-Pandemic World

The Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is the latest in a long list of disrupters to established business models. Whether it is competitors, technology, natural disasters, foreign or domestic threats, a disruption, or the next occurrence of an unknown, businesses are recognizing that change is the new normal.

This emerging reality does not begin with new technology. Technology may enable what we refer to as a series of business and mission-aligned initiatives to move the organization to its next state – a deliberate movement away from the language of a “desired state”.

Enterprise will be looking at what businesses they are in now, and what will be the state of that business and the “next.” What will keep us in the game, and how can we differentiate ourselves to more effectively compete? What are the business-aligned capabilities we have today, and what are the business capabilities we need in this next iteration and beyond?

The new model is stabilize, then prepare to move – the new normal!

Applying Logic to Consumer Behavior in Times of Crisis

My guest on today’s episode of The 2020’s Enterprise with Sam Holcman is Ken Metviner. Ken has a very interesting and fresh perspective on the what the future holds as we move out of the most current crisis we are in. Yes, as I state, this will unfortunately, not be the last crisis, and perhaps we should look at consumer behavior with a bit more logic than just believe it is a “random walk”.

Ken will outline a perspective that we suggest is quite unique and logical. He suggests that one half the economy can be characterized as stable and one half the economy characterized as variable – each requiring move-ahead approaches in their own way. Perhaps applying a method to the madness will get us on the path to both short- and long-term health!

Stay tuned to this very special episode!

Data Driven Marketing – the Key to Digital Transformation

Technology has changed the way companies deliver their marketing message but has not changed basic marketing principles. Customer data is the most valuable asset a company has. Customers use reviews as a way of deciding which company to do business with. Consumers expect an instant and friction-less experience with the companies they do business with.

Data and customer information allow companies to hyper-target their marketing message. Of course, underlying all of this is privacy - a concern that needs to be addressed.

In this episode of The 2020’s Enterprise, we are privileged to have as our guest Clark Keller – the CEO of Data Drive Marketing, a company that has been in this field since 1994. We will get unique insights into marketing in the digital age, from one of the original thinkers in this field. The name of his Company is as relevant today, as it was in the 90’s!

Tune in, and gets some insight into this extremely relevant requirement in the digital age.

Distance Learning – The New Normal?

In this unique view of distance learning, we will be speaking with three college students, from three different universities, on their personal experiences in this, in some cases very new learning environment.

School closures have led educational institutions everywhere to scramble to move instruction to an online format. It is unfortunate, that once again, proper planning seems to have given way to crisis management and implementation. We will get real insights from real students on what they see and feel about this new reality.

Questions discussed will include, beyond basic education topics, food, housing, money, learning access, feedback, social interactions, and the “new” academic life. EACOE and BACOE have been involved in Distance Learning for some years now. We also hope to gain insights “from the trenches” on what works, and what needs improvement.

Please tune into this very unique episode of The 2020’s Enterprise with Sam Holcman and guests!

Focusing on the Here and Now – A One Day Exercise

If you are reading this post or tuning into our broadcast in the April 2020 timeframe, you and your organization, and our organization are in a bit of a turmoil situation.

Pressures are coming from an incredible number of directions, and focus is easily lost and replaced by motions and actions that substitute for planned actions and strategies. Focus, consistency, coordinated actions, and efficiencies are more important “in the now”, yet we need some explicit representations that the organization can view and act on. At EACOE and BACOE we call this the Tactical Analysis of Goals and Results – TAGR.

Whether this done top down, middle out, or bottom up, it is the explicit representation of what is trying to be achieved, and the expected outcome over what timeframe. Yes, unfortunately, a short-term focus but a necessity at this hour. The objective is to bring laser-focus to what is necessary to succeed in the here and now.

Yes, a tactical explicit approach is needed to survive this.

Architecting for the Cloud and the Cloud Repatriation Movement

The cloud is often discussed as offering the potential for better technology and business agility, but moving computing resources has two sides. The benefits are often mentioned and discussed.

Some information technology leaders are learning that running certain applications in the cloud can cost more than doing so on-premises, and can add complexity and security concerns not fully appreciated in the “rush” to the cloud, leading them to rethink their strategies, and bring certain applications back in house.

A recent study by IDC says that 85 percent of technology managers saying they were repatriating computer applications from the cloud. A staggering number that is actually not getting much press or attention. To those that remember or study a bit of history in the rise and decline in “time-sharing” computing of decades ago, this should not be of a totally surprise.

We will outline our EACOE Enterprise Architecture analysis approach on rationalizing cloud/in-house strategies.

Moving From Crisis Management to Creating Resilient Organizations In Anticipation of the Next Crisis

A new reality has been set in the world.  That reality is the movement of people and goods, globally, provides a new set of opportunities and challenges, which specifically cannot be predicted, but should be anticipated.  Todays crisis is the disease, coronavirus disease, (COVID-19), and the virus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).  And the next could be another virus.  It could be an internet outage of a massive scale.  It could be a terrorist attack.  It could be a …..

It is a bit unnerving that the reaction of most organizations is just that – reactive and crisis driven.  Perhaps now is the time to look at active approaches for developing resilient organizations, in anticipation of the next disruptive event.  Yes, I have introduced a word that we will now amplify.

Event Modeling and Analysis is an approach that EACOE and BACOE take with our clients to enumerate and analyze the expected and the unexpected.  Let’s better prepare for the next disruption.

Why Some People Revel In Complexity

What triggered my thoughts in developing this Episode was YAF.  What is YAF?  YAF is Yet Another Framework!  What I am referring to is a consortium of academics, industry, and government people that, I am sure with upright and thoughtful intentions, published YAF on enterprise architecture.  This YAF was going to take all of the other YAF’s and bring them all together.  As a veteran of Enterprise Architecture and frameworks, all I could do is roll my eyes and smile.  As a note, I was asked to join this YAF effort when it was first conceived, and declined.  This YAF is the most complicated representation of enterprise architecture I have yet to observe.

My thoughts quickly moved to thinking about complexity and those that, perhaps, revel in it.  Is there such a thing as “complexity bias”?  Is complexity, for some, a measure of progress?

Steve Jobs said it best:  “Simple can be harder than complex:”  In this episode, we will explore complexity and complex.  They are different!

Applying Enterprise Architecture to Identify Cost Containment and Optimization Opportunities

We have all turned, to some degree, to a short-term focus in both our personal and business lives. We all have to deal with reality. The question is how do you address both short and longer term issues and opportunities. In the short term, we need to identify areas for optimization, while understanding the effects of this optimization in future operations.

The question is can we use a “scalpel”, rather than a “meat clever” to identify and act in the short term. This simple answer is yes! We will outline a two-week Enterprise Architecture Immersion approach that will identify short-term prioritized opportunities for cost optimization, and setting the stage for the eventual return to normalcy. Can this be done is one day? Yes, but a realistic amount of time is two elapsed weeks.

Yes, focus on today and tomorrow, and set a baseline now for address and managing continual change. Move from crisis management to event driven actions. Please listen in to this very important episode.

Applying the EACOE and BACOE Architecture Methodologies to Analyze the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic

In this focused edition of the 2020’s Enterprise program, we will look at this Pandemic through the eyes of Enterprise and Business Architecture. A robust architecture methodology is a tool we can use to analyze things that are complex, and we are seeing significant complexity in this situation!

But wait! If you are not a medical professional, why should you listen to this episode?

Perhaps in this hour, we can provide some explicit thoughts and representations that can be provided to the medical community, to assist and aid their thought processes. We will apply out-of-the-medical-box thinking to this crisis situation. Let us take a brief time-out from the media driven hype and hysteria-focused analysis – whether on television or on the internet - and see if we can provide an additional frame of reference for those professionals diligently working to help us through this crisis.

After all, the Enterprise we are analyzing is the largest and most complex in existence – us!

Improve Your Company’s Enterprise Architecture Health—Obtain and Independent Assessment

Just what is an Enterprise Architecture (EA) Health Assessment?

The “health” assessment of your Enterprise Architecture will provide you an informed, independent perspective of your strategic EA asset’s viability as a foundational resource to: fully understand and reveal your Enterprise Business, Technology, and Systems Relationships; communicate your Business Intent concisely through a consistent vocabulary, and uncomplicated text, models and diagrams; inform interested parties in your company or organization, which may include external agents such as supply chain, partners and other vendors.

Your Enterprise Architecture is a strategic asset, and must offer strategic value in several aspects. You need to assess your existing information to determine how well your EA is positioned to provide these values. A thorough, fair, objective and most of all, helpful assessment will get you there.

Tune in to see how this can be done.

An Introduction to Process Distribution Centers (TM) and Data Distribution Centers (TM)

Make to Order, Provide from Stock, Assemble to Order. The three maturity levels that are understood and tried and true in the manufacturing community. In the information technology community, most organizations reside in the Make to Order maturity level (level one), and are attempting to “speed things up” with techniques like agile programming, containers, “low code” and numerous other approaches – all within the level one maturity realm. It is time to move up the maturity model!

Underlying maturity three, which is a maturity level you will all recognize surrounds our daily lives (in most areas of our lives) requires two concepts and underlying technologies that are really quite simple – but not comfortable for those that are now existing in the maturity level 1 arena. Change, displacement, new learnings, and reward systems are all part of the equation, which makes people uncomfortable – and resistant to change.

It is happening. Listen in and meet your future.

Process Mining – the Complement to Data Mining

In this age of digital transformation, big data, cloud computing, and numerous other actions you may be undertaking or thinking about in your organization, one fundamental fact remains. What we in organizations are doing is processing data. Technology departments in organizations have many names nowadays. But fundamentally, they are doing what we did for the past five decades or so – processing data. We may be doing it differently with different technologies in different locations, but we are processing data.

We will outline our approach to understanding an organizations processes – what we refer to as Process Mining that will lead to a Business Process Warehouse. We will review some of the benefits and challenges surrounding process understanding, and outline some field-proven approaches to obtaining these benefits. We will also outline the methodology we use in practice, to guide these efforts.

Tune in for implementable practice-proven approaches – you will be glad you did!

Luke Peters On The Hard Part of Digital Transformation is Organizational Change

An Interview with Luke Peters, President/CEO at Retail Band

Luke is the President/CEO at Retail Band, where he aims to help businesses sell appliances through online channels and allow their market to grow and expand. He has extensive product development and entrepreneurial experience. Luke and his team are especially adept at creating product launch strategies at a wide variety of ecommerce sites like Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, Costco, Wayfair, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl’s and Best Buy.

In this episode of The 2020’s Enterprise we will get an understanding of Luke’s approaches to managing organizational change in his digital businesses. Tune in for a lively interview and unique insights!

The Status of the Cloud Revolution

The movement of some applications to the cloud are well underway. With this movement, of course, comes observations both pro and con.

No panic of course, just things to watch out for. Since the most basic view of the cloud can be stated quite simply as running your applications on someone else's computer, We will cover the good stuff and gotchas - some obvious and some hidden.

Cloud Management is an area that is just beginning to be understood as a effort in and of itself.

Security Architecture - What, How, Where, Who, When, Why

Our EACOE Enterprise Architecture practice has looked at security as part of Enterprise Architecture, not as a separate activity. Simply, the objective is ensuring only authorized access to a process or a data component.

Starting with this objective – not after the fact – is key. In the physical world, look at the game-changer brought about by the Ring doorbell – warn me before someone enters the house, rather than telling me someone is in the house. This comes from REAL Enterprise Architecture, which may the reason you do not see this in FEA or TOGAF. Security is a Business Strategy first - not only an implementation technology concern. Security is an after the fact approach in most organizations unfortunately, rather than an architected approach, we suggest.

Tune in to hear how to address this growing concern in organizations, well before it is actually needed. Locks, passwords, etc., only keep honest people honest.

Mass Customization is in your hands - your stakeholders and customers also want this true agility

Have you looked at your “smart phone” and its “agility” – your ability to change what you see with a simple press on the screen, and compared it to your internal technology systems or those that you provide to your customers?  In summary, what you are seeing is a manufacturing concept called Mass Customization.  This term was first introduced to the public by Stan Davis in his book Future Perfect in 1987.

Customer-focused means just that – not markets, segments, or other terms that really mask the desire to create solutions and satisfaction, at the individual level.  What we must realize in information technology solutions, is that no matter how quickly we write software, it is handcrafting, and will never be able to meet individual requirements.  Most of the profession still things about applications, software packages, or writing computer programs quickly.

But your smart phone is different.  Let’s bring this maturity level to today’s information systems solutions – the time is now.

No One Really Wants An Enterprise Architecture

You want a road map to clearly define what needs to be done to enable your Business or Mission Strategy. 

No one wants a series of seemly endless “sprints” not knowing where the goal line is.  You want to know what your end state objective is and how to get there. 

No one wants to be lectured to for hours on frameworks, and methodologies, and so-called best practices.  You want to be able to clearly identify a set of mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive initiatives and capabilities to enable your business or mission strategy. 

No one really wants a set of intellectually entertaining models.  You want to be able, as an example, to analyze your potential merger or acquisition of a competitor or organization, and determine the degree of “fit” before any major decisions are made.

Business Outcome-Driven Enterprise Architecture – Join the Revolutionary Movement

Major analyst and advisory firms now recognize two distinct focus areas in Enterprise Architecture – (1) focus on technology enablement, and (2) focus on facilitating and creating deliverables that guide and inform business decision making – enabling Business Strategy.

In this Episode of the 2020’s Enterprise, we will outline what is required to develop a Business Outcome Driven Enterprise Architecture Deliverables, and the skill-sets people require to bring Business Outcome Driven Enterprise Architecture to your organization.

Join the movement to Business Outcome Driven Enterprise Architecture. This Webinar is your starting point.

Are You Making Decisions Based on Solid Data or a Data Swamp?

Being data driven, achieving digital transformation, developing effective marketing campaigns, making valid business decisions, and ensuring regulatory compliance, are just a few of the things businesses and enterprises do, that requires good quality data – not data – good quality data.

Yet study after study shows the shockingly low self-reported beliefs on how good the data that is used by businesses actually is.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each year on various technologies in the attempt to “clean up” the data organizations are using. It is time to step back and realize that data issue does not require technological magic. It is a data architecture issue, and no amount of technology artificial or not, can address the fundamental flaws that may exist.

Top 10 Questions and Answers to DeMystify Enterprise Architecture

Much confusion exists as to what Enterprise Architecture (EA) is – the enabler of Business Strategy, versus Enterprise Information Technology Architecture (EITA), which focus is technology deployment. What are you practicing? To remove some confusion, some are calling REAL EA, Business Driven Enterprise Architecture. Tune in!

What Business Executives and Managers Need To Know about Software

Most organizations would agree that software - the use of technologies that enable business strategy and processes - are a fundamental requirement in today's digital focus and transformations.

What do business executives and business staff really have to understand about software? What should business expectations be from the technology organization they engage to develop and develop software solutions? As an analogy, do business people need to understand plumbing, electrical, heating and air-conditioning, and bricklaying? Or do they need to describe their needs, that are 'transformed' into their described requirements?

Of course, the answer is no. In this episode, we will describe ten things -- and in some cases, discussing things that you may have been led to believe that need to be questioned -- that should demystify software development, the business' role in the software development lifecycle, and how to build a true business-technology relationship. Technologists - listen in.

In Search of a Search Engine

The objective of this episode is to examine what search engines actually are, and possibilities of what will come next in the future of search. This episode is not about knocking down search engines but rather determining if we can we draw on history for some ideas. Are the issues we are seeing because of bias? Or, is the issue privacy? Or censorship? Possibly speed or accuracy? Or, is the real the issue money?

The short answer is – all of these and more. Perhaps we should start by thinking about a library and the established discipline of library science. What makes libraries work? Three things, fundamentally: The Dewey Decimal System (or Library of Congress Classification), the consistent state of facts in the library, and finally the librarian. We will look at these 3 elements and compare and contrast what we see today with search engines.

Perhaps the future state of “search” will become clearer after doing this.

Artificial Intelligence - Perhaps Augmented Intelligence

We will begin this episode by defining, or trying to define, what artificial intelligence is. We will then proceed to summarize both the positive and unfortunately, some of the negative developments in this field. We suggest there is a bit of madness that needs to be addressed, and that madness can be addressed with not much difficulty.

We now have literally decades of learning about artificial intelligence - sounds a bit humorous as a sentence really. But can machines really learn? And who and from what are they learning from? We cannot forget the phrase 'garbage in - garbage out?' Can we move to 'good stuff in- better stuff out?' Yes!

Technical Debt - It Is Much More Than Just Technical.

Technical debt, also known as design debt, code debt, or code refactoring, is just a few of the names people use to describe “shortcuts” that are taken by technologists, and business personnel, to “get the solution out the door”. The term is also used to justify many different challenges business and technology people face, that essentially “push the can down the road”.

All facets of the business – the business itself, the associated technologists and solution developers, as well as human resources within and outside the enterprise are affected.

This episode will explore the phrase itself, and its underlying meaning well beyond taking shortcuts in writing and implementing software and computer applications.

Your Business has an Architecture, but do you know what it is? Part 2.

This Episode will build on the our previous episode on this topic, and will outline additional advantages of Solutions driven by Architecture.

In the first Episode of this topic, we argued that all Businesses have an Architecture – the question is, is it explicit or implicit. Various groups approach the concept and practice of Business and Enterprise Architecture from differing value points. Pinnacle Business Group, Inc. (Pinnacle), EACOE, and BACOE practices and evolves its methodologies to emphasize the value point of a documented, human consumable, prioritized, architecture which is evergreen, ever-robust, and evolves as growing numbers of projects and initiatives contribute to this valuable enterprise cache of traceable, related business interests. There are numerous business and technology advantages that we have seen arise from Business and IT executives and teams, as they develop and deploy their solutions through these methodologies and approaches.

Your Business has an Architecture, but do you know what it is?

One of the driving needs for Enterprise and Business Architecture is to enable an organizations Information Technology team to quickly, accurately and iteratively deploy prioritized, stable and operationally excellent business solutions, that address the fast-paced changes in opportunities. Various groups approach the concept and practice of Business and Enterprise Architecture from differing value points.

This episode will outline numerous advantages that we have seen arise from Business and Technology executives and teams, as they develop and deploy their solutions through these methodologies and approaches.

The Critical Role of The Business Technology Collaborator/Partner

The Business Technology Collaborator/Partner (BTP) provides the focus that understands the business needs, the possibilities of technology to address these needs, and presents a business case that is suitable and understandable to the business stakeholders, and is transformable by the technology specialists.

A BTP is quite different from business analysis, technologists, or business/enterprise architecture roles, is not a traditional “order taking” function, and has the ability to rationally balance short and long term business and technology needs and goals. A BTP skillset is a balance between human communications and technology awareness.

Right Sourcing - Balancing Inhouse/Purchased Services and Software

Most organizations have had a mix of purchased, leased, or rented technologies, software, and human services. Yet we have seen little practiced or written about how to determine what this balance is, what it should be, and how to monitor the changing dynamics in today’s digital transformation world. Traditionally, cost reduction is a primary measure for sourcing decisions.

A secondary focus is access to “scarce” skills and resources. Yet even these measures seem to lack an approach to validation and verification that the actions taken produced the desired results, and continue, in this dynamic pace of change, to provide these desired results. We will bring some method to right-source without madness!

Process Visualization Unlocking your Hidden Assets

In this episode of The 2020’s Enterprise, we will outline our approach to understanding an organizations processes – what we refer to as Process Visualization.

We will review some of the benefits and challenges surrounding process understanding, and outline field-proven approaches to obtaining these benefits. We will also outline the methodology we use in practice, to guide these efforts.

Tune in for implementable practice-proven approaches.

Application Portfolio Rationalization and Optimization Strategies

Application portfolio Rationalization and Optimization is an approach to maximizing the value of current application assets, and laying a firm foundation for future growth. While we understand that many organizations are moving to the cloud, or other off-premises environments, wouldn’t it make sense to rationalize and optimize your portfolio before the move?

Let’s clean out the basement and attic first, so to speak!

Business Architecture: Actually Developing Business Capabilities

In a previous episode of The 2020s Enterprise titled “Business Architecture – identifying Needed Business Capabilities”, we defined REAL Business Architecture. I use the word REAL, because we have observed, that most business architecture activities look at and “do” information technology modeling and implementation, and what we refer to as “model mania”. Model mania is developing model after model, based on some identified general body of knowledge, rather than REAL Business Architecture – the identification, and development of Business Capabilities that enable business strategies and missions.

We will define the methodology for developing a REAL Business Architecture – one that is “human consumable”. Understand the essence of developing a REAL Business Architecture. Identify the Business Capabilities you need to move your organization to its desired state, through analysis rather than declarations!

Business Architecture Identifying Needed Business Capabilities

Business Architecture is explicitly representing an organizations desired state and as is state, through a set of independent non redundant artifacts, defining how these artifacts relate with each other, developing a set of prioritized and aligned Capabilities needed to meet the organizational Mission or Goals.

We will discuss the requirements for addressing Continuous Business Change and the role of Business Architecture to provide an Agile Business Environment, and how REAL Business Architecture is the baseline for developing, managing, and identifying Business Capabilities, to address, lead, and managing business change. REAL Business Architecture is the enabler of Business Capabilities. Business Capabilities are the true result of REAL Business Architecture driving business to its desired state.

Cutting Through Technobabble/Claptrap in Business and Technology

IoT Platform, Deep Neural Networks, Digital Twin, Biochips, Brain-Computer Interface, Quantum Computing, and 5G. Global, downsize, marketplace, 110 per cent committed.

The 2020s Enterprise, we try to use plain talk to provide understanding of various topics of the day. This episode will bring some understanding to some of the more common ill defined, or not defined consistently, terms that you may read about or deal with, in your day to day activities.

The Digital Transformation Mistakes to Avoid!

Public reports are stating that 84 percentage of Digital Transformation projects are failing to deliver their expected benefits. Organizations are realizing that looking for the “sliver bullet”, technological magic, or magic pill, that will magically and mystically transform the organization to a 2020’s enterprise by “Monday morning” is not going to happen.

From this horrifying failure statistic, are there some lessons than can be learned? The short answer is yes and we discuss these lessons this week!

Enterprise Architecture: The How-To Methodology

We will define a four phase methodology of developing a REAL Enterprise Architecture – one that his “human consumable”. This methodology has been practiced, taught, and implemented in organizations large and small, in six of the seven continents of the world nothing in Antarctica – yet!.

Get the essence of developing REAL Enterprise Architecture in this episode. This episode is informative to both business and technology professionals.

Enterprise Architecture: what is it and what is it not, actually

One of the great things about the internet, is anyone can write anything about anything. One of the problems with the internet IS, anyone can write anything about anything!

For Enterprise Architecture, the Google popularity list tool also thought of by some as a search engine!, shows 811,000,000 search entries for Enterprise Architecture. Not really very useful. This presentation will try to bring some method to this madness.

Enabling Business Strategy in the Hyper-Competitive Digital World

With public reports stating that 84 percent of Digital Transformation projects are failing to deliver their expected benefits, organizations are unfortunately, once again, looking for the “sliver bullet”, technological magic, or magic pill that will magically and mystically transform the organization to a 2020s enterprise by “Monday morning”.

We review what Strategy actually is – not to be insulting in any way – but just to focus on this word, and what it actually means. It is more than implementing a new technology! From this base, we will then look at what is a time-tested approach to enabling an organizations strategy, especially in this age of virtually continuous change and the hyper-competitive environment we all in.

Hyper-Competition: Going Beyond Digital Transformation

Many organizations that have embarked on digital transformation are underwhelmed at the return on investment they are seeing. Our observations, from our consulting work, suggests that a high percentage of digital transformation projects and programs are “paving existing cow paths” – useful but far from game-changing.

Cyber Security - what you need to know

Are you wrapping your automobile key fob in aluminum foil? Sam, of course not, I am not paranoid! It is not about paranoia, it is about coming out to the parking lot and not finding your automobile! This broadcast is for you, whether or not aluminum foil is being used. In this episode of The 2020’s Enterprise, we will discuss cyber security, and what you as a business person, technology professional, or just an innocent citizen needs to know.

Human and Business Change is Hard - you need A.C.T.I.O.N.

Less than fifty percent of Digital Transformation is about technology. The reason? This is the "easy" part. The more difficult area of Digital Transformation is the human side of change, that drives Business activities. And coupled to this, is the probable change in Business actions, in part, due to enhanced or revised digital actions.

Get over it - the computer hackers have won!

It may sound like a bit of a strange phrase or topic, but hopefully as we spend the next hour together, you’ll see why I believe that this is a massive concern that really needs to be addressed, rather than what we see going on frankly, which is this - finger-pointing. Finger-pointing is great, but that doesn’t mean anything is going to be addressed.

Big Data and Good Data and Enterprise Architecture

As consultant Tom Davenport said, “At American Airlines, they told me they had 11 different usages of the term ‘airport’. As a frequent traveler on their planes, I was initially a bit concerned about this but when they explained it, the proliferation of meanings made sense. If we try to take these disparate databases that have different definitions of the word airport, what are we going to get? How do you have the unique meanings when you essentially have a running database? Good Data comes before Big Data - we will explore how to get there. It requires Enterprise Architecture.

Moving To An Agile Digitally Transformed Strategic Enterprise

History has demonstrated that two actions are required to provide product agility in the manufacturing space. Do these proven approaches apply to businesses, and enterprises? The short answer is yes. This episode will provide an understanding of what is actually required to move from strategic intent to measurable road-mapped actions.

A Rational Approach to Government Contracting

If you heard the term "beltway bandits", this episode of The 2020's Enterprise will be refreshing to you. In the episode, we interview Brad King and Liam Speeden CEO and CTO of Robbins-Gioia, LLC respectively. 

Fostering State Government Excellence - Getting to know NASCIO

In this episode of The 2020’s Enterprise with Sam Holcman, we are pleased to have as our special guest, Eric Sweden, Program Director, Enterprise Architecture and Governance at NASCIO – the National Association of State Chief Information Officers. 

Soft Skills - What are they and do I need them - YES!

In this episode of The 2020’s Enterprise with Sam Holcman, we explore the “other side of the brain” – soft skills. Being a technical wizard, or expert in a specific field, is no longer enough in today’s digital communication intensive world. 

The Hard Part of Digital Transformation is Organizational Change

As Digital Transformation efforts sweep across Government and Corporate America, many enterprises are finding that the results of their Digital Transformation efforts are much less than expected. 

Moving from the Internet Age to the Information Age Part 3

This episode will complete our elaboration of the twelve attributes of the movement to the next age – the Information Age. Each of these attributes will have a profound impact on all aspects of businesses and technologies. The Industrial Age and Internet Age dominant organizations are and may be facing displacement, or significant change challenges. 

Moving from the Internet Age to the Information Age Part 2

This episode will continue our elaboration of the twelve attributes of the the movement to the next age – the Information Age. Each of these attributes will have a profound impact on all aspects of businesses and technologies. 

Moving from the Internet Age to the Information Age

This episode will provide an understanding of the twelve attributes of the Industrial Age, the Internet Age, and the movement to the next age – the Information Age. Each of these attributes will have a profound impact on all aspects of businesses and technologies. The Industrial Age and Internet Age dominant organizations are and may be facing displacement, or significant change challenges. On the other hand, the opportunity is ripe for a new set of “dominating” organizations to address this new Information Age we are entering. 

Setting the Stage for the 2020 Enterprise and Beyond

This show is about sorting through the internet-driven advice madness that exists in business today. The great thing about the internet is that anyone can write anything about anything. The problem with the internet is that anyone can write anything about anything! Published practices are quite different than “best practices”.