tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44136696238583940472024-02-21T10:40:26.585-08:00BusinessKardioGramMy pulse on the business worldVincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-53634414028827831932015-03-01T07:50:00.001-08:002015-03-01T07:51:01.508-08:00The surprising secret to success<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px;">Research from Stanford's Zakary Tormala and Jayson Jia and HBS' Michael Norton <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2012-18069-001/" target="_blank">find that the surprising secret to selling yourself</a>, isn't about past accomplishments, but about future potential. Applied in practice, one should pitch the future and the potential as opposed to focusing on the past</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Droid Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px;"> (even if it's impressive).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px;">One probably needs both. One's previous accomplishments and wins become the bedrock for one's reputation. If one can control their reputation, being able to highlight potential becomes more important.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Droid Sans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.9999942779541px;">You can read the HBR article <a href="https://hbr.org/2012/08/the-surprising-secret-to-selli?awid=6818565333863817941-3271" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></span>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-21082067610988946072014-08-24T21:09:00.000-07:002014-08-24T21:11:11.596-07:00 Don't forget to do this your first 30 days as a Product Manager<div class="graf--p graf--first" name="2f21" style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
I was about to join a startup as a Product Manager. I was really looking forward to joining a small team and trying to take over the world. As with any new environment it always takes time to adjust. In a startup, however, there is a lot of pressure to start adding value on day one as resources are naturally very constrained. It was important to me to figure out how to aggressively reduce the ramp.</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="9cf7" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a>To prepare, I began researching online and asking my friends what I should do. I heard about having a 30/60/90 day plan and how important it is to stick to it. The more I read, the more I started to realize that a lot of the advice out there is limiting. Much of it focuses on a list of tasks that you should check off. But life as a product manager is rarely just a task list. Sometimes startups need you to help them get the house in order. Some startups want PMs to be the product designers and marketers, while others want you to be the data scientist. Most likely, the startup will want you to do all of the above.</div>
<blockquote class="graf--blockquote" name="544e" style="background-color: white; border-left-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 3px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 30px -23px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 20px;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="544e" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a>Don’t focus on what to do, focus on goals and categorizing 3 objectives</blockquote>
<div class="graf--p" name="6b42" style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="6b42" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a></span></span>While you can (and should) talk to all your teammates beforehand, that alone doesn’t prepare you for life in the startup pit. You also need a plan for how to react to things you can’t prepare for ahead of time.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="1dc7" style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="1dc7" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a></span></span>Here’s where I found inspiration from an unusual source: Donald Rumsfeld. He is <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/03/rumsfelds-knowns-and-unknowns-the-intellectual-history-of-a-quip/359719/" href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/03/rumsfelds-knowns-and-unknowns-the-intellectual-history-of-a-quip/359719/" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 24px; background-repeat: repeat-x; background-size: 2px 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">credited with saying</a>:</div>
<blockquote class="graf--blockquote graf--startsWithDoubleQuote tr_bq" name="4fef" style="background-color: white; border-left-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 3px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin: 0px 0px 30px -23px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 20px;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="4fef" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a>“There are known knowns … there are known unknowns … but there are also unknown unknowns.”</blockquote>
<div class="graf--p" name="537b" style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="537b" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a></span></span>Disregarding its original context, this is a great framework for learning how to adjust to your first few days as a PM at a fast growing startup.</div>
<h4 class="graf--h4" name="d4e3" style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.439216); font-family: jaf-bernino-sans, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans', Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: -0.02em; line-height: 1.2; margin: 40px 0px 2px -0.03em;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="d4e3" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a><span class="markup--strong markup--h4-strong">Known Knowns</span></h4>
<div class="graf--p" name="21be" style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="21be" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a></span></span>This can be a task list. You should know why they’ve selected you to join the team. Focus on what’s important on day 1. There are plenty of resources and other blog posts that describe what you should do in your first 90 days. Here are some check lists and suggestions from other product managers. However, don’t just stop here, your onboarding shouldn’t be limited to a task list of what to learn — it’s the ability to figure out how things work, what is broken, and how you can step in to provide value.</div>
<h4 class="graf--h4" name="fdaa" style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.439216); font-family: jaf-bernino-sans, 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Sans', Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: -0.02em; line-height: 1.2; margin: 40px 0px 2px -0.03em;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="fdaa" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a>Known Unknowns</h4>
<div class="graf--p" name="7a90" style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="7a90" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a></span></span>From meeting and talking to various members of the team, you have a hunch as to what is and is not working. Use this new time to meet with people and get their point of view on what is working or not. This is where you flex your soft skills to try to identify those percolating issues that may not have surfaced during the interview process. At the end of the day, people are looking to do things faster, cheaper or better. Figure out what the team needs, as this can be an opportunity for you to provide additional value.</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="7ec5" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a>Unknown Unknowns</h4>
<div class="graf--p" name="8715" style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="8715" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a></span></span>There are things you’ll find you don’t know that you needed to know. Often events can blindside you like a Mack truck, thundering along and leaving you speechless. Step away and try to figure out how to deal with the issue. While getting to know your colleagues and chatting with them may uncover them, more often than not these items are unknown unknowns because there wasn’t a good way to figure them out.</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="f25e" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a>Unknown Unknowns can be the bane of your existence or the boon of your success. Recovering your footing quickly shows individual agility in your actions. With fast-moving startup projects, start by breaking down what kinds of decisions the “new known” will require. In <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060833459?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=0060833459&linkCode=shr&tag=thokid-20&linkId=7OSO2DPK4X34337V&hvadid=44464466341&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17093531357131270515&hvpone=9.60&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060833459?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=0060833459&linkCode=shr&tag=thokid-20&linkId=7OSO2DPK4X34337V&hvadid=44464466341&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17093531357131270515&hvpone=9.60&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c" rel="nofollow" style="background: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%) 0px 24px / 2px 2px repeat-x transparent; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em">The Effective Executive</em></a>, Peter Drucker gives a framework for classifying decision-making:</div>
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<li class="graf--li" name="5257" style="margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 30px; padding-top: 2px;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="5257" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a><strong class="markup--strong markup--li-strong">Truly generic:</strong> Is this a decision that you’ve made before, and that you’re going to have to make again? A generic decision is like figuring out what to get for lunch every day — you know it will come up again and again.</li>
<li class="graf--li" name="900e" style="margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 30px; padding-top: 2px;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="900e" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a><strong class="markup--strong markup--li-strong">Generic, but unique to you:</strong> This occurs often when there is asymmetric information. While it’s unique to you, it’s a common occurrence.</li>
<li class="graf--li" name="ef8e" style="margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 30px; padding-top: 2px;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="ef8e" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a><strong class="markup--strong markup--li-strong">Truly unique</strong>: A decision that is truly unique to the circumstance.</li>
<li class="graf--li" name="f994" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 30px; padding-top: 2px;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="f994" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a><strong class="markup--strong markup--li-strong">Currently unique:</strong> Does this decision represent a new “breed” of decisions?</li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="978b" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a>When blindsided by an unknown unknown, everything seems urgent. Great product managers can use Drucker’s framework to think through, break down, and categorize the decisions required by new critical information.</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="0fa0" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a>Once you understand more about them, document the unknown unknowns to see if there are any common threads. While there shouldn’t be a ton of them (hopefully), the idea is to determine if there are trends and misalignments in expectations across various stakeholders (engineering, design, CEO, customer service, sales).</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="75e1" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a>I created a simple <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://bit.ly/HuangV_UU" href="http://bit.ly/HuangV_UU" rel="nofollow" style="background: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%) 0px 24px / 2px 2px repeat-x transparent; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">google form for myself</a> to document whenever I run into something where I was blindsided or the outcome was drastically different than I had expected.</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="2421" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a>-=-=-<br />
Starting a new job is never easy. Doing it as the first PM hire at a startup doesn’t make it any easier. With pressure to meet expectations and the desire to beat expectations, it’s not an easy route to navigate. However, by focusing on these goals:</div>
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<li class="graf--li" name="94fa" style="margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 30px; padding-top: 2px;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="94fa" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a>Tackling known known</li>
<li class="graf--li" name="8fac" style="margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 30px; padding-top: 2px;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="8fac" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a>Digging for potential known unknowns</li>
<li class="graf--li" name="6499" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 30px; padding-top: 2px;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="6499" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a>Stepping back and categorizing unknown unknowns that flare up</li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="cec0" style="background: transparent; color: inherit;"></a>You may just be able to provide the value that you were hired to do.</div>
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This was originally posted on <a href="https://medium.com/@HuangV/reduce-the-ramp-tips-for-your-first-30-days-as-a-product-manager-7a04218aa62a" target="_blank">medium</a>.</div>
Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-41027305574127981202013-09-23T06:15:00.000-07:002013-09-23T06:15:00.134-07:00Relevance is about amping the signal amidst the noiseVery interesting article about <a href="http://www.massrelevance.com/" target="_blank">Mass Relevance</a>, an Austin-based startup that has raised $5 Million. The company plunges through the firehose of Twitter messages to help corporations and events pull out brand-safe and relevant messages to show on the TV.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The platform, using real-time filters, sifts through hundreds of thousands of tweets, dumps the retweets and replies, purges the content producers know they don't want -- profane tweets, for instance -- and then presents what's left in a queue where someone manually approves the tweets to go on screen. The system can also collect and analyze data for visualizations and power audience polls.</blockquote>
The insight is that information is rarely consumable. Mass Relevance has made a business out of finding what is consumable in a timely manner. This sole fact makes it easy for it to be ready to be used on other mediums, like TV.
<br />
<br />
You can read the entire article <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57603896-93/the-secret-company-behind-twitters-tv-takeover/" target="_blank">here</a>.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-24843562680882658652013-06-22T08:11:00.000-07:002013-06-23T16:28:14.634-07:00bizkg pulse: Coursera, Nintendo, Future of film, and new mobile (Week of June 16)<b>You don't even need $1.50 in late charges anymore</b><br />
According to a <a href="http://news.stanford.edu/pr/2012/pr-innovation-economic-impact-102412.html" target="_blank">study</a>, Stanford students have created companies that generate about $2.7 trillion in revenue. If you're hoping for some of that mojo, check out professors <a href="https://www.coursera.org/instructor/vijaypande" target="_blank">Vijay Pande</a> and<a href="https://www.coursera.org/instructor/balajis" target="_blank"> Balaji Srinivasan</a>'s "<a href="https://www.coursera.org/course/startup" target="_blank">Startup Engineering</a>" class (CS184). It's open to the public through the<a href="https://www.coursera.org/course/startup" target="_blank"> Coursera </a>platform.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>What is more valuable, the network or the IP?</b><br />
Nintendo claims that smart phones aren't hurting sales. It's belief that IP will attract users implies that Nintendo believes that Network Effects & IP. Read more <a href="http://allthingsd.com/20130612/nintendos-iwata-blames-slow-wii-u-sales-on-software-gaps-says-mobile-isnt-impacting-industry/?mod=tweet" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>BHAG not good for Studios?</b><br />
George Lucas & Steven Spielberg. Studios will buckle under the weight of making bigger and bigger budget films will Studios, causing it to implode. They believe that Video On Demand is the future. As long as George Lucas isn't writing the script, I'm willing to check it <a href="http://variety.com/2013/digital/news/lucas-spielberg-on-future-of-entertainment-1200496241/" target="_blank">out</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Is there room for one more?</b><br />
While many ODMs and OEMs struggle, new companies are entering the global mobile phone market. Huawei's Ascend is finally official. Can they repeat the success (limited) of HTC? Read more about the phone <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/18/huawei-ascend-p6-official/" target="_blank">here</a>.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-62406905221200372013-06-15T07:59:00.000-07:002013-06-23T16:27:18.808-07:00Pulse: Google, Gungho, Supercell, and WWDC (Week of June 9th)<b>Spotlight Shifts Over The Pond for Games</b><br />
As Zynga lays off almost 18% of its staff, the spotlight has shifted to new darlings of the gaming space--King, SuperCell, and Gungho. Neither company harks from the US, but instead over the ponds to UK, Sweden, and Japan, respectively. King currently has the number game on both Facebook and mobile platforms. SuperCell with only two games on mobile makes $2.4 Million per day, and Gungho's Puzzle & Dragons has set it's market cap to be larger than Nintendo. There have been some great breakdowns on why these games have been so successful. Read about them:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://deconstructoroffun.blogspot.com/2013/05/beating-candy-crush-saga.html" target="_blank">King's Candy Crush</a></li>
<li><a href="http://gyrovague.com/2013/06/05/time-is-money-how-clash-of-clans-earns-500000-a-day-with-in-app-purchases/" target="_blank">Supercell's Clash of Clans</a></li>
<li><a href="http://gamasutra.com/blogs/MichailKatkoff/20130225/187247/How_Puzzle__Dragons_Does_It.php" target="_blank">Gungho's Puzzle & Dragons</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Google Goes on the Offensive with Transparency...</b><br />
To try to clear up its name amidst the PRISM controversy. Google takes the offensive by openly posting <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/asking-us-government-to-allow-google-to.html" target="_blank">a blog post asking </a>to the government to be more open.<br />
<br />
<b>...But goes on the defensive with Map Information</b><br />
More on Google. Not be left out on the $1Billion dollar acquisition fun, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-11/google-acquires-software-maker-waze-in-push-to-make-maps-social.html" target="_blank">Google acquires Waze</a>. The question is why? With 47 M users, Waze has a unique solution to maintaining live map information through crowdsourcing it. However, this number <strike>pails</strike> pales in comparison w/ 300M total Android activations (let's say only 50% actually have used maps). Which begs the question, did Google buy Waze for map information? or just as a defensive move.<br />
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />
<b>Apple Announces things while offering a Sneak Peak</b><br />
Tim Cook kicked off WWDC. Here are some of the <a href="http://gigaom.com/2013/06/10/wwdc-2013-apple-ios7-roundup/" target="_blank">highlights</a>.<br />
As Aaron Levie of Box eloquently put it on twitter:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Apple Employee: "What should we launch at WWDC?" Tim Cook: "Everything"<br />
— Aaron Levie (@levie) <a href="https://twitter.com/levie/status/344166167084138496">June 10, 2013</a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</blockquote>
</div>
Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-76474619462446436862013-05-29T09:02:00.000-07:002013-05-29T09:02:00.539-07:00What makes Tumblr so Interesting?Reading into the Tumblr has been interesting in uncovering what makes Tumblr so successful. Adam Rifkin believes that, like Twitter, Tumblr has a mapping of an individual's interest. Where a "single resource is for more specific than a specific feed."<br />
<br />
Why is the interest so valuable?<br />
<ul>
<li>Allow for the expression of extremely specific interests </li>
<li>Cater to more readers than writers </li>
<li>Host content that is valuable without any specific social, temporal, or platform relationship between readers and writers </li>
<li>Capture intent, particularly commercial intent.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Read the entire article <a href="http://allthingsd.com/20130524/why-tumblr-was-a-massive-steal-for-yahoo/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-55242165752921538992013-05-28T07:37:00.000-07:002013-05-28T07:37:00.074-07:00Tumblr wants you to reblog its advertising<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tumblrs-ad-sales-pitch-deck-2013-5?op=1" target="_blank">Business Insider</a> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tumblrs-ad-sales-pitch-deck-2013-5?op=1" target="_blank">Jim Edward</a> got his hands on the pitch-deck that Tumblr has been passing around.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Tumblr will launch a test of "in-stream" ads on its desktop users' dashboards... The ads will look like normal posts from other Tumblr users, appearing in users' personal news feeds.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In-stream ads, however, will appear <i>as if they have come from someone a Tumblr user </i>has followed. (When you follow someone on Tumblr, their blog posts are aggregated into your personal dashboard news feed.) </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
A "select" group of advertisers will be chosen for the test. It includes:<ul>
<li>An entry fee of <i>$200,000.</i></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Clients will get 10 "Radar" posts between May 21 and July 21</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In addition, those clients get 10 web in-stream posts targeted at U.S. users.</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: right;">
[italics added by author]</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Very interesting that Tumblr adopts Twitter's anchor price of $200,000. For in-stream advertising to work at Tumblr, the ads must reflect a certain level of style and personalization. Not likely to see a Tumblr ad for Magic Scrub. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The<b> key metric </b>to track if this is success? <a href="http://www.quora.com/K-factor" target="_blank">K-Factor</a>.</div>
Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-18340979989260212772013-01-05T08:35:00.000-08:002013-01-05T08:35:00.212-08:00Did you see my flexible sentence on facebook?Today, Facebook <a href="https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2013/01/03/better-open-graph-stories-with-flexible-sentences/" target="_blank">announced</a> a new "flexible sentence" options for apps that publish to Facebook using the custom open graph structure.<br />
<br />
These posts typically appear on your Timeline. More flexibility and options are good for developers. But I can't help but wonder if they are missing the forest from the trees. I for one almost never go to someone else's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/about/timeline" target="_blank">Facebook Timeline</a>. I don't have any hard numbers, but anecdotally, I've heard from other developers that traffic from the Timeline is pretty small. What is the point of optimizing a feature that doesn't get much traffic?<br />
<br />
In other words, if <i>a flexible sentence falls in the woods, and no one is around to hear it, does it matter?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Click to read the Facebook's Blog post <a href="https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2013/01/03/better-open-graph-stories-with-flexible-sentences/" target="_blank">here</a>.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-18279783504929291182012-12-26T08:00:00.000-08:002012-12-26T08:00:06.609-08:00Planwise helps you plan wisely by focusing on scenarios The <a href="http://planwise.com/" target="_blank">Planwise</a> app has a unique take on how to leverage data. Interesting take in the world of personal finance. Instead of showing a current snapshot, the service paints of picture of what it can be via scenarios.
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.66666603088379px;">"Most PFM [Personal Financial Management] tools focus on where you are today and where you have been," Niall Wells, CFO, COO and business development exec at Planwise tells BTN. "People don't care that much about money. …The times they do care about money is when they undertake a large transaction or are about to run out of money. We position our tool more from a behavioral standpoint."</span></blockquote>
Read more about it in <a href="http://www.americanbanker.com/issues/177_246/planwise-ipad-app-lets-consumers-model-their-financial-future-1055426-1.html?zkPrintable=true" target="_blank">American Banker</a>.<br />
<br />
Their approach got me thinking. With the deluge of data out there, many of our organizational dashboards and analytics focus too much in two areas: daily metrics, and lagging indicators. For example, mobile app companies obsess over their iTunes store ranking or track every blip in their <a href="http://www.quora.com/DAU-MAU" target="_blank">DAU/MAU</a> numbers.<br />
<br />
I wonder if there is a way to use the same data but to take a longer more "behavioral" standpoint.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-64140147981663074042012-10-23T08:50:00.000-07:002012-10-23T08:50:00.638-07:00When to go verticalElon Musk, CEO of Tesla has a great post on the decision for Tesla to create it's own <a href="http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/tesla-approach-distributing-and-servicing-cars" target="_blank">approach to distributing and servicing its cars</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
Tesla, as a new carmaker, would therefore rarely have the opportunity to educate potential customers about Model S if we were positioned in typical auto dealer locations. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
That is why we are deliberately positioning our store and gallery locations in high foot traffic, high visibility retail venues, like malls and shopping streets that people regularly visit in a relatively open-minded buying mood. This allows us to interact with potential customers and have them learn about our cars from Tesla Product Specialists before they have decided which new car to buy. </blockquote>
<b>Insight:</b> Introducing a new product to an existing market, a company should adopt a more vertical strategy. Owning the end customer is extremely important as it allows you to position and control the message and experience.<br />
Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-68415339233827853202012-08-16T18:46:00.000-07:002012-08-16T18:46:00.793-07:00Big Fish Casino introduces real-money gambling in the UKMobile companies launch products that pool a global-base of players while selecting monetization methods of gaming or gambling based on local regulations.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica, arial, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">While real-money gambling is only getting turned on in the UK version of the iOS app, users in other markets like the U.S. will be still be able to share chips across different games, chat with other players and give virtual gifts. The non-gambling version of Casino will be available on </span><a href="http://play.google.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #0a9600; font-family: helvetica, arial, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; outline-style: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Google Play</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica, arial, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">,</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Big-Fish-Games-Card-Ace/dp/B0070YDOT8/" style="background-color: white; color: #0a9600; font-family: helvetica, arial, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; outline-style: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon’s Appstore</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica, arial, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">, the </span><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/big-fish-casino-free-slots/id538212549?ls=1&mt=8" style="background-color: white; color: #0a9600; font-family: helvetica, arial, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; outline-style: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">App Store</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica, arial, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> and </span><a href="http://apps.facebook.com/bigfishcasino" style="background-color: white; color: #0a9600; font-family: helvetica, arial, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px; outline-style: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: helvetica, arial, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">.</span></blockquote>
<div>
<a href="http://techcrunch.com/2012/08/16/big-fish-raises-the-stakes-with-real-money-gambling-on-the-iphone-with-big-fish-casino/">Big Fish Casino Raises The Stakes on iPhone with Real-Money Gambling</a></div>
Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-81974850481174018192012-02-25T15:05:00.000-08:002012-08-16T14:47:10.839-07:00Nimble Bit takes another bite at Zynga<br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
Tiny Tower maker NimbleBit just took another bite at Zynga for copying their game with the launch of Dream Heights. First the guys at Nimble Bit <a data-mce-href="http://blog.games.com/2012/01/24/nimblebit-zynga-dream-heights-tiny-tower/" href="http://blog.games.com/2012/01/24/nimblebit-zynga-dream-heights-tiny-tower/" target="_blank" title="Open Letter to Zynga">wrote an open letter to Zynga</a>.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
And now, to the delight of their Tiny Tower players, they've created a new passive aggressive mission to win in-game currency.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
The mission, "Beware of Dog" with a Bitizen dressed in a Devil costume includes the copy "After failing to buy your tower, a rival developer would like the following: 13,500 Tower Design (Architect Office), 2,500 City Sim (Game Studio)"</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<a data-mce-href="http://vincentkardiogram.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/BewareofDog.png" href="http://vincentkardiogram.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/BewareofDog.png"><img alt="Tiny Tower's Beware of Dog Mission" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-403" data-mce-src="http://vincentkardiogram.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/BewareofDog-224x300.png" height="300" src="http://vincentkardiogram.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/BewareofDog-224x300.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tiny Tower's Beware of Dog Mission" width="224" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
It's no secret that many of Zynga's games are clones from other studios. In fact, this is pretty common practice across most social gaming companies.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
I'm a captive audience for Tiny Tower, given that I've already invested time building my tower. I'm less likely to try Zynga's new game. However, it will be interesting what's going to happen. Unlike Facebook, where Zynga has a the offer bar, virality is a harder nut to crack with mobile. Social, on balance, is a lot harder to get right on mobile than on Facebook. Social games that have worked are either multiplayer or head-to-head games (like <a data-mce-href="http://mashable.com/2011/12/07/alec-baldwin/" href="http://mashable.com/2011/12/07/alec-baldwin/" target="_blank">words with friends</a>)</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
The ease of copying a game and the inability to protect the IP mean that companies like Nimble Bit have a couple different options: They can complain about it (which Nimble Bit did with dazzling pizzazz), double down on customer acquisition, and/or innovate.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
While the jabs are definitely fun, Niimble Bit also needs to start pouring money to make sure they get in front of the user first. Apple's spotlight as the game of the year has been great, but the team needs to continually throw cash in becoming the first play for each new user. Continually innovating (which they have done) will help beef up retention from their player-base.</div>
Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-49108631406413503622011-09-11T10:48:00.000-07:002011-09-11T10:48:26.697-07:00Agile vs Waterfall – Improved Performance is NOT GuaranteedMichael Marchi reminds us that Agile doesn't always perform faster than Waterfall. While Agile helps enables us to move faster, he reminds us that we still need to adhere to a robust definition of "done."
<br />
<blockquote>
If allowed to go too far, a project team that tolerates this behavior could <b>underperform</b> even a Waterfall project.
Agile done well will produce a positive effect.
Agile done poorly can be worse than not doing Agile at all.
The missed opportunities, nagging design flaws, overlooked defects, and the low quality that results is referred to as “Technical Debt”. The yellow shaded area represents this lost productivity.</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://agilerealms.net/scrummybears/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/TechDebt31.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://agilerealms.net/scrummybears/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/TechDebt31.png" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Read the entire blog post <a href="http://agilerealms.net/scrummybears/?p=172">here</a>.</div>
Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-39200991626266869112011-05-20T15:22:00.000-07:002011-05-20T15:22:33.550-07:00Can Google's Chromebook Break Windows [Network Effects]Michael Mace provides his thoughts on whether or not <a href="http://mobileopportunity.blogspot.com/2011/05/can-googles-chromebook-break-windows.html" target="_blank">Google's Chromebooks can break Windows</a>:<br />
<blockquote>I wish it were true. Windows deserves to be replaced. It's just plain old, weighted down with decades of compromises and tweaks. The OS steadily degrades as you use it, and the security software companies will tell you privately that it's impossible to fully protect it from hostile software. I'm sure that with a clean start we could do better.<br />
<br />
So I love Google's idea. Unfortunately, the Chromebook as currently defined is woefully unready to take on Windows. It may capture some niches and verticals, but it won't have a major effect on the industry unless Google makes major changes to it. And some of the biggest barriers to its success are inside Google itself.</blockquote>The core argument underlying Mike's analysis centers around identifying the company that owns the network effects. Indeed, it is Microsoft with its OS and Office that own the network effects. When there is no clear owner of network effects, each technological generation completely opens up the field. However, when there is a clear owner of network effects, the winner of the previous generation gets to carry over it's advantage. Think of it a football rivalry where the score never resets to zero. That is the case with Microsoft. Proof that it owns the network effects is in the pudding (Vista, anyone?).<br />
<br />
Microsoft has been scoring for years. For Google Chromebooks to win, it needs a couple thousand points just to be close:<br />
<blockquote>Once a computing platform is established, it's not enough to make a product that's better overall. You have to duplicate the core benefits of the current product, and be so much better in some areas that you overcome the users' natural resistance to change.</blockquote>For Google to win the network effects, it not only needs to build in features that elicit customer delight, but the basic must-haves for business operations.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-75178425912338514462011-05-10T18:20:00.004-07:002011-05-10T18:50:18.200-07:00Thank You Skyhook, Now It's Mine. Sincerely Apple and GoogleToday both Google and Apple were asked to come before the US Senate judiciary subcommittee regarding a hearing <a href="http://www.tuaw.com/2011/05/06/apples-bud-tribble-will-testify-before-senate-committee-says-f/">on privacy, technology and the law</a>. You can read TUAW's <a href="http://www.tuaw.com/2011/05/10/the-difference-between-apple-and-google-at-the-senate-hearings/" target="_blank">assessment</a> as well as view a video of the opening statement by Senator Al Franken from today's hearings <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/SenatorFranken">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<strong>Tracking Wi-Fi Stations</strong><br />
At the core, Android and iPhone devices have been tracking the locations of Wi-Fi signals. This is important because it allows the phone to know where you are. Simplified, there are three main ways a phone can locate you: satellites, cell towers and wi-fi signals. Using triangulation algorithms, the phone calculates your position based any of these three methods. However, there are draw-backs to both satellites and cell-towers. Satellites take forever and rarely work in urban situations where the signals gets bounced around. Cell towers are great for approximate location. It's through wi-fi signals that phones can pinpoint the location under 100 feet.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://vincentkardiogram.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/photo1.jpg"><img alt="Comparing Wi Fi vs. GPS" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-303" height="169" src="http://vincentkardiogram.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/photo1-300x169.jpg" title="Comparing Wi Fi vs. GPS" width="300" /></a></div>However for Wi-Fi tracking to work, the phone needs to be know the location of the Wi-Fi signal it picks up. Additionally, the map of these Wi-Fi stations are constantly changing as individuals set up, move, or take down these routers. While Google and Apple have been getting a lot of heat, Boson start-up Skyhook pioneered the technology. In 2008, Apple decided to use Skyhook technology in its iPod and iPod Touch.<br />
<br />
<strong>Thanks for showing me how its done</strong><br />
<br />
It wasn't long before both Google and Apple, who had originally licensed the technology and the data realized that they had the ability to build their own data layer. And thus, they did. Skyhook is now fighting to stay ahead of the game and become the technology source for wi-fi enabled locationing. Recently Skyhook has sued Google for both patent infringement as well Google exerting its market influence on Motorola to switch providers. You can <a href="http://www.scribd.com/full/37511005?access_key=key-u85nsrruov2hc3oomiw" target="_blank">read the filing</a>.<br />
<br />
<strong>What should Skyhook do</strong>?<br />
The case got me thinking, if I were the proverbial David being crowded out by Goliaths the likes of Google and Apple, what would I do?<br />
<br />
Here's my breakdown:<br />
<br />
<em><strong>Shifting Winds</strong></em><br />
<br />
Skyhook needs to fight or at the mercy of platform providers (like Google and Apple), Skyhook requires a strategy that centers on the results of current suits and takes advantage of the shifting regulatory/political environment. Beyond the current two suits Skyhook has with Google, recent shifts in both the consumer and political meme focusing on privacy and smartphone data collection may serve as an opportunity for Skyhook.[i] Indeed, we should watch carefully the questions and answers from both Apple and Google when they appear in front of Congress on May 10<sup>th</sup>. Because the results of these two events have yet to play themselves out, I posit that Skyhook’s strategy should be played out in two stages.<br />
<br />
<strong> </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Critiques on Competitive Advantages</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>IP/Regulation:</strong> Skyhook has a defensible patent portfolio around the technology. As mentioned previously, current political and consumer sentiment may also play a role in upcoming legislation. Skyhook needs to continually battle in courts and win. IfSkyhook can win core patent disputes, it has a defensible IP position. Then it can choose to either follow the route of ARM and become a friendly licensee or go aggressive and resemble the NTP/RIMM relationship.[ii]<br />
<br />
Lastly, there is regulation risk. Should the US government decide to further open up the accuracy of GPS or if other foreign countries decide to offer higher grade GPS, it may lessen the importance of Wi-Fi locationing.<br />
<br />
<strong> </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Brand: </strong>While Skyhook does not have a current brand advantage, the recent focus on smartphone and PND privacy on Google, Apple, Microsoft, and TomTom may be become an advantage of Skyhook.[iii]Skyhook needs to get in front of the issue and position itself as an independent third-party provider that puts the upmost care on protecting consumer privacy. Indeed, its method of data collection sends point data, as opposed to anonymized user data.[iv]<br />
<br />
<strong>Economies of Scale</strong>: Companies benefit from economies of scale. But the location dataset is constantly shifting. Because Google could no longer collect WiFi data from its streetview cars, it needs to find a way to build the database. [v] It remains to see what restrictions will be put on Google and Apple after the May 10<sup>th</sup> hearing.[vi]<br />
<br />
Given the decaying nature of WiFi location maps, <em>no current player has a sustainable advantage</em>. This is a prime example of the Red Queen Effect. A company needs to have a critical mass of distributed data collectors to build this competitive advantage. It can either build it itself or find a method of leveraging the crowd. The latter is the more cost-efficient method, but companies must be careful due to increasing focus on privacy concerns.<br />
<br />
<strong>Network Effects:</strong> While Skyhook does not have network effects, (as evidenced by both Apple and Google shifting), I question whether Apple or Google currently have it as well.<br />
<br />
<strong>Employ a Horizontal Strategy where Reach is Paramount</strong><br />
<br />
A horizontal strategy is the best chance that Skyhook has to survive. Given its limited access to capital,Skyhook does not have the financial resources to deploy vertically down the value chain. Unlike Qualcomm, Skyhook does not have a secondary business for the company to go vertical only to become a horizontal player. Skyhook operates lean and under very tight cost controls.[vii] Given the length of the current litigation between itself and Google, its resources are even more constrained. However, givenSkyhook’s patent portfolio, it may be able to exert some pressure if it can win favorable ruling in its current lawsuits.<br />
<br />
<strong>The Race to Own the Database of Current Location Data</strong><br />
<br />
<strong> </strong>Skyhook occupies two portions of the value chain: location data and the location optimizing software. In going horizontal, Skyhook needs to determine whether or not it wants to occupy both or just one piece. Location data is viewed as a critical asset for all the players involved and this is what all the companies will be fighting over. This is because owning the data adds the contextual understanding of the end-user. The ability to serve location-based advertising that understands that a user spends his time at a driving range once a week is projected to become a multi-billion dollar business.[viii] Additionally, providing precise location data is more useful to companies that approximate (e.g. Foursquare proximity check-ins versus Shopkick in store walk-ins) for companies business models.<br />
<br />
Skyhook’s many rivals want to own this data. Skyhook’s rivals can be divided into four parts of the value chain:<br />
<div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="132"><strong>Value Chain</strong></td> <td valign="top" width="276"><strong>Example Companies</strong></td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="132"><strong>Device</strong></td> <td valign="top" width="276">Apple, Nokia, Samsung, Motorola</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="132"><strong>OS</strong></td> <td valign="top" width="276">Google, Apple, Nokia, Microsoft</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="132"><strong>Location MiddleWare</strong></td> <td valign="top" width="276">Navizon</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="132"><strong>Applications</strong></td> <td valign="top" width="276">Facebook, Foursquare</td> </tr>
</tbody> </table></div><em> </em><br />
<br />
<strong>Horizontal Strategy > Prioritizing Potential Partners</strong><br />
<br />
With a horizontal strategy Skyhook should prioritize its strategic partners based on partners that can provide the most scale. For each vertical (e.g mobile phones, digital cameras, PCs, ereaders, portable gaming devices,[ix]etc), Skyhook should approach by: OS, Device, and then Apps.<br />
<ol><li> OS companies like Microsoft, Google, and Apple provide the greatest opportunity. However, it is acknowledged that over time, companies will want to build their own location databases.</li>
<li>Component/Device Manufacturers: Provide the second most scale, while also allowing for the possibility of integrating its software with either the device or the processors.</li>
<li>Applications: The application for wireless devices follows an immense long-tail. Focusing on larger apps like it current partners is desirable, but a bottoms-up approach will drain Skyhook’s already thin capital reserves. Instead of inking deals with developers,Skyhook should open up its APIs to encourage developers to use its location platform.</li>
</ol>A solid API strategy will enable Skyhook to grow it’s developer base beyond the initial 200 developers. [x] Skyhook’s API strategy should also focus on applications that require precise information. For example Augmented Reality will become an increasingly ubiquitous technology.<br />
<br />
<strong> </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Two Steps: Win Patent, Win Race for Map Database</strong><br />
To date, Skyhook has filed two suits against Google. The first claims patent infringement. The second alleges “unfair and intentional interference with its contractual and business relationships.” The first claim of patent infringement will be critical to Skyhook’s long-term survival. This is because if the ruling is favorable, it can demand and gain licensing from anyone using location (other than GPS) on mobile devices to deliver information, content. [xi] The second claim will provide a payout that will help sustain Skyhook.<br />
<br />
Beyond winning litigation, Skyhook has to maintain the largest DB for Map Data. Winning litigation will make it facilitate its strategy as it can employ a licensing strategy and provide value-added services. However, should it win and decide to trade rates much like Qualcomm, it is possible that larger firms with its access to capital may seek to forge methods to cut off Skyhook. Should larger firms succeed,Skyhook will most likely move to become a patent holding company like NTP. If it loses litigation, it will most likely lose the data DB game and become an acquisition target.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>The 1-2-3s of Skyhook:</strong><br />
<br />
1. Go Horizontal<br />
<br />
· Mobile, Devices, PCs, anything that connects to Wifi<br />
<br />
2. Build a Brand (Unlike Apple/Google)<br />
<br />
· Build on privacy concerns and differentiate<br />
<br />
· Leverage brand to get Congress to get Apple/Google to go to a 3<sup>rd</sup> party source of location data<br />
<br />
3. Defend IP and Win Map DB:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<img alt="" height="140" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=7f0e2af91c&view=att&th=12fb773a081d536b&attid=0.1&disp=emb&zw" width="408" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<div><b>Notes:</b><br />
[i] Swift, Mike. “Google emails highlight value of location data.” <em>Silicon Valley Mercury News. </em><a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_17960065" target="_blank">http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_17960065</a><em> </em><br />
[ii] Stuart, Wienberg. “NTP In License Pact With Nokia.” Dow Jones Newswires (June 14, 2004). Excerpt below (Emphasis added):</div><div><pre>Nokia Corp. (NOK) has licensed five NTP Inc. patents that are at the center of a dispute between NTP and Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM).</pre><pre>In a four-line press release issued Monday afternoon, <strong>NTP</strong><strong> said it entered into a license agreement with Nokia under U.S. patents</strong> 5,436,960, 5,625,670, 5,819,172, 6,067,451 and 6,317,592 and related issued patents and pending patent applications. The license covers all Nokia products and equipment, but excludes network communication services, the release said.</pre><pre>Last year, a Virginia court ruled that Research In Motion, maker of the BlackBerry wireless handheld device, had infringed on the five NTP patents. The court ordered <strong>Research In Motion</strong><strong> to pay NTP $53 million, as well as an ongoing 8.55% royalty on the bulk of BlackBerry sales in North America</strong>. The court also ordered an injunction on BlackBerry sales in North America but immediately stayed the injunction pending an appeal.</pre>[iii] Needleman, Ralph. “Reporters' Roundtable: The location-tracking dilemma.” CNET. (April 29, 2011). <a href="http://www.cnet.com/8301-30976_1-20058678-10348864.html" target="_blank">http://www.cnet.com/8301-30976_1-20058678-10348864.html</a><br />
[iv] Yarrow, Jay. “Everything You Need to Know About How Phones Are Stalking You.” <em>Business Insider. </em>(April 28, 2011) <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/skyhook-ceo-2011-4" target="_blank">http://www.businessinsider.com/skyhook-ceo-2011-4</a></div><div>[v] <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/wifi-data-collection-update.html" target="_blank">http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/wifi-data-collection-update.html</a></div><div>[vi] Eaton, Kit. “Google Restarts Street View Info-Grab, Without Illegal Wi-Fi Snooping.” Fast Company (July 9, 2010) <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/1668567/google-maps-street-view-wi-fi-wireless-snooping-personal-data-congress" target="_blank">http://www.fastcompany.com/1668567/google-maps-street-view-wi-fi-wireless-snooping-personal-data-congress</a></div><div>[vii] <em>Skyhook Wireless. </em>Harvard Business School. April 7, 2009. Ref: 9-809-119</div><div>[viii] <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_17960065" target="_blank">http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_17960065</a></div><div>[ix] <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/next-gen-psp-skyhook-2011-2" target="_blank">http://www.businessinsider.com/next-gen-psp-skyhook-2011-2</a></div><div><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/next-gen-psp-skyhook-2011-2" target="_blank"></a>[x]<em>Skyhook Wireless. </em>Harvard Business School. April 7, 2009. Ref: 9-809-119</div><div>[xi] <a href="http://searchengineland.com/skyhook-wireless-sues-google-you-lie-about-openness-50902" target="_blank">http://searchengineland.com/skyhook-wireless-sues-google-you-lie-about-openness-50902</a></div>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-24035115985223883822010-10-30T21:02:00.000-07:002010-11-15T21:03:24.229-08:00If the web is dead, who pays for its funeralThe following post was cross-posted on the <a href="http://berkeleydmec.org/dmec_blog/?p=869">Berkeley DMEC blog</a>.<br />
<br />
Earlier this week, the <a href="http://www.ischool.berkeley.edu/" target="_blank">iSchool</a> invited <a href="http://aboue.me/roybahat" target="_blank">Roy Bahat</a>, President of IGN Entertainment, to share his thoughts on Chris Anderson's article, <em><a href="http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/08/ff_webrip/all/1" target="_blank">The Web is Dead</a></em>.<br />
<br />
Roy kicked-off the conversation by looking at several technologies and information systems--area codes, television channels, and world of warcraft. Through those analogies, Roy highlighted his perspective on his interpretation of the web is dead:<br />
<ul><li>Analogy of the web as a place is no longer relevant</li>
<li>Abundance destroys meaning</li>
<li>Ebb and flow between choice and simplicity</li>
</ul>To Roy, the rise of applications is a return to a less fragmented and noisy world as people seek to reduce choice for simplicity. The web is as we know it is being replaced by an app state of mind.<br />
<br />
If true, this has some amazing implications on the space. In the web-based world, the predominate monetization business model for websites was through advertising. The idea of free (also championed by Chris Anderson), has become the predominant way we view the web.<br />
<br />
Credit Suisse estimates that the advertising revenue makes up 24.1% of total mobile web revenue opportunities (of an estimated $3.2B US Mobile revenue forecast). The remaining 75.9% ($2.5B) source from mobile paid apps. While we still see display advertising in applications (iAds, admob, and Yahoo!), this introduces a larger channel for who pays.<br />
<br />
You, the consumer.<br />
<br />
Along with the shift to an app framework, monetization strategies will also change as individuals also become a viable revenue source. The question then becomes, how big will consumer driven revenue be in comparison to advertising driven revenue?<br />
<br />
If this is true, it raises two important questions:<br />
<ol><li>Are consumers ready to pay their own way?</li>
<li>What will brands do?</li>
</ol>Roy Bahat will be teaching at the Haas School of Business in spring 2011. Both Roy and Chris will be speaking at the 6th Annual >Play conference todayVincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-23586574636904606772010-10-08T20:59:00.000-07:002010-11-15T20:59:50.761-08:00The Internet is coming to a living room near you...<em>This was cross-posted on the <a href="http://berkeleydmec.org/dmec_blog/2010/08/29/connecting-the-living-room-experience-to-the-web/" target="_blank">Berkeley DMEC blog</a>.</em><br />
<br />
We have come to expect the Internet wherever we are and whenever we want. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Meeker" target="_blank" title="Mary Meeker">Mary Meeker</a> predicts that by the end of the year, we could reach <a href="http://www.morganstanley.com/institutional/techresearch/mobile_internet_report122009.html" target="_blank">10 Billion mobile Internet devices</a>. Yes, that's a B. While we still have the power of a PC in the palm of our hands, one main area has yet to be conquered--the living room.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://berkeleydmec.org/dmec_blog/wp-content/Famicom_Network_System.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nintendo Network/Modem" class="size-medium wp-image-727 alignright" height="222" src="http://berkeleydmec.org/dmec_blog/wp-content/Famicom_Network_System-300x277.jpg" title="Famicom Network System" width="240" /></a>Many have tried to create linkages into the living room, but few have succeeded. In 1988, Nintendo launched the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famicom_Modem" target="_blank">Family Computer Network Systems</a>. With the purchase of a special cartridge, the Famicom could interact with other terminals or a central computer to monitor and trade stocks. Unfortunately, by the time I got my NES, it only came with a pad to stomp on and gun to shoot ducks with.<br />
<br />
Perhaps the next largest leap came from Tivo. With its emphasis on UX, they brought us the concept of time-shifting our content. With a simple phone line, owners would be able to sync their cable stream to the programming list. However, Tivo's glory days were short-lived. Why pay for a Tivo if your cable operator was willing to give you a free set top box?<br />
<br />
In the end, the thought of connecting stand alone devices is such a huge mental leap that not even excellent UX can overcome it.<br />
<br />
However, the tides are shifting. Over the past year, I've seen a multitude of new ways to connect the living room to the Internet. From simply plug-and-play devices like <a href="http://www.roku.com/" target="_blank">Roku</a>, to <a href="http://www.desktopped.com/2009/08/computer-and-media-theater-dream-setup/" target="_blank">elaborate</a> Microsoft media center setups, people are realizing that the Internet isn't just for streaming videos of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J---aiyznGQ">cute cats playing the piano</a> or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OBlgSz8sSM" target="_blank">seeing charlie biting his brother's finger</a>. The Internet is able to provide consumers with a lean-back 10-foot experience.<br />
<br />
With the <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/announcing-google-tv-tv-meets-web-web.html" target="_blank">GoogleTV</a> coming around the corner, and companies like <a href="http://blog.boxee.tv/2010/08/25/boxee-gets-a-movie-library/" target="_blank">Boxee</a> that are constantly augmenting their content libraries, the Internet is finally making its way to the living room.<br />
<br />
Last spring, my friends and I embarked on an independent study project looking at the this very space. In it, we tested the preferences of lead-users to prove/disprove hypothesis. Here are some of our findings:<br />
<ul><li>Short-Form Content (like Youtube) belongs on the computer monitor</li>
<li>Most mass market consumers do not know the difference between streaming v. downloading content</li>
<li>There is little room for new content platforms, new companies should seek to become embedded with CE manufacturers</li>
<li>Apps for Connected TVs will provide little differentiation. Companies can only lose from not keeping up with its competitors</li>
<li>Consumers want a recommendation engine for content</li>
</ul><div style="text-align: left;">You can review our final presentation here:</div><br />
<div id="__ss_5086173" style="text-align: center; width: 425px;"><strong><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/vincenthuang/connected-living-rooms-20100520" title="Connected Living Rooms 2010.05.20">Connected Living Rooms</a></strong><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" height="355" id="__sse5086173" width="425"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=connectedlivingrooms2010-05-20-100829234442-phpapp01&stripped_title=connected-living-rooms-20100520" /><param name="name" value="__sse5086173" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed id="__sse5086173" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="355" src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=connectedlivingrooms2010-05-20-100829234442-phpapp01&stripped_title=connected-living-rooms-20100520" name="__sse5086173" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center; width: 425px;"><strong><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/vincenthuang/connected-living-rooms-20100520" title="Connected Living Rooms 2010.05.20"></a></strong>View more <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/vincenthuang">vincenthuang</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-25385705601837207192009-12-15T06:10:00.000-08:002009-12-15T06:10:00.795-08:00Best Practice or BS? [Social Media]For companies, social media is still the wild wild west. There have been some great case studies of companies who have been able to successfully execute a strategy by leveraging Facebook and Twitter. For every successful case study, hundreds of failed attempts have littered the streets of social media.<br />
<br />
Stephen Baker highlights the risks and opportunities in a recent BW article:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjH0ef8ixbaEikjwrDiwgLaMq4eCgLCS9jNT3mLcoUz475D2uWYzzj17vdrPshC4Zf8HOVvP1IiDh1kyB5Rc-vX2HjVSw9qxmrXR0fN63drNltB21N_EFY1GXHrFvY-Vg5WGNGyiK5Y8Q/s1600-h/popup_50promisesandpitfalls.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjH0ef8ixbaEikjwrDiwgLaMq4eCgLCS9jNT3mLcoUz475D2uWYzzj17vdrPshC4Zf8HOVvP1IiDh1kyB5Rc-vX2HjVSw9qxmrXR0fN63drNltB21N_EFY1GXHrFvY-Vg5WGNGyiK5Y8Q/s400/popup_50promisesandpitfalls.gif" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> You can read the entire article<a href="http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/09_50/b4159048693735.htm"> here.</a> <br />
</div>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-90952291702043672922009-11-30T06:13:00.001-08:002009-11-30T06:13:00.562-08:00linkages between creativity and play [insight]Tim Brown from Ideo reminds us about the importance of playfulness in jumpstarting creative thought. What I found most intriguing was the exercise where he gave the audience 30 seconds to draw their neighbor and then share it with the very person.<br />
<br />
The reactions were particularly insightful. As adults we are often cautious in front of our peers. It's the same with divergent ideas. We're a bit timid in sharing it because we fear of being judged. Instead, Tim emphasizes the importance of reserving judgement and allowing all ideas a chance.<br />
<br />
Watch this classic presentation:<br />
<br />
<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RjwUn-aA0VY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RjwUn-aA0VY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />
<div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-56681595078754618122009-09-17T15:25:00.000-07:002009-09-17T15:25:00.827-07:00Funding News Stories [Crowd Sourcing]In 2006, Time magazine told us that <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1569514,00.html">we</a> were the person of the year. Since then, we've seen an explosion of crowded sourced initiatives. We've witnessed the power of the crowd through the e<a href="http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-139473380/collaborative-content-wikipedia-phenomenon.html">xplosion of content generated</a> at Wikipedia. We've witnessed the power of the crowd through funding the <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97458874">creation of digital content</a>. <br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.centerformediachange.com/">Center for Media Change</a> and funded by various groups like like the <a href="http://www.knightfoundation.org/">Knight Foundation</a> have started <a href="http://spot.us/">Spot.US</a>, a nonprofit project pioneering:<br />
<blockquote>“Community funded reporting.” Through Spot.Us the public can commission journalists to do investigations on important and perhaps overlooked stories. It’s a marketplace where independent reporters, community members and news organizations can come together and collaborate.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7h4BQ-UlwyCW6kpdA2dNjlS7KQ8EUCyLyB9JvsM_ELVdEpfrs75Y9_B-D_FT5fKSKuiwbcx34ncfKd02kWA3eTXzLspXXH_Vs2WTX5NsT4ZbRWTSKtCzAF3_YfblD7Aj80C2ifUfiN0/s1600-h/spotus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7h4BQ-UlwyCW6kpdA2dNjlS7KQ8EUCyLyB9JvsM_ELVdEpfrs75Y9_B-D_FT5fKSKuiwbcx34ncfKd02kWA3eTXzLspXXH_Vs2WTX5NsT4ZbRWTSKtCzAF3_YfblD7Aj80C2ifUfiN0/s320/spotus.jpg" /></a></div>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-92150230375012055042009-09-07T03:49:00.000-07:002009-09-07T03:49:00.733-07:00You, me, and technology [Consumer Trends]<span id="mn_Article"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="mn_Article"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9uAjPplRGnYdayYJjKZ9Y_dvLSpID2tdYFEK63nxI1knIzmVDJllLxnSmrBLSFn-PbYSv0u7hG-r_iDl9Edx_bqUep-TU1282t0p5sJ4BFWYFULarX0GLLRmz_PPms2bwIiM_JnQ8AI/s1600-h/20090903_092321_GADGETS3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9uAjPplRGnYdayYJjKZ9Y_dvLSpID2tdYFEK63nxI1knIzmVDJllLxnSmrBLSFn-PbYSv0u7hG-r_iDl9Edx_bqUep-TU1282t0p5sJ4BFWYFULarX0GLLRmz_PPms2bwIiM_JnQ8AI/s320/20090903_092321_GADGETS3.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></span></div><span id="mn_Article"></span><br />
<br />
<span id="mn_Article">Forrester research finds that we're all gadgetologists.</span><br />
<span id="mn_Article"></span><br />
<ul><li><span id="mn_Article">About 58 million households have an HDTV today, and that is expected to grow to more than 85 million by 2013. </span></li>
<li><span id="mn_Article">Over the same window, almost 80 million households with broadband Internet access will surge to nearly 93 million, and the 92 million homes with a PC will reach nearly 100 million.</span></li>
<li><span id="mn_Article">Of those 40 and older who have children, 84 percent are online and two-thirds have broadband. They are heavy purchasers of PCs, laptops, MP3 players, HDTVs and portable GPS devices, as well.</span><span id="mn_Article"><br />
</span></li>
</ul><span id="mn_Article"> Read Steve Johnson's article at the <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13256104">SJ Mercury News</a>.<br />
</span><br />
<span id="mn_Article"></span>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-2516957681803158972009-08-23T06:55:00.003-07:002010-11-16T18:59:52.411-08:00Nano Housing [Tata]<a href="http://www.shubhgriha.com/images/master_plan.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="223" src="http://www.shubhgriha.com/images/master_plan.gif" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;" width="320" /></a><br />
Tata, the India-based car company that launched the Nano (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_rupee" title="Indian rupee">INR</a> 100,000; USD 2300) car and owner of Jaguar and Land Rover is now looking to create low-cost housing. With 1,000 apartments to be built outside of Mumbai, the <a href="http://www.shubhgriha.com/pages/specifications.php">units</a> range from 218 to 373 feet.<br />
<br />
According to <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/hotproperty/archives/2009/05/first_it_came_o.html">businessweek</a>:<br />
<blockquote>Tata’s housing division is targeting a segment of the market that was largely overlooked during the housing boom. India’s builders were concentrating on building shiny new high rises and mansions on golf courses. Builders were after profits, but they were also trying to justify their fast-accelerating land costs, especially in and around Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) and other major cities. <br />
But some business consultants (most prominently, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C.K._Prahalad">C.K. Prahalad</a>) were arguing that companies would profit handsomely if they target the “bottom of the pyramid” where the bulk of consumers are. It looks like Tata is taking that advice.</blockquote>HT: <a href="http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/housing-nano-style/">Freakonomics</a>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-69682188908170289592009-08-05T00:58:00.002-07:002009-08-05T01:03:01.115-07:00Lean Coffee Making<a href="http://endlessinnovation.typepad.com/endless_innovation/2009/08/starbucks-and-lean-retailing-innovation.html">Endless Innovation</a> reports on measures starbucks is making in "lean retailing." From exporting Toyota lean manufacturing techniques to undergoing motion studies they hope to "make more drinks with the same number of workers or have fewer workers."Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-32353185480280556722009-07-02T17:10:00.003-07:002009-07-02T17:23:22.502-07:00Behind the curtain [people powered]In a recent <a href="http://www.esquire.com/the-side/feature/cover-letter-examples-061509">Esquire article</a>, Richard Dormant applied to 290 different jobs to land 7 interviews. Throughout the experiment, he rotated through three different cover letters--all hot air, all business, and just plain folksy. Surprisingly, the "just plain folksy" cover letter netted him five interviews.<br /><p></p><blockquote><p>Hello <i>[name]</i>, </p><p>Wanted: <i>[name of position]</i>. Found: The perfect candidate — me. Just take a look at my attached resume and you'll see why. </p><p>Okay, so I know what you're probably thinking: What does a guy who's spent seven years in publishing know about <i>[name of position]</i>? But I'll tell you what: I'm exploring new career options, and I'm a hard worker, a quick learner, and I'm great with <i>[relevant skill (i.e. hands, computers, etc.)]</i>. I also have a strong set of people skills — I get along with everybody — that would make me a valuable addition to your team. </p><p>Give me a shot and you won't be sorry. Many thanks for your consideration, and please let me know if you have a moment to talk. </p><p>All the best,<br />Richard Dorment </p><p><b><i>The expert says:</i></b> "The 'perfect candidate'? Good grief. This whole letter smacks of conceit and arrogance. Would you want to work with this person? And the 'give me a shot' at the end is cheesy and unprofessional. I wouldn't call this person no matter what their resume looked like, not how qualified they were." </p></blockquote><p></p>We forget that behind all the policies and procedures are people. We forget that the decision makers have a sense of humor and don't want to come in on Saturdays because they want to make their kid's soccer game.Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413669623858394047.post-15846621508301996292009-06-24T05:42:00.001-07:002009-06-24T05:42:02.215-07:00Negotiations with Steve Young [Life Lessons]A bay area native, it was a gem to see Steve Young, a former 49er quarterback, retell life lessons in negotiating on and off the field.<br /><br /><embed id='single' width='500' height='303' flashvars='config=http://ecorner.stanford.edu/embeded_config.xml%3Fmid%3D1739' src='http://ecorner.stanford.edu/swf/player-ec.swf' type='application/x-shockwave-flash'></embed>Vincehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15838931522699121779noreply@blogger.com0