General

Cloud Computing Standards: Talk About Interoperability…

Mitchell Ummel | Oct 9, 2012 No Responses

Oct 092012

The analogy between the evolution of the electric energy industry and cloud computing is oftentimes used, and for good reason. It’s likely the most applicable predictor of where this industry is heading over the next 10-20 years. Although slight regional variances exist, it’s generally the case that I, as a consumer of electric power, can plug in my appliance anywhere in the world and expect it to work efficiently, safely, and reliably. Standards for voltage regulation, plug/outlet design, and circuit protection are mature and widely embraced, and the electric appliance industry can compete, and innovate, on a level playing field for the benefit of consumers worldwide. The clock radio in my office is one of …

Educating Abraham Lincoln

Vince Kellen, Ph.D. | Sep 8, 2012 No Responses

Sep 082012

As we all know, Abraham Lincoln was largely self-taught in the midst of meager means and living on the frontier in Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois, far from centers of learning and culture east of the Appalachians. For him, the book represented the path, and he sought them with great effort. As president he sought books on military matters during the Civil War in order to educate himself. As a result of his own drive and intellect, Lincoln emerged as a very capable, if not supremely capable military strategist. It is illustrative to learn how far one person can advance themselves by reading. The bibliography of Lincoln’s reading is noteworthy since it reveals his penchant for …

Lessons from the Olympics on Stakeholder Management

Mike Rosen | Aug 28, 2012 1 Response

Aug 282012

Lessons from the Olympics on Stakeholder Management

The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially “The Games of the XXX Olympiad” (I don’t want the IOC branding police after me), have finally concluded, but the buzz about NBC’s coverage in the US still goes on. It all started during the opening ceremonies when the Twitterverse went crazy over the fact that the Games were not being broadcast live here in the US, but rather were delayed at least five hours. Now, I think there is plenty of room for dissatisfaction with NBC’s coverage. The inane blabber from the announcers comes immediately to mind. And if you wanted to see something other than gymnastics, swimming, track, or volleyball, you were pretty much out of luck. (There …

Agile vs CMMI: Or can they co-exist?

Christine Generali | Aug 1, 2012 2 Responses

Aug 012012

Is there something intrinsically incompatible between Agile and CMMI that will forever keep this conversation burning? This always heated debate hasn’t lost its steam yet. But maybe it should. Instead of focusing on “why or why not” – let’s focus instead on “how” Agile and CMMI can work together to effect successful software projects. The upcoming Cutter IT Journal with Guest Editor Hillel Glazer seeks practical advice and insight on how to improve the understanding and compatibility between Agile and CMMI. How can Agile or CMMI as products and services — provided via training or education — contribute to fanning or resolving the conversation? Or is there a viable reason they should part ways? Let …

Agile Has Crossed the Chasm, Agile Hasn’t Crossed the Chasm

Brent Barton | Jul 31, 2012 9 Responses

Jul 312012

Has agile crossed the chasm? Unambiguously: yes and no. To apply the concept of Geoffrey Moore’s book, we must first answer the question, “Is agile a disruptive technology?” To me, that answer is yes. If you do not agree, this is a good stopping point. Next, we must answer the question in regards to the market. Let us first focus on the software industry, both software product companies and IT. Then we can answer the question: yes, agile has crossed the chasm, from the perspective of the total addressable agile market. Certainly, mainstream has adopted agile. Traditional manufacturing organizations such as Caterpillar, Boeing, and Ford use agile methods. Insurance companies like Farmers, United Healthcare, and …

Identity Management in Technology-Assisted Educational Systems

John Tibbetts | Jul 17, 2012 1 Response

Jul 172012

On that long list of venerable institutions primed for a high-tech overhaul, higher education is near the top. Its shortcomings are much discussed: universities are expensive, inaccessible, inflexible, and out of touch with the needs of students and the world economy. A diploma that demands four (or more) years on campus, long lectures, fend-for-yourself homework, and massive final exams seems as much a relic of the 19th century as of the 20th. Educating the millions of people that our future depends on will require not just a productivity boost but something fundamentally different. These days “something fundamentally different” usually involves the Internet. Decades of desultory experiments with “computer-aided education” have now yielded exciting, scalable, measurably …

Future CMS Plans

Steven Kursh | Jul 3, 2012 No Responses

Jul 032012

To help us learn more about what organizations are doing in a critical area of mobile commerce — content management — Cutter conducted a survey late last year examining mobile devices, marketing, and content management systems (CMSs). This Cutter Edge explores some of those results. We asked respondents to think about how important it is for their organizations to have a significant mobile presence (i.e., a high level of usability on mobile devices) over the next 12 months. Just over 70% report that having a significant mobile presence over the next year is very or somewhat important. Among those respondents who voiced their opinion as “minimal” or “not at all,” most were primarily from the enterprises with …

New Technologies for the New, Collaborative Workplace

David Coleman | Jun 19, 2012 2 Responses

Jun 192012

Although collaboration is a behavior, it can often be enabled by various technologies. But it’s not just collaboration technologies that will define the workplace of the future. This Cutter Edge outlines seven other technologies that will be just as important in shaping the future workspace. 1. Nanotechnology Nanotechnology delivers the ability to build something one atom at a time. This has big implications for supply chains, as transportation is not required when you can just grow a desk or chair out of a sheet of plastic or metal on the floor of the office. You can configure and reconfigure your office to support a face-to-face meeting (maybe by growing your conference table a bit larger), or you …

The Cloud Computing Standards Battlefield

Christine Generali | May 21, 2012 No Responses

May 212012

What does the future of cloud computing look like? Would the industry benefit from standards to level the playing field between consumers and providers? Should government get involved or should it be left to consumer and industry groups? Join the debate in the August 2012 Cutter IT Journal with Guest Editor Mitchell Ummel. Please send us your ideas – proposals of interest are due 1 June 2012. To respond, please visit http://www.cutter.com/content-and-analysis/journals-and-reports/cutter-it-journal/callforpapers01.html

On the Critical Path for Change: Architect Agile Products and Processes

Roger Evernden | May 21, 2012 1 Response

May 212012

Products and processes are two of the most vital components of a successful business. Useful, relevant, or innovative products are important for attracting and keeping customers. Efficient and effective processes are crucial to making the customer experience enjoyable and worthwhile. Product and process should therefore be included as key components in any business architecture. But, too often, product and process are not given the architectural priority they deserve. While physical products such as cars or planes are highly engineered, enterprise architects tend to overlook the architecture of information-based products and view them instead as the domain of business managers. (Note that physical products, such as the engineering of cars or computers, are more likely to …

Page 2 of 15«123 4 5...10...»Last »

Avatars by Sterling Adventures

About the Blog

The Cutter Blog is an offshoot of Cutter Consortium, a boutique IT and Business Strategy consulting firm located in Boston, MA. Cutter's worldwide network of consultants offers clients analysis of the lastest industry trends, customized consulting and executive education opportunities.

Offering more than just a quick fix -- our size and focus allows us to "get deep" into the challenges faced by our clients so we can provide real and lasting solutions. Want to know more? Visit www.cutter.com.

Category

General

Educating Abraham Lincoln

Lessons from the Olympics on Stakeholder Management

Agile vs CMMI: Or can they co-exist?

Agile Has Crossed the Chasm, Agile Hasn’t Crossed the Chasm

Identity Management in Technology-Assisted Educational Systems

Future CMS Plans

New Technologies for the New, Collaborative Workplace

The Cloud Computing Standards Battlefield

On the Critical Path for Change: Architect Agile Products and Processes

Blog Authors

Follow Us

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Categories

About the Blog

Twitter Updates

In Our Bookstore