Tag Archives: technology

Transforming Ideas into Reality: The Human Spark in Tech

31 Friday Oct 2025

Posted by in 21st Century Human, AI, Innovation, Story Telling, Technologists Toolkit

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Technology may operate through flashing lights, chips, logic, algorithms and code, yet every genuine advancement starts with something innately human. Beneath every illuminated screen and every written line of code lies curiosity, the powerful, persistent force propelling us to explore, experiment and imagine.

From the first glimmer of an unconventional idea to the determined effort required to realise an improbable dream, it is our creativity, passion and curiosity that infuse technology with life and mould the digital future.

The Human Element: Asking “What If?”

Computers excel at processing information at astonishing speeds, but it is humans who pose the question “What if?”. This essential question embodies curiosity, turning technology from something functional into something truly revolutionary.

Throughout history, trailblazers have personified this spirit.:

  • Ada Lovelace envisioned machines that could do more than simple calculations.
  • Alan Turing not only deciphered codes but also laid the theoretical groundwork for artificial intelligence by asking, “Can a machine think?”

The most significant breakthroughs occur when determined individuals challenge norms and conceive solutions that no machine could ever dream up on its own.

Cultivating the Innovator’s Mindset

Innovation is not a rare secret, it is a cultivated habit. To foster it:

  • Embracing Radical Questions: Do not hesitate to ask “why not?” or challenge longstanding assumptions. Such straightforward questions often ignite major ideas.
  • Collaborating Wildly: Engage with people beyond your immediate discipline. Diverse perspectives and cross-disciplinary teamwork are powerful drivers for original solutions.
  • Experimenting Fearlessly: Consider every setback not as a failure but as critical data. Every test, refinement and adjustment moves you closer to a breakthrough.
  • Creating Safe Space for Ideas: Innovation flourishes when teams feel free to share bold, unconventional concepts without fear of criticism or judgement.
  • Harnessing AI as an Assistant: Leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance your creative process. AI can help generate new ideas, identify patterns in data you might overlook and automate repetitive tasks. This can help free up more time for experimentation and bold thinking. By using AI as a collaborator rather than just a tool, you can quickly test hypotheses, prototype solutions and gain fresh insights, all while maintaining the uniquely human spark that drives innovation.

Creativity: The Catalyst for Redefinition

Creativity turns a technical obstacle into a transformative opportunity.

  • Steve Jobs did not invent the computer, but he reimagined it. Transforming a complex technical instrument into a sleek, intuitive device that revolutionised daily life.
  • The team at DeepMind redefined artificial intelligence by teaching it to learn and play games (such as Go) modelling how people master intricate subjects.

These innovators did not merely improve what already existed; they redefined what was possible by daring to adopt a fresh perspective.

AI can also act as a creative partner, from generating design concepts and composing music to suggesting code improvements. AI can spark unexpected connections and offer alternatives you might not have considered. It provides not only efficiency but also an expanded canvas for human ingenuity.

Harnessing Creative Energy

To convert curiosity into real progress:

  • Look Beyond Your Industry: Seek inspiration from art, nature and everyday experiences. Solutions frequently originate from unexpected analogies.
  • Build an Iteration Loop: Test, learn, and iterate constantly. Rapid prototyping is a practical method for asking increasingly complex “what if” questions.
  • Take a Strategic Pause: Occasionally, stepping away from your work is the best route to a breakthrough. Reflection and a fresh viewpoint are invaluable.
  • Utilise AI for Creative Exploration: Use AI-powered tools to brainstorm alternatives, simulate scenarios, and visualise outcomes. AI can help you rapidly test new ideas, uncover hidden relationships and even provide creative prompts when you feel stuck, acting as a catalyst for your next breakthrough.

The Twin Engines: Curiosity and Passion

Curiosity raises the questions; passion discovers the answers. Together, they fuel the persistence required to overcome obstacles and turn nebulous visions into concrete realities.

  • Tim Berners-Lee was curious about enabling information to flow effortlessly across a global network. This curiosity led to the creation of the World Wide Web. It was his passion for an open, interconnected world that ensured the idea was pursued tirelessly and ultimately shared.

To sustain these vital engines:

  • Never Stop Learning: Curiosity is a flame that grows with new knowledge. Pursue subjects that truly fascinate you, even if they do not relate directly to your current work. AI can support lifelong learning by recommending resources, summarising complex materials and connecting you with experts and communities worldwide.
  • Embrace Serendipity: Welcome surprises, fortunate accidents, and unexpected discoveries. Many innovations originate from exploring something new. AI algorithms can sometimes surface surprising insights or connections in vast amounts of information, leading to opportunities you might not have found alone.
  • Share Your Enthusiasm: Passion is infectious. Sharing your excitement attracts collaborators, builds momentum, and makes the lengthy process of innovation rewarding. With AI-powered platforms, it’s easier than ever to connect with like-minded peers, showcase your projects and gather feedback globally.

Conclusion

As technology advances at an unprecedented pace, one truth remains: the true engine of innovation is not the code we craft or the silicon we use – it is the human spark within us. Our creativity, curiosity, and passion fuel the discoveries that truly shape the future.

Whether you are a developer, designer, entrepreneur or simply a deeply curious individual your most powerful tool is not the technology at your disposal, but the imagination that guides it.

Artificial intelligence is a remarkable ally, amplifying our strengths and extending our reach, but it is only through human ingenuity and vision that technology becomes truly transformative.

“Keep exploring. Keep dreaming. Keep asking why. Don’t settle for what you already know. Never stop believing in the power of your ideas, your imagination, your hard work to change the world.”

― Barack Obama

Ultimately, it is people (not machines) who make technology truly remarkable. AI may assist, but it is the uniquely human qualities of curiosity, passion and creativity that turn possibility into reality.

Sources and Further Reading

Embracing Humility: Staying Open to Feedback and Continuous Improvement in Tech
Turning Failures into Success: The Mindset of Failing Forward for Technologists

Building Cyber Resilience: Enterprise Architecture and ArchiMate for Strategic Security

14 Tuesday Oct 2025

Posted by in ArchiMate, Enterprise Architecture, Security

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The Boardroom Imperative

The NCSC Annual Review 2025 serves as a powerful reminder that cyber risk is no longer confined to the IT department. Instead, it has become a critical issue that demands attention at the highest levels of leadership. The NCSC report emphatically urges decision-makers to “open your eyes to the imminent risk to your economic security.” It makes clear that cyber incidents have the potential to disrupt essential operations, inflict lasting reputational damage and result in significant financial and legal repercussions.

In an environment where threats are ever-present and the risk of future threatsis growing rapidly, true organisational resilience depends on strategic foresight, thorough preparation and the capacity to recover effectively from attacks.

The pressing question then, is how organisations can translate these warnings and insights into practical action. A compelling solution lies in the adoption of robust Enterprise Architecture practices. Specifically the use of ArchiMate enables organisations to systematically document their enterprise landscape and the relationships between systems, providing the clarity needed to strengthen resilience.

Enterprise Architecture: A Blueprint for Cyber Resilience

The NCSC report makes it clear: cyber security is now critical to business longevity and success. It is not just about technology anymore. It is about understanding how your organisation operates, how systems interact and where vulnerabilities lie. The report calls for all business leaders to take responsibility for their organisation’s cyber resilience, moving beyond technical silos to a holistic, strategic approach.

Enterprise Architecture provides the blueprint for this approach. It helps organisations map out their business processes, applications, data and technology infrastructure. By visualising these elements and their interconnections, leaders can take meaningful steps towards resilience.

Key Benefits of Enterprise Architecture for Cyber Resilience

  • Identify critical assets and dependencies
  • Assess risk exposure across the enterprise
  • Plan for continuity and rapid recovery
  • Communicate cyber risk in business terms

ArchiMate: Documenting the Enterprise

ArchiMate is an open and widely adopted modelling language specifically designed for enterprise architecture. It allows organisations to create clear and consistent diagrams that illustrate how business processes, application landscapes, and technology layers align and interact with one another.

Using ArchiMate, organisations can achieve several key objectives:

Model business processes and their supporting systems – Providing a structured view of how core operations are underpinned by technology.

Map data flows and integrations between applications – Offering clarity on how information moves throughout the organisation and where potential integration points or vulnerabilities may exist.

Visualise technology infrastructure and network boundaries – Enabling a comprehensive understanding of the technology landscape and its security perimeters.

Document relationships and dependencies between systems – Ensuring that all critical interconnections and dependencies are recorded, which is essential for risk assessment and resilience planning.

This approach is particularly important in the context of cyber resilience. The NCSC report underscores that attackers often exploit the complexity and interconnectedness of systems. Without a clear understanding of how systems depend on and relate to each other, organisations risk overlooking critical vulnerabilities or being unable to recover swiftly from security incidents.

Source of diagram: https://www.opengroup.org/archimate%C2%AE-forum-0

The Importance of Documenting Relationships

The NCSC Annual Review emphasises that resilience extends beyond mere prevention; it encompasses an organisation’s capacity to continue operating and to recover effectively after a disruptive incident. One crucial aspect of building such resilience is the thorough documentation of relationships between systems. This practice serves several essential purposes:

Risk Assessment – A clear understanding of how systems depend on one another is fundamental for identifying single points of failure as well as recognising where cascading impacts may arise. By mapping out these dependencies, organisations can better anticipate and manage risks that might jeopardise operational continuity.

Incident Response – In the event of a cyberattack or other disruptive incident, having documented knowledge of system interconnections allows for quicker isolation and containment of threats. This, in turn, enables a more efficient recovery process, minimising downtime and damage.

Compliance and Governance – With regulatory bodies increasingly demanding proof of robust cyber risk management, having comprehensive documentation of system architecture provides the necessary assurance. It demonstrates a proactive approach to governance and supports compliance with industry standards.

Continuous Improvement – The technology landscape and threat environment are constantly evolving. Maintaining up-to-date architecture documentation ensures that organisations remain agile, capable of adapting to new risks, and able to reinforce their defences as needed.

Identification of Organisational and Technical Debt – Documenting relationships also helps in pinpointing areas of organisational and technical debt. This awareness is vital for planning improvements and ensuring that legacy issues do not compromise cyber resilience.

Practical Steps for Enhancing Cyber Resilience

The following practical steps outline how to leverage enterprise architecture tools and the ArchiMate framework to strengthen your organisation’s defences:

Utilise Enterprise Architects and Tooling – A good Enterprise Architect understands how to get the best out of modelling a business and systems. Use Enterprise Architecture tools such as ArchiMate to streamline the process of mapping and documenting your organisation’s systems and their interconnections.

Start with a Baseline – Begin by creating a high-level overview of your organisation’s business processes, applications, and underlying technology. This baseline serves as the foundation for understanding how different elements interact and where vulnerabilities may exist.

Identify Relationships – Carefully document all integrations, data flows, and dependencies within your system architecture. Paying particular attention to legacy systems and third-party connections, as these often present unique risks and challenges.

Assess and Prioritise – Use your architectural model to pinpoint critical assets. This enables you to prioritise resilience measures, ensuring that essential systems receive appropriate attention and protection.

Communicate – Share your documented architecture with key stakeholders, including board members, IT teams, and external partners. Clear communication ensures all parties are aware of the risks involved and the responsibilities required to mitigate them.

Review Regularly – Continuously update your system documentation to reflect changes in technology, emerging threats, and lessons learned from past incidents. Regular reviews ensure that your organisation remains prepared to adapt to an evolving threat landscape.

Keep a copy offline – Keep a copy of your models so that you can access them when you cant access you systems.

Further Reading / Sources

The Role of Enterprise Architecture in Fostering Innovation

The Technologist’s Odyssey: A Modern Epic Inspired by Homer

19 Monday May 2025

Posted by in 21st Century Human, Mindset, Story Telling, Technologists Toolkit

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One of the skills a technologist needs and draws on is the ability to tell stories to help reach the goals and outcomes of the task at hand. So as a bit of fun, here is a comparison of today’s technologist and Homer’s Odyssey, drawing parallels between ancient adventures and modern innovation.

The journey of a technologist is much like the grandeur of an epic odyssey – an endless pursuit fuelled by curiosity, innovation, ingenuity, and the drive to reshape the world.

One of the skills a technologist needs and draws on is the ability to tell stories to help reach the goals and outcomes of the task at hand. So as a bit of fun, here is a comparison of today’s technologist and Homer’s Odyssey, drawing parallels between ancient adventures and modern innovation.

In Homer’s timeless masterpiece “The Odyssey”, we are taken on a journey of perseverance, discovery, and triumph over adversity. The tale of Odysseus navigating treacherous seas and facing formidable challenges resonates deeply with the modern odyssey undertaken by technologists today. While the landscapes may differ—one physical, the other digital—the indomitable spirit of curiosity, resilience, and ingenuity binds these stories across centuries.

The modern odyssey is a voyage of a technologist (in this case) marked by relentless exploration, failures (including learnings) and triumphs and a desire to transcend the limitations of today to and the promises of the future carve out the possibilities of tomorrow.

To quote a phrase that is often attributed to Homer’s The Odyssey but isn’t in translated text – “The journey is the thing.” This phrase emphasises the process which you go through in reaching your destination or goal (exploration, learning, failure, strength and growth).

Not every journey has a map, but you can chart your journey for others to follow. Although not every journey will be the same a guide helps keep you on the path.

The Hero’s Call: Beginnings of the Journey

In “The Odyssey”, Odysseus’s journey begins with the call to return home after the Trojan War. His longing for Ithaca symbolises a burning desire for purpose and belonging. This echoes the genesis of a technologist’s journey beginning usually with an ask to meet a business outcome, with the voyage being accepted often sparked by curiosity and wonder.

Whether it’s creating an architecture and system, dismantling an existing one to uncover its secrets or writing their first lines of code, technologists, too, experience their own call to adventure. The purpose of the journey being set by the outcome / goal to be achieved.

Homer writes, “Tell me, O Muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide…” (*The Odyssey*, Book 1), capturing the essence of exploration and ingenuity. For technologists, this “travelling far and wide” takes the form of navigating uncharted territories of innovation, driven by the same thirst to discover and create.

Trials and Tribulations: Overcoming Challenges

The path of innovation is rarely straightforward, much like Odysseus’s voyage through turbulent seas. Technologists encounter numerous challenges—developing solutions to existing problems, debugging seemingly insurmountable errors, adapting to rapid technological changes, and resolving complex issues. The ambiguity often faced by technologists requires an understanding and adaptation to change, both personally and professionally. Developing the ability to navigate uncertainty and act without complete information is essential, while also forming new habits that facilitate acceptance and management of change.

Odysseus’s encounter with the Cyclops Polyphemus teaches a valuable lesson about resourcefulness. “My name is Nobody; my mother and father call me Nobody…” (*The Odyssey*, Book 9) exemplifies his cleverness in overcoming adversity. Similarly, technologists use their creativity and problem-solving skills to “outwit” the hurdles that block their path toward innovation.

Challenges foster growth, helping technologists build resilience and enhance their skills. Overcoming obstacles leads to new discoveries.

The Collaborative Spirit: Navigating Together

A significant similarity between *The Odyssey* and a technologist’s path is the role of collaboration. Odysseus’s crew supports him throughout his journey, highlighting teamwork in overcoming challenges. Homer writes, “So we sent out two picked men and a herald as third…” (*The Odyssey*, Book 9).

In the field of technology, collaboration is important. Teams of technologists exchange ideas, learn from each other, and leverage their combined strengths. This collective effort leads to significant innovations that expand the possibilities. This teamwork emphasises that no substantial progress is made independently (Pack Learning).

Moments of Revelation: The Spark of Innovation

Technologists have moments where ideas become reality, similar to Odysseus’s moments of clarity and accomplishment. These are the instances when a concept transforms into significant innovation. For example, Odysseus’s escape from the Sirens – “I stopped the ears of my men with wax…” (*The Odyssey*, Book 12) – illustrates human problem-solving and planning.

For technologists, these moments are comparable to developing a new solution, using emerging technologies, or creating the next innovative thing. Each milestone represents not only technical progress but also the results of creativity, collaboration, and effort.

Redefining Horizons: A Journey with Purpose

Ultimately, Odysseus’s journey is about finding Ithaca, which represents both home and the culmination of his experiences and perseverance. For technologists, their Ithaca is the continually changing field of technology, innovation and growth. The pursuit of innovation involves not just reaching the outcome / goal of the task, technical progress and growth in knowledge, but also purpose, collaboration, and human elements.

Homer’s words, “There is nothing worse for mortals than a wandering life…” (*The Odyssey*, Book 15), highlight the importance of having direction and meaning in our journeys. For technologists, their journey involves continuous learning, exploring new areas, and redefining possibilities. Set your goals and have a vision of where you want your journey to take you.

It is important to note though that the journey of learning and knowledge is one that is continual, with some rest stops along the way.

Further Reading

Mastering Performance Under Pressure: The Importance of Training
Embracing Humility: Staying Open to Feedback and Continuous Improvement in Tech
Turning Failures into Success: The Mindset of Failing Forward for Technologists
Using the best of the Q Continuum
Stay Ahead of the Curve: Essential Strategies for Technologists to Stay Informed
Mastering the CPD Cycle for Professional Growth

Key Steps for a Successful Migration to Post-Quantum Cryptography

20 Thursday Mar 2025

Posted by in Quantum, Security

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With quantum computing progressing, transitioning to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is crucial. Quantum computers threaten current cryptographic systems by efficiently solving complex mathematical problems used in asymmetric Public Key Cryptography (PKC).

Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), or quantum-resistant cryptography, develops algorithms secure against quantum computer attacks, which uses problems quantum computers can’t solve efficiently.

The NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre) has released the “Timelines for migration to post-quantum cryptography” today (20/03/25), detailing steps organisations need to take to protect against Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC).

The national migration to PQC is a major technological shift that will take years and it is important that organisations start now. The NCSC provides guidance on early-stage migration activities and sets timelines for UK industry, government, and regulators. These timelines apply to all organisations, especially large ones, critical infrastructure operators, and those with custom IT systems.

Key Milestones

As highlighted in the report the key milestones are:

  • By 2028: Define migration goals, conduct a full discovery exercise, and build an initial migration plan.
  • By 2031: Carry out early, high-priority PQC migration activities and refine the migration plan.
  • By 2035: Complete the migration to PQC for all systems, services, and products.

Migration Strategy Selection

Organisations have several options for migration detailed in the report.

  • In-place migration: Replacing vulnerable PKC components with PQC equivalents.
  • Re-platform: Switching to a new or upgraded platform that supports PQC.
  • Retire the service: Setting a future date for withdrawal.
  • Tolerate the risk: Continuing to operate without mitigation.

What to do next?

The report highlights a series of steps you should take next with an expectation of 2-3 years timeline to migrate to PQC.

Given the intricacies involved in PQC migration, looking at external help should be considered through a company/consultancy with expertise in cryptographic assessments and migration strategies. They can provide invaluable support in several key areas:

  1. Comprehensive Assessment: Conducting a detailed discovery and assessment of your current cryptographic infrastructure, identifying vulnerabilities and dependencies that need to be addressed.
  2. Tailored Migration Plan: Develop a customised migration plan that aligns with your organisation’s specific needs and regulatory requirements. This plan will include timelines, resource allocation, and risk management strategies.
  3. Expert Recommendations: Leveraging deep knowledge of cryptographic technologies, can recommend the most suitable PQC algorithms and protocols for your systems. Provide guidance on integrating these new technologies without disrupting your existing operations.
  4. Ongoing Support: Throughout the migration process, offering continuous support, ensuring that your transition to PQC is seamless and that any issues are promptly addressed.

Are you considering PQC migration yet?

Further Reading

NCSC Report: Timelines for migration to post-quantum cryptography

20 Informative Podcasts for 2025: Boost Your PKMS

13 Monday Jan 2025

Posted by in 21st Century Human, Technologists Toolkit, Tools

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Following on from my recent post on PKMS (Personal Knowledge Management System), I thought I would share what is on my Podcast list for 2025 and what I am currently listening to. These are not listed in any particular order, other than how they appeared in my podcast library when I wrote this blog post.

I find my best time to listen and consume podcasts is walking the dog morning and evening (acts as my commute whilst working at home) or travelling. Hopefully this list will help inspire you and I would welcome any suggestions you have for other podcasts I should be listening to!

I have linked these on Spotify, but they should be available where you normally consume you podcasts. I have used AI to help write a summary of each podcast.

Impulse to Innovation – IMechE I2I

The Impulse to Innovation podcast by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is a series that explores various topics related to engineering and innovation. Each episode features interviews with experts and thought leaders who share their insights and experiences on how technological advancements and innovative thinking can drive progress in different fields.

Spotify Link – Impulse to Innovation

The Innovation Engine Podcast – 3Pillar Global

The Innovation Engine Podcast by 3Pillar Global features interviews with best-selling authors and innovation experts from around the world. The podcast focuses on innovation in software and product engineering, corporate leadership, and emerging technologies. Each episode delves into how companies and individuals drive innovation, tackle challenges, and leverage new technologies to stay competitive.

Spotify Link – The Innovation Engine Podcast

The Pitch – Josh Muccio

The Pitch is a podcast hosted by Josh Muccio that gives listeners an inside look into the world of start up funding. Each episode features real start up founders pitching their businesses to a panel of investors, similar to the TV show “Shark Tank”. The podcast aims to capture the essence of what happens behind closed doors during these pitches, providing an engaging and educational experience for listeners.

Spotify Link – The Pitch

Pivot – New York Magazine

Pivot is a podcast hosted by tech journalist Kara Swisher and NYU Professor Scott Galloway. Released every Tuesday and Friday, the podcast offers sharp, unfiltered insights into the biggest stories in tech, business, and politics. The hosts make bold predictions, pick winners and losers, and engage in lively banter, providing listeners with thought-provoking discussions and analysis.

Spotify Link – Pivot

a16z Podcast – Andreessen Horowitz

The a16z Podcast by Andreessen Horowitz covers a wide range of topics related to technology, business, and culture. Each episode features conversations with industry experts, business leaders, and thought-provoking voices from around the world. The podcast aims to help listeners understand how technology is changing everything—from Silicon Valley to traditional industries, and how it impacts the way we work, live, eat, learn, and play.

Spotify Link – a16z Podcast

Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders – Stanford e-Corner

summarise Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders – Stanford e-Corner

Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is a podcast series produced by Stanford eCorner. Each week, experienced entrepreneurs and innovators come to Stanford University to share candid lessons they’ve learned while developing, launching, and scaling disruptive ideas. The series provides valuable insights into the entrepreneurial journey, highlighting both the secrets and setbacks behind real success.

Spotify Link – Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders

One Business Book per Day – Palonio.com

One Business Book per Day is a dynamic podcast designed to provide busy entrepreneurs and professionals with bite-sized summaries of the most popular and influential business books. Each episode distils the key concepts, strategies, and insights from a best-selling business book into an easily digestible format, allowing listeners to quickly grasp and apply valuable lessons in their own lives and careers.

Spotify Link – One Business Book per Day

Disruptive Innovators – Disruptive Innovations

Disruptive Innovators: Champions of Digital Business is a podcast hosted by David Wright, Founder & CEO of Disruptive Innovations. The podcast features weekly interviews with CIOs and IT/Digital leaders from around the world. Each episode dives into their personal backstories, career journeys, current roles, trends they’ve observed, and their visions for the future.

Spotify Link – Disruptive Innovators

The Future of Everything – Stanford Engineering

The Future of Everything is a podcast hosted by Stanford bioengineering professor Russ Altman. The podcast explores how technology, science, and medicine are shaping our lives. Each episode features discussions with experts on a wide range of topics, including stretchable electronics, ecological surveillance, foldable microscopes, and video editing with artificial intelligence. Altman engages his guests in conversations about their role in creating the future across various domains.

Spotify Link – The Future of Everything

ReThinking – Adam Grant

ReThinking with Adam Grant is a podcast where the organizational psychologist explores new thoughts and ways of thinking by having lively discussions and debates with some of the world’s most interesting thinkers, creators, achievers, and leaders. Adam challenges conventional wisdom and encourages listeners to rethink their assumptions and embrace new ideas.

Spotify Link – ReThinking

HBR on Strategy – Harvard Business Review

HBR on Strategy is a podcast by Harvard Business Review that provides hand-curated insights and inspiration to help unlock new ways of doing business. Hosted by Alison Beard and Curt Nickisch, the podcast features conversations with top business and management experts, focusing on strategy, adaptive leadership, organizational transformation, and collaboration.

Spotify Link – HBR on Strategy

HBR on Leadership – Harvard Business Review

HBR on Leadership is a podcast by Harvard Business Review that provides a series of discussions that feature experts, scholars, and experienced leaders offering insights on a variety of leadership topics.

Spotify Link – HBR on Leadership

HBR IdeaCast – Harvard Business Review

HBR IdeaCast is a weekly podcast by Harvard Business Review that features conversations with leading thinkers in business and management. Hosted by Alison Beard and Curt Nickisch, the podcast covers a wide range of topics, including strategy, leadership, innovation, and organizational transformation. Each episode provides valuable insights and practical advice, helping listeners navigate complex business challenges and stay ahead in their careers.

Spotify Link – HBR IdeaCast

The CTO Advisor – Keith Townsend

The CTO Advisor podcast, hosted by Keith Townsend, is a valuable resource for technology leaders and CTOs. Each episode features conversations with industry experts on a wide range of topics, including application development, IT governance, infrastructure architecture, and emerging technologies. The podcast aims to provide insights into technology trends, best practices, and leadership strategies to help CTOs navigate the complexities of their roles and stay ahead in the industry.

Spotify Link – The CTO Advisor

CTOTalk: Leadership, AI and the Digital Economy – Michael Krigsman

CTOTalk: Leadership, AI and the Digital Economy is a podcast hosted by Michael Krigsman that features in-depth conversations with senior leaders from top global companies. The podcast covers topics such as leadership, enterprise AI, and the digital economy, providing insights into how technology is transforming business and society.

Spotify Link – CTOTalk: Leadership, AI and the Digital Economy

The CTO Playbook – Adam Horner

The CTO Playbook is a podcast hosted by Adam Horner, a CTO with over 30 years of experience in the tech industry. The podcast is dedicated to helping CTOs and tech leaders excel in their roles by providing clear insights, innovative strategies, and practical advice from top leaders in tech1. Each episode covers essential topics such as tackling complex projects, fostering innovation, leading teams, and shaping tech strategy

Spotify Link – The CTO Playbook

TED Talks Daily – TED

TED Talks Daily is a podcast hosted by journalist Elise Hu that brings you the latest TED Talks in audio format every weekday. The podcast covers a wide range of thought-provoking topics, from artificial intelligence to zoology, and everything in between. Each episode features talks by world-renowned thinkers and creators, offering listeners new perspectives, igniting curiosity, and providing opportunities to learn something new every day.

Spotify Link – Ted Talks Daily

TED Tech – TED

TED Tech is a podcast hosted by Sherrell Dorsey that explores how technology is rapidly changing our world. Each episode delves into the latest ideas from TED Speakers, addressing the intersection of technology, society, science, design, business, and innovation. Sherrell guides listeners through riveting questions and thought-provoking discussions, helping to uncover the potential and challenges of technological advancements

Spotify Link – TED Tech

TED Business – TED

TED Business is a podcast hosted by Modupe Akinola, a professor at Columbia Business School. Every Monday, Modupe presents powerful and surprising ideas that illuminate the business world. Each episode features a TED Talk followed by a mini-lesson from Modupe on how to apply the ideas discussed in the talk to your own life. The podcast covers a wide range of business topics, from leadership and diversity to innovation and personal development.

Spotify Link – TED Business

The Infinite Monkey Cage – BBC 4 Radio

The Infinite Monkey Cage is a BBC Radio 4 podcast hosted by physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince. The show takes an irreverent and witty look at science and the world through the eyes of scientists and science enthusiasts. Each episode features a panel of experts, including scientists, comedians, and celebrities, who discuss a wide range of topics, from the latest scientific discoveries to quirky and thought-provoking questions about the universe.

Spotify Link – The Infinite Monkey Cage

2025 PKMS Updates: Boost Productivity and Knowledge Retention

02 Thursday Jan 2025

Posted by in 21st Century Human, Technologists Toolkit, Tools

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As 2025 begins, I am again updating my PKMS (Personal Knowledge Management System) to keep up with the latest developments in knowledge management and my own priorities.

One of the key habits that I have been focusing on is micro learning by taking opportunities where I may have spent time scrolling a device, turning the time to be more productive through spending the time on learning and AI is playing a part in this.

I am publishing these updates so you can use this as a pattern to help create your own PKMS and stay informed and ahead of the curve.

What is a PKMS?

A PKMS, or Personal Knowledge Management System, is a structured framework designed to help someone manage and organise their personal and professional knowledge. In today’s world there is a lot of information produced daily. It also serves as a repository for capturing, storing, retrieving information and making it easier to access relevant data when needed.

The primary objective of a PKMS is to enhance a person’s ability to learn, retain, and apply knowledge efficiently.

A well formed PKMS can help provide several benefits:

  • Continuous Learning: With a growth mindset, a PKMS facilitates a structured approach to acquiring, organising, and reviewing knowledge.
  • Increased Productivity: Access to relevant, organised information as you need it, keeping you ahead of the curve.
  • Knowledge Retention: The ability to store and retrieve information as required in an organised repository.
  • Adaptability: Technology, information, and data evolve daily, and it is important to stay informed.

I still believe strongly in separating my personal social and business social, although there is the occasional need for the two to cross. These are the tools that I use. There are lots of other tools available that you could use to build a PKMS yourself. Maintaining a distinction between personal social and business social is important, though there are instances where they may overlap. Here are some tools used for this purpose. Numerous other tools are also available for building a Personal Knowledge Management System (PKMS).

Professional Life

Research

Research is an integral part of my Personal Knowledge Management System (PKMS). It involves gathering information that supports learning and integration into my work. Continuous learning is my key goal of my PKMS to stay ahead as a Technologist. Below is a high-level list of the types of content that I utilise for research and learning.

  • AI
  • Streaming Services
  • RSS Feeds
  • Podcasts
  • TED Talks
  • Web Searches
  • Blog Posts
  • Learning
  • Micro Learning
  • Reading

Some of these are fairly self explanatory as sources. I may expand on some of the sources I use in future posts.

AI (Artificial Intelligence)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is growing in use and works well in my PKMS to enhance the way information is gathered, organised, and retrieved.

AI is a good tool to ask as an assistant when researching, asking questions and can provide a reasonable summary of long documents and papers.

RSS

Some sites have an RSS feed which allows me to pull updates from sites directly into Feedly.

Podcasts

Podcasts cover both audio and video casts that I watch/stream online or download to my phone/media player to listen to when I am on journeys in the car or other transportation methods or out walking the dog. Daily walks with the dog provide a good time to listen to these.

Feedly

Feedly provides an aggregation tool that collects stories from various blogs and websites that I find useful for research and information . This generates a list of stories that can be quickly scanned on a single screen without having to visit multiple sites. Clicking on a story displays a snippet from the source site and provides a link to read the full article, if necessary. Using a series of keystrokes, it is possible to read the headlines, then move through the articles efficiently, stopping and opening them as needed.

Sources can be categorized to allow an all-view or just what’s new in a category.

Thinking Time

Thinking Time covers the time that I spend absorbing the PKMS information coming in from the different sources and then processing and applying it in different ways. It is also good to spend time reflecting on what I have learned and think of different and new ways to use the information and learnings.

Note Taking

I use two tools now for note-taking: OneNote and Obsidian. I favour Obsidian as it uses Markdown, which I use a lot for documentation, and its ability to structure data in a logical way and allows you to query data in an interactive graph.

Being Social

I use several social channels to publish my thoughts as a Technologist. The main channel I use is this blog site.

Blog Site

www.maxhemingway.com is my main published site that I use to share my thoughts, leadership and updates through. From this I send out links to various social channels.

Podcast

My podcast “Technology Couch Podcast” has not had an update for a while , but hopefully this will change soon. This can be found on my blog page and also normal podcast streaming sites.

Social Sites

I use social sites to publish my blog and podcast updates.

GitHub

I use GitHub to store any code or projects that I want to publish externally.

Personal Life

Personal Journal

My personal journals have always been Moleskine plain pocket books, be more recently I have made a switch to using Rhodia range of pocket books with dots. My main reason was on price as Moleskine has risen a fair bit for their products. I have used a couple of Rhodia pocket books since my switch and I actually find the paper a lot better and its slightly thicker which can support more inks without a bleed through to the pages below.

I still favour the Pilot ball ink pens as before in 0.5 or 0.7 size.

No batteries or charging needed for this type of personal journal.

Social Media

To keep my work life separate from my personal life, I use social platforms like Instagram and Facebook for friends and family, ensuring that two-factor authentication and appropriate security settings are in place.

Even with these precautions, it’s essential to remember that anything posted online could potentially become public in the future.

Further Reading

If you are looking for inspiration in creating your own PKMS, Reddit has a great list of PKMS tools that is worth a look and a discussion board on setting up a PKMS.

Previous related blog post:

Stay Ahead of the Curve: Essential Strategies for Technologists to Stay Informed

The Fusion of Tech and Creativity Driving Innovation

11 Wednesday Dec 2024

Posted by in 21st Century Human, Innovation, Technologists Toolkit

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In today’s rapidly evolving world, where technology advances at an unprecedented pace, the fusion of tech and creativity has become a crucible of innovation. This dynamic interplay is not only transforming our lives, businesses, industries, and daily experiences but also redefining the boundaries of what technology can achieve. By merging imaginative thinking with cutting-edge tech, we’re forging new pathways filled with innovative solutions and boundless possibilities.

The Catalyst for Innovation

Creativity is one of the secret sauces driving technological innovation and satisfying the demands of today’s busy world. It’s the visionary and innovative thinking that turns ambitious ideas into reality. Whether it’s developing new software, designing user-friendly interfaces, or crafting compelling digital content, creativity fuels the advancement of technology. The journey from concept to execution requires imaginative thinking, bridging the gap between the abstract and the tangible.

Software Development: Creativity in Code

Consider developing new software, which starts with an idea to solve a problem or improve user experience. For example, creating Slack revolutionised workplace communication. The goal was to simplify communication and make it as intuitive as possible. By blending creativity with technical knowledge, the creators designed a user-friendly interface that mimicked social media’s engaging elements, like emojis and quick responses, while maintaining the functionality needed for professional environments.

User-Friendly Interfaces: Enhancing Accessibility

Creativity is key to designing user-friendly interfaces. For instance, Apple’s iOS succeeds due to its simple, intuitive design. The creativity involved in making technology accessible and enjoyable to use is a prime example of how visionary thinking can turn complex concepts into straightforward, usable products. Developing their touchscreen interface was a creative leap in how users interact with devices.

Compelling Digital Content: Engaging Audiences

When it comes to crafting compelling digital content, creativity is the driving force behind engaging storytelling and immersive experiences. Consider Netflix’s strategy for its original content. Programs such as “Stranger Things” and “The Crown” exemplify not only high-quality production and technical sophistication but also heavy reliance on creative storytelling that captivates audiences. Integrating data analytics to understand viewer preferences and creative scripting to meet those expectations illustrates the perfect harmony of tech and creativity.

Bridging the Gap: Concept to Execution

The journey from concept to execution in any technological project requires bridging the gap between abstract ideas and tangible realities. Developing autonomous vehicles merges advanced technology with creative problem-solving. Engineers and designers collaborate to make these vehicles functional, safe, and user-friendly. Creativity is crucial in crafting algorithms that interpret and respond to the real world in real-time.

The Role of Tech in Unleashing Creativity

Technology enhances human creativity, offering tools like AI, machine learning, and VR/AR. AI generates music, art, and writing, inspiring collaboration. VR and AR create immersive environments, bringing creative visions to life.

The Synergy in Action

The gaming industry combines technology and creativity. Game design involves coding, storytelling, world-building, and character development. Titles like “The Legend of Zelda” and “The Last of Us” show how these elements create engaging player experiences.

The Legend of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda series blends complex coding with storytelling and world-building, creating an adventure loved by players globally.

Technical Mastery: Nintendo’s team codes detailed open worlds. The physics engine in “Breath of the Wild” allows realistic activities like climbing, cooking, and tool usage.

Creative Storytelling: The narrative follows the protagonist, Link, on a quest to save Princess Zelda and the kingdom of Hyrule. The story is conveyed through dialogue, environment, music, and gameplay mechanics, providing an immersive experience.

World-Building: The realm of Hyrule encompasses intricate landscapes, dungeons, and characters. Each instalment expands the world’s history and lore, motivating players to unearth secrets and explore diverse areas.

The Last of Us

The Last of Us series by Naughty Dog, published by Sony, is noted for its advanced technical features and storytelling.

Technical Excellence: The game features high-quality graphics and realistic animations, using motion capture to depict characters’ expressions and movements accurately.

Emotional Storytelling: The narrative follows Joel and Ellie navigating a world affected by a fungal infection, dealing with themes such as loss, hope, and survival. The writing, voice acting, and character development add to the complexity of the characters’ journey.

Atmospheric World-Building: The game’s environment features abandoned buildings, overgrown vegetation, and detailed scenery. Each location is created to support the narrative, offering context and atmosphere that engage players in the setting.

Additional Examples of Tech and Creativity in Gaming

Minecraft: This sandbox game lets players build anything with simple blocks, from castles to cities. Its simplicity masks its vast creative potential.

Red Dead Redemption 2: Rockstar Games’ standout title offers stunning visuals, realistic physics, and an immersive storyline in the American frontier, redefining open-world games.

Journey: Thatgamecompany’s “Journey” delivers a visual feast and emotional experience through minimalist design and seamless multiplayer integration without direct communication.

Transforming Education and Beyond

Technology enhances education with interactive tools, engaging learning, and personalised teaching methods, creating an inclusive environment.

Enhancing Education with Technology and Creativity

The education sector is transforming due to technology and creativity. Interactive tools and platforms use tech to make learning engaging and dynamic, simplifying complex subjects.

Interactive Educational Tools

Khan Academy: Offers free resources in subjects like math, science, and humanities with interactive exercises, videos, and personalised dashboards for engaging, self-paced learning.

Duolingo: Makes language learning fun and interactive with gamified elements like levels and rewards. Its short lessons fit easily into daily routines.

Immersive Learning Experiences

Virtual Reality (VR) in Education: VR allows students to have immersive experiences by exploring historical sites, oceans, or human cells in 3D. For example, Google Expeditions provides virtual field trips that support learning about cultures, geography, and science.

Augmented Reality (AR) Apps: AR apps like Quiver transform colouring pages into interactive 3D models. Students colour a page, then use the Quiver app to animate their drawings, enhancing engagement and retention.

Personalised Learning

Adaptive Learning Platforms: Tools like DreamBox Learning and IXL use adaptive technology to personalise education. They assess a student’s performance and adjust lessons accordingly, offering support where needed and advanced challenges for those who excel. This approach allows students to learn at their own pace.

Flipped Classroom Models: Technology supports flipped classroom models in which students watch lecture videos at home and engage in interactive activities in the classroom. Platforms such as Edpuzzle allow teachers to embed questions and discussions within video lessons, increasing interactivity and helping ensure that students understand the material before applying it in class.

Collaborative Learning Tools

Google Classroom: This tool facilitates the efficient distribution of assignments, sharing of resources, and communication between students and educators. It supports real-time collaboration on documents, presentations, and projects.

Padlet: Padlet is a digital board for notes, images, links, and videos. It supports collaboration and creativity, ideal for brainstorming and group projects.

Challenges and Considerations

Addressing data privacy, intellectual property, and automation’s job impact is crucial at the tech-creativity intersection. Solutions must ensure technology enhances, not diminishes, the human experience.

As technology merges with creativity, ethical challenges arise that need careful attention to maintain a positive human experience. Key issues include data privacy, intellectual property, and the job impact of automation.

Data Privacy

Challenge: The increase of AI and data-driven technologies has raised concerns regarding individual privacy protection. Personal data is frequently collected, analysed, and stored by various platforms, often without users’ full consent or understanding.

Example: Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter gather extensive data on user behaviours, preferences, and interactions. While this data can enhance user experience and provide personalised content, it also has the potential for misuse. The Cambridge Analytica incident demonstrated how personal data obtained from Facebook was used to influence political campaigns, raising significant ethical and privacy questions.

Intellectual Property

Challenge: As AI and automated systems advance in their ability to create content—such as music, art, and literature—the issue of intellectual property rights becomes increasingly complex. A pertinent question arises: Who holds the copyright for a piece of music composed by an AI? Additionally, how can we safeguard the rights of original human creators?

Example: AI-generated art has sparked debates regarding copyright. For instance, the sale of the AI-created painting “Portrait of Edmond de Belamy” at Christie’s for $432,500 raised questions about who should appropriately receive the credit and financial rewards—the developers who programmed the AI or the AI itself. It is clear that legal frameworks governing intellectual property must evolve to address these emerging challenges.

Impact of Automation on Jobs

Challenge: Automation driven by AI and robotics has the capability to change job markets, potentially leading to economic and social adjustments. While technological advancements can generate new opportunities, they may also make certain skills and professions less relevant, thereby affecting employment.

Example: The introduction of automated manufacturing and logistics has led to changes in sectors such as automotive production and warehousing. Companies like Amazon use robots for tasks previously done by human workers, including sorting and packaging. This increases efficiency but reduces the need for manual labour, necessitating a societal move towards reskilling and adapting the workforce to new types of employment.

Algorithmic Bias and Fairness

Challenge: AI systems can reflect biases present in training data, resulting in potentially unequal outcomes. Ensuring fairness in AI is important to avoid discriminatory effects.

Example: Facial recognition technology has more difficulty identifying people with darker skin tones compared to those with lighter skin tones, which can lead to misidentifications. Companies are making efforts to enhance AI fairness, but continuous attention to ethics is necessary.

Looking Ahead

As technology and creativity continue to evolve, their combined potential can drive significant advancements. By leveraging this interaction, new innovations can be achieved, enhancing various aspects of life, work, and communication. The intersection of technology and creativity serves as a foundation for future developments and discoveries. Together, they offer the possibility of a more innovative and inventive world.

Embracing the Future: Tech and Creativity Co-Creating Transformative Experiences

Technology and creativity together can transform our lives. This synergy fosters innovation, enhancing how we live, work, and connect. Here are some examples demonstrating this potential.

Smart Cities: Enhancing Urban Living

Songdo International Business District in South Korea exemplifies enhanced urban living.

Innovation: Songdo is a smart city using advanced technology and urban planning. IoT devices optimise traffic, energy use, and public safety for residents.

Impact: These innovations enhance life quality by reducing congestion, cutting energy use, and ensuring safety. Creative design keeps the city attractive and sustainable.

Healthcare: Revolutionising Patient Care

An example of revolutionising patient care is telemedicine and AI diagnostics:

Innovation: Telemedicine platforms like Teladoc enable remote consultations with healthcare providers. AI tools, like IBM’s Watson Health, help diagnose diseases and suggest treatments by analysing medical data.

Impact: These technologies improve healthcare accessibility, especially in remote areas, and increase diagnosis accuracy and personalised treatment, resulting in better health outcomes.

Education: Transforming Learning Experiences

An example of immersive learning environments:

Innovation: ClassVR offers VR and AR experiences, letting students explore history, conduct science experiments, or travel to space from their classroom.

Impact: These immersive experiences make learning engaging and memorable, helping students grasp complex concepts through interactive methods and boosting enthusiasm.

Workplaces: Redefining Collaboration and Productivity

An example of remote work and collaboration tools

Innovation: Tools like Microsoft Teams and Zoom enable efficient remote collaboration. Virtual reality platforms like Spatial offer immersive virtual workspaces.

Impact: These technologies enhance team collaboration, flexibility, and productivity, and foster creativity through new interaction methods.

Environmental Sustainability: Innovating for a Greener Future

Example: Renewable Energy and Smart Grids

Innovation: Advanced technologies such as smart grids and renewable energy sources, including solar and wind, are being incorporated to develop more sustainable energy systems. Initiatives like solar and wave energy exemplify how innovative methods of energy production and distribution can significantly reduce our carbon footprint.

Impact: These advancements contribute to addressing climate change by encouraging the use of clean energy and enhancing energy efficiency. Moreover, they stimulate further research and development in sustainable technologies, fostering progress towards a greener future.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the powerful synergy between technology and creativity is shaping our world in extraordinary ways. From the dynamic innovations in gaming and education to the transformative impacts on healthcare and urban living, the intersection of these fields offers limitless possibilities.

As we embrace the future, the fusion of creative thinking with technological advancements promises to continually push the boundaries of what is possible, driving progress and enhancing our everyday lives. Let us continue to champion this collaborative spirit, harnessing the full potential of tech and creativity to build a brighter, more innovative tomorrow.

How will you be creative today?