G2G3 PROPULSION

What's in the box?

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:25:00 +0000

By Derek Watson, G2G3

In these days of environmental concerns regarding packaging, especially after the changes the UK Royal Mail has made with post being charged by size as well as weight, we received a very lightweight extra box with a courier delivery today and inside the box, way down at the bottom was… the delivery note!

We were a bit concerned that it was not protected by polystyrene chips or bubble wrap!

G2G3 - Making a difference

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:45:00 +0000

By Linda King, G2G3

The team have just returned from the itSMF UK Conference and Exhibition in Birmingham. It was a good event, though a little quieter than in previous years... not a great surprise really, given the current economic climate. As well as having one of the busiest (and definitely the noisiest!) exhibition stands, we ran 2 rounds of our new Polestar simulation on Wednesday morning. This was really well attended and highly energetic, despite the fact that most of the participants had been up very late at the itSMF Gala Dinner the night before!

One of the strongest themes to come out of the conference was that of 'Optimization'. Our current climate is necessitating IT organizations to look for ways to make the best of what they have - effectively delivering more with less. People and process are key to this challenge. G2G3 solutions do exactly this - energize people, create an practical understanding of process, and also help people realize how they contribute to the 'bigger picture'. I had a conversation with one of our clients at the exhibition who was telling me about the impact our simulations are having on the staff in her organization... she said “People are coming back from the simulation and actually asking to read the ITIL books to get more information. It all makes sense - they are excited and want to know what they can do next to make a difference”. It’s feedback like this that makes it all worthwhile. And it’s these organizations that will thrive and survive.

Lights, Camera... Action

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:00:00 +0000

By Derek Watson, G2G3

We were very recently on location in central Edinburgh, filming our latest corporate video of our updated ITIL simulation, Polestar ITSM. A great day was had by all, with an enthusiastic bunch of participants from a large Scottish Financial organization taking part. Although nervous of the cameras to start with, everyone soon relaxed and forgot the cameras were there. Thanks to the guys at Greenroom films for helping make the day a success. We're working on the final edits of the video now and it will be available for viewing on the G2G3 website very soon!

Scented laptops - whatever next!

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:02:00 +0000

By Linda King, G2G3

Apparently ASUS have launched a range of scented laptops. My first thought was that this had to be a joke, but apparently not. It is not April 1. This is real - a range of scented laptops - for him and her.

Apparently the female version will “conjure images of summer parties and inject a cheerful brightness”, whilst the male version “exudes feelings of power, energy and courage with its playful scent”.

Can you imagine these being used on a grand scale in a corporate environment? The air would be thick with ‘eau de laptop’, mixing with the normal office smells of BO, coffee, bacon rolls and cloying colognes. Despite their promises of power and playfulness, I am pretty sure these smells will do nothing but get up people’s noses! This is one technology upgrade I pray will not be rolled out across all laptops and PCs...

itSMF UK is fast approaching!

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:21:00 +0000

By Linda King, G2G3

Well, it's only a week now until the much anticipated itSMF UK Conference and Exhibition. It's being held in Birmingham this year, which is a shame, as everyone here at G2G3 much preferred the Brighton venue. However, onwards and upwards!

We're excited to be participating in the Experiential Learning stream this year, delivering 'Acceleration of the ISO/IEC 20000 standard and quality/governance attainment through simulation' on Wednesday 12 November (0900 to 1100). The only new simulation being presented at the conference in 2008, this unique, high-impact event can accelerate attainment of the ISO/IEC 20000 standard through creating a shared understanding and commitment to improve. Many of the other ITIL simulations being run on the Experiential Learning stream are also developed by G2G3, but this will be your only opportunity to see the real simulation masters in action!! Places are limited, so contact us to reserve your place in advance or visit stand P19 at the conference where you will also have the opportunity to claim your free SD Card Reader and enter our competition to win the latest Apple iPhone!!

We are also pleased to be unveiling our new and improved user interface for our ITSM/ITIL simulation, Polestar ITSM. The simulation has had a significant facelift, providing an improved reflection of today's enterprise environment. It is now the only simulation on the market to offer total flexibility with respect to the industry scenario in which it can be delivered, increasing the realism and immersion of the simulation experience. Furthermore, we will be unveiling our recently updated new MOF 4.0 simulation, McKinley IT Pro.

We look forward to seeing you in Birmingham!

Microsoft Azure... a cloudless sky?

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:24:00 +0000

By Derek Watson, G2G3

The sky at night is clear and bright, deep in the heart of… Redmond?
After the recent Seinfeld marketing er… campaign. Microsoft have launched their ‘cloud’ computing platform ‘Windows Azure’.
Shame their marketing department didn’t think to look at their dictionaries...

azure
adjective
bright blue in color, like a cloudless sky : white beaches surrounded by azure seas.
Heraldry blue : [ postpositive ] a saltire azure.

noun
1 a bright blue color.
poetic/literary the clear sky.
2 a small butterfly that is typically blue or purplish, with color differences between the sexes.
Celastrina and other genera, family Lycaenidae.

ORIGIN Middle English (denoting a blue dye): from Old French asur, azur, from medieval Latin azzurum, azolum, from Arabic al ‘the’ + lāzaward (from Persian lāžward ‘lapis lazuli’ ).

If the sky is clear, it doesn’t bode well for a good connection to the Windows Cloud. You couldn’t make this stuff up!

And we have lift off! (Well... nearly!)

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:16:00 +0000

By Donna Kudarenko, G2G3

As India celebrates the successful launch of it’s first unmanned mission to the moon, G2G3 is preparing for its own launch of a new, revolutionary product. The team is extremely excited about taking the product to market and will be unveiling it at the UK’s most prestigious ITSM event, the itSMF Annual Conference and Exhibition. Unfortunately I am not at liberty to reveal any more information at this stage but watch this space! Believe me, it will be worth the wait!

And as the events circuit comes to a close for yet another year, our sales team is due to return today from our last Project Management event of the year, the Project Management Institute Global Congress, in Denver. The team were demonstrating our latest Project Management simulation, Polestar PM, and despite the current economic state causing concern about delegate attendance, the event has been extremely successful with numbers actually being up on last year! Maybe things aren’t as bleak as they are being portrayed!

Getting up to speed with IT!

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:10:00 +0000

By Donna Kudarenko, G2G3

Returning to work in the IT industry after nine months of maternity leave, especially in such turbulent times is quite a thought! Its now my 2nd day back and I’m frantically getting myself up to speed on what’s been happening in the world of IT over the last year - who’s acquired or merged with who, etc. One thing that’s very clear is that the industry is not going to emerge unscathed from the current economic state and I have no doubt many more mergers and acquisitions are on the horizon. Analysts are continuing to warn that technology spending is likely to take a great hit - if nothing else, IT budgets will at least be adjusted in line with the rest of the business cuts. Despite the probability of most IT projects being put on hold, strategic projects such as cost cutting are most likely to continue. And yes, I know it’s been said many times before, but it really is time for the CIO to start thinking innovatively!

Is the future of IT in the bank?

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:21:00 +0000

By Jenny McLeod, G2G3

Over the past few weeks, many analysts have had their worst recession fears confirmed. Bank of America purchased Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy and AIG have been scrambling to secure tens of billions of dollars in emergency capital. It is hasn't been a great month for the financial sector.

Worryingly, financial service institutions have traditionally been the biggest drivers for the IT industry – major investment banks and insurance companies spend hundreds of billions of pounds annually to maintain and upgrade IT networks. This dependency has left many people wondering - what will happen to the IT industry if the financial sector goes bust?

Fortunately, things are not as bad as they may seem. Gartner Analyst Ken McGee says that major financial institutions will continue to demand IT services and products as they are crucial in order to stay competitive and keep sensitive data secure. Lehman Brothers continued to invest heavily in IT even though it was surging towards bankruptcy. So, whilst spending will probably slow, it may not experience negative growth. On top of this, departments at major financial firms will have known about the impending downturn for a considerable amount of time. If they have budgeted accordingly then drastic cuts should be avoided.

And what about the future of IT – is it in the bank? There will be a host of new legislation in the aftermath of this crisis, which will hopefully open up new channels for the importance of IT. This could be particularly true for firms that help companies comply with reporting requirements. Dr. Paul Plishuk, president of Information Gatekeepers, Inc. (IGI) points out that the increasing number of mergers and acquisitions will also boost the market for firms that specialize in integrating networks – consider the Bank of America and Merrill Lynch case.

The troubles within the financial sector will have far reaching consequences. Let's hope that the IT industry can utilize its position in a way that secures its future.

The G2G3'ers talk like pirates

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:45:00 +0000

by Linda King, G2G3

Today is ‘International Talk Like a Pirate Day’, which is causing no end of hilarity in the G2G3 office. As the room reverberates with calls of ‘Aarrr’ and ‘Ahoy, me hearty’, there’s a lot of laughing going on. And that’s what the creators of this madcap day had in mind - since it’s inception in 1992, they recognized that talking like a pirate is fun - it’s as simple as that. Who knows... perhaps it might be a great scenario for our next ITIL simulation.. :-)

Publication of IT Service Management: Global Best Practices

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:45:00 +0000

By Jenny McLeod, G2G3

Last month, itSMF International announced the publication of IT Service Management: Global Best Practices. It is a unique collection of 40 papers that offer inside knowledge on the new practices and processes that could radically change IT service Management in the next few years. The compendium is written by global industry leaders worldwide and offers thought provoking guidance for IT managers everywhere. For more information or to order a copy, visit the itSMF bookstore.

Only 3 more days till itSMF USA!!

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:36:00 +0000

By Linda King, G2G3

It's only 3 more days now till itSMF Fusion in San Francisco. G2G3 are excited about being there, and having so much involvement in the conference and exhibition. It's not too late to register! Come along and experience 2 of our simulations in the Simulation Showcase Event on Sunday 7 September. Our fantastic facilitators will be running open events for both Polestar ITSM, our ITIL simulation and Polestar PM, our Project and Portfolio Management simulation. Henry Strouts, our VP of Business Development will be presenting on Monday on how Infographics can win the battle of IT complexity - this is sure to be a crowd pleaser! And of course, we'll be there in the Exhibition Hall at Booth 711, so come along to meet us all and see our new simulation offerings for yourself. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Country Managers Required! (US AND AP)

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:41:00 +0000

To help drive our ever expanding business, G2G3 is looking for 2 Country Managers - one for the US and the other for Asia Pacific (AP). These are high-profile roles, and those appointed will be responsible for driving business development in these key regions. For more information about these exciting new roles, please see the Careers Section of the main G2G3 site, then get in touch with a full CV and covering letter.

In space, no-one can hear you reboot!

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:58:00 +0000

By Derek Watson, G2G3

The BBC carries a story today confirmed by NASA that Astronauts on the International Space Station were using laptops infected by the Gammima.AG virus. Furthermore the laptops which were running Windows did not have any anti virus software installed!

More and more we are told to ensure our computers and data are safe and secure from attack so it seems incredible computers carried into space are so vulnerable even if they are not ‘mission critical’.

A small step for man, a giant leap for the hackers!

The full news story can be found here

IT team get the blues...

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:29:00 +0000

By Jenny McLeod, G2G3

The Olympics is always a colorful event. Yet, within this spectrum there is one color that the IT team would happily pass the entire games without seeing. That color is blue, the chosen shade of the Windows error screen. If an operational fault develops then this grim reaper is not slow to show face, and softpedia.com points out, “wherever Windows goes... the Blue Screen of Death is bound to follow”.

And follow it did. As veteran Chinese gymnast Li Ning was majestically suspended in the Bird's Nest, Windows XP failed to deliver and the BSOD appeared directly behind him during the opening ceremony. Luckily the error went largely unnoticed, but to witnesses it clearly illustrates the stability issues that have plagued Windows XP, even after the release of Service Pack 2. The photos of this can be seen here.

There are only four days left of the Beijing Olympics now. Let's just hope that the IT infrastructure continues to run smoothly and efficiently, and can shake of these blues once and for all.

Green IT - Are we becoming apathetic?

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:30:00 +0000

By Jenny McLeod, G2G3

Last week, Version One interviewed 100 senior IT professionals across a range of public and private sector organizations in the UK. The topic? Green IT and where industry leaders place the environment on their business agenda. Whilst 86% of interviewees expressed concern over their carbon footprint, this positive response has fallen 12% since 2007. Depressingly, it seems that IT environmentalists are losing faith and people are starting to wonder - is the IT industry becoming apathetic?

I can see a number of potential explanations for this decline. Apathy is certainly a plausible candidate, and if that is the case then perhaps these statistics indicate a refreshing bout of honesty rather than 'green fatigue'. I'm sure that within this 86% there are significant number whose environmental initiatives don't make it past the official company line, and according to www.techworld.com “there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that UK businesses talk green but don't act it”. Not good news.

On the other hand, it may be that other concerns have taken precedence this year. The current economic climate is a worry for all business sectors and energy saving initiatives are usually the first thing to go. Greener practices may not have been abandoned, just put on hold for now. Also, the general manager of Version One, Lynne Munns, points out that respondents may have already actively taken steps to reduce their environmental impact, and are less concerned as a result.

Hopefully Lynne is right. The IT industry has an important role to play and the European Commission on the Environment has made it clear that “it is important to realize how much IT can help reduce the carbon footprint of private and public enterprises alike”. Whether this reduction comes from cross-industry initiatives or altering print settings (yes – the energy saving mode will make a difference) the time to start is now. Energy costs are escalating, consumer values are changing and NGOs are now directly targeting the IT industry with environmental campaigns. Birkenstocks and hemp sweaters may never become a staple of the office environment but the 'business as usual' model cannot continue for long – apathy won't do.

Going for gold – will the IT team perform?

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:22:00 +0000

By Jenny McLeod, G2G3

Beijing 2008 is finally upon us. This afternoon is the opening ceremony of the 29th Summer Olympics which will boast two hundred countries, eleven thousand athletes and an estimated 3 billion spectators over the next sixteen days. Now, that's pressure. And the big question on everybody's lips is – are they ready? As a company that specialize in creating readiness, this is an issue close to our hearts, and one that affects everybody in Beijing. Of course, there was the controversy surrounding China's readiness; there is always the question of competitor readiness; but there is another crucial preparedness that underpins the entire operation – the IT infrastructure.

Since 2003, a consortium of nine IT service providers has been preparing for this moment of glory. Lead by Atos Origin, the past months and years have consisted of over 200,000 hours of Spartan training and testing, to ensure that the IT systems run smoothly and effectively throughout. With 10,000 computers, 1000 servers and 4000 printers to worry about this is no meager task and the systems have been fully operational for the past two weeks in order to account for every eventuality. All eyes may be on the athletes, but if these systems don't run smoothly there won't be much to see.

However, as they say, practice makes perfect and I have faith in the ability of the IT team. Readiness is the key and with five years of testing everything should be in place for a seamless performance. The odds seem good for this event.

Experiential Learning - lets do and understand

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:22:00 +0000

By Jenny McLeod, G2G3

Small talk is never fun. It's been one week now since my adopted Chinese student arrived in Edinburgh and although his English is not too bad, my dinner table has definitely witnessed more fluid conversation. So, in an attempt to get the ball rolling I decided to conduct some research – learn a bit about Chinese culture so he would feel more at home . In the process, I came across a Confucian proverb, which reads: “I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand”.

Admittedly, our common appreciation of The Dark Knight inspired a more animated conversation than this nugget of wisdom, but there is a resounding truth in this statement that really struck a chord with me.

Increasingly, people are becoming aware that traditional learning techniques are not the most effective way to make sense of complex situations. Formal training methods consist of manuals, lectures and seminars and are usually presented in a de-contextualized form. Yes, they deliver information, but struggle to turn it into understanding without an experiential and realistic element. Hearing and seeing do not cut it.

This is particularly true in the IT industry where the increasing complexity of IT frameworks poses a challenge for traditional methods. These intricate processes require experiential (informal) learning, where clarity and understanding can be cemented through realistic, practical situations. If anything, the IT industry should lead by example in this field as technology is providing a platform for many of these techniques. Simulations, online networking and virtual worlds offer a new and exciting way to share experiences and knowledge in a way that is simple, effective and memorable. We need to do to understand.

Learning should be about challenging, creating and engaging critically with the process. Traditional learning doesn't allow this and often struggles to bridge the gap between knowledge and reality. Effective learning requires experiential methods presented in a realistic context. It's about hearing, seeing and most importantly, doing.

Can we virtually collaborate?

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:15:00 +0000

By Linda King, G2G3

The recent launch of ‘Lively’ - the new virtual collaboration environment from Google seems to be another step towards the adoption of virtual and 3D environments for the educational and corporate mainstream. Traditionally the mainstay of the leisure and gaming world, virtual environments started to stray into the business and educational world with Second Life. Despite the media hype and initial enthusiasm, Second Life has taken a bit of a bashing lately, with industry analysts Gartner stating that 90% of Second Life business initiatives fail - however they and other industry analysts are still convinced that virtual environments will have a significant impact on business and collaboration as we know it.

As an experiential learning provider, it is interesting to consider how our solutions will transfer to such an environment. Yes there are benefits - an enhanced global reach and reduced training costs - but how can a virtual environment recreate the buzz and excitement generated during a face-to-face group ITIL simulation? How can communication be replicated to the point of creating real team benefits? When considering this, one only need look at the quality and depth of 3D gaming itself. In a quality gaming environment, gamers become totally absorbed in the gameplay, with no question about excitement. In fact, there are many gamers out there who would stay up all night playing games if they could! The challenge for learning providers in business - to effectively recreate this level of energy for their virtual collaborations.

ITBM qualifications - a step in the right direction

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:17:00 +0000

By Jenny McLeod, G2G3

As we all know, the relationship between IT and business management is an immensely important (and sought after) bond. Its smooth running is a veritable must-have as the cornerstone of efficient and productive operations, and this is particularly true during times of change. However, this marriage is often a rocky one and in too many cases a lack of communication and understanding creates unnecessary friction for everybody involved. IT professionals feel that they don't have the support of business executives (who rarely belong to IT fields) and managers take issue with altering business processes to suit IT needs.

I was always told that there is simple solution to everything and it seems that in this case, going back to basics might be the most effective way to improve this alignment. For this reason, 13 universities and a number of major IT employers have come together to create a pioneering new qualification - the Information Technology Business Management (ITBM) degree. It has been designed on the premise that IT professionals must not only enable the technology to support business initiatives, but be aware of where the business is going, tactically and strategically. This combination of design, implementation and management aims to produce well rounded graduates who can lead in an effective and relevant manner, and this could be extremely relevant in many problem situations.

The bottom line is that it makes sense. The capacity to communicate more effectively can only be an organizational benefit, which, coupled with improved understanding, will oil IT/business relations so that they run smoothly. Not only that - the ITBM is rooted in an ongoing dialog between universities and prospective employers, so that its industrial relevance is secured. People communicating - now, that is a simple solution.

The future of gaming

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:00:00 +0000

By Jenny McLeod, G2G3

I was born in 1985. Admittedly, twenty two is not old – but even at this age I sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed by the speed at which technology has progressed in the past two decades - never mind ten. If you read the story about Olive Riley last week then you will know that at 108 years old, this Aussie centurian has just passed on her title as the world's oldest blogger. Yes, the women was born in 1899, finished her education in 1914, and at the age of 107 began networking online in her very own blog. Anyone impressed?

I was thinking about Olive as I read about the 13th E3 Media and Business Summit in Hollywood – an annual highlight in the electronic gaming world. This year, Nintendo announced the arrival of the Wii MotionPlus, an advanced console that, according to the BBC, will add more “realism and depth” to the Wii's capabilities. Playstation and Microsoft also made it clear that they want to broaden the scope of their consoles and games, so that gender and age are no longer the defining feature of users. It seems that games are set to play a much more significant role in every aspect of our lives.

Critics of games usually cite their negative impact on society and social interaction. I have a friend who has spent more than half of this year playing World of Warcraft in his bedroom, and unless our society starts to resemble Azeroth then I'd be tempted to agree. But, these new games are different. There is a social and interactive element to Singstar, Rock Band and the Wii's sporting creations that previous games do not have. An increasing number of releases are casual lifestyle titles and family orientated games, and these aim to create a rallying point for families, and the wider community. Microsoft's Don Mattrick's said himself, that the new place for the console is “at the heart of the living room” and these games are about human interaction as much as anything else.

Is this the future of gaming? Can you see your grandparents as the latest edition to your electronic rock band? I'm not entirely sure, but the versatility of gaming, and its potential social function are increasingly apparent. And if Olive Riley can start blogging in her 107th year, then maybe the answer is yes.

Free the PDF!!

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:37:00 +0000

By Derek Watson, G2G3

Adobe’s Portable Document Format (PDF), one of the World’s most commonly used formats for electronic documents, is now an ISO International Standard (ISO 32000-1). Adobe have decided to release control to ISO, who are publishing the specifications for the current version (PDF 1.7) and updating and developing future versions.

The advent of the PDF has changed the way designers work with clients as so many meetings and presentations can be achieved by telephone with the designs being viewed closely to how they will be produced either on screen or by using a reasonable quality color printer.

The files are then sent to the printer as a PDF removing the need to send any large images or ensuring the printer has the typefaces employed.

At G2G3 we use the online commenting feature which allows numerous remote people to check and comment on the same file at the same time and automatically feed the comments back to us.

Some parts of the games kit documentation for our Simulations can also be stored online as PDFs and downloaded by the trainer for printing prior to an event rather than shipping excessive amounts of material around the globe.

And the best bit is… the viewer is free so no excuses for not having it!

IT has to get creative!

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:54:00 +0000

By Jenny McLeod, G2G3

Edward de Bono is a wise man. He is the godfather of the term lateral thinking, which essentially means we should strive to be more creative in the way we make decisions.

Creativity is essential in the business world. It is in constant flux, and at the moment it seems that a tide has turned. Economic growth has slowed and many sectors, including IT, have been adversely affected. Over the past months, many IT organizations have slashed their training budgets, claiming it to be the most expendable part of operations. In my mind, nothing could be further from the truth.

Effective training lies at the heart of any organization. It increases efficiency, bolsters productivity and ensures that staff are aware of the importance of their role in a wider context. These elements have a immediate impact financially and psychologically – nothing lightens the burden of economic strain like money and morale! And whilst it may seem a sensible option, it is only a short term solution. Increasing the knowledge and skill base of staff can only be a benefit once the tide comes back to shore. Without effective training and operational awareness, the current may be far too strong.

I appreciate that this is not breaking news – yet, training budgets continue to disappear. This is where de Bono comes in. It is not training as a whole that deserves to be cut, but the ineffective methods that many traditional learning techniques fall victim to. It's time to get creative! At G2G3 we have created a range of high-impact simulations and contextual learning solutions, which use real life experiences to accelerate understanding and illustrate the importance of individual roles in context. Simulations can be as effective in half a day as three or four days of traditional learning techniques, which provide de-contextualized information.

Now more than ever, the popularity of these informal techniques must continue to grow. Traditional methods instill knowledge, but cannot translate this information into value without creative techniques that contextualize the training process. These effective solutions are the way forward and are essential for the IT industry now, and for the future. Lateral thinking is definitely in – de Bono will be proud.

CIOs call end-users 'irritating'

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:46:00 +0000

By Linda King, G2G3

I read this morning an article on ComputerWeekly.com that surprised me. In a survey, UK CIOs and senior IT professionals were asked to reveal their top 'irritants' in their working environments. Unbelievably and almost at the top of the list, coming in at Number 3 - was 'End-users in general'. Is this a joke? Do senior IT professionals at this level genuinely think that the business they serve and the end-users within it are nothing but an irritant? If these survey results are true, then what does it say about IT? To me it shows a complete lack of respect, as well as an inability to see the 'bigger picture' of the business as a whole. End-users are not there to 'irritate' IT - but to work together with them to achieve the goals of the organization. Surveys like this simply help create a divide between IT and the business - one which so many of us in G2G3 and across the industry are trying so hard to break down.

Technology, our constant companion

noreply@blogger.com (G2G3 Blog) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:21:00 +0000

By Jenny McLeod, G2G3

For the past week the voice of disgruntled Fringe lovers has echoed throughout Edinburgh. Unexpected IT issues meant that, until today the advance-booking system was not in operation and weeks of careful highlighting could not be brought to fruition. Yes, this was an inconvenience for those whose August plans were temporarily postponed, but it also highlights the vital role that technology has come to play in our daily lives - even in the simple act of purchasing a ticket! It's not that I think this technological crutch should be removed, only that we should be emotionally prepared for the times in which we are unexpectedly abandoned. My internet connection was down for thirty minutes today and in this short time I began to wonder how my life had ever functioned without email, google and my daily Facebook fix! Technology is our constant companion and this makes the times in which things go wrong all the more unsettling. Thankfully it has been all systems go for the Fringe office today and with nearly 1.7 million tickets sold in 2007, let's just hope that these technical issues have been permanently combed out.