Monday, June 20, 2016

Forms of Business Communication

Communication is the cornerstone for the success of any venture. Preceding blog discussed about the importance of Communication in Project Management, and this post will draw your attention to the different forms of communication. Communication put simply is sending or receiving information. Be it person to person [one-on-one] or with multiple contact [one with many] or within contacts [many to many], the bottom line is effective and efficient communication will prove decisive in the success of business venture. Timely call and timely action underscores the indispensible need for communication.

The insights from PMI’s Pulse of the Profession™ In-Depth Report: The Essential Role of Communications are interesting in its findings. “Highly effective communicators are also more likely to deliver projects on time (71 percent versus 37 percent) and within budget (76 percent versus 48 percent).”



The methods and means to communicate are as important as communication itself.  It’s a difficult fact to digest that despite understanding the significance of communication at the required hour, there is still a struggle to keep concerned informed of the critical details and updates. 

To get everyone associated with the project on the same page, it is necessary to speak the language of business. Communication is often glorified as a dialogue or discussion between figure heads or ‘key’ personnel, especially decision makers, sponsors or business owner. The last person is counted whose views, opinions, suggestions and response matters. Communication is a two-way street when “we reach out by speaking and listening”.

Communication is of two types in the context of business: internal and external.

Be it internal or external, communication works mainly on the following methodologies:

Verbal

It’s the spoken word, which can be face-to-face, particularly individual to individual (one on one), or groups (conferencing) or one to many (interviews, stakeholder meet or client meeting). Verbal communication these days are empowered by employing media like phones (direct conversation) or radio and television (passive listeners).  Some stakeholders meetings in the Asian-pacific region are known to be held in football stadiums. Verbal communication is the traditional form and cuts out the clutter or confusion. Unless recorded, which can have legal implications, the verbal exchange can at best be captured as minutes or notes, which can be less accurate.

 

Written Communication:
Anything in the written format that include letters, memos, bulletins board, circulars, notice, posters, articles, magazines, and books. This method is chosen when communication is intended to reach multiple persons who are at a distance that voice can’t reach or in a different location. Before the advent of technology, this was considered as the predominant method of communication. For authenticity and authority, written format can best serve the purpose like offer letter, or user manual or business related correspondence like agreements, invoice and other legal documents. Also, records in writing serve as proof or testimony and in legal parlance as evidence too. The downside is the delay in delivery and failure in acknowledgement can leave the fate of the correspondence in hanging; too much of paperwork and hence housekeeping could be cumbersome and the adverse impact to nature by felling trees to make papers.

Electronic Communication:
Technology has revolutionized communication. Electronic Communication includes email, sms, social media, websites (enquiry and feedback sections), web conferencing, and online chats. Pen and paper are fad, other than signature or the occasional notes. With gadgets governing the order of the day, it’s electronic all the way because of the access, use, reach, convenience, comfort and connectivity.  The communication can be complete with a click of a mouse.

E-mail is the most preferred form of communication, especially in the written format. Technology enabling voice, it will not be necessary to type or key words, as the system will intelligent to input the words from voice software technology.

Web conferencing is where remotely located person or people can connect either face-to-face meeting take place on a secure connection. Web conferencing can be leveraged for instructor-led online training and alternatively a recorded session can become the course content for self-paced or e-Learning for training, lectures, presentations, workshops and the like.

Social media sites also act as good platform, especially for marketing and promotional activities with its vast network, they help to connect and collaborate in exchange of information. Such sites are also used in the sphere of learning where the learned impart their knowledge and thereby serve the community.

There are of course, online chats for customer service provided by any merchant put up a shop online or service provider offering services. As technology advances, newer ways to connect are created strengthening communication. There is always a downside to anything creative or innovative but the evaluation will always  be based on the pros and cons.

Friday, June 17, 2016

Are YOU worried that Robots will take your Job?

With the rise in AI, amidst the cheers that hailed the new arrivals, there were few that suffered some anxious moments wondering ‘will I be out of a job?’ Finance fuels the journey of life. Disruption had a negative connotation but the perception has altered peculiarly in the parlance of information and Technology. More so in Robotics.

Image source: telegraph.co.uk
So far humans have been in the control of machines. What happens if it reverses? Automation in large-scale, like manufacturing wherein a robotic arm could effectively handle the operations of many a skilled workers and in effect replace them. Public didn’t panic then other than sympathizing with the misfortune that befell on the displaced workforce and largely embraced the change and went about their lives. If robotic arm wasn’t artificial intelligence that failed to give the jitters, why is that the, a superior and smarter robot of the present makes us feel weak and vulnerable?

Could it be the ‘thinking aloud’ of the leading lights about the advent of AI and its impact on humans affect our composure or we become too complacent by ensconcing in the comfort zone? It’s a rude jolt or a rough wake-up when a technocrat and an economist point in the same direction and almost articulate alike.  The imposing power of artificial intelligence “will eliminate a lot of existing types of jobs” by Bill Gates and former IMF Economist Rajan raising reservation about the “anxiety in middle class” because of the technology progress can be unsettling. It sure doesn’t send the shiver down the spine, though apprehensions are shared by profession about the doomsday.

What made us worry?
Occupations most at risk including administrative, clerical and production tasks” was opined by Bank of England’s chief economist Andy Haldane. The possibilities that Jobs from customer service to security analyst might be replaced in two decades are dictated as real by some pundits. But quoting Bill Gates, who famously quoted that the “shelf life of Intellectual Property is that of a banana”, two decades must present the timeline for you to draw and discern the postulation. Some say ‘possible and some ‘preposterous’, and it remains to be seen what will be your stand in this scenario.

Look at the possible scenarios:
Chatbots: customer service will turn out to more effective with computers answering customer calls. It could send customer call executives reeling, but some employees given the stress and at times toxic exchange and environment seems to embrace the change – even before arrival?


Some even speculate the ‘most at risk’ opportunities in employment would be
  • Anyone working in telemarketing
  • Anyone stitching by hand
  • Maths technicians
  • Watch repairers
  • Insurance underwriters


And the recently introduced Betty of Milton Keynes who actually joined as ‘trainee robot manager’ engaged in a trial run for months, which can discharge several duties from monitoring personnel on work to welcoming guests.

And some statistics as well:


The author feels fear is misplaced. What happens in the breakdown of machinery? What about malfunction or virus attack? Despite numerous attempts are made to insulate from the onslaught, immunity is far cry. 

Everyone seems to be engrossed with Bots , Taco Bell announced the TacoBot, Microsoft Tay , Facebook AI Assistant “M” and the list can go on.


Are you worried?

There were instances when Robots failed and dismissed from service.  In a recent occurrence, two restaurants in China were forced to shut down due to the faltering Robots which couldn’t pour water or take orders from customers.

Another occurrence worth mentioning would be Microsoft’s Tay which malfunctioned and retired from service. Microsoft subsequently offered an apology and admitted that despite factoring many scenarios, it wasn’t prepared and made a critical oversight for this specific attack.  Microsoft Tay was pulled offline and will be featured once ready in address all possible human misuses. For now it’s not possible to predict all ‘all possible human interactive misuses without learning from mistakes’.

So we would be unduly worried to fear professional prospects robbed by robots. Even in the worst case scenario, human will upgrade themselves. The author took this survey and responded in the negative. The result depicted as under reflects that the majority negate the worry factor.

(source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11994694/Heres-what-will-happen-when-robots-take-over-the-world.html)


Thursday, June 16, 2016

Artificial sounds so artificial – shouldn’t that be ‘Incredible’ Intelligence


image courtesy: http://eng-cs.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Artificial-Intelligence01_Web.jpg


Information is wealth and knowledge is power.

Mankind has underscored the importance in its time and today data reigns supreme. Hereon and hence forward, the challenge would be to ‘challenge the supremacy’. With a data now and digital is future, the internet will influence a whopping 50% of purchasing  decisions. In the world in which we inhabit, there is an information avalanche or a data deluge, and what all that amount without application will be just data dump. From core computing to commerce, it’s all about data points. Business is driven by numbers. Message is strengthened with statistics lest it lacks in substance and becomes an opinion. If its fact, then furnish data.

Google, in its inception, was driven by the mission "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful," and did anyone gave much thought about its ability to market and monetize back in the late nineties. There were many search engines at that point in time that have disappeared or probably obscured by the numero uno status held by Google today. Websites apportioning real estate for advertisements to milk money as a strategic revenue stream didn’t hold weight for all despite their might. Publishers started studying traffic and the one that gained more traction in terms of attention and active participation proved pivotal in assessing return on income.

This report acknowledges Mary Meeker’s 2016 internet trends as key inputs to arrive at different inferences and interpretations.

Some highlights from the presentation more pertinent to this passage:



1.   Intelligence driving computers is not something we stumbled upon. It was a given. ‘Search’ engine started with a search by returning results that’s near about or no way near to the ‘search input’ and a distant to the expected ‘result’. Then search engine pushed it way and propelled itself to the way forward, by retrieving ‘right’ result with minimal iteration. You don’t have to be brainy or super smart to string a nice ‘search query’ – the system should be able to fetch you the search ‘result’. How did it do it? Intelligence reared its head up – defying logic, reason and rationale. Over time, Google has amassed a wealth of information to mine and monetize – using Big Data and Artificial Intelligence.



With advancement, where we did we witness the acceleration of intelligence? Try the search engine. The accuracy in the search results has gone exceedingly high and to the cycle or attempts taken to locate the result has reduced way below. The machines are able to recognize through images and words used. How? Check the newsfeed in Google news section. Or observe the image results. Or the X-Box that feeds body movements as inputs to read and respond. Personalization is not the pinnacle of AI. It’s just warming up.

Next cars will drive and diagnosis can be more specific. We see more players actively engaged in AI as direct line or dotted. Ford is not a player in AI but its investment in AI for its vehicles has risen manifold. Google came out with ‘allo’ and Facebook launched ‘DeepText’ and startups mushrooming by the hundreds in this space.

The Trends 2016 put forth by Meeker


Search Engine
Try hailing a cab from your office corridor or the home confines, and check your device with the app and study the screen up close. The GPS fueled intelligence is just compelling or at times, breathtaking by the sheer spectacle of the number of vehicles traced and screened in the smart device with the possible time to reach in minutes. Perhaps the details complemented with depiction dazzles. This is a common and known scenario that happens in our daily walk of life.

Now Google is a well-known search engine. Facebook, given its information capital wants to leverage and launched DeepText for better engagement. The conundrum with regard to privacy is an admittedly complex. It’s the ground breaking development that’s fascinating. Google search and DeepText have ‘search’ as common and still exist as chalk and cheese as the domain is different for both.



AI-driven messaging Apps
Microsoft has one - ‘Skype, while Facebook has two:  “whatsapp and messenger” and Google joins with its own AI-based app “allo”. The apps have built-in ability to enhance and enrich user experience. AI enabled assistants have been in the news lately with one or the other behemoth rolling out their product. Times have witnessed the launch from Google, Facebook, apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and even as this article is penned, the buzz in the industry is Robot Betty joins office as a trainee office manager.  One wonders with this evolution of Artificial Intelligence and the looming threat of people’ interest superseded by machines introduction into the workforce – cases as in chatbots which can automate repetitive mundane handled by humans cutting on the cost and drastically enhancing the productivity.  




Image Recognition and Voice Software

The advancement is alarming that machine can think like man, act independently and intelligent enough to communicate to another robot.   Google image recognition can be amazing study and awe-inspiring in its implementation. Powerful algorithms can read from millions of pictures and map with the face scanned by the camera and throw a result – the identification is another break ground in terms of innovation, especially the high-level abstraction in data and multiple processing can be mind boggling.

Voice-function enabled search is another incredible innovation. We had voice software but enabling search with voice is so powerful in its enablement. You speak faster than read or type. So the ease and comfort with which the user is empowered is unbelievable till you do the search yourself. For instance, if it’s an android phone, you can experiment by simply asking “Ok Google, what is the temperature outside” and within second you hear the answer. Try any other question but make sure your question starts with “ok Google’ because the system understands this command. The voice and image have undergone incremental changes to arrive where they are at present. The voice recognition when complemented with image and retina can become dominant in determining user identification.

Summing up, the progress of AI is exponential that it entwines in our daily life. As we resort to AI for almost anything – reminders, communication, travel, sports, entertainment and what not, even the skeptics will forced to look harder and question their own beliefs.

It’s no longer the distant future.

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Importance of Communication in Project Management

Records reveal that 90% of the productive time engaged by Project Managers is on communication. The PMI’s 2013 Pulse of the Profession report states that effective communications to all stakeholders as the most critical in project management.


The report further cautioned about the high risks due to poor communication, which is a shocking figure of 56% percentage. 


One of the reason attributed to this rise in risk is the negligence to proper communication as project managers, at times, tend to take it for granted.  Communication during the inception, especially about requirement walk-through can prove critical and impact the outcome of the project. It’s important all the stakeholders well informed and educated about the expectations. Capturing the requirement correctly – usually exchanging notes and drawings or prototype – is again typical communication management. If the start is good, it’s as good half the battle won. Most of the failures when analyzed point to the requirement analysis when the customer and vendor’ understanding failed to match. Furthermore, effective communications prove to be main reason(s) for successful execution of projects by meeting deadlines with some delay and at cost. It spells top performance of all the stakeholders. For the scope of this article, let’s look at key aspects that stress the need for effective communication in a business project.

Understanding stakeholders’ expectation: it’s easy to misread as ‘requirements’. Stakeholders always have an expectation as to how the project should evolve and shape up. It will be difficult to gauge the expectation in the first call and hence it’s iterative. The back and forth exchange is a necessity till all involved are able to read and interpret the message in voice – unanimous.  The objectives agreeable mutually should be engaged as the mission of the project.

Risk Mitigation: Any undertaking will have its share of risks. Black and white is almost picture perfect. There will be some grey area, which is expected in a business engagement. . When the communication is free and frequent, chances are good in ironing out the difference and closing the gaps. The worst of risks are the assumptions made in the absence of valid or required information. Correspondence between different stakeholders will cut down the clutter and enhance understanding. The better the understanding, lesser will be the assumptions.  Assumptions are inevitable, but efforts should be made to keep it to the minimum with least impact.

Transparency leads to trust. Communication helps to earn the stakeholders confidence. Much depends on the matter and manner which is being communicated and the manner. Its time bound and information critical to build a good rapport in order to build credibility. When there is nothing to hide, why will be the need to doubt? Open and transparent communication always clear results in garnering goodwill and establishing trustworthiness. An honest response that conveys an unpleasant message might be difficult to savor but that’s how integrity is build. Trust deficit or erosion can create serious conflicts in slowing or stopping project. On the other hand, earning stakeholders’ confidence will help in better understanding within both the parties to allow some leeway or latitude. All said and done, it boils to the trust – how reliable you are, and more importantly, truthful.

Precise and concise communication. Prompt, punctual and proper exchange of information using appropriate channels defines communication.  How many actually acknowledge a mail receipt – though it’s the best way to assure.  It doesn’t need to be rich in prose or sound poetic – a simple message using simple language is enough as long it communicates the required and desired information. Besides, stakeholders, especially decision makers are always short of time and may not be read the length of the letter. Hence it’s recommended to keep it precise and to the point.

Regular and frequent communication. It’s never construed as disturbance when it comes to the messages affecting the commitment. Free and forthcoming communication that’s scheduled or unscheduled is always welcome and never understood as an intrusion specifically about project updates. The daily status report, weekly status report and similar reports are scheduled ones that are expected. And any alerts, warning or clarification exchanges are unplanned or unscheduled. Frequent communication will help in project navigation and better understanding of the actual progress made as accountable stakeholders will confirm or raise flags as concern to undertake remedial measures, if required.

Communication Management features as one the knowledge areas in PMI’s PMBOK® A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). If you have a comment, please drop by and we can discuss it further.

We are one of the leading educational service provider offering project management programs as part of niche certification courses.   In case you are interested to know more about our programs, please visit our website www.icertglobal.com  

Monday, June 13, 2016

What does it serve to hold a Professional Training?






It’s a well beaten track, and oft-walked path and probably worn out. Even after it goes a full circle, sometimes we are back at square one. So what does it serve to hold a professional certification/training?

Maslow postulated that ‘when one need is met, another arises’. It’s a two way street between employers and employees. While one is on the lookout for extraordinary skills offering position and perks, the other is on the pursuit of offering its services to best bidder. The employer-employee relationship is reciprocal.  ‘How can I help you’ to ‘what do you have to offer me’. As a professional aspiring to move ahead in the corporate ladder, what are the expectations from an individual standpoint as well as collective?

Skills Specialisation

Show uncommon skill.

It will become banal if you could do the math with the headcount, out of which how many really can be counted in?


So the number of candidates who actually make it to the talent pool is disproportionate to talent available.  Employers are really vetting a recruit’ worth because getting a new hire onboard is expensive and cumbersome. The trail of links from start to closure can be long and winding. So how does professional training help developing skills? Expectedly, your knowledge base should be broad and it’s strongly recommended to specialize.  Academic knowledge is acknowledged and professional development will complement in carving your professional profile. Capabilities in line with the current standards, relevant knowledge about the changing trends and times in your track; closing your knowledge gaps and help you become a potential contributor.


Non-professionals as active participants

How do non-professionals get in? That’s an interesting poser. There are prospects in the industry which facilitates non-actors in to active participants through professional development programs. For instance, you have enlisted for Arts but interested in design, or your major is Math and penchant for Analytics, and the industry will surprise with the opportunities abound.  There I nothing non-inclusive.

In fact, heavyweights and bellwether companies have opted to look beyond the conventional method even in campus selection shifting primary focus on skills. Those who have the appetite to ‘go beyond’ is succinctly encapsulated in this crisp comment “people who like figuring out stuff where there is no obvious answer”.

More than academic, it will be the analytic, innovative, think out-of-box approach that draws more eyeballs. Every player is deemed to have traits and skill primary followed by secondary. It will be through honing and fine-tuning, especially when professional migrate from their line of practice. And that’s when and how training, workshop or certification courses actually lend merit to improve skills in a planned and structured way.

International acceptance and recognition

With economy opening up profiles today are pancontinental. When visibility is high, the stakes too are high and hence it’s significant that your credentials take center stage or go places – literally.  Some niche certification is renowned for its compelling grip to hold international audience. A professional certification course is a key enabler in making your profile visible and far reaching – by speaking in the same language that’s universally understood and upheld. When you can demonstrate with the expected skill, expertise and authorized by a professional governing or certifying body, it not only recognizes but endorses your commitment in a global business analysis community.


Job opportunities world-wide

Job opportunities will be a corollary to international recognition. Once the threshold is reached, doors are opened. The industry is not short of opportunities. There is a dearth of quality and qualified professional and this supply vs demand is grossly skewed underscoring the need for skilled personnel. Interestingly, professional training enabled many non-actors to get into the fray and find a place in the workforce.


Ant crisis presents an opportunity and how can you capitalize the chance by leveraging on your knowledge and understanding. For a power-packed performance, you need support in the form of grooming and guidance and perhaps where professional training will pitch.


Career-path accelerator


Now that’s huge. A certification can ensure consideration, if not confirmation. Building your career will depend much on your personal branding. Just as in any job search, distinguish yourself head-over shoulder by positioning yourself. There are programs conceived and delivered to help you progress faster and further in your career with promotions and compensation. How does training impact career advancement? In addition they can provide linkage to training in the right modality to facilitate development, It’s not enough for you do good. You have to take control of career and make it happen.


We engage in knowledge transfer in the form of professional training and certification courses. You may please call on us or email at info@icertglobal.com to discuss more about career-building counseling offered as courtesy.

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Challenges with Project Management

image courtesy: wiki


The iron triangle is too tough to balance. Too often or not, it was observed that one axis is either long or short compared to the other two. And it might be near perfection to maintain equidistant axes.   Project stakeholders are left perplexed tearing the hair wondering what went wrong, and ‘how didn’t we see that coming? We failed to detect and decipher the warning. Did we throw caution to the wind?’ that will sound too critical as due diligence is done through detailed discussion and deliberation before inking the contract, yet, projects going off the rails poses serious threats in damage control and contingency measures.  What went wrong should be a lesson learnt for the next or projects in pipeline, yet projects seems to stumble in the same spot flummoxes and shakes the foundation. It might sound clichéd or routinely repetitive but professionals tread on a beaten track and worn out path, and ironically can’t sight the pitfalls and potholes? What possible oversights that project suffer – that are ‘known’ knowns and still found wanting on action and remedy.

Identify Project Objective and Goals:
The stakeholders stating the objective should make sure that project goals are identified and make sure the message reaches out to the team. Chances of disconnect is disturbingly high when objective isn’t clear or communication incoherent. Minor addition to the original scope will result in a major reshuffle, transfiguring the original requirements.  Consequently, the project fails to progress on expected lines. It can be any field and platform independent and technology agnostic as project is a temporary endeavor with a start and end date. The dates differ because the project team plays a different wherein goal posts keeps keep shifting. 


Determine the Project Scope:
Always the slippery slope. The in-scope and out-of-scope tends to blur and blend, and the risk is inherent.  Is it easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? It might be appear as exaggeration expression. Most experienced project managers would agree that ‘admission and accommodation’ that starts as a trickle is difficult to stem as a tide. Nudge here and poke there and scope is nowhere near the ‘original’ scope. 

Emphasize Project Communication across Stakeholders:
Stepping up communication will set the expectation right. The fundamental reason for any misunderstanding is poor communication. In a technology advance professional work environment, gap due to improper communication is unacceptable hampering hampers productivity and performance. Be it manual or electronic exchange, there will be greater degree of transparency and accountability only when communication between stakeholders is crystal clear and timely on delivery.

Prepare proper Project Deadlines:
Delivery deadlines must be realistic. Setting up unreasonable timeline is self-destructive. It can lead to serious issues running your project progress and workforce morale. Raising the bar is good to groom but poor governance to reflect in the target. The date of completion can be setting after taking stock of the soft skills and availability. The resources pose an intrinsic risk, admittedly, and hence there is a standby or fall back provisions made in the ‘resource plan’ but the usual practice of engaging someone on something is strictly on ‘evaluation of excellence’ and securing confidence.

Evaluate Talent Pool:
Expectation are always high – be it employer or employee but rising up to it and staying in ‘top of form’ consistently is breaking grounds in terms of performance.  Team, inevitably, will be a mix of talent pool. Any shortcoming or deficit will be offset by outstanding performance and that’s how it becomes teamwork.  The delivery and deadline should be worked out only after factoring your Talent Pool. Assessing your resources becomes critical before committing about the possible time of completion. Besides, it strongly recommended conducting the SWOT analysis on every team member to evaluate the team’s strength and weakness. Sometimes there is too much of reliance on a particular resource that can lead too much ‘burn’, and ‘wear’. There is only so much a resource can perform and efforts are to optimize. Beyond that the very resource is put in peril – too much of a risk.

To know more about Project Management programs, please click http://goo.gl/Vt0ZL1 or visit our website www.icertglobal.com