All Blog Posts Tagged 'Operations' (43)

As 2012 draws to a close, businesses of all kinds, in all parts of the world, continue to suffer ‘data flow disasters’.

Here at OBASHI, “data flow disaster” is the term we use for an event where a flow of data is interrupted or compromised, so that there is a negative impact on those who use or interact with that flow of data.

Here are a few examples of such ‘disasters'.  In no particular order:

UK - Prior to the 2012 Olympics, the…

One of the most famous works of Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns, is “To a Mouse”.

During 1785, on a bleak winter’s day, Burns addressed a field mouse whose home he accidentally turned up with his plough.

In the poem, the bard praises the ‘foresight’ of the mouse in building the ‘cozie’ nest in advance of the freezing weather, while there was still good grass to do so.

But, ultimately, one of Burns’ conclusions is that, although we can…

A point we make regularly here at OBASHI is that in today’s digital world, it is important to understand how data flows through and between businesses.

We occasionally blog about “data flow disasters” - events that occur when a flow of data is interrupted or compromised, so that there is a negative business impact on those who use or interact with that flow of…

Legal Risks on the Radar, is an annual survey, published in the U.S. by Corporate Board Member and FTI Consulting.

The 2012 report researches attitudes to current legal issues among ‘two critical governance groups’: public company directors and corporate general counsel (GC).

Amongst other things, the survey finds that the growth of digital business, and connectivity, has caused many in these groups to recognise the increasing importance of understanding the…

One of the analogies I sometimes use to describe how understanding data flow is becoming ever more important in business, is that of the doctor understanding blood flow through the human body.

Medical professionals have a clear understanding of the vascular system, which carries blood, and how it interacts with other physiological systems, and the various parts of the body.

When a vascular disease occurs, most often, blood flow in the sufferer’s body is…

“Data flow disaster” is the term we use here at OBASHI for an event where a flow of data is interrupted or compromised, so that there is a negative business impact on those who use, or interact with, that flow of data.

During what has been an extraordinary few weeks for major IT problems, there have been numerous such events, around the world and across many business sectors.

Here are a few examples, in no particular order:

• Payments…

“Technology Risk Management Guidelines”, is a research paper published by The Monetary Authority of Singapore.

The objective of the guidelines is, “to promote the adoption of sound processes in managing technology risks and the implementation of security practices”, in regulated financial institutions.

Although the…

In Chapter 3 of the OBASHI Methodology, we describe how understanding various flows has been critical throughout economic history:

1770s - mechanisation, factories, and canals – water 

1830s - steam engines, coal, and iron railways – steam 

1870s - steel and heavy engineering,…

In his blog “Who’s accountable for IT failure?”, Mike Krigsman argues that there are three reasons that IT projects fail.

• Unrealistic and mismatched expectations – too many execs have misconceived ideas about what technology can actually do to solve business problems.

• Conflicts of interest among customers,…

The Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) is a specialist armed police force, which looks after all of the UK's nuclear assets and resources, both nationally and internationally. 

Recently, I asked Paul Stone, Deputy CIO at CNC, why he, and his colleague Mark Verrier (CIO), had decided to become OBASHI accredited, and use the OBASHI Methodology, and software.

Paul’s reply is,

“OBASHI is a straightforward methodology with simple diagrams and…

In the LinkedIn ‘Data Governance and Data Quality’ group, Gary W. Griffin asks for opinions on this,

Data Governance could be enhanced by clearly specifying data value chains and explaining how the Information Supply Chain connects the data value chains.

The concept of governance is one which is long established within the Oil and…

On my way to meet friends the other day, I took a train to Waverley Station, the main railway terminal in Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh.

Although I was looking forward to the get-together, the tail-end of a heavy cold meant that I wasn’t feeling 100% fit.

As I made my way out of the station, I was delighted to discover that, as an alternative to the fearsomely steep steps on the main exit route from the building, escalators had been…

In advance of the recent Davos conference of business executives, think tanks and leading politicians, the World Economic Forum (WEF) published its “Global Risks 2012” report.

The report is a ‘call to action’ to global leaders.  It seeks better coordination and collaboration of

“...public and private sector efforts to map, monitor, manage and mitigate global risks...” …

Chateau Margaux 1983 is one of the many things I love about France.

My wife lived in France for a while so I’ve picked up her appreciation of the culture, food and language.

The French have a great way with language; they seem to find a way to say in a word that which takes a sentence in English. “Impasse” is one. I hate that word. I get a constant feeling of déjà vu (see what I mean) every time I hear it. It reminds me of a million meetings I was involved in…

Last month, in ‘Under pressure: IT and the steam boiler’, I concluded that,

Just as it took the boiler industry many years to evolve to the point where it had clarity on flows, and could makes the best decisions about risk, IT and telecoms are set to go through the same pain.

 

More data flow disasters are inevitable – which means, because we as individuals are ever more reliant on flows of data…

Yesterday, the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), a global finance industry watchdog, published a report on High Frequency Trading (HFT), and other high-tech trading practices.

The report is a response to the financial ‘flash crash’ of 2010 (and numerous subsequent ‘mini flash-crashes’) in which HFT clearly played some…

                ... a charred body, a bent watch, two rubber heels and a torn piece of clothing...

The remains of Chief Engineer David Rockwell were found on March 21^st 1905, the day after an industrial explosion and intense fire occurred at the Grover Shoe Factory, Brockton, Massachusetts.

The disaster, in which 58 people were killed and 150…

This week marks the first anniversary of OBASHI Think, so its a good excuse for a recap – and to highlight what we think are some of our key posts!

A quick birthday reminder - OBASHI is a “new standard” way of thinking about how a business works and is available as a methodology, a professional accreditation and software.

With OBASHI you see the business in only two views:  Business and IT…

It’s a bad sign for the IT industry when the leader of a country is answering questions in its parliament about an IT project.

Following the publication of a scathing report by the Public Accounts Committee of MPs (PAC), UK Prime Minister David Cameron told the House of Commons he was “very concerned” about the outcome of world’s biggest civil IT project, the…

Following on from my previous blog, Insuring flows of data in the cloud, it occurred to me that as businesses and supply chains become more inter-connected, insurers will soon demand more clarity about data quality issues.

Not only will they want to more accurately calculate the risk of dataflow stopping altogether, they will also want better understanding that the right…