Category: Digital Transformation

Innovate, Don’t Imitate.

Walking through the San Francisco city many years ago, this storefront caught my eye.  These words, boldly displayed, serve as a powerful reminder in today’s fast-paced business world.  

But what does it truly mean to innovate? It’s more than just adopting the latest technology – it’s about pushing boundaries, reimagining possibilities, and challenging the status quo.

True innovation requires us to ask ourselves tough questions:

Are we maximizing the potential of existing tools?  Are we digging deep enough to uncover hidden functionalities and novel applications? Or are we simply scratching the surface?

Are we challenging the status quo? Are we questioning conventional wisdom and exploring uncharted territory? Or are we content with following the crowd?

Are we creating seamless, intuitive experiences?  Can we make technology so user-friendly that it fades into the background, enhancing our lives without adding complexity?

The question isn’t whether we can make a difference, but whether we will. In a world of constant disruption, innovation is no longer a choice – it’s a necessity. Let’s commit to pushing limits, challenging conventions, and creating truly extraordinary experiences … but not imitating. 

#innovation #Technology #disruption

Start with the End: Why Your First Slide Should Be Your Last

Have you ever been in a presentation that felt like it went nowhere? The speaker starts with a generic title, rambles on for a while, and then throws in a bunch of cluttered agenda slides. You’re left wondering, “What’s the point?”

This traditional way of presenting often doesn’t grab the audience’s attention or make them want to take action. Why? Because it doesn’t have a clear focus or a compelling call to action from the start.

So what’s the better way to prepare your presentation?

Besides understanding the audiences’ profiles and aims, and researching the topics, I’ll start my slide presentation from the very last slide. Remember, the end goal should always be in mind.

Think of the last slide of the presentation – the one that sums up the main points or tells people what you want them to do – as your guiding light. It should be the first slide you make.

Here’s why:

  • You’ll Know What You Want: Writing your final slide first forces you to figure out exactly what you want your audience to take away from your presentation. What do you want them to remember?
  • You’ll Stay Focused: With a clear goal, every other slide becomes a piece of the puzzle, carefully designed to support your final message. No more unnecessary fluff!
  • You’ll Make a Bigger Impact: By repeating your final slide throughout your presentation, you make sure your audience remembers the key points.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Figure Out What You Want Them to Do: What action do you want your audience to take?
  2. Make Your Final Slide: Summarize the main points and clearly state your call to action.
  3. Work Backwards: Make the rest of your slides logically lead up to your final slide.

This way, your presentation will be focused, impactful, and drive the results you want. Say goodbye to boring presentations and hello to presentations that make a difference!

#presentationskills #publicspeaking #storytelling #businesstips #startwiththeendinmind

The Power of Continuous Learning: Training Your Brain Like an LLM

“The only way to win is to learn faster than anyone else.” – Eric Ries, The Lean Startup

This quote by Eric Ries has always resonated with me, especially as a seasoned IT professional. In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, continuous learning is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity for staying ahead of the curve.

One powerful approach I’ve recently adopted is to think of my brain as a Large Language Model (LLM). Just like an LLM is trained on vast amounts of data to identify patterns and generate insights, I’ve been focusing on feeding my mind with diverse knowledge and experiences.

Over the past 12 months, I’ve embarked on a focused learning journey, immersing myself in a variety of in-house training courses and also external programs centered on Artificial Intelligence. I firmly believe that to truly grasp the transformative power of AI, we need to explore it from multiple angles. My goal was to develop a holistic understanding of AI, from its strategic implications for businesses to its potential for enhancing productivity and fostering trust.

Here are a few external programs I completed:

🏅 MIT Sloan – AI: Implications for Business Strategy Program
🏅 BSI – Shaping Trust in AI – Understanding 42001 Standard
🏅 ISACA – Auditing Gen AI: Strategy, Analysis & Risk Mitigation
🏅 IDEO U – AI for Design Thinking
🏅 Jeff Su Workplace Academy – Gemini for Productivity
🏅 Deeplearning – Multi AI Agent Systems with CrewAI
🏅 Deeplearning – Large Multimodal Model Prompting with Gemini

While everyone’s learning journey is unique, I encourage you to embrace the concept of continuous learning and consider how you can “train your brain” like an LLM. By consistently feeding your mind with new information and experiences, you can unlock your full potential and thrive in this era of rapid technological advancement.

數據的型態

數據是石油，還是原油？

2006 年，英國數學家 Clive Humby 創造了「數據是新的石油。」（「Data is the new oil.」）這句說話。

由於某些原因，這句說話被人扭曲了，譬如著名的 Wired.com 就發表過「二十一世紀的數據就像十八世紀的石油：一種尚未開發的、極其寶貴的資產。就像石油一樣，對於那些看到數據的基本價值並學會提取和使用它的人來說，將會有巨大的回報。」。
換句話說，它表明我們的數據就像一口噴湧的油井，我們應該在從數據中流出的利潤中分一杯羹。

這本來沒有什麼錯，但 Humby 先生真正想說的是「數據，就像 Crude Oil / 原油一樣，必須經過提煉和轉化才能變成有用的產品和服務。只有這樣，它才變得有價值。」
換句話說，數據是必須經過處理和分析才能有價值。

擁有數據並不是關鍵，每間公司都有大量的數據。然而，關鍵在於你是否已經將你的數據轉化為信息、知識、見解，並最終令公司交付出更優秀的產品及服務。

數據又是水嗎？

1971 年，李小龍在有參與演出的美國電視劇 Longstreet 內，對劇中男主角 Michael Longstreet 說了一段話，翻譯成中文後，大意是「放空你的思想，變得無形。無形，就像水。如果你把水放進一個杯子，它就變成那個杯子。你把水放進一個瓶子，它就變成那個瓶子。你把它放在一個茶壺裡，它就變成那個茶壺。現在，水可以流動，也可以崩潰。朋友，你要成為水。」

其實，數據亦都像水一樣，也是可以無形的。如果你把數據放進一個列表（List），它就變成那一個列表。你把數據放進一個績效儀表板（Performance Dashboard），它就變成那個績效儀表板。你把它放在一個數據倉庫裡（Data Warehouse），它就變成那個數據倉庫。所以，數據亦都是可以流動，是可以多型態的。

那麼，數據會隱形嗎？

筆者是作家 Tim Harford 的忠實粉絲，他每一本著作都會細讀。2021 年，在他的作品 Data Detective 一書中，他表示我們在接觸數據及統計數字的時候，需要保持好奇、務實和貫徹的精神，而且遵循十條清晰易懂的規則。而其中，筆者對規則五，六，七最為認同：

規則五：了解數據背後的故事

當你擁有大量數據的時候，理解數據背後的故事與數據本身是一樣重要的：譬如，數據是否遺漏了一些相關內容？報告是否遺漏了什麼特別的內容？所有的發現都清楚了嗎？

規則六：了解數據背後的重要假設

正當大數據開始成為新常態，很多時候，只有數據收集者才知道正在收集哪些資料。不過，數據很可能有偏差，這意味著在顯示結果時，可能做出了重要假設，所以我們對這些假設一定要清楚。

規則七：對數據要求透明度

小數據的分析往往很容易評估和審核，我們不需要花巧的演算法才能得出結論。另一方面，自從大數據開始大放異彩以來，其他更精細的演算法也隨之興起。這些先進的演算法通常會帶來更好的結果，但代價是成為不易解釋的「黑盒子」。所以擁抱數據固然重要，但也一定要了解處理數據的「黑盒子」！

最後，你認識的數據是甚麼型態呢？是原油，水，還是隱形的呢？是時候加入數據素養協會，對數據再一次深入了解。

From Mainframe to AI

While watching the Google Next 2023 Keynote Live streaming, which featured numerous impressive AI product announcements, I was reminded of my early experiences with computing. The Timehop app popped up an image of the IBM 360, the first computer I ever used to run programs decades ago.

The evolution from mainframe computers to advanced AI systems operating on cloud platforms has been remarkable. I can’t wait to see the future developments in this ever-evolving field.

(I captured this photograph during a visit to the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA. It is my conviction that every IT professional should experience this museum at least once in their career.)