Subject: PEM Talk by Christopher Ball, Monday September 28 From: "H.J.S. Basten" To: pem-list Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:11:07 +0200 Dear all, You are cordially invited for our next PEM talk: Title: Convergent Synthesis Speaker: Christopher Ball, http://www.neoabacus.com Date: Monday September 28, 2009 Time: 11:00 Venue: Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, See http://www.cwi.nl/en/general/Address Room: L302 (new building) ** Due to construction the CWI building has to be entered through Nikhef, Science Park 105. Abstract: The desire for more efficient and effective means of working with information is rapidly increasing in the business community with the viral growth of data. Just one dimension of the problem is highlighted by Gartner Group, who notes that for every $1 a company spends on a license of software they will spend $5 integrating that software into their organization. We suspect that a significant portion of this cost arises from a set of outdated assumptions which results in information destruction and a high level of redundancy. The question we are exploring is the possibility of how information could be made hyper effective and efficient, analogous to the improvements the materials and supply chains segment has experienced over the last 50 years. The question stems in part from the observation that historically disparate disciplines in the field of information technology are clearly showing a confluence and the point of crystallization appears to be around meta. We are exploring this question first as a thought experiment, agnostic to any current implementation technology, seeking the conceptual tools and terminology that may enable a similar such shift for information technology. We have been working on a logical model to form a better understanding of the heuristics of effective and efficient information and the logical qualities of information as it moves through its lifecycle. We conjecture that a more holistic view of meta throughout information lifecycle is required: from capture or extraction through enrichment and movement to points of utilization and repurposing, with attention to hermeneutics and cognitive patterns. We further conjecture that there is potential to realize a phenomenon similar to what is referred to in chemistry as ‘convergent synthesis’ – the presence of multiple molecules generating a greater yield. Or in the case of information technology, the presence (or availability) of multiple ‘computer actionable meta’ could facilitate a dramatic increase in the viscosity of information as it flows through ‘information supply chains’ as well as a dramatic enhancement in the effectiveness of information at end points of utilization, whether it be by man and machine. Our initial use case in exploring this vision is the use of openly available data filed by publically traded companies with regulators, as regulatory mandate and fiduciary responsibility. In particular, we are looking at the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s information life cycle, from filing to utilization by the broad analyst community. Currently the utilization of this body of information by the public is viewed as labor intensive, inefficient, and only partially effective. This use case focuses on the fundamentals of the information lifecycle, but lends itself to be extensible as success may afford. We have identified a small number of ‘extreme’ users who currently experience the greatest pain from the current unpliable nature of the information. Our initial prototype will cover the extraction of information from unstructured and partially structured data, through enrichment, to the ultimate relevance and value to the end user in the context of the cognitive patterns of their work Resume: Christopher Ball has 20 years experience in the adoption of emerging technologies, architecting solutions, and advising on technical strategy in consumer, corporate, and federal financial management. Diversified technical and functional background ranging from business process consulting to large scale enterprise-wide systems design, development, and implementation. Established competence in aiding organizations to identify and assimilate new technologies, create architectures with enduring value, and optimize development and business practices through the use of technology. Specialized in bridging the gap between the technical details of emerging technology and the practical issues of the business domain, discerning what value can be realized, and then resolving what to build, how to go about building it and finding the synergy between the two. Expertise stems from a passionate curiosity in the ceaseless evolution of information technology and the accrued heuristics of experience that transcend any single technology - appreciating technologies drivers and disruptors in pursuit of the art of predicting, planning, and delivering value with each generation of technology. Kind regards, Bas Basten