Aug 14Outsource Your MVP Without RegretsAs a non-technology founder, you have an idea, but how do you turn that idea into reality. The decision that most founders make is that they need to outsource development of the software to an agency. But, there is a major problem with that in that — in my experience…MVP14 min readMVP14 min read
Mar 11The Peril of Supplier Bankruptcy: Are You Exposed to Silicon Valley Bank’s Failure?The failure of Silicon Valley Bank has got me thinking about a risk modelling factor that is a perennial favourite of mine, but one that I’ve found largely gets ignored when I try and get engagement on it. Namely, any supplier that you deal with has a non-zero chance of…Cloud Computing4 min readCloud Computing4 min read
Mar 6The Pitfalls of IT Commoditization: Why Professional Advice Matters More Than EverWhen I write blog posts, I’m often “writing to find” — i.e. I start with a blank piece of paper and see where I end up. I’m never really sure if I’m writing for people who work in IT, or who don’t work in IT, but I seem to get…It Solutions4 min readIt Solutions4 min read
Feb 2220 Reasons Why IT System Projects Fail: Avoid These Pitfalls for Project SuccessA quick one today. Here’s 20 reasons why IT systems projects fail… 1. Poor project management: If the project is not managed properly, it may not be delivered on time, on budget, or to the expected quality. 2. Lack of clear goals and objectives: If the project goals and objectives…It Project Management3 min readIt Project Management3 min read
Feb 20Rebooting Failed IT Projects: The Power of Technical Project RemediationSometimes IT systems projects go badly wrong, and sometimes they go so wrong that the parties end up in court. …Project Management4 min readProject Management4 min read
Feb 11Oh, so it’s OK for Computers to Lie Now?I often like to add a bit of history to my blog posts, so let’s go back to 1936 and Alan Turing. Although famous for work on defeating Enigma encryption, before he got to Bletchley Park he wrote a paper called “ On Computable Numbers, with an application to the…ChatGPT4 min readChatGPT4 min read
Feb 8Safeguard Your Associates-model Organization from Cyber Threats with Cyber Essentials and Mini CertificationOver the past few years, I’ve worked with a few organisations that rely heavily on an “associates” model. This type of organisation seems to be becoming more prevalent. What appears to happen is that an organisation will form around a certain “domain” capability where the individuals doing the work tend…Governance4 min readGovernance4 min read
Jan 23Appreciating The Hidden Value in Amateur IT SystemsThere is an odd little trope in the world of business IT systems in the shape of home-grown systems that are built by people who are rank-amateurs. …Business It4 min readBusiness It4 min read
Jan 14Quantum Computing: The (Eventual) End of Online PrivacyThere was a story that came out of China last week about how researchers over there had used quantum computing to break a certain type of common encryption algorithm. The claim was somewhat debunked later, but here is a problem with digital secrets. As time goes on, there is a…Encryption3 min readEncryption3 min read
Jan 6What You, The Customer, Needs to Know About IT Project Pricingtldr: your supplier is guessing. OK, so there’s more to it than that, but not much more — pricing IT projects is essentially a form of applied guessing. Like a lot of things in the IT industry, without a professionalising body like the RICS, IT companies each have to work…Itprojects5 min readItprojects5 min read
