Unlike in other industries and media outlets that make a habit of crafting Top 10 lists, the IT and business industry is mostly averse to looking back. Yesterday’s model is old news; what’s the thing that can make me faster, better, stronger and more competitive tomorrow?
Learning how to overcome problems and work through challenges however is something that needs a bit of reflection. Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and no one wants to jump into the new tech trend with the same lack of foresight used during the last wave of innovation.
In 2013, discussions on cloud were starting to look stale, Big Data was right behind it, and the world was already starting to move onto The Internet of Things, 3-D Printing and many more futuristic opportunities. And yet the discussions we’ve had this year have taught us a lot about how to deal with the challenges of today. They’ve provided insight into the possibilities on the horizon and what we can plan for now.
As a way to commemorate all we’ve found valuable throughout the year, we’ve compiled some of the best shows we’ve conducted this year at CIO Talk Radio. Here’s our little, makeshift awards ceremony for the most thought provoking and unique discussions we’ve had in 2013.
Best Show Predicting the Future – The Smart City Project: Infrastructure, Industry and Citizens
There is no checklist of amenities for what makes a Smart City, no number of capabilities that people will expect to be commonplace and no clear way for how all parties, including citizens, will partner. It’ll require The Internet of Things and Smart Grid to make it happen, but what was revealed here is why a Smart City should be a priority now. Rapidly aging infrastructures are catching up to major cities fast, and the drive to compete and attract talent will make a compelling business case.
Best Workplace Development Show – Building the Workplace for Gen-Y
We always hear from the CIO, but for this show we stepped outside ourselves and invited a member of Generation Y along with a Generation X- and a Baby Boomer to talk about how best they can learn to work together. Our youngest guest addressed the misconception that Millennials are all entitled into expecting too much out of their career too soon, saying that progression should be based on the quality of work, not on tenure. Her colleagues, all from the same IT department at USAA, discussed other sobering moments working with her generation and how they’re building for the future.
Best Security Show – Cyber Espionage, APTs and Enterprises
Security is an unchecked issue. APTs, or Advanced Persistent Threats, aren’t something that can be easily combatted just by checking all the boxes and throwing money at the problem. It’s a dilemma that each of the CISOs on our show called attention to. They advocated the need for an information exchange network between CISOs to gather information about attackers swiftly and a need to be more responsive than just simply preventive.
Best Show on Cloud – Evaluating HP’s Virtual Private Cloud
HP is yet another player in the crowded cloud marketplace. Their Virtual Private Cloud offering banks on added security and availability, and we put that claim to the test by putting their CTO on the spot. He advocated that everyone should perform an application portfolio assessment in determining how to approach a cloud environment and be aware of software and network demands that would prevent something from not scaling up appropriately.
Best Show on an Unusual Industry – Big Data on the Big Screen
CIO Talk Radio went to Hollywood for this broadcast, exploring how Big Data on the Big Screen can impact the marketing and distribution of the movie industry. Our film professor guest talked of the movie industry’s unique challenges and explained the mismatch between decision making and the reality of the marketplace. Art and the movies are products without tangible measurements. But where Big Data can help is as a tool to get more efficiency into getting these films into the hands of their desired audience.
Best Show on a Mega Trend – Preparing Your Company for Digital Disruption
“Digital Disruption” is the threat and opportunity of large numbers of competitors being able to enter into a marketplace at a very low barrier to entry and be able to disrupt the industry easily through the use of digital innovations. We got the father of the term on our show, Forrester Analyst James McQuivey, and his advice about how to prepare your company for this new wave didn’t stop there.
Best On the Road Show – Chief Data Officers, Data Scientists and Big Data Architects: New Roles for a New World of Data
Live from the Enterprise Data World Conference in San Diego this past May, this panel discussion touched on how the Chief Data Officer can make data not only usable but actionable and find a permanent home for data in the organization. Big Data opens the window to new problems and concerns, they explained, but this is a profound disruption receiving a new level of attention.
Best Feel-Good Show – Leading the Charge on a New Tomorrow
After headline grabbing controversy regarding the minimum wage and the wealth gap, this show on Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR, was an opportunity to shed light on some good news. It looked at exactly why businesses should care about CSR initiatives, be it through finding competitive advantage, bolstering the brand or winning the war for young, socially active talent.
Best Show on Healthcare and Mobility – Tie: Merging Telemedicine and Healthcare Mobility & Leveraging Mobility to Achieve Wellness Care
One of the most exciting developments in Healthcare is Telemedicine mobile technology. It ranges from individual health sensors to video technology providing medical access in regions around the globe. In the first of our two shows, we explored how Telemedicine can merge with existing mobile technology and EMRs to be better adopted. But on the other side of the coin, our second show understood that the users or patients themselves will need to adopt Telemedicine. The best way to do that is to provide incentives that make people want to stay well and better connect patient to doctor in the process.
Best Shows on Leadership – How to Manage Beginnings, Transitions and Closure as a Leader
Our three part leadership series went through the complete lifecycle of organizational change. Leaders need to get out of the ivory tower and speak the same language to their employees, communicate why things are changing and recognize that it will happen. Change is a messy process, and a leader needs to be there to help guide employees through every stage of it.
What were your favorite shows of the year and what would you like to learn more about next year? Let us know your thoughts, and we’ll publish a special audience favorite piece with your comments!
