Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Fact versus Fiction (Opinion)
I like to read about things that are relevant to my work. I am an advocate of facts versus opinions.....As frustrating as it is, opinions are what drive the world, most of the time, in every facet of our lives. Opinions are dangerous. They can start a conversation and lead to decisions that effect people and change their lives. Facts are the basis for a solid foundation, one that can be relied upon to make sound judgements and decisions. Opinions are usually a house of cards. Wouldn't it be great if everyone started a conversation by announcing if it was their opinion or based upon fact..........but I digress.
Research can provide information that is usable and trusted. That's why I have spent the time to develop factual information about some pretty interesting subjects. My work has lead me to the DSB Community (Design, Specify and Build). That community has a process for the implementation of a project in the construction industry and inside that process there are many flaws. Issues that need to be fixed for the process to become more efficient and less frustrating. The DSB Process has been a suggestion of individual processes that eventually lead to a results. Not a very good way to do business. I have spoken to many involved in various parts of that process and I hear the same thing all the time. " I wish someone would fix this, but I know there are so many problems it can't be done."
There are a few companies that attempt to provide what I call band aids on the problems. But all of these are driven by product within a specific area. No one has taken a holistic approach to the problem and tried to attack the issues as one big giant mess that needs to be cleaned up. No one, except one company, CPECS. I won't go into detail about the company...... yet. It is not important. What is important, is that there has been thousands of hours or research done to identify and create a holistic approach to the DSB Process.......Bravo! That is my point. Someone has taken the time and effort to look at the entire DSB process and developed applications that resolve major issues, and, that most importantly, create a flow of critical information that is consistent and provides continuity....what a novel idea!
It is pretty amazing to me because I am not from the construction industry. I am simply a person that, through research, identifies areas of concern and tries to develop solutions.
SOLUTIONS that is what we all need. Solutions to everything that is a problem. I wish I had them for all my problems. The FACT is that we don't have all the solutions we need and even if we did would we recognize them. Would they be presented to us in such a way that we would know exactly what to do with them........the answer is no. The real question is why not?
That leads me to the premise for this article.
Our lives are completely dependent upon influences to make decisions. There is not a single moment in time that we don't use an influence to make a decision. ...think about it......... No matter what the circumstance we need to be influenced. We can't make decisions without those influences..WHY? I will tell you. During my lifetime and I don't know how long before ( I would guess from the dawn of man), we have been inundated with opinions about everything imaginable. Every part of our lives has been touched by opinions. These opinions are pervasive in our thoughts and very quickly in our lives it becomes hard to distinguish between fact and opinions. The reason we need influences is because deep down inside, subconsciously, we don't believe opinions. We don't know if they are right or wrong. We feel a disconnect with things and defense mechanisms kick in so that we preserve and protect ourselves and our loved ones. I think some of the smartest people I know are the ones that question everything or trust nothing without proof. Do you ever see those people in big trouble or making big mistakes. Sure we all make mistakes but if we listened to facts versus opinions, I know I for one would be in a better place.
So what do we do? First of all, we all do the same thing.... it is an uneasiness when we are presented with opinions that are made to sound like facts.. it is an unsettling in our gut. Most do not pay attention to it because we simply go to our influences and from there we are set straight. (But what if our influences are simply providing opinions as well)... that is when the house of cards falls for everyone who uses that influence to make decisions... we see it every day. Most recently on Wall Street. We listened to those that we use as influences and look what they did.
But, even if we know what is happening it will not stop until we recognize the Fact versus Fiction (opinion) dilemma. Until we realize the difference between the two. Until we can effectively use facts to guide our lives.
Guess what? I have developed a set of theories about this subject and I will share them with you one by one so that they make sense, so that you can use them in your life to change things and make them better .. or truthful. It will give you a chance to make the right decision..... Stay tuned..........
Research can provide information that is usable and trusted. That's why I have spent the time to develop factual information about some pretty interesting subjects. My work has lead me to the DSB Community (Design, Specify and Build). That community has a process for the implementation of a project in the construction industry and inside that process there are many flaws. Issues that need to be fixed for the process to become more efficient and less frustrating. The DSB Process has been a suggestion of individual processes that eventually lead to a results. Not a very good way to do business. I have spoken to many involved in various parts of that process and I hear the same thing all the time. " I wish someone would fix this, but I know there are so many problems it can't be done."
There are a few companies that attempt to provide what I call band aids on the problems. But all of these are driven by product within a specific area. No one has taken a holistic approach to the problem and tried to attack the issues as one big giant mess that needs to be cleaned up. No one, except one company, CPECS. I won't go into detail about the company...... yet. It is not important. What is important, is that there has been thousands of hours or research done to identify and create a holistic approach to the DSB Process.......Bravo! That is my point. Someone has taken the time and effort to look at the entire DSB process and developed applications that resolve major issues, and, that most importantly, create a flow of critical information that is consistent and provides continuity....what a novel idea!
It is pretty amazing to me because I am not from the construction industry. I am simply a person that, through research, identifies areas of concern and tries to develop solutions.
SOLUTIONS that is what we all need. Solutions to everything that is a problem. I wish I had them for all my problems. The FACT is that we don't have all the solutions we need and even if we did would we recognize them. Would they be presented to us in such a way that we would know exactly what to do with them........the answer is no. The real question is why not?
That leads me to the premise for this article.
Our lives are completely dependent upon influences to make decisions. There is not a single moment in time that we don't use an influence to make a decision. ...think about it......... No matter what the circumstance we need to be influenced. We can't make decisions without those influences..WHY? I will tell you. During my lifetime and I don't know how long before ( I would guess from the dawn of man), we have been inundated with opinions about everything imaginable. Every part of our lives has been touched by opinions. These opinions are pervasive in our thoughts and very quickly in our lives it becomes hard to distinguish between fact and opinions. The reason we need influences is because deep down inside, subconsciously, we don't believe opinions. We don't know if they are right or wrong. We feel a disconnect with things and defense mechanisms kick in so that we preserve and protect ourselves and our loved ones. I think some of the smartest people I know are the ones that question everything or trust nothing without proof. Do you ever see those people in big trouble or making big mistakes. Sure we all make mistakes but if we listened to facts versus opinions, I know I for one would be in a better place.
So what do we do? First of all, we all do the same thing.... it is an uneasiness when we are presented with opinions that are made to sound like facts.. it is an unsettling in our gut. Most do not pay attention to it because we simply go to our influences and from there we are set straight. (But what if our influences are simply providing opinions as well)... that is when the house of cards falls for everyone who uses that influence to make decisions... we see it every day. Most recently on Wall Street. We listened to those that we use as influences and look what they did.
But, even if we know what is happening it will not stop until we recognize the Fact versus Fiction (opinion) dilemma. Until we realize the difference between the two. Until we can effectively use facts to guide our lives.
Guess what? I have developed a set of theories about this subject and I will share them with you one by one so that they make sense, so that you can use them in your life to change things and make them better .. or truthful. It will give you a chance to make the right decision..... Stay tuned..........
Monday, May 3, 2010
Report A Problem
I would like to know about issues that you think are a problem within the DSB Process.........In other words, what would you change to make it more streamlined or efficient?..........................
Don't worry no one will know you complained.
Don't worry no one will know you complained.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
NSPI..........I am with you!!
NSPI is an initiative being developed by members of the DSB Community. The premise will be to make changes in the construction industry....I have heard it before......... but this is different.
They have created a system to define issues and implement actionable changes using a social technology model. It is very exciting and I believe it can apply to many other industries as well.
That being said, I am going to join as a member and become involved. There have been other organizations created without emphasis on unbiased programs typically driven by product programs. The NSPI has an innovative program that allows the DSB Community to define issues and then choose the appropriate usable applications to meet the needs and provide a viable solution. ......exciting!
I suggest you look into the NSPI. They are just starting to develop this and it is very promising. The people behind it understand what they are doing and are really dedicated to making changes for the better....
Good luck NSPI!!
They have created a system to define issues and implement actionable changes using a social technology model. It is very exciting and I believe it can apply to many other industries as well.
That being said, I am going to join as a member and become involved. There have been other organizations created without emphasis on unbiased programs typically driven by product programs. The NSPI has an innovative program that allows the DSB Community to define issues and then choose the appropriate usable applications to meet the needs and provide a viable solution. ......exciting!
I suggest you look into the NSPI. They are just starting to develop this and it is very promising. The people behind it understand what they are doing and are really dedicated to making changes for the better....
Good luck NSPI!!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Social Technology
“By focusing on key individuals — or types of individual — rather than markets as a whole, companies can selectively "seed" products, services and ideas into otherwise hard-to-reach markets, as well as target specific individuals who are likely to inspire a vast number of potential buyers. “ Target Marketing
Trend Influencers:
This is the group that will help to drive a product into an industry. There must be a program to develop this sphere of influence. These include:
Journalists,
Bloggers,
Academics,
Industry analysts and professional advisers.
They are well-connected, have large social networks and are looked up to and trusted by their peers.
All we need is a simple question answered to determine our Trend Influencers - How likely is it that you would recommend our company to a friend or business colleague?
To accomplish this we need to implement the following programs:
(Not necessarily in this order)
• Increase sales and awareness within the Trend Influencer community
• Increase sales and awareness in target markets
• Field-test products, ideas and initiatives
• Turn Trend Influencers into advocates
• Give Trend Influencers the tools to share what they like with their peers
• Build valuable relationships with key Trend Influencers
Social Technology Pyramid
There is a pyramid of influencers within any market. These are broken down into three groups that range in size and influence over a market.
Social Broadcasters
Mass Influencers
Direct Influencers
Social Broadcasters are smaller in number but greater in scale — they make up around 10% of the pyramid. They are the top bloggers, most well-connected individuals, and have a lot of followers looking to them for news and advice on the latest information within a social space. They have influence but lack trust, in the sense that their followers will click on the links and recommendations they share but still perform their own evaluation of the data — this makes Social Broadcasters better suited for awareness than preference.
In the middle are the Mass Influencers, who make up only 15% of the pyramid but account for 80% of the influence impressions about products and services (See graph below). This group is vital because you can’t ignore the minority that creates the majority of the influence.
At the bottom of the pyramid are the Direct Influencers — this is where the trust really is. These are the proverbial “average consumer” who have primarily networks of people they actually know and interact with online or offline. These networks are centered with trust, and make up 75% of the total population of the pyramid.
Reaching these groups:
Social Broadcasters. The secret to dealing with them is to build relationships. This group doesn’t want to hear from someone only when you need something, and they want to be respected for their audience. It is necessary to develop customized offers for them that they can’t refuse that reflect an understanding of their uniqueness and their point of view.
Reaching Mass Influencers in the middle involves giving them something to talk about. Understand their characteristics and give them more content they can’t resist sharing. This part of the pyramid includes the people their friends and family turn to frequently before making important purchases. They have significant offline influence.
Direct Influencers need to have things very easy. This group is not as motivated nor is it as technically savvy as the people higher on the pyramid. Product and marketing ideas need to be relevant so the defined audience can’t help but spread the word. This needs to be an ongoing program to keep people engaged over time by reaching out and addressing them over and over.
Impressions: How it relates to numbers
1. Influence impressions: these happen on social media and networking sites: Twitter, Facebook, MySpace ( ), LinkedIn ( ), and others. The people who make them know generally who they’re connecting with and who will read them (people they know).
2. Influence posts: these are more permanent data points in blog posts, ratings and reviews sites, and in discussion forums. These tend to be less directed, in that when putting a post online it’s not usually known how many or who will be reading it.
Forrester Research Study
In the first category, the research study found 256 billion influence impressions occurring per year. Influence posts were numbered at 1.64 billion per year, which accounted for generating another 250 billion impressions. In other words, people are making 500 billion influence impressions on one another about products and services every year.
The research also looked at where those influence impressions are happening. The following graph captures the results of where people are sharing influence online in both of the above categories:
Summary:
There are steps that can be taken to become an integral part of any market. The idea is to gain the trust from those that can create the awareness and influence in choosing products and services.
Using new and intriguing marketing programs that create interest and recognize socioeconomic status can be very important when introducing new products or services into a market.
The data represents the trend Influencers and provides obvious areas to target. If we think outside the box our chances of success are much greater. Out thoughts must become part of the Face Book generation or iPhone generation. (Not the Apple II or IBM Pc generation). It is critical to recognize social technology and the influence it really has in today’s markets.
Trend Influencers:
This is the group that will help to drive a product into an industry. There must be a program to develop this sphere of influence. These include:
Journalists,
Bloggers,
Academics,
Industry analysts and professional advisers.
They are well-connected, have large social networks and are looked up to and trusted by their peers.
All we need is a simple question answered to determine our Trend Influencers - How likely is it that you would recommend our company to a friend or business colleague?
To accomplish this we need to implement the following programs:
(Not necessarily in this order)
• Increase sales and awareness within the Trend Influencer community
• Increase sales and awareness in target markets
• Field-test products, ideas and initiatives
• Turn Trend Influencers into advocates
• Give Trend Influencers the tools to share what they like with their peers
• Build valuable relationships with key Trend Influencers
Social Technology Pyramid
There is a pyramid of influencers within any market. These are broken down into three groups that range in size and influence over a market.
Social Broadcasters
Mass Influencers
Direct Influencers
Social Broadcasters are smaller in number but greater in scale — they make up around 10% of the pyramid. They are the top bloggers, most well-connected individuals, and have a lot of followers looking to them for news and advice on the latest information within a social space. They have influence but lack trust, in the sense that their followers will click on the links and recommendations they share but still perform their own evaluation of the data — this makes Social Broadcasters better suited for awareness than preference.
In the middle are the Mass Influencers, who make up only 15% of the pyramid but account for 80% of the influence impressions about products and services (See graph below). This group is vital because you can’t ignore the minority that creates the majority of the influence.
At the bottom of the pyramid are the Direct Influencers — this is where the trust really is. These are the proverbial “average consumer” who have primarily networks of people they actually know and interact with online or offline. These networks are centered with trust, and make up 75% of the total population of the pyramid.
Reaching these groups:
Social Broadcasters. The secret to dealing with them is to build relationships. This group doesn’t want to hear from someone only when you need something, and they want to be respected for their audience. It is necessary to develop customized offers for them that they can’t refuse that reflect an understanding of their uniqueness and their point of view.
Reaching Mass Influencers in the middle involves giving them something to talk about. Understand their characteristics and give them more content they can’t resist sharing. This part of the pyramid includes the people their friends and family turn to frequently before making important purchases. They have significant offline influence.
Direct Influencers need to have things very easy. This group is not as motivated nor is it as technically savvy as the people higher on the pyramid. Product and marketing ideas need to be relevant so the defined audience can’t help but spread the word. This needs to be an ongoing program to keep people engaged over time by reaching out and addressing them over and over.
Impressions: How it relates to numbers
1. Influence impressions: these happen on social media and networking sites: Twitter, Facebook, MySpace ( ), LinkedIn ( ), and others. The people who make them know generally who they’re connecting with and who will read them (people they know).
2. Influence posts: these are more permanent data points in blog posts, ratings and reviews sites, and in discussion forums. These tend to be less directed, in that when putting a post online it’s not usually known how many or who will be reading it.
Forrester Research Study
In the first category, the research study found 256 billion influence impressions occurring per year. Influence posts were numbered at 1.64 billion per year, which accounted for generating another 250 billion impressions. In other words, people are making 500 billion influence impressions on one another about products and services every year.
The research also looked at where those influence impressions are happening. The following graph captures the results of where people are sharing influence online in both of the above categories:
Summary:
There are steps that can be taken to become an integral part of any market. The idea is to gain the trust from those that can create the awareness and influence in choosing products and services.
Using new and intriguing marketing programs that create interest and recognize socioeconomic status can be very important when introducing new products or services into a market.
The data represents the trend Influencers and provides obvious areas to target. If we think outside the box our chances of success are much greater. Out thoughts must become part of the Face Book generation or iPhone generation. (Not the Apple II or IBM Pc generation). It is critical to recognize social technology and the influence it really has in today’s markets.
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