Author name: Rubiscape Team

Data Science – one of the fasted-growing fields around the world has taken companies across various verticals by storm. It has become an integral part of the working of many enterprises – across finance, retail, healthcare, insurance, gaming, entertainment, news, etc. Don’t believe us? Let us take a look at some real-world applications of data science – All the search engines, including Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. use data science algorithms to deliver the best results – quickly. Recommendation engines – yes, the ones that suggest you the next product to buy or the next movie to watch – are all powered by data science. Buzzfeed uses the power of data science for headline optimization Banks use data science and machine learning algorithms to make better lending decisions, serve their customers more efficiently, and ensure customer satisfaction. Insurance companies use machine learning and predictive models to detect fraud. This helps them save time and costs in pinpointing the claims and also detect fraudulent claims. Airline companies including Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines use data science to predict flight delays, drive customer loyalty programs, and ensure customer satisfaction. Fast food chains use big data to change their menu features based on the drive-through lanes – if the line is longer, the menu shows the items that can be quickly prepared and served. When the queue is shorter, the menu features other high-margin food items MGM, one of the most famous casinos in Las Vegas, uses data science and data analytics tools technologies to make the gaming experience better for customers, constantly measure their performance, and make better business decisions. The voice-based-assistants on your smartphones – yes, your own Siri and Cortana – are all powered by data science. The dynamic pricing that you experience while booking an airline ticket or tickets for your favorite show is the result of number-crunching and analysis done in the background based on demand, supply, competitor pricing, etc. At Rubics Labs, we have created a data science platform that enables business users to be the data scientists, ask relevant questions to their data, and get actionable insights. We have made data science easy and simple! Check out www.rubicsape.com to experience the power of Data Science.

In today’s connected world, data is easier to find, store and use. Think of all the data or information that are available for enterprises from mobile (clicks, visits, interactions), internal systems, social media, email, text, and so on. All the data collected is unique and come from a different set of demographics, region, and devices. This provides opportunities to enterprises for delivering a one-of-a-kind experience to their potential customers. It also enables them to make informed decisions with the predictive power of analytics, maximize their ROI, and achieve business success. Data Science is the area of expertise that helps organizations in making sense of the data and make the most of it. It is evident that the impact of data science is profound. But on the flipside, there are certain preconceived notions about data science, which can be a roadblock. That said, let’s look at some of the common myths about data science, which we refuse to believe. Data Science is Easy Data science is anything but easy. While there are no standard set of tools and techniques to master it, you will not even find a fixed educational standard or certifying bodies that can pave the path for a guaranteed successful career as a data scientist. The skills need to be acquired, and although certain tools and technologies can assist you, the learning should always go on. For instance, Hadoop may be one part of your data science arsenal, but you will still need to keep acquiring new skills and gain more knowledge as data science and analytics evolve. This takes us to the next point. Data Science = Only for Data Scientists IBM predicts that the demand for data scientists is going to soar 28% by 2020. What does this tell us? Well, to begin with, it presents an acute shortage of workforce needed to handle ever-increasing data. This gap needs to be bridged by training the right professionals, who may not be trained in data science yet and should aim for the right set of skills and perform specific tasks. Termed as citizen data scientists, these professionals don’t have an advanced degree in the field but can surely master the technology over a period. Hire them to perform some simple as well as moderately complex analytical tasks. They will play a supporting role to your existing data scientists and at the same time, bring their unique skills and expertise to the table. A Degree in Data Science Will Make You A Data Scientist   Another faux pas in data science is the belief that by earning a degree in data science will make you a data scientist automatically. Yes, you can get a master’s degree with a curriculum that includes course materials related directly or indirectly to data science. But that won’t necessarily propel you towards becoming a professional in the field. You need to work in the field, handle different projects and work on real data to get hands-on experience. The real world is different than textbook learnings, and therefore, it may take some time before you step into the shoes of a data scientist. It is a gradual process that needs consistent efforts. Learning a Tool is Learning Data Science  More often than not, learning a tool is confused with becoming an analyst or a data scientist. But the ground reality is entirely different. Knowing how to use a tool will make you a programmer or the expert of that technology, but it does not necessarily make you a data scientist. This is because you will also need to master several other nuances such as domain knowledge, statistical understanding, modeling, etc. that are crucial in handling big chunks of data. This doesn’t negate the need to learn tools though. But yes, you need to strike a balance between learning tools and gaining the right skills to become a data scientist in the real sense of the word. Data Science is Only for Big Companies Another myth on our list is that data science is meant for big firms just because it requires expensive hardware, software, and prior expertise. On the contrary, what big enterprises need to look forward to is hiring smart people who have a natural knack for data science and provide them with the appropriate easy to use data science platforms. Such platforms can allow them to apply data science in various processes or at various steps. Therefore, instead of focusing on sophisticated resources and spending all your budget on the same, recruit talented data scientists who can leverage available data. Data Science Is Only for Specific Industries Data science is open for all industries, and the roles of a data scientist are never limited to one particular domain or niche. Yes, there are some industries such as retail, banking, or transportation that need data science and analytics presented differently. But overall, it is a commonplace in every industry that exists today. If you want to hire a specialist in your industry, you need to take a pick from the data scientists, who already have many years of experience and expertise in the same domain. Calling It a Day These are some of the common beliefs (albeit false) related to data science. How many of them were you staunchly following till now? Have any more such wrong notions that need to be added to the list? Bring them on. We’re all ears!

By 2020, 36% of the workforce will comprise of Millennials – these are the human resources who are born after the baby boomer era. The Millennials and Gen Z are the digital natives. They are not only extremely comfortable with technology but also expect their workplace to be digitally advanced too. With this new workforce, comes the need for a modern workplace. What fostered productivity earlier has been replaced by newer motivation and driving forces coupled with new ways of collaboration and working. The digital workplace has become an inherent part of the organization. Legend has it that Steve Jobs was extremely fixated on collaboration between the various teams, and hence, he facilitated the build of a concourse to enable various teams to meet and exchange ideas. A similar principle is being further augmented by next-gen technologies, which are also increasing interconnectedness in the workplace. Enterprises today are implementing next-gen solutions to optimize day-to-day operational costs. This brings us to the first point about connected workplaces. Interconnectedness: It is no more just collaboration but intelligent interconnectedness. Whether it is a factory floor or a corporate office, connectedness is being redefined with AI and IoT. Smartphones have converted themselves into mini offices and at the click of a button, can turn themselves into a virtual conference room. On the shop floor, a person sitting in the control room has a clear view of the health of the various equipment as well as the whereabouts of people working in various areas.  It is helping is fostering greater collaboration, transparency in operations, and also workforce safety. Smart Buildings: Another example is the conversion of office buildings into smart buildings. The operational cost of keeping an office running is fairly substantial for most enterprises. Star Trek fans would know about the concept of running the spaceship in grey mode. This essentially means that when the starship has fuel constraints can only operate those machines and components which are crucial to keeping the spaceship flying. IoT and AI can enable the offices to run on the proverbial grey mode during the off-peak hours. The lights and other power equipment are getting sensor controlled. This is contributing heavily to power saving (leading to cost-saving), the safety of the workers, and of course, helping companies become more environmentally friendly. Automation Leading to Productivity Enhancement: Communication, as stated earlier, is being abetted by AI and IoT. For instance, if your employees need a software upgrade or want to get a damaged ID card replaces, it can be automated with the help of AI/ML. One can raise self-service requests and get most of their issues closed. This allows the operations staff to work on more value-add things and better communicate with employees on the things that really matter. On another note, have you ever noticed how the files that we use, the names of the people that we most communicate with pop up automatically? There is smart text analytics with the help of which most of the communication gets flagged so as we do not miss those important emails. Workplace Safety: In industries such as oil and gas, worker and ecological safety is one of the primary areas of concern. No one wants a rerun of the Deepwater horizon episode. The ID card of the employees, as well as their families, are IoT enabled with a microchip. The sole motive of that chip is to give a real-time location update about all the people on the site. This helps the companies optimize their safety effort in case of a disaster. With the help of the tracking device, the relevant stakeholders can know where their human resources are and in what priority they need to be rescued. Employee Engagement: Now let us come to the most awaited piece, how can AI drive employee interaction and training. HR analytics is already a part of the interactions between the HR and the employee. Various data points are tracked to gauge employee engagement levels within the company. This gives the HR leaders a view into the churn predictability. This input can help organizations retain their most prized employees. Similarly, AI can also identify upskilling opportunities. AI/ML-based identification and formulation of training modules to reskill and upskill resources have become a critical part of the use cases. We are sure that companies will explore this extensively going forward. Having said all that, one must realize that we are at a cusp of change, and these technologies are still maturing. The market is responding with a lukewarm approach to the adoption of AI and IoT in the workplace. But as and when it gathers traction, this will start playing a pivotal role in generating employee productivity.   

While there are several definitions of “digital leader”, the one which resonates with my thinking is “A digital leader is a senior leader who promotes long-term digital transformation through not only technology, but a combination of strong strategy, culture, structure, and collaboration”. Digital transformation is high on the corporate agenda of organizations across all levels and industry verticals. Millennials are the largest living generation today, and they form a large portion of the workforce. This digital-native workforce generation is extremely comfortable with the latest tools and technologies and expects their leaders also to be tech-savvy. Today’s leaders, therefore, not only have to have a firm grasp on technology but also need to have the vision and innovative mindset to bring a fresh mindset to the table. At Rubiscape, we work with several thought-leading CXOs who are leading the digital transformation change in their organizations. I have been fortunate to interact with several of those. And apart from their solid technical understanding, I believe there are some very peculiar traits that differentiate them from others. They have the vision When it comes to leading digital transformation, vision is everything. Digital leaders understand that digital transformation is an opportunity for them to create a competitive differentiator, to come up with new business models, to create stellar customer experiences, and to innovate. They are equipped to carve a holistic digital strategy to ensure business growth and lead disruption. They strike a fine balance between legacy systems and innovation etching the digital era Digital leaders have a broad understanding to delve into balancing the organization’s strategies. The pace at which technology is mitigating has necessitated the need to stand by the same in order to strive for success. And digital leaders know exactly when to strike the rod hot. Digital winners are ones who expertly leverage diversity in the workforce while optimizing their current business strategy. They understand the importance of building the right team The most effective way to boost a company’s performance in the digital age is by hiring the right talent. Efficient digital leaders seek expertise to enhance the firm’s overall efficiency. This does not simply suggest hiring the right professional but mapping the young digital enthusiasts with the existing experienced resources. Thought-leading digital leaders gather the best from the market to create a mix of a technologist with the digital-savvy leaders. At the same time, they understand the importance of giving the team creative freedom and space. They allow their teams to fail and learn. They are experimental and embrace risks Making mistakes is unavoidable and digital leaders understand that. True that the digital world is mostly unpredictable and plagued by risks, influential digital leaders steer in an environment of sequential work culture to alter the same to parallel working. They inspire others to be creative, take risks,  introduce new policies, try new technologies, introduce a new method of working – all while acknowledging that failing is still an option. They thrive in uncertainties Digital leaders believe that chaos only creates a path for a better future. They strive to delve in uncertainties and see failures as the way to learn and succeed. They believe that digital does not justify staying on the safe side by simply adopting technology but induce innovation in all situations to see an exponential growth of the organization. They thrive in ambiguity while seeking clarity Until the twentieth century, the strategy opted by all organizations worldwide worked to achieve clarity. However, the growing pace of the digital economy has forced today’s leaders to delve in a tough and complex situation. This leads the adoption of ambiguity by all the digital leaders. Digital leaders seamlessly function in an ambiguous situation by acknowledging that they will learn on their way and constant change is the name of the game. They are collaborative Today’s digital age demands strong collaboration between various departments within an organization. Knowledge sharing is paramount and sharing of information and insights across departments is the need of the hour. Thankfully, today technology is available to enable such collaboration. Effective digital leaders work towards bringing in the cultural change to foster collaboration through an open environment. In fact, they themselves take a lot of efforts to involve teams in decisions, elicit ideas, and discuss issues to come up with possible solutions. Digital leaders are the mentors, the influencers, and possess contagious enthusiasm. They understand the power of technology and the importance of building a team that can transform ideas into reality. They emphasize on creating the right culture – the culture of innovation, the culture of collaboration,  and the culture of risk-taking. To be very honest, I think all the leaders will need to be digital leaders in the very near future – how about we all start prepping up now?

Let me begin with a story. Virgin Atlantic took on the project to improve the design of their reclining chairs on their airplanes. Many stalwart designers were roped in. Many designs were presented. But none of the designs was a hit. Then on the horizon came a young designer, Joe Ferry. Ferry was already working at Virgin in the capacity of a designer. He asked if he could give this project a go and was, in return, given a free hand. And then the herringbone-configured Virgin private sleeper suites were born. Had Virgin Founder, Richard Branson not given Ferry this creative freedom, would Virgin be ahead of the pack with millions of happy fliers? All Branson did here was that he gave an intrapreneur the opportunity he/she needs. Intrapreneurs, much like entrepreneurs, are a breed of achievers who drive the organization, explore unexpected directions and give a business an interesting new dimension that spurs growth…but they do so from within the organization. As I look around and see the constantly shape-shifting market dynamics and growing challenges, it becomes clear that only the innovative will survive. We have to constantly work towards building intrapreneurs within our organizations. Why am I such a big fan of intrapreneurship? Here is a basic laundry list The millennials are here – how will you retain them? We can’t ignore the fact that very soon 75% of the workforce is going to comprise of millennials. What does this have to do with intrapreneurship you ask? How’s this for a reason – research shows that millennials are the true entrepreneur generation. When the past generations dreamed of perks, the millennials are focused on doing more, delivering more value, and being their own boss. The game of hiring and retaining top millennial talent has never before been so savage. High salaries no longer guarantee loyalty. Free food, on-site barbershops, and swimming pools are losing their charm. But if we want to get the attention of this generation, we have to enable their entrepreneurial spirit. ‘Entrepreneurship’ is the buzzword for the decade – and intrapreneurship helps millennials navigate challenges and drive value. With this, they no longer see themselves as cogs in the machine doing the same monotonous work every day. The Entrepreneurial Zeitgeist – how will you establish this in your organization? Silicon Valley made entrepreneurship the popular kid on the block. Now everyone wants to be an entrepreneur. However, fact and feeling are two different things. While most of us want to be entrepreneurs, studies show that only 7% actually end up being successful ones. However, if we begin to promote intrapreneurship within our organization, we get to identify who our high-potential employees are and also the future leaders of the company. If we think about it closely, would Steve Jobs have been able to build Apple into the giant that it is today Steve Wozniak? When we talk about growth, we have to account for pieces of the business that aren’t doing so well or ones that could do better and then reach out to people with entrepreneurial who can think creatively and come up with innovative solutions. And intrapreneurship enables this. Thinking outside the box- are you just talking the talk and not walking the walk? I also love intrapreneurship because it gives an organization the capability to think outside the box. Innovation might be a term that might be groaning under its overuse; the fact remains that it is one key differentiator that separates a successful business from an unsuccessful one. Organizations need to stay agile in an environment where technology and automation are changing the rules of engagement. Unless we are creative, we will lose market share or will be pushed out into the oblivion. We only have to look at established companies like Kodak and Nokia to understand the price we might have to pay if we don’t take innovation and creative thinking seriously. Promoting intrapreneurship within an organization builds an entrepreneurial culture within the organization. This is extremely relevant today as organizational culture demands that we enable forward and creative thinkers who not only help organizations keep up with their growth path but also helps the organization become a leader. Google, for example, is famous for its ‘20% time’ policy which encourages their employees to spend to spend 20% of their time working on projects that they think will benefit Google. This policy has boosted entrepreneurial thinking. It has also helped Google remain one of the most innovative companies in the world. Intrapreneurship is a tool – An intrapreneurial culture builds the bottom line It is logical to assume that all companies want to stay competitive and to improve their bottom line. Intrapreneurship is a great tool to give employees opportunities to encourage them to come up with new ideas that will help the business. We need new ideas, but along with these new ideas, we need new ways to solve existing business problems. Employees are the best resources to understand the problems that plague the company. So it only makes sense to give them avenues to solve these issues and identify new areas of growth. By building an intrapreneurial culture, organizations can set a precedent of growth by giving employees opportunities to bring their ideas into fruition without them having to leave their jobs and risk their livelihood. The positive impact on the bottom line becomes a consequence of these actions. Organizations today and those of the future have to be agile, creative, and also open to the world. Those who leverage the entrepreneurial talent of their employees at all levels will be able to achieve this because the role of human resources has become critical in meandering organizational growth expectations. Given the status quo, promoting intrapreneurship injects speed and flexibility in an established organization that could previously be imagined only in a start-up environment. And with the complex dynamics at play, it is only a matter of time before intrapreneurship becomes the new normal for all forward-thinking organizations.

Women’s Day is here and we are back to the conversation regarding women’s representation in the corporate world. It’s strange that in the 21st century we need a special ‘day’ to recognize the contribution of women in our lives…both personal and professional. At some level, I feel, that we should not need to have a special day dedicated to women…a special day dedicated to recognizing her contribution, her mettle, and her achievements. We should not need a special day to truly appreciate the women in our lives and across the world. But at the same time, I feel that we still need a Women’s Day because, despite all that they have achieved, women still remain grossly underrepresented in the corporate world, still struggle to bridge the pay gap, and have to work harder to shatter the glass ceiling. In the technology space, for many companies celebrating equality and talent has become a CEO level issue. There are several examples of tech leaders emphasizing the importance of equality in the tech space whether it is in terms of equality of pay or choosing women for higher and better opportunities and bigger responsibilities. In today’s marketplace ‘equality’ has got business value. So this would mean that the participation of women in the workplace, especially tech is on the incline right? Well statistics say otherwise. Surprisingly, or rather unsurprisingly, only 5% of leadership positions are held by women in the tech world. Reports also state that more than two-thirds of US startups have no women on their board of directors. A recent report by the World Economic Forum states that the global gender gap will take over a hundred years to close going at the current rate of change! To a reasonable mind, these stats seem ridiculous…almost unreal. Why would we be looking away from a  workforce that is highly skilled and efficient only because of their gender? Fact is that in the US alone over 1.4 million jobs will open up by 2020 and the US will have only 29% of qualified graduates to fill these roles. Out of this, only 3% will be women. Strange? Well, sometimes the truth is indeed stranger than fiction. Being a part of an organization where over 35% of the workforce constitutes of women, I very strongly feel that today tech companies are in need of strong leaders. Women Leaders. Simply because, if history has taught us anything it is that women, when enabled and empowered, are capable of reaching any height of success. I think at some level it is downright insulting if I use gender as a yardstick to suggest what an individual can or cannot accomplish. If we look around, women have already proved that they are excellent administrators, team leaders, exceptional workers, innovators…the list goes on. So why look at justifying their roles or their mettle because of their gender? Let’s look at some basic facts that are relevant in today’s context and are not guided by some medieval thought emerging from the dark ages as to why there should be more women leaders in tech companies. To begin with, unless you have diversity in your organization you will be only getting a myopic view of the world. Today women are active participants in the consumerization landscape. It only makes sense to have a set of eyes that will guide you on what this demographic wants because they know what they want. A study at Development Dimensions International (DDI), the global leadership development consultancy, states, “Encouraging gender diversity in leadership ranks leads to more diversity of thought prompting improved problem solving and increased business benefits. Organizations with women in at least 30 percent of leadership roles are 12 times more likely to be in the top 20 percent of financial performers.” And more pertinently, by not encouraging gender diversity in the tech space, all you are doing is alienating a vast, trained, skilled, efficient, and eager workforce. That’s not the best business strategy, is it? I strongly feel that its high time that the doors to this exclusive ‘Boys Club’ that exists in technology companies open its doors wide to women not because of anything else but because of their ‘talent’. It is high time that hiring in organizations is done because of ‘talent’. It is also high time that we stop looking at women as soft, nurturing souls and recognize that the same nurturing person can be an equally powerful and impactful leader. Let’s start hiring for job roles on the basis of qualifications of merit and stop looking for lame excuses as to why a woman would not suit that role. We have entered the age when machines are communicating with one other and with us. For most, that is progress. But is it really progress when we still don’t recognize the achievements of half of the world population despite her having proved herself, in the harshest and most toxic environment? I believe that real progress will only happen when we take a conscious decision to unanimously hire and promote on the basis of merit and not gender. Until then, we will continue to need a Women’s Day.

The concept of Open Innovation fascinates me. Fundamentally, it is a very decentralized, distributed, and more participatory approach to innovation and that’s where the beauty lies. I have always been a believer of co-innovation. Today, when there is so much knowledge which exists in the world, it is impossible for one individual or one company (no matter how big or small it is) to innovate effectively on its own. Being in the technology business, like me, many of you must have heard the term open source and I think open innovation rides on that.  The Open Source phenomenon began much before than open innovation and was developed independently. The main purpose of open source is to encourage greater participation of the community of developers who can contribute to making improvements to the source code to develop the project. The result is a better quality software with multiple perspectives from technology experts. Open Innovation, on the other hand, is more about creating a greater pool of perspectives from a diverse community to get ideas. Essentially both focus on getting superior quality results by encouraging participation. Here are some thoughts and views on open source and open innovation and the key differences that exist between them: Open Source and Open Innovation- how do they differ from each other? Open Source software is available for free to be used by the users and organizations with the purpose of using it and modifying it, according to their needs and requirements. The software may be tweaked and improved by developers around the world which may result in a higher quality product. Open Innovation provides unrestricted access to ideas, products, designs that may be used by a number of individuals in different sectors for a wide range of purposes. The model of Open Innovation is based on the premise that businesses can gain benefit from the bi-directional flow of ideas and innovations coming from outside or within their companies. However, there are some key differences between both these concepts – Open Source offers a framework for intellectual property policy along with economic exchange. On the other hand, open innovation still leaves this aspect unanswered. The scope of Open Source is limited to software development or making improvements. Whereas; open innovation is used much widely for problem-solving, improving current products, or even in research projects. Open source promotes collaboration and sharing – here, the collaborative culture inspires people to work together across the boundaries of the organization. Open innovation lays emphasis on a similar value, but the collaboration is more transactional or contractual in nature. Why I Support Open Innovation System? As I had outlined in my vision for a knowledge society, knowledge triggers innovation and the open innovation system offers many benefits to foster knowledge sharing – Provides networking opportunities Open Innovation helps in collaborating and engaging with smart people outside the organization to assist in problem-solving. Thus, there are more minds that work together to tackle a challenging situation and find a viable solution together. It provides a great opportunity to engage with partners and users who share similar interests and work towards a common goal. Reduces costs of development With open innovation, there are greater possibilities of finding companies who already have readymade products and technologies or entrepreneurs with innovative ideas that can help in cutting down the time and cost involved in R&D for other enterprises. There is access to readymade products and companies need not have to worry about building it from scratch that helps them to focus their efforts towards improving the products and make those superior. Promotes cultural diversity Most of the breakthrough innovations are a result of collaborating beyond the boundaries of the organization. Diversity because of the cognitive differences that come with different organizational cultures helps in avoiding groupthink. People from the same organizations share similar thoughts on how things need to be done compared to those coming from other organizations. Greater emphasis on learning Open innovation networks can be a useful way for learning about new concepts and facing challenges more effectively in the organization. This eliminates the need to set up many high risk and high resource internal projects for the purpose of learning as there is a chance to learn from other people’s mistakes in the network. There are greater possibilities of getting different points of view that can provide better insights and result in better learning outcomes. Open Source and Open Innovation – Successful Use Cases GE’s open innovation initiative GE started this effort using the open innovation system with their Ecoimagination challenges where they came up with an ecosystem of partners in the form of VC’s to get some innovative ideas on issues related to smart grid and healthcare. They also ensured that these ideas were implemented using GE and its smart network. GE experimented with many new things with regards to innovation and even partnered with Local Motors for starting their new initiative for co-creating a new concept in home appliances. FirstBuild, which is their initiative in creating an online and physical community is targeted at designing, engineering, developing and selling a whole new generation of a range of home appliances. GE has embraced open innovation successfully and believes that it’s almost impossible for enterprises to have all the best ideas and collaborating with experts and entrepreneurs who share a common passion for solving the most pressing issues in the world is the best approach. LinkedIn shows how open source can be used in a smart way LinkedIn has been successful in delivering the industry’s most awesome open source software – Cruise Control load balancing platform for Apache Kafka. Cruise Control did not have a real community but it was mainly developed to be used for LinkedIn. LinkedIn made sure that it created Cruise Control in such a manner which would translate beyond its needs to make it generalizable and extensible. There is a lot of effort involved to open source code such as Cruise Control and it is the open

Innovation is the big buzzword with most of the software development organisations. At Rubsicape, we try to put a lot of emphasis and focus to drive this concept and make it an integral part of the company’s day to day activities and value structure. Innovation is an idea or concept that can be transformed into reality and applied for practical use, which can eventually contribute to the success and growth of the organisation. It is an important catalyst for an organisation to adapt to the ever changing and dynamic market. Being innovative does not always mean the need to come up with new inventions but it can also mean changing the existing strategies, mode of operations, business model, etc. to deliver better products or services. Rubsicape follows a culture which fosters innovation. To achieve this, we follow these basic set of guidelines within the organisation. This blog is an attempt to share with you all our learnings in the process. Innovation Workshops At regular intervals, we organise innovation workshops for our teams. The idea of having a dedicated workshop ensures that we all get time, apart from our day to day tasks to collaborate, brainstorm, and work towards our innovative ideas. As a part of the workshops, specific teams are created with employees from different teams and departments. This not only helps to build a camaraderie within the organisation but also generates ideas which are out of the box, build trust, and prevents conflicts or disagreements among peers. Also, the workshops are conducted as a contest where the top innovations are selected and brought into practice. To encourage participation, rewards and company wide recognition are published for the winning team. At times, some of these workshops are conducted offsite to create a more relaxed environment for the teams and help their minds to wander in search of the ultimate idea. Making it a part of everyday activity Although Rubsicape focuses on dedicated workshops it does not limit the creativity of its employees to occasions like the above. Employees are continuously encouraged to share their innovations with each other as a part of their day to day work, meetings, and also coffee breaks.  Simple targets are set to come up with one idea per week for each team. The brightest ideas are then selected, nurtured, and taken to the next step for implementation. At an individual level, we set personal goals for each employee to think creatively and differently and help them achieve those. Accepting Failure We do not believe in building a culture which inhibits people from taking risks or making mistakes while coming up with innovative ideas. Failure is inevitable and if criticised, it often brings down the morale of the employees. Not a single great idea or innovation is done right the first time. Learning from mistakes paves the way for more innovate thoughts and brighter ideas for the next time. If an innovative idea is not feasible then the best option is to understand the root cause and develop alternate approaches. Rubsicape’s belief in nurturing innovation also stresses on having an open culture where employees can regularly freely interact with their supervisors or the management team irrespective of their designations or positions. Training It is not rational for an organisation to consider each and every employee to be sharp and inclined towards innovation. As a part of the on-boarding program at Rubsicape, specific training related to innovations is provided to the employees. In the long run, the Return on Investment is high, both for the organisation as well as the employee at a personal level. Ideas Bank We have a well-defined process in place to ensure that innovate ideas are captured and thoroughly documented; kept at a centralised location which is accessible to every employee. This helps us to check how a similar issue or problem was dealt with in the past or what approach was suggested or implemented in order to fix it. Also, by having a repository, it acts as a source of reference for the employees. They get a broader view and a better perspective to study the innovations in detail which have been already documented. Innovation can help organisations to deliver better and produce exciting products and services. In today’s highly dynamic and volatile market, there is no future for run-of-the-mill products. There is no option but to keep evolving by using innovation to ignite the spark. Linkedin X-twitter Facebook

With the buzz around IoT and the tangible business impact organizations are seeing through their IoT investments, it is no surprise that the Internet of Connected “Things” is expected to reach 50 Billion by 2020. Especially in sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, and automotive, IoT devices are seeing a deeper penetration. It is projected that by 2025, the global worth of IoT tech will be $6.2 trillion! Most enterprises are already investing in mobility and big data as their two key priorities and these areas broadly fall under the umbrella of IoT. Let’s take a look at how these three technologies intersect to create a connected future – Mobility With a plethora of smart devices and sensors being connected, there is a need for ‘something’ that tracks, controls, and monitors these devices. Today, mobile apps are playing that role leading to a rapid evolution of this industry. These apps serve as a bridge between IoT objects and provide a seamless, comprehensive experience with extreme ease of use. Apart from that, through an integrated mobility strategy, organizations are able to foster collaboration, connectivity, and communication within their enterprise – which, in turn, leads to improved service delivery, reduced operational costs, enhanced customer experience, increased productivity, efficient management of remote workforce and field service, and thereby leading to competitive advantage and business RoI. Data Analytics Billions of connected devices generate a humongous amount of data at a very rapid pace. This data, if not analyzed and used in real-time, is of no use. The real value of big data analytics is to process this wealth of information and create actionable insights to trigger automated tasks. Analytics is helping businesses to go beyond “gut-feeling” and move towards an accelerated, accurate, and real-time decision-making. By taking smarter decisions based on data, enterprises are able to drive revenue growth, drive customer loyalty, prevent downtimes through predictive analysis, and drive business model innovations through valuable insights on customer preferences. Internet of Things (IoT) IoT is fundamentally transforming the way information and data are created and exchanged. This has a tremendous impact on many business operations and how businesses interact with their customers. Several business areas such as inventory tracking and management, field service, machine operations and maintenance, customer engagement, marketing, and also disaster planning and recovery have seen a massive transformation with the introduction of IoT. IoT is helping organizations in their business transformation initiatives by generating new revenue streams, optimizing business processes, reducing times, facilitating faster decision-making, creating better customer experiences, and improving operational efficiencies. Getting it all Together – Automotive Industry is at the Forefront of this Revolution One of the many sectors which have significantly benefited through the convergence of Big Data, IoT and Mobility is the automotive sector. Several automotive giants like GE, Tesla, BMW, Volkswagen, Toyota, etc. have invested heavily in these technologies and are also seeing tangible business results through that. General Motors, for example, uses big data for creating 360-degree customer profiling and uses that information for more accurate sales predictions. It also uses Geographic Information Systems and data analytics to help dealers in boosting their performance. By gathering detailed customer-specific information, GM focuses on highly personalized and targeted marketing. Even a 100-year-old company like FORD is calling itself a technology company now and has invested aggressively in IoT, data analytics, and Smart Cars. It has very ambitious plans for launching its autonomous vehicles in the near future. Automotive giants have also started building new ecosystems to support this transformation of self-driving cars and expanded connectivity. They are partnering with technology companies to create a coherent and seamless experience for their consumers. Very soon, the vehicles on the road will be very different from what we see today. They will not only be self-driving but those Will provide assistance to the occupants in the vehicle Will be able to maintain themselves through self-diagnosis, optimization, and self-healing capabilities Will fit better into the broader ecosystem – to provide guidance based on traffic conditions or weather conditions or to seamlessly connect with the smart home appliances Today, we have entered the era of “shared mobility” which is phenomenally transforming the modern transportation. Here, a range of technologies like mobility, IoT, and big data is powering a “sharing economy” to make transportation cost-effective and efficient. The road ahead is fascinating, and automotive giants have already shifted gears! I am excited to be a part of this transformation. What about you?

Here’s something for trivia. It is Kevin Ashton, a British technology pioneer, who has invented the term Internet of Things or IoT.  I mention this because lately everyone is excited about IoT and very keen on implementing it for all possible business scenarios. From connected cars, smart homes, to smart kitchens, IoT is set to transform our lives and businesses. According to GE estimates, the convergence of machines, data, and analytics will become a $200 billion global industry over the next three years. Like every new technology, there are some successes and some failures with IoT too. However, I firmly believe that the failure of IoT (in whichever scenarios it has happened), is not because of the technology but because of other factors such as lack of understanding of the technology, lack of expertise, lack of collaboration between IT and business, and most importantly, lack of good quality data. A majority of the businesses fail to scrutinize the data they have at hand – the core on which it functions. Unless and until the data gathered is of superior quality, it would not be wise to expect IoT to bear 100% results. Let me explain why. How IoT projects fail I was recently reading a survey by Cisco which found that as much as 60% of the IoT projects fail at POC stage itself! I think that the main reason for this could be that businesses are not adequately equipped to handle the transition to an IoT system, followed by having staff which is not at all trained to manage the new operations. Every department needs to be in sync with how the IoT technology functions so that the data generated can be smoothly exchanged for eventual outcomes. Thus, along with the integration of devices if proper training of personnel is not carried out then the lack of ground work causes failure at the very implementation phase. The other issues are with security and privacy of data – errors in transmission and data storage, improper usage of data, and so on. The most important one of all, however, is poor data quality. According to Gartner, 40% of all business initiatives fail to achieve their targeted benefits due to substandard data quality. Two of the biggest examples of faulty data sources would be the 2016 US elections and the Brexit results. In both the scenarios, the predictions went completely wrong thanks to the way data was collected and its analysis. A little about data quality Hence, having the right data is important. It basically includes good quality data, sufficient quantity of data, and reliable sources, to name a few aspects. Relevant and accurate data which is consistent across data sources proves to be helpful to make maximum use of resources – again, something which is essential for a newly begun project to take off. Simple things like preventing viruses from affecting your devices ensure that the data stays usable for a longer period of time. Confirming that there are no manufacturing defects is also crucial so that the generated data is free of any discrepancies, in case it needs to be further replicated. In other words, if we need quality data, we need quality devices as well. Following which, to further ensure thorough quality, businesses also need to check for accuracy of data and its source. On these lines, I feel investing in solid data management systems is a good idea especially to take care of data integration. It will provide a business with proper tools and techniques for the benefit of its employees, as well as build better data assets. Managing services and improving on accountability will also become easier with sound data at hand.     Businesses undoubtedly need to work on quality because only then can they sustain the rat-race. For instance, in 2015, some 15 billion objects were connected to the Internet. However, by 2020, 200 billion objects are predicted to be connected to the Internet. Data has the capacity to provide unique insights and is a powerful tool for business intelligence and analytics. The only thing to remember is that it needs to stay clear of any errors and has to bear the ability to bring in results. IoT has a massive potential and is something which is opening up a lot of opportunities for businesses by automating tasks and exploring machine learning. It is allowing interconnectivity of decisions and, thus, benefiting everyone who is associated with it at each step. This also means that it will continue to create more and more information or data in the coming years to completely change the way processes happen at the moment.