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Author: ashokkarania

  • IT Tools for 2007

    Technology change is the only constant. The speed and breadth of technology change as only widened over the last decade. Today, many new and emerging technologies are competing for the attention of IT Leaders. CIOs are also hard-pressed to choose the right technology for their organization as technology is a competitive differentiator today.

    Recently, The McKinsey Quarterly carried an article on that addresses the above topic – Two New Tools That CIOs Want. The two technologies identified to bet the future on are : ‘server virtualization’ and ‘software as a service’.

    Excerpts:

    • Among the many new technologies competing for the attention of CIOs, two in particular—server virtualization and software as a service—are high on their radar screens and have a strong potential to bring real savings.
    • Virtualization is a software technology that allows servers to run multiple operating systems, thus raising utilization rates. Software as a service is delivering savings of 20 to 40 percent and freeing some companies from the chore of maintaining certain common business applications.
    • Together, these technologies signal a shift: instead of running programs on specific machines, companies are adopting a more flexible architecture that allows them to host and manage applications more efficiently.



  • The Art of Problem Solving

    The Art of Problem Solving: 5 Steps to Success

    Problem Solving Skills are one of the key pre-requisites for success in today’s competitive corporate world. If you can analyze a situation, create different scenarios, visualize implications of different alternatives, choose the optimum alternative and execute if flawlessly, you will have people eating out of your hands. Even at Magnet, we look for people who are part of solution, rather than stuck in problem maze.

    Problem Solving Skills can be groomed over a period of time. What is needed is the attitude and discipline and above all, the love to combat the problem and derive a solution.

    I found a good article by Lyndsay Swinton of ‘Management for the rest of us‘ on Problem Solving Skills. Here it is:

    Legendary problem solver Albert Einstein was onto something hot when he said “No problem is solved from the same consciousness that created it”. He knew about the art of problem solving and if he’d written about it, he may have broken it down into these 5 easy to follow problem solving steps.

    1. Flexible mind, flexible solutions
    “Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it is the only one you have”. Now I’d like to claim that for myself, but a good lady called Emile Chartier said it before me. Beware when you only have one solution to a problem. It either means you don’t understand the problem or you’ve not taken the time to figure out more creative, more likely to succeed, solutions.

    2. It’s all in the mind
    Your mental state is inextricably linked to your physical state, so if you’ve reached mental gridlock, take a physical break to get the thought traffic moving again. Go for a walk, listen to music, tidy up your desk or do whatever it takes to free your mind and open up your mind to creating new, innovative solutions to your problem.

    3. Why oh why oh why?
    Ask yourself, why is this a problem? And ask again. And again. Like a stuck record, repeatedly asking why, allows you to pin point with much more precision and accuracy why the problem is a problem. And it busts myths and assumptions until all you’re left with are a few lonely, useful facts.

    4. Rose coloured glasses
    Describe your problem to your mum. Then describe it to your 6 year old nephew. And do another version for your boss. Bet the problem was different each time you talked about it. Taking a different perspective on a problem can lead you to a solution (particularly 6 year olds, as they are some of the most straight-talking magical thinkers around!). If you want to get fancy, you can call this problem solving step “re-framing”.

    5. Dream a little dream
    You probably wrote fantastical stories as a child that ended “and then I woke up!” You crossed rivers, fought dangerous fights and saved the day. In dream-land there are no limits, no boundaries or limits on resources. If there were a magic wand that would solve your problem, what would that be like? Describe in great detail what you see, hear and feel about this problem free state. It’s an engaging and powerful mental game to play, and increases your chance of solving the problem many times over.

  • Online KBC!

    Its KBC Time folks!

    The show that changed the fortunes of Star Plus in India and resurrected the career of Amitabh Bachchan is back with new energy, new look, new strategy and of course, new host – Shah Rukh Khan. The media has already done great service to KBC by highlighting SRK and Amitabh cold war.
    KBC3 is live at www.kbclive.com. The site sports an energetic look in its new colors. One can play KBC Online, download wallpapers-ringtone, get show updates etc. It also has used Web 2.0 elements for social networking. The main highlight is definitely going to be the SRK Blog and content build around him.

    Star Plus has shown that it is going full guns for KBC3. The promo videos and TVCs have been amazing so far and got thums-up from all. It is a refreshing change and quite creative. It is also one of the most debated ads on Agencyfaqs.com. Star is also heavily inserting KBC content in its soap for cross promotion. Will the show live upto the hype? We will know on Jan 22 9pm.

  • Less Is More!

    I read this article named The Relationship Between Clutter and Debt at The Family CEO Blog. It speaks about the relationship between clutter and how we manage our finances.

    Yes, there is a relationship between clutter and money. If we are not systematic and particular in organizing ourselves, we would tend to be laid-back about managing our finances. And lack of financial mismanagement have saddened many a life.

    Some excerpts from the post:

    First there’s the obvious: most clutter consists of items purchased. And that costs money. While some things come into our lives for free, many are things that at one time we wanted or thought we needed and so we purchased them. More purchases eventually equal more clutter.

    I also believe that there’s another less obvious relationship. By choosing to have less (de-cluttering) I tend to value it more. Letting go of things creates a feeling of contentment and satisfaction rather than a desire to have more. Don’t believe it? Help your child clean up his or her room or playroom and watch as they re-discover toys, books, and games they had forgotten they had.

    That’s because clutter represents stuff that isn’t valued. How much can I really care about items that have found their way to the bottom of my closet or a box in the basement? My goal is to have less but to really care for and value what I have.

  • iPodnomics!

    Apple had a great launch for iPhone at MacWorld 2007 where it met the expectations of its cult fan following. Now iPod is back in news for its impact on Forex economics. iPod has been accepted as a global standard for measuring purchasing power parity (PPP) across the globe.

    CNN Money says:

    Along the lines of the Big Mac index launched 20 years ago by The Economist magazine, the survey prices the 2GB Nano in U.S. dollars and found Brazilians pay the most for an iPod, shelling out $327.71, well above above second-placed India at $222.27. Canada was the cheapest place to buy a Nano at $144.20, while Australia ranked 19th at $172.36, cheaper than Germany ($192.46), France ($205.80), South Korea ($176.17) and China where the machine is manufactured. The U.S. was fourth cheapest at $149.
    The Big Mac Index is an informal way of measuring the purchasing power parity (PPP) between two currencies and provides a test of the extent to which market exchange rates result in goods costing the same in different countries. As stated in the Economist, it “seeks to make exchange-rate theory more digestible”. It is quite a popular index. Check the latest The Big Mac Index.

    The Big Mac Index speaks about McDonald’s global power as well as acceptance as a common evaluation tool. With iPod gaining the same popularity, iPod has indeed gained currency!

  • Perfection vs Excellence

    Perfection vs Excellence : Which is the goal worth aspiring for?

    Not everyone can achieve perfection but you can surely get excellence. Very few guys achieve perfection and those who achieve it are true genius. One of those geniuses is the guy who painted Monalisa. Da Vinci created the perfect enigmatic smile. People from all over cannot but admire his creativity. The painting still invokes praises from people and critics even today. It is the  aim of every painter worth his salt to create something even 1% as good as Monalisa.

    Excellence is a journey which never ends. And that is what make it a value to aspire for. One constantly needs to raise the bar and continue to improve.

    Perfection means dead end for me. And I also believe that best should not be the enemy of good.

    The key story which differentiates perfection and excellence is the story of a sculptor. In a kingdom there was a famous sculptor. Once the king commissioned him to design an statue of a perfect woman. He was overjoyed. He spent one and half years and came back with a amazing beauty. But one of the ministers pointed gave a suggestion for improvement in one of the anatomical features. Though the king was fine with the existing statue, the sculptor was not! He went back and came a year later with one more statue. This time the statue was indeed more beautiful than before. But the king thought that the nose could be enhanced further. The sculptor went and came after fifteen months. This was the best statue ever – the statue literally was alive. No one had seen such a perfect beauty. Everyone including the king showered lavish praises and the king gave him the best of the riches. The king affirmed that this was the most perfect statue ever made or seen! The sculptor started crying. The king was surprised. He asked what was wrong? The sculptor said that I now have no room to improve my skill. When I got feedback on earlier two statues, I was happy as I was learning and enhancing my skills. But now I do not know what to do. I hope I do not become arrogant or lose my hunger for creation.

    The other big example is of Sanjeev Kumar, the versatile Indian actor.  Sanjeev Kumar believed in continuous improvement and excellence. During his initial years, Sanjeev Kumar’s style was unique and natural. But over a period of time, he stretched his abilities and improved his skills. He beat himself and learnt new things. He became one of the most gifted actors and became known for his meditative explorations of his varied characters. He gave some of the most amazing performances.

    Sanjeev gave some of the most amazing performances in Sholay, Aandhi, Mausam, Parichay, Khilona, Anhonee, Anamika, Seeta Aur Geeta and Manchali. Naya Din Nayi Raat, one masterpiece given brilliance by Sanjeev Kumar where he played nine different characters in the film. He suited the roles every bit.

    Dastak gave him the first National Award as Best Actor. After winning the award, Sanjeev now had the responsibility to prove that he deserved the award and to ensure his quality of work. So he worked harder and became selective in the kind of roles he played and the films he chose. He studied the scripts and characters in detail. In spite of being a star, Sanjeev Kumar still opted for roles that were off the beaten track in films like Anubhav. Sanjeev Kumar was one of those few actor-stars to whom the role meant more than anything in the world. He was willing to play any character of any age in a film, even if it wasn’t the lead role, provided the role challenged his acting abilities, which of course were considerable. His efforts did not go in vain. He got the National Award once again for his outstanding performance in Koshish.


  • Time Management Tips for Developers

    1. Break projects into steps with specific deadlines for completion of each step.

    2. Generate manageable due dates for the achievement of these steps and schedule specific times to complete the steps to meet these due dates.

    3. Use due dates to monitor progress towards the completion of steps in your plan.

    4. Write down daily tasks and cross them off as they are accomplished.

    5. Use calendar books to record appointments and intended dates for completion of tasks.

    6. Have daily objectives to move them toward the completion of multiple tasks.

    7. Continually review long-term goals so the sight of long range objectives is not lost.

    8. Begin projects early to give yourself time and freedom to brainstorm about the best ways to accomplish your tasks.  Begin early on assignments to create the opportunities to gather information, think over the matter, and collaborate with others for assistance and suggestions.

    9. Be honest about how plans are going.  Don’t hesitate to modify plans to achieve better results.

    10. Seek advice from others.  Accept and even seek input from anyone in a position to assist you or offer helpful information.  Review other’s materials, converse and correspond with expert sources, and consider other’s ideas as you plan a course of action.

    11. Use available resources and don’t try to go it alone unless it is unavoidable.

    12. Inform people involved as much in advance as possible about any role these people may have in any activity.  This allows time for others to plan ahead as well.

    13. Remain flexible and prepare for the unexpected.  Successful people have plans B and C.

    14. Try to anticipate obstacles but be ready to adapt plans in cases of the unexpected.

    15. Remain persistent in the face of adversity by considering other avenues of approach when encountering barriers.  Effective time managers don’t give up easily.

    16. Realize that a polite “No” is sometimes a proper response.  An effective time manager has the ability to say, “I will get back to you on that.  I want to think about it overnight” or “No, I cannot do that now” if the request is disruptive to task completion and progress toward goals.

    Credit : Dennis H Congos

  • Everyone Loves A Controversy

    Bollywood Actress Shilpa Shetty is a victim of racism on UK Reality Show Big Brother. Everyone is now aware of the insult of India, Indian Woman and charges of racial attack on Big Brother. We have seen images of poor Shilpa sobbing like there is no tomorrow. For the uninitiated, check Rediff Coverage. Also read Neha Vishwanathan’s Shilpa Shetty, Big Brother & Racism on Within / Without Blog.

    However, let us consider these points as well:

    1. Shilpa Shetty got Rs 3.5 Crore for the show. She chose to be part of the show. Let us all respect her decision. Let us allow her to fight it out. Anyway, she is unaware of the huge ruckus outside. And let us not forget she is a gutsy, cunning, smart and a courageous lady.

    2. Shilpa’s career was going nowhere in Bollywood. The controversy has helped her get equal amount of newsprint and television time as Ash-Abhishek engagement. Surely this will help to revive her career.

    3. The controversy has helped revive interest in Big Brother. It has got one of its highest TRPs in recent times. Big Brother producers are indeed smiling all the way to bank.

    4. All TV Channels and Newspapers got one more chance to play out the controversy and gain TRPs. Suddenly Shilpa Controversy is bigger than all other events of national and international importance and gets front page and first headline status.

    5. Politicians get a chance to play on sentiments again. P R Dasmunshi and Government step in. Is it really warranted? I & B Minister should be more worried other urgent priorities rather than Shilpa’s misadventures. Even British MP Keith Vaz forced British PM Tony Blair to make a statement in the parliament. Empty Victories!

    The Bigger Questions:

    1. Does Hype Rules Over Lives?

    2. Is Dumbing Down of Media Complete?

    3. Are News Channels The New Entertainment Channels?

    4. Are We A Celebrity Crazy Country?

    5. What About Our Own Racism Against Each Other?

  • Gandhi Is Back!

    “I’ll be back!”
    Terminator, 1984

    Well, move over Arnie, Gandhi is back in international mindspace. Wow! Gandhigiri tops the list of Hot Trends in 2006 in India. Gandhi beats Sensex, xbox 360, Nach Baliye, FIFA World Cup, iPod, Blogging, FM Radio etc. to get to the top as the hottest idea of 2006.

    Courses in Universities, Gandhi Topis, Quiz Contest, People Practising Gandhigiri, Increased Sale of Gandhian Books, Cover Stories in Leading Magazines – all are the proof of renewed interest in Gandhi.

    Well, I am not surprised. I recollect an incident which took place nearly a decade ago in my life.

    Once we had session in our college on 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, an amazing book by Stephen Covey. After an interesting and effective presentation, I asked the trainer the following question : Why is that Indians are forgetting Gandhi while West is rediscovering Gandhi? He was both surprised and impressed to see a young college lad being interested in Gandhi. He could also understand my concern on the cool trend of criticizing Gandhi without understanding him.

    He smiled and answered me through one simple quote from T S Eliot. The quote was:
    We shall not cease from exploration
    And the end of all our exploring
    Will be to arrive where we started
    And know the place for the first time
    ~ T S Eliot, Four Quartlets

    Indians are just discovering West and exploring it. They will soon realize importance of Gandhi when they will come back home after the Western Trip.

    Tons and tons of pages have been written about how Lage Raho Munnabhai brought Gandhi back in Indian hearts and minds. Now we have people organizing constructive programs on Gandhi and colleges starting courses on Gandhigiri. TV shows debate more about Gandhi than Rakhi Sawant.

    The fact is Gandhi can never be ignored. Gandhi is not ephemeral. Gandhi is timeless. Gandhi is the soul of world.

  • Top 10 Signs You Are A Marketer

    Ann Handley of MarketingProfs has sent us the following in the latest email. It is credited to Aussie Michelle Smith.

    10. You lecture the neighborhood kids selling lemonade on ways to improve their look-to-buy ratio.
    9. You get all excited when it’s Saturday so you can wear casual clothes to work.
    8. You refer to the tomatoes grown in your garden as “deliverables.”
    7. You find you really need PowerPoint to explain what you do for a living.
    6. You normally eat out of vending machines and at the most expensive restaurant in town within the same week.
    5. You wear gray to work, instead of navy blue, to make a bold fashion statement.
    4. You know the people at the airport and hotel better than your next-door neighbors.
    3. You ask your friends to “think out of the box” when making Friday night plans.
    2. You think Einstein would have been more effective had he put his ideas into a matrix.
    1. You think a “half-day” means leaving work at 5 o’clock.