Not Panels, It's Engagement!

When I was growing up a Sanger was something you ate in a sandwich and Wales was something I saw on my morning run. How strange that these two things should come back to play such a prominent role in the future of our lives.

These two guys invented Wikipedia.

Based on these principles I am reading an excellent book called 'Wikinomics' published by Portfolio. Don Tapscott demonstrates how mass collaboration is the game changer built around three current phenomenon:

- web 2.0 technologies
- the rise of the net generation G, X and Y
- the globalisation of capitalism and diminution of US / Euro dominance

These three forces have converged (by no accident I may add) to create the conditions for what he calls a Perfect Storm. This will have far reaching consequences for our industries and lives.

The question is in such a storm can we see clearly enough to navigate ourselves to a more profitable future?...

I have learnt a great deal from David Siegel over the years. His books have always been far sighted. I share his link with you. http://www.dsiegel.com/

...in addition I see that returning heroes from war are being exposed to virtual scenes to help them deal with PTSD.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6375097.stm

Maybe this is all not so far fetched. It just requires the mathematics and algorithm to make it happen. Well, I suppose that everything comes down to maths in the end...

I was reading a car magazine today from the UK. I told you that cars were my sucker punch. Anyway, there was an article in there about how virtual reality plays a part in designing cars, prototypes and even crash test simulations. This got me thinking..how can we use virtual reality in research?

Ok, Second Life blah blah, deng deng, etc etc. What about virtual simulations of our recommendations - kind of like a turbocharged modeling DSS Simulator. Then I thought ok what about virtual people? Virtual respondents? Surely some of human reaction to concepts is based on modeling? As such we can learn from real people and build virtual panels..yes really virtual - clearly applicable only for some kinds of objectives.

Is this possible? In the 1960's the quantitative revolution was based upon human behaviour being predictable and rational (like Weber or Christaller's models). I am not suggesting that. But I am thinking that if we build in appropriate frameworks of thought we can build virtual panels based upon the experience of real human actions and attitudes.

Can that happen? I think that it will, even though it is easy to knock down. Maybe this is what all of the human tests and observations are about on LOST!

Happy Chinese New Year to you. Happy Lunar New Year to our friends in Korea.

This is the year of the Pig. The year when big healthy babies are born.

The Year when big quality panels, which engage, come to life. The Year we have been waiting for.

Forgive me for indulging. In this Blog I constantly talk about trying to provide a more global perspective - not the US, UK Anglo Saxon view of the world that we always hear (not that there is anything wrong with that view, it is just that it is limiting to our progress). And yes, the irony of the statement above is not lost on me...

Have a look at this article to see what I mean:

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2007/tc20070129_681556.htm

I am reading more and more about Wimax. I should also declare that the author has held shares in Unwired, an Australian Wimax pioneer since 2004.

Please allow me to indulge in an unusual way. My wonderful wife now has a professional Blog as well. Good for her...

Marx once wrote that Socialism would result only after three previous modes of accumulation. That there was a linear progression to our societies which would result in a glorious (and socialist) end game.

So today I read on the BBC that China faces a 'Wifeless Future', because of the one-child policies legacy. This set me thinking....

The internet doesn't work like that. There is no linear evolution. China will skip DSL/ADSL and move direct to Wireless Broadband / Wi/Fi. (Africa no doubt will go to the next epoch direct). This not only creates competitive advantages across regions with the latest technology it also creates research opportunities. Sure a bigger internet pipe means more rich content, but it is more than that. Location Based Awareness is the killer app - In Japan 56% are already picking up Wi-Fi and that is personal accounts, not ones that you piggy back from someone else's!

I just cannot stop thinking about what this all means....

I read an interesting article this morning.

The Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Germany have discovered a technique to read a persons brain and predict intentions in certain areas. It could be possible to identify how a person will act before they do.

It is done by a process called "multivariate pattern recognition". A program can recognise brain activity which is associated with specific thoughts and learns over time to detect patterns.

Now clearly we must be careful along how far we make predictions in this area (or are you reading my mind already). But with so many scientists behind this (not to mention military applications and resourcing) it is only a matter of time before the Wisdom of Crowds takes this to the next level and develops some commercial applications - probably starting with a Firefox style Stealth Bomber piloted by thought implosion.

What about research? Once you can start to have such a predicted model where could you go? Where is the revenue? What are the advantages? What other data can you combine in business intelligence?

It will happen. Are you with me or against me? (Sorry hate that term).

If I now use my finger print to ident myself for access to a laptop how soon until we do this to access a secure website? Like for example validating my identity for an on-line survey? Could this happen? I won't need VoIP to do it then....

See What I see? I have been reading some stuff about this. It is very interesting. I believe in this concept and its future potential...