Some people are fearful of what adopting automation and artificial intelligence (AI) will mean for their jobs. However, the focus in many industries is on augmentation NOT replacement. I’ll use an example from the professional services industry. CPA firms offer audit services as part of their value add to their clients. This is to ensure…
I worked in a data center for The Vanguard Group (FinTech) for almost a decade. If you don’t know what a data center is it’s basically where all the computers, servers and geeky tech stuff lives. Years ago we were facing a crisis. We were running out of servers, energy to power those servers, cooling…
When those less familiar with technology think about AI their thoughts jump to something pretty diabolical like Skynet from the movie Terminator. Well I’m here to share with you that you can rest easy (for now) because AI or Artificial Intelligence is essentially referring to the latest that automation has to offer your industry. Automation is…
We are in the midst of what’s being called The Great Resignation. There are many factors involved, but what it means in general is that there are a record number of people that are choosing to quit their jobs and find something else. It seems the pandemic has provided many people with a new perspective on…
I studied the downfall of the Big 3 from the automotive industry back in the late 2000s. This included the companies GM, Ford and Chrysler. The company that got most of the bad press was also the biggest – General Motors. One story I remember from back then was using the unfortunate design of their…
Last year I spent time in Austin, Texas. If you haven’t noticed, the city has been booming in recent years. Since 2010, the population near Austin has grown 34% and much of that growth has come in recent years. This has caused a number of problems for the city and a big one is traffic congestion. …
Toyota has a long history of leading by example when it comes to manufacturing. They’ve championed lean principles in manufacturing for a long time with great success and are still making waves today. I’m sure you’ve heard all the fuss of Tesla’s factories and how they leverage robotics to replace humans when building their cars. …
Professional services firms have historically scaled by hiring. The traditional model has most firms hiring to keep up with the demand generated from new clients. This sets firms up for a number of traps, but the biggest drawback is firms lose considerable efficiency when growing this way. Everything from client acceptance to service delivery starts…
I have a background as a software engineer, but my specialty has always been automation. There’s a running joke amongst folks who are the most dedicated to the craft of writing software and it goes like this… “If I have to do it more than once, I’ll automate it!” It’s true. Not only have I…
In the business world there’s a borderline unhealthy obsession with growth. Everyone wants their company to grow to be bigger and more successful. Here’s why that’s a trap. Growing bigger isn’t better. Doubling the size of your team only makes sense if your revenue is growing MUCH faster. However, adding that many people in such…