Last month, I discussed some of the factors influencing the growing adoption of data mining and predictive analytics (see "The Slow, Steady Climb for Data Mining, Predictive Analytics," 1 February 2011).

What are the elements of a typical business technology strategy? The following lists the five key areas:

Business strategy -- overall market, product, production, distribution, service, etc., objectives

One of Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is to "begin with the end in mind."1 When developing software, this is a good rule. Even as teams embrace agile software development and practices that move testing earlier into the development process, the testing of delivery into production is often neglected.

I have what some people call a "Man Van." It has 4WD, alloy wheels, big ice-grip snow tires, tinted glass, and a 200-watt stereo. David E. Davis, past editor of Automobile Magazine, once wrote that his Man Van was his favorite car, even compared to his Ferrari and Dodge Viper.

Back in the 1960s, then-Prime Minister of England Harold Macmillan was supposedly asked by a journalist what might blow his government's policies off course: "Events, dear boy, events," was his response.

Back in the 1960s, then-Prime Minister of England Harold Macmillan was supposedly asked by a journalist what might blow his government's policies off course: "Events, dear boy, events," was his response.

Today we have no shortage of people opining away at the cause-and-effect relationships between educational inputs (schools, teachers, pedagogy) and outputs (student knowledge and success) with nowhere near a sufficient understanding of how the human brain actually works.

Today we have no shortage of people opining away at the cause-and-effect relationships between educational inputs (schools, teachers, pedagogy) and outputs (student knowledge and success) with nowhere near a sufficient understanding of how the human brain actually works.

Agile software development and agile project management have shown considerable success in helping organizations develop better software and better manage development projects in the face of changing requirements and evolving technologies. In one sense, agile is about managing rapidly changing project factors and requirements.

I was speaking with some fellow CIOs and other business leaders recently about their sources of competitive advantage. A few were not able to articulate clearly from whence sprang their source of sustainable advantage in the market.

Agile software development and agile project management have shown considerable success in helping organizations develop better software and better manage development projects in the face of changing requirements and evolving technologies. In one sense, agile is about managing rapidly changing project factors and requirements.

When evaluating suppliers, clients tend to focus on suppliers' resources because these are highly visible onsite tours, balance sheets, and résumés. But they should be more interested in suppliers' ability to turn these resources -- their physical and human assets such as physical facilities, technologies, tools, and workforce -- into capabilities that, in turn, can be combined to create high-level customer-facing competencies.

When evaluating suppliers, clients tend to focus on suppliers' resources because these are highly visible onsite tours, balance sheets, and résumés. But they should be more interested in suppliers' ability to turn these resources -- their physical and human assets such as physical facilities, technologies, tools, and workforce -- into capabilities that, in turn, can be combined to create high-level customer-facing competencies.

[The e-government] portal represents much more than the development of a mechanism for promoting transparency, accountability and control in regard to the public accounts of the State. This portal represents the true transformation of our State, particularly in Public Administration, which "step by step" has been adopting new efficiencies, innovation and accountability standards.

-- Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Timor-Leste prime minister 1

[The e-government] portal represents much more than the development of a mechanism for promoting transparency, accountability and control in regard to the public accounts of the State. This portal represents the true transformation of our State, particularly in Public Administration, which "step by step" has been adopting new efficiencies, innovation and accountability standards.

-- Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Timor-Leste prime minister 1

Real-time coverage of the recent disasters in Japan, the social unrest in the Middle East and Africa, and the Allied bombing campaign underway in Libya all expose the limitations of such information; specifically, the clear need to put real-time information into some kind of context with the use of additional, supplemental information.

Real-time coverage of the recent disasters in Japan, the social unrest in the Middle East and Africa, and the Allied bombing campaign underway in Libya all expose the limitations of such information; specifically, the clear need to put real-time information into some kind of context with the use of additional, supplemental information.

The global financial crisis from 2007 to the present has been viewed as an opportunity by many Chinese business leaders. According to a 2010 ranking of the global Tech 100, several Chinese technology firms have grown into the world’s most innovative and competitive players.

The global financial crisis from 2007 to the present has been viewed as an opportunity by many Chinese business leaders. According to a 2010 ranking of the global Tech 100, several Chinese technology firms have grown into the world’s most innovative and competitive players.

Chinese technology firms are rapidly growing into the world's most innovative and competitive players.

Chinese technology firms are rapidly growing into the world's most innovative and competitive players.

As we begin to emerge out of the recession, there will be a tendency to take care of the technology pieces that have been neglected for years, such as server and software upgrades. While some of those things absolutely must be addressed, managers are encouraged to look at this as an opportunity to innovate around what needs to be done.

As we begin to emerge out of the recession, there will be a tendency to take care of the technology pieces that have been neglected for years, such as server and software upgrades. While some of those things absolutely must be addressed, managers are encouraged to look at this as an opportunity to innovate around what needs to be done.

Last we heard from this thread, we ended with an example of visualization's time-saving benefits (see "'Click Here to Learn This One Crazy Secret...'" 27 January 2011, and "V Is for Victory --

In the US and in industrial countries around the world, the recent economic crisis has triggered the first serious consideration of national spending priorities for more than a decade. Supposedly, every option is being explored and unfortunately, in many cases deficits are being balanced out by reduction in long-term investments in existing infrastructure.