In a year as strange as 2020, it is only human to focus on positive pursuits that provide comfort amongst the chaos. Blogging was one of my most positive 2020 pursuits.
Every Blog Provides a Great Opportunity and a Unique Challenge
Researching business and technology subject areas, transforming complex concepts into actionable opportunities, writing a tight narrative, and crafting a compelling hook is an interesting intellectual challenge that, blog by blog, brought great joy throughout the year.
And now as the year closes, I wanted to recount the big themes, best ideas, and key takeaways from my best 20 blogs from 2020.
Rolling the Dice on Next-Generation Data Management
I started the year with a series of four Viva Las Vegas blogs that explored 2020 data trends and proposed a winning hand of four next-generation data management aces (adaptive data architecture, agile methods, advanced data management technology, and augmented people). Check out the series to tap the power of your data and drive the business transformations you need to thrive in 2020 and beyond.
- Viva Las Vegas: Ten Sure Technology Bets for 2020–Part 1
- Viva Las Vegas: Ten Sure Technology Bets for 2020–Part 2
- Viva Las Vegas: Ten Sure Technology Bets for 2020–Part 3
- Viva Las Vegas: Ten Sure Technology Bets for 2020–Part 4
Exploring the World of Digital Transformation with Partners
In the early months of 2020, I traveled across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, where I was impressed by the many ways large enterprises were applying technology to transform their businesses. Omnichannel customer experiences, accelerated new product innovation, supply chain optimization, and more were but a few of the examples I witnessed.
TIBCO partners such as Alldatum Business SA de CV, Ascention Services Pty Ltd, Connected Data Group, Enfo, and Quinscape were my guides on this journey of digital transformation discovery. In the beginning of 2020, using time not spent in airports and Ubers, I was able to capture these partners’ insights on digital transformation in the five blogs below.
- It’s All About Data: Digital Transformation in Latin America
- 360° Views Everywhere and Down Under
- An Insider’s View of Data-Driven Business Transformation in the Nordics
- Data, Analytics, and a Cold Beer on a Hot Day
- Connecting Data is a Team Sport
Show Me the Money, Getting the Business to Invest in Data Management
In today’s data-driven world, the winners will be the organizations that successfully gain a competitive advantage from their data, and the losers will fall behind. As compelling as this sounds, your CFO will still want to see a business case that proves your data management investments will pay off.
To help you build your business cases, I wrote these six blogs.
- How to Sell the Business on Data Virtualization
- How to Sell the Business on Master Data Management
- How to Sell the Business on Metadata Management
- How to Sell the Business on Data Quality
- How to Sell the Business on Data Governance
- How to Sell the Business on Data Catalogs
Big Ideas, Made Clearer with Interesting Hooks
In writing, the narrative hook is a literary technique in the opening of a story that “hooks” the reader’s attention so that he or she will keep on reading. And when one’s subject matter is the often arcane world of data management, this author certainly knows the value of a great hook.
Here are five of my favorite 2020 blog hooks covering everything from data quality to data streaming, to AI and ML. I hope you find them as clever as I do.
- To Improve Data Quality, Stop Playing the Data Telephone Game
- Data-in-Motion and Data-at-Rest: A Tale of Two Cities
- Mind the Gap: 3 Ways to Fill Your Data Management Talent Shortage
- The New Gold Rush: Now Is The Time To Mine Your Real-Time Data Streams
- What’s Cool about What’s New and What’s Next for TIBCO Data Virtualization
Onward to 2021
At this time last year, I would never have guessed I would blog about so many diverse and interesting subjects in 2020. As I formulate my blogging plans for 2021, I am sure that many new opportunities await. If you have any great ideas you would like me to pursue, please let me know.
Stay tuned. And in the meantime, happy holidays and my best wishes for the new year.
