COLEG CAMBRIA is to build a £1.2million community learning hub at its land-based Denbighshire campus. Llysfasi college has been earmarked for a project supporting the Welsh Government’s Prosperity for All vision to provide more education links in towns and villages across the country. Work is expected to begin next year on the Ruthin Road centre, with facilities and services to include bilingual adult and community family learning resources, meeting rooms, IT and multimedia digital technologies, and development of new partnerships with the private, public and third sectors. Chief Executive David Jones said the new building will further strengthen the relationship between the college and its communities, and their commitment to the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act (Wales) 2015. “The project provides an innovative approach to widening the community use of local facilities by providing a central hub that would facilitate a variety of services in a single setting,” said Mr Jones. “The centre itself would also support communities in north east Wales and have a broader geographical reach for some specialist provision, making education more accessible in more rural areas.” He added: “Together with the Welsh Government and Denbighshire County Council we are also aiming to support local businesses with valuable training and skills development in ICT, business, marketing, farm diversification and more. “Crucially, we are listening, as always, to our partners and people in the area to find out what they want and where there is demand. “This hub will deliver a lot of the services and resources that are essential for rural growth, as well as learning, so we see it as being of huge benefit to our Llysfasi site and surrounding communities.” Coleg Cambria Llysfasi will be working alongside agencies including the Rural Agricultural Benevolent Institute (RABI), the Farm Community Network and local health boards to deliver opportunities. There will also be a strong emphasis on bilingualism and increasing the number of Welsh community and workplace courses linked to Cymraeg 2050 in a bid to boost the number of fluent employees of all ages across the country. Iain Clarke, Head of Llysfasi, added: “At Cambria we are all about challenging the norm and providing opportunities for people to explore and achieve their full potential. “The new community learning hub will allow us to do that, giving learners in hard-to-reach places in this area a chance to upskill and develop themselves personally and professionally, while working with some of the biggest and best organisations in North Wales and beyond. “It will also have a positive impact on the rural economy, as well as supporting and enriching the social, cultural, economic and physical well-being of the communities we serve.” Cllr Hugh Evans, leader of Denbighshire County Council, added: “”Coleg Cambria and particularly the excellent facility at Llysfasi work very closely with the council, and we are therefore very pleased see this further investment in the site. “Llysfasi has a long and proud history of supporting rural and other local communities in the Vale of Clwyd and the broader agricultural sector in north and mid-Wales. This new project will support further development and the realisation of the ambitious longer-term plans for Llysfasi. “We are delighted to support and be part of these new plans and congratulate Coleg Cambria on securing the funding for this significant new investment.” For more on Coleg Cambria, visit the website: www.cambria.ac.uk
Each year, the 26th August marks Women’s Equality Day. Whilst it is a significant day for gender equality, it also allows for women in business to take stock of all the progress we have made in the world of work, and consider how far we have to go.
The gender gap persists, however it is felt most keenly in STEM careers and in places like Silicon Valley. A survey in September 2018 found that a wide gender diversity gap paled into incomparison with a huge equity gap. Software company Carta analyzed more than 6,000 companies, 180,000 employees and 15,000 founders, and found that overall, men own 91 percent of employee and founder equity in Silicon Valley, leaving women a scant 9 percent.
Leading women who have chosen this career path for themselves took time out to explain what actions they believe are needed to make the talk of diversity and representation more than mere lip service.
Encouraging the next generation
Connie Stack, Chief Strategy Officer at Digital Guardian believes the key to addressing many of society’s greatest challenges is also the key to improving the tech gender gap. She explains:
“Education, particularly in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). Recent research from Microsoft and KRC Research found that confidence in STEM wanes as girls get older, but interest can be recovered when subjects are related to real-word people and problems, tapping into girls’ desire to be creative and make a difference in the world.”
Getting more women into leadership
Too often the technology industry is tarred with the ‘lack of diversity’ brush, but thanks to mentoring initiatives, coding workshops and more women in leadership roles, we are starting to shake up the industry.
As Lucie Sadler, Head of Content at Hyve Managed Hosting enthuses, there is still a long way to go.
“As women working in tech we must do all that we can to encourage diversity and equality in the workplace and to educate our peers,” she explains.
As a sector devoted to improvement and innovation, the technology industry should be at the forefront of positive change when it comes to gender equality. It’s therefore surprising – and sadly ironic – that the gender gap in Silicon Valley is still a significant cause for concern. Estee Woods, Director of Public Sector & Public Safety Marketing at Cradlepoint describes:
“According to Silicon Valley Bank’s 2019 Women in Technology Leadership report, just 56% of startups have at least one woman in an executive position, and 60% admit they have no women on their board of directors.
The continued lack of gender parity across all industries is why initiatives such as Women’s Equality Day are so important. They provide a time to pause and see how far we have come – to celebrate the trailblazers of gender equality and women’s rights — but they are also a time to see just how far we have left to go. I encourage everyone to celebrate the strong women in their lives, personally and professionally, and to empower the women in their organisations. Today, I encourage women in tech to own their voices, to value their intellect and skills, and to take an active role in their careers and organisations.”
Being passionate about your career choice
It’s been 99 years since women were allowed the same rights as men to vote, and so much has continued to evolve and change in that time. Back in 1920, women had to really fight for equality, but today, women are able to pursue what they are passionate about in life, regardless of what field.
However, it’s still not all completely smooth sailing. Amber Johanson, VP, Global Pre-Sales Engineering at Zerto, insists:
“There are still challenges and obstacles that arise for women, particularly in a field as male-driven as technology. In my first leadership role, I found that if I raised my voice, I was called emotional. It seems ridiculous, but I quickly realised that because of my gender, I was held to a higher standard.
The gender gap is still visible today, but we will continue working to close it. The best advice I can share to other women who are considering a job in a field that is male-dominated is this: If it’s your passion, pursue it. Set the expectation of being treated as an equal and don’t accept anything less.”
Karina Marks, Data Science Consultant, Mango Solutions agrees with this sentiment. She explains:
“Despite working with a large number of female data scientists, I still often find myself looking around me in a meeting and noticing that I am the only female. I don’t consider this as a disadvantage, though, because regardless of my gender, I have faith in my own abilities and what I can achieve. Passion and persistence has really paid off, and I am incredibly lucky that the company I work for has helped support my journey, encouraging me to develop my skills and gain a deeper understanding of the analytics industry. The advice I’d give to young women who are interested in developing a career in the tech – and more specifically data science and advanced analytics – industry, is: Invest in continuous development and learning, share your work, build your community, and keep a sharp focus on value.”
Developing the right skills
Shilpa Narsikar, Senior Engineering Manager at WhiteHat Security, reasons that certain traits are important for women to have in a career in technology.
“Empathy is often overlooked in fast-paced businesses where individuals just want to get ahead at any cost. A recent study found that 87% of CEOs see a direct link between workplace empathy and business performance, productivity, retention and general business health. In short, promoting empathy-either as an individual or as a company-actually aids in career and business success. Empathy is an ability that all professionals regardless of gender, background or industry, should prioritise and work on to achieve success.”
Megan Barbier, VP of Human Resources, Wrike, explains why HOW you choose to implement new tech could be the difference between employee engagement and employee resistance
In today’s digital landscape, its undeniable that technology is playing an ever-increasing role in ‘doing business’. Nowadays, every process and every interaction undertaken within an organisation – regardless of size or sector – is underpinned by technology.
With IT teams taking care of the initial installation process, the real challenge for HR departments has become ensuring that new technologies are accepted across a business. After all, who likes change?
Encouraging acceptance
‘Change’ presents a challenge that is rooted in the complexity of human nature, rather than the technical transition itself. At its core, resistance to change is a neurological phenomenon. In fact, as humans, our tendency to avoid change registers in our prefrontal cortex. Though this area of the brain operates nimbly to process multiple threads of logic, it can reach a breaking point when processing change. This is why any new practice, system, or tool can cause feelings of insecurity and unease for many people.
While modern technologies have the ability to relieve administrative pressures, improve working processes, and increase employee productivity, for many organisations – particularly growing ones – the inability to adjust to change can fuel an air of dread and uncertainty amongst staff.
Without proper management in place, new software or systems can actually sink a company’s productivity – resulting in reduced morale, internal backlash, and even the loss of talent.
As a business, employees are your most valuable asset and all of them are unique. As such, every employee will behave differently when faced with technological changes. With change being inevitable, businesses need to manage it at a personal level in order to ensure that each person is able to work with confidence.
Getting personal
Every employee will react better to different techniques and, by taking a personalised approach to change, businesses can ensure a smoother transition. Identifying different personality types across a business can help to inform any change management processes and ensure that employees not only accept technological change but are able to thrive in their new environments.
According to recent research, potential personality types include:
The Skeptic – The Skeptic is the one who pessimistically asks ‘why?’ Armed with outdated assumptions or irrelevant evidence, skeptics quickly shoot down new tools, ideas, or methods before they are explored. They tell you everything is fine the way it is, even when things aren’t working efficiently and make assumptions and form opinions about things before trying them. But you can win them over. Skeptics need some “skin in the game.” The more the Skeptic feels invested, the more they’ll reserve judgement. If you are able to achieve this, a funny thing starts to happen—the Skeptic becomes a fervent defender of whichever tool you’ve chosen.
The Eager Beaver – The Eager Beaver enthusiastically sees the value of any new tool right away. However, they also tend to make too many changes before fully understanding how they work or how they’ll impact others, which can cause more harm than good. The key is to use their enthusiasm to get others pumped on the tool and what it makes possible. Businesses need to involve them at the start, like the Skeptic. Sit with them and map out the road to success so they’ll know exactly how an effective roll-out will work. Reviewing the overall strategy and goals will allow them to see how each piece fits into the whole.
The Free Spirit – The Free Spirit takes a more improvisational approach to life, preferring flexibility and taking things as they come. They chafe with too much process and feel more comfortable with a quick chat. To get Free Spirits on board, give them some autonomy in the tool so they feel a measure of freedom. This does not mean they need access to everything, but a little breathing room at first is ideal and then they can expand from there as they progress. It’s also important to showcase the pain points that come with not having structure. Many times, they may be completely unaware how their actions may be holding up work or making work more difficult for their team.
For businesses everywhere, embracing modern ways of working is essential and, although hard to accept, change is undoubtedly going to happen. This is especially true given the speed at which modern technologies are being developed.
By adopting a personalised approach to implementing new technologies, businesses can ensure that they are taking care of their most valuable asset; their employees. Change doesn’t have to be negative, with the right support and guidance, it can be an exciting time for the whole business.
Jurgen Ketel, Managing Director EMEA, Givex,discusses why kiosks are increasing revenues for restaurant businesses
The best technology is sometimes described thusly: “It’s not the thing – it’s the thing that gets you to the thing.” A computer is only useful if it can let you use a word processor, get on the internet, play games, or undertake whatever other activities you had in mind. A telephone is only interesting because it allows you to have conversations with people. And so on, and so forth.
For most consumer-facing industries, the maxim still applies, though in this case we can also say “it’s the thing that brings the thing to you.”
We’re entering an age where the human employee is doing less of what they used to do, and letting machines pick up the slack. Kiosks are, increasingly, driving purchases at a rate that leads to 20% higher revenues compared to ordering from a human server.
The advantages of using more advanced technology in your restaurants are many and varied. Not all of them are obvious: we might know that Deliveroo lets customers order directly to their houses from restaurants that don’t traditionally offer takeaway options, for example. What we might not know is that apps like these are one part of a rich, data-driven ecosystem that allows us to get more and more information on customer preferences.
So, what are some of the less obvious advantages of using kiosk technology in the modern restaurant?
A comprehensive overhaul of customer experience
Customer experience is one of the main areas where an in-person visit to a restaurant or shop is indisputably better than the app. Instead of a driver wordlessly handing you a delivery bag, the customer gets the benefits of soaking up the atmosphere – ideally with friendly, helpful staff – and a product that isn’t in any danger of getting damaged or lost en route.
Kiosks are one part of this, to be sure. Many customers feel judged when they order an extra side, or a heavy dessert, or purchase ready-made meals at the supermarket. Being able to place this order without interacting with a human server eliminates this problem. But beyond making them comfortable, it’s an opportunity to provide an experience that they could only get with your brand. That means personalising interfaces and it means staff that are unencumbered by the need to manually process orders and are fully focused on their customers.
Greater efficiency and accuracy
When you digitise existing kitchen processes, you have a clear opportunity to drive up efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of experience. Take restaurants for example. By using a kiosk, you can keep orders coming in and queues moving – and with a kitchen display system, those in the back office will have a greater idea of which tables are due meals at which times.
There’s also the very real benefit of reducing errors. When machines take orders from customers, they’re not likely to forget things,, write down the wrong thing, or mix up tables. This maximises customer happiness, minimises wasted staff time and food wastage, and helps you get the most out of your labour force. If the wrong thing arrives, it’ll be because the customer tapped the wrong thing, not because your staff were too busy to give them the right level of service.
Data-driven marketing
Finally, by integrating all of your systems into one – your EPOS, your kiosk, your KDS, and app purchases – you can collect a treasure trove of data about your customers and your staff: giving you the opportunity to better understand how your employees are performing in a high-pressure environment, and to more effectively drive sales.
Data is at the heart of providing an excellent customer experience. It means upgrading your kiosk with interactive features like opinion polls and surveys – allowing customers to leave valuable, direct and unvarnished feedback that allows you to gain deeper insights into their preferences on a macro and individual level.
Not every technology is going to suit the needs of every business, and we shouldn’t expect it to. Nor should we aim to implement all these tools at the expense of other technology like online shopping or delivery apps: strategies should be created that maximise the value we gain from both.
But if we think about what’s wrong with efficiency, customer happiness, overheads and the general experience that’s provided, it’s safe to say that technology can drive improvements in each area. All we have to do is embrace it.
Anthony Perridge, VP International, ThreatQuotient, explains how businesses can tackle the growing threats from the increase in hackers targeting critical infrastructure
Criminals are tirelessly attacking critical infrastructure (CRITIS) around the world and compromising the Industrial Control System (ICS) and the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems that control these infrastructures. In 2010, the Stuxnet worm infiltrated numerous control systems and damaged nuclear power plants. Five years later, the BlackEnergy malware attack on the Ukrainian power supply became the first cyberattack that caused a blackout.
However, the term CRITIS not only covers the power grid, but also areas such as military, manufacturing, healthcare, transport, water supply and food production. In 2017, the outbreak of the ransomware WannaCry affected several healthcare companies. In 2018, the US CERT, together with the British National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the FBI, issued a warning that the Russian government had launched an attack on critical infrastructure in various industries. In addition, for several years, threats to air travel booking and public transit systems have been making headlines. In early 2019, the ransomware variant LockerGoga began infiltrating and disrupting the production processes of chemical companies and aluminium producers.
Important challenges
According to an investigation by (ISC)2, there is a shortfall of nearly three million cybersecurity experts worldwide, and nearly 60 percent of the 1,452 survey respondents believed that their company was at medium to high risk of virtual attacks. The existing security teams are barely able to handle the myriad of alerts. Moreover, they are often not sufficiently represented at senior management level to receive the necessary attention and support for important initiatives. For example, only 31 percent of organisations in the aviation industry have a dedicated CISO.
To make the most of their existing resources, security teams must be able to understand and prioritise the threat data and alerts within the context of their organisation. This gives teams the opportunity to easily and clearly communicate relevant security issues to management, and to justify additional resources needed to improve security processes.
More and more attacks use multiple vectors in parallel and make the defense more difficult. The US CERT warning mentioned above mentions a variety of these used TTPs, including spear-phishing emails, watering hole attacks, credential capture, and specific attacks on ICS and SCADA infrastructures. At the same time, the attack surface is growing as CRITIS operators increasingly migrate to the cloud, introducing mobile devices and IoT. More than two-thirds of IT executives in the oil and gas industry said they are more vulnerable to security breaches because of digitisation (the provision of digital technologies for advanced automation).
Companies can protect their digital landscape against threats only if they have an overview of the entire infrastructure and the ability to continuously evaluate and prioritise threat intelligence.
Many ICS and SCADA systems have been in use for years and do not have modern security features that can protect against current threats. The number of reported weaknesses in the production area increased significantly in 2018 compared to the previous year. However, these systems are rarely updated as operators fear interruptions. Despite increasing attacks on critical infrastructures, protection has not been extended. Rather, it has become even worse as the devices and systems are increasingly connected to the Internet without paying attention to the security implications. Although those responsible for Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technologies (OT) have different goals, processes, tools, and concepts, they must work together as their environments grow closer together.
Surveys among security officers say that 75 percent of businesses assume they will be the victims of cybersecurity attacks on OT / ICS systems. However, only 23 percent adhere to the industry’s minimum legal requirements for cyber security.
Conclusion
Headlines about attacks on critical infrastructures are quickly portrayed as a sensation. It is often difficult to find the facts behind the report and to understand the impact of a large-scale cyber campaign on the business. It is not enough to update only the ICS and SCADA devices. With a trusted threat intelligence platform, can companies identify and respond to the truly relevant threats.
Here’s some tips I offer to help organisations minimise their cyber risk:
Consolidate all sources for external (such as OSINT) and internal (SIEM, for example) threat and vulnerability data in one central repository.
Collect security-related information about the entire infrastructure (local, cloud, IoT, mobile, and legacy systems) by integrating vulnerability data and threat intelligence in the context of active threats.
Filter non-relevant information, avoiding overload due to too many alerts, and easily navigate massive amounts of threat data to focus on critical resources and vulnerabilities.
Prioritise the most important data depending on the individual situation, with the possibility of dynamic adaptation as new data and insights become available.
Proactively search for malicious activity that can demonstrate malicious behaviour, denial of service attacks, and other disruptions and potential harm to customers, employees, and key components.
Focus on aspects beyond reactive measures to aid detection, response and recovery.
For more information, visit Threatquotient at: https://www.threatq.com/
Jeroen van Glabbeek, CEO at CM.com, discusses how modern tech is set to transform the way festivals manage ‘fangagement’
Whether it’s rock, rap, house, dance, pop or jazz, there’s always a fanbase ready to trade home comforts for a weekend of music, fast food and dixies at a festival. Yet, while music tastes are diverse and trendy, and organisers are eager to cater to them, it’s surprising that the outreach and sales process is still rather old-fashioned.
Festivals are big business, but margins are getting squeezed all the time. Glastonbury is the UK’s largest festival with a turnover of £37 million, but this only translates into profits of £86,000 – under 50p a ticket. To stay profitable and relevant, there’s an urgent need for event organisers to create new revenue opportunities and encourage fan loyalty.
Luckily, with today’s technological solutions, it’s possible not only to get to know your customers better but also to deliver the best, most satisfying fan experience possible through an approach called ‘conversational commerce’. When fans are having a good time they’re more likely to spend at your festival and come back next year. Organisers can achieve this by rethinking how they approach and interact with fans directly – bypassing costly and rather generic display social media ads – and how they process payments before, during and even after the festivities.
The personal touch
Many festivals become like annual pilgrimages, with fans returning to experience it all over again year after year. However, with so much choice on offer, you can’t guarantee your event will be top of mind when festival season arrives. How you approach fans in the build-up is critical to whether they chose your event or a competitor’s.
Fortunately, the data you collect on customers the first-time round can be used again to engage them with highly personalised and relevant content in the future. The true value of data is how it helps you get to know your customers on a personal level; what artists did they favourite on your festival app last year, and what drinks did they order? This information can be collected in a Customer Data Platform (CDP), and used to determine which fans are the most likely to buy a ticket for the next event. Useful data – such as contact details, which tickets they bought and when – can be put to good use in building a loyal, recurrent fanbase.
It’s important to remember that every customer is unique, and this will be borne out by the data you collect. It only makes sense then that the way they like to be approached differs drastically. By using data from the CDP, it’s possible to understand the fan’s preferred messaging channel and use that as the default route for engagement. A generic email will likely end up deleted or in a customer’s junk folder, but by proactively approaching the fan on the messaging channel of their choice you greatly increase the chance for engagement and conversion.
As the smartphone grows in importance as a basis for ticketing and customer engagement, channels like SMS – that still enjoy a 98% open rate – will remain important, but festival organisers also need to think of the future. The trend towards Rich Communications Services (RCS), Apple Business Chat and Over-The-Top (OTT) messaging services like WhatsApp will develop rapidly as customers seek greater convenience and the ability to transmit in-call media. Catering to these rising services is key to futureproofing communication and engagement with customers by talking to them on their preferred platforms and ensuring that all personal data is collected, used and stored in GDPR-compliant manner.
Regardless of the channel used, however, once the tickets have been bought there are usually still weeks or months before the festival actually begins. All too often value-adding customer engagement completely disappears between the point of purchase and the start of the festival. This period of time is an invaluable opportunity to build excitement in the fan leading up to the event.
Between the ticket sale and festival date, more information becomes known as bands are confirmed and merchandising and supplier deals are signed. Proactively communicating these updates via the customer’s messaging channel of choice will build their excitement for the event and help them plan their time for maximum enjoyment. What’s more, informing them of special deals and merchandise ahead of time will only maximise revenue opportunities once they get there.
Taking the stress out of payments
When the tickets are available, most festivals release a teaser in the month prior to the selling date and a couple of reminders on the days before. For the most popular festivals, hardcore fans will queue up online hours before the ticket sales page comes online, constantly refreshing in the hope of getting there early.
This process is never fair to the customer. The person with the fastest processor on their machine almost always gets their ticket first. The experience can also be highly stressful, with frequent disappointment eventually leading to dissatisfaction with the festival and the danger they may give up on ever trying to go.
Fortunately, there are many ways to overcome these pitfalls. Once you have proactively reached out to festival fans, you can offer a preregistration by asking them how many tickets he or she wishes to receive and what kind. This way a fair drawing can be organised where everyone who preregistered gets the first opportunity to reserve tickets and a notification telling them whether they were successful. Additionally, new fan profiles can be created and added to the existing ones on the festival organisers customer data platform – all enriched and updated in real time based on customer preferences and purchase history, allowing for highly personalised engagement.
Fans will then receive a payment link on the same messaging channel they were first contacted on – or a different one based on their preference. You can set the system up so that if they don’t pay within a set amount of time the tickets are offered to another preregistered fan. Once payment is complete, the tickets can be sent directly to the customer or made accessible through a festival app or an OTT app of their choice, with the solution already being deployed by the likes of Formula 1.
With the same app-based approach, you can improve the customer’s payment experience during and even after the event. By linking their account to the festival app, a customer can open a festival ‘tab’ to order refreshments and merchandise in-app, enjoy the festival experience and settle the bill automatically after the festivities are over. This means no more standing in line to order, losing cash or having to shout over the music for a bartender’s attention. All fans need to do is show the QR-code automatically generated after making their order. The solution is being pioneered by the organisers of Lowlands Festival in the Netherlands this year.
When payments is an effortless part of the fan’s festival experience, you’ve achieved true conversational commerce. When you cater to all communication channels and ensure payments processes are embedded in each, the customer can contact and do business with you the way they want. They have both the optimal customer experience and the incentive to come back to you again and again.
The new communication age
Personalised contact and conversational commerce are only the first step. If you want to understand your audience to their core, imagine all the other platforms your audience use and link them to their festival account. With the consent and approval of the fans, all relevant social media accounts could be linked to a single customer data platform. This way, you could analyse their favourite artists and make relevant suggestions to the customer in real time, such as which stage to visit and when to get the best views.
Of course, you have to be aware that this is communication and engagement on a mass scale, so you need a platform that can do it all – from data collection to messaging and processing payments. With the right tools and data infrastructure, however, the truly customised fan experience of the future is there for the taking.
Peter Barker, CTO, Rufus Leonard explains how cloud technology can deliver powerful new insights for business leaders, and shares the steps to successful implementation – and explains why he believes the Azure platform offers the easiest way to do this:
Delivering on being an insight-led business requires a lot of data foundation work – the intelligence is just the tip of the iceberg. Fortunately cloud insight technologies have arrived and are finally allowing us to make use of all the ‘big data’ we have been collecting for years – but until now have struggled to use effectively. Often this has been because data sets and the data points we need are stuck in old or segregated systems and the investment for consolidation is often seen as a barrier.
If this is a new area and your business is asking you to provision an insight solution, then here are four keys steps:
1. Sort out your data estate
This can be hard as data quality can hinder progress; but in essence we now have solutions which ingest and orchestrate data from various sources, be that older systems, applications and increasingly sensors and devices. This then allows us to connect and analyse that data upon which we can then draw insight and serve that into tangible actions.
Fully connected elastic platforms which do this can now be rented with relative ease – such as Microsoft Azure’s suite of capabilities and services; initially we need to orchestrate an ingestion with tools like Azure Data Factory. This allows an automated data integration solution, code free, via a drag and drop UI. Alternatively, it may be necessary to use the technology to perform knowledge mining, where we can again use cloud services from Azure to perform ‘document cracking’, where we can use document element extraction tools available through the Cognitive Services suite to process data. This can then be stored through one of a number of methods such as a Data Lake store – this enriched data set is then ready to be used for delivering intelligence and insight relevant to the business use case.
2. Work out where to activate
The insight itself can be ‘generated’ in a number of ways, plug in Power BI and start to explore – often how you generate the insight will be based on the specific use case relevant to the business and this is where machine learning or artificial intelligence tools which are often forms of pretrained machine learning models come in.
3. Do something with the insight
Many models are fundamentally similar and the availability of pretrained models is increasing e.g. if you wish to understand a customer’s propensity to churn (a common use case) and identify who will do this, then you will need to understand the triggers, model them, test them on a representative data set and then probably keep iterating. Now cloud insight technologies don’t replace some key thinking – you still need to apply some data science to your specific data; to have a hypotheses; but using or creating a model can be relatively easy using Azure Machine Learning studio which is full or easy to use tools to help you choose and test the decision tree algorithm with your data and see the success (or not usually to start with) of your hypothesis. So, tweak, iterate and retrain the model and see where you go…
4. Operationalise
Once you have proven the value of the solution there are a number of tools to operationalise the solution and allow it to grow e.g. feed in more data, add more models – build customer experiences driven through insight and intelligence.
The Azure platform is the perfect environment to do all these things – start small renting the tools, prove success and ROI and grow the estate and capabilities that will ensure your business remains relevant.
Brighton-based Curve IT has implemented a superfast WiFi network across Wagner Hall to coincide with their relaunch as a multi-purpose use venue in Brighton.
Wagner’s relaunch follows the appointment of a new not-for-profit management company KPS Spaces who aim to position the building as a key focal point for Brighton’s business and creative sectors. The venue was first built in the 1970s and is owned by the adjacent St Paul’s church on West Street.
Curve IT’s network now mean that superfast connectivity is implemented across the venue. This will benefit businesses using the space as well as visitors and the general public, with the connection now being more than suitable to support mobile and WiFi card payments, streaming and hotspot needs.
For Wagner’s new management team, the need for seamless connectivity was of the utmost importance. Penny Parker, Venue Manager at KPS Spaces said:
“We knew that in order to make Wagner Hall an attractive and integral venue for Brighton, a strong internet connection was needed. We looked at regular commercial broadband offerings, but were troubled at the thought of us having connectivity issues, and it taking several days to fix, as that could affect business massively.”
“For us, Curve IT was the natural choice, they’re a locally based business, and we know that if we have any issues they’ll be sorted on the same day! We’re really looking forward to growing Wagner Hall into a core event space for Brighton, and Curve IT are just the right networking partners to help with that!”
Curve IT have connected Wagner Hall by establishing a converged network from a wireless link on the roof of Brighton Centre (another Curve IT network). This method means that Curve IT own the network and are not reliant on third parties for support and fixes. Curve IT have provided networking and connectivity solutions for a wide variety of structures in Brighton, London and across the UK. Including the British Airways i360 Observation Tower and a series of Essential Living’s new build apartment buildings across Greater London.
Simon O’Hare, Managing Director of Curve IT added:
“It’s great to see somewhere like Wagner Hall be given a new lease of life as a multi-purpose venue for Brighton. We are pleased that the team there acknowledge the importance of strong connectivity, and we look forward to working with them closely in the future, which I’m sure will be bright for Wagner.”
Women’s Equality Day is held each year on 26th August and celebrates when women were granted the right to vote in the United States. This provided UK Tech News with a great opportunity to speak to some female technology executives and hear their opinion on how to face adversity in tech head on and encourage more diversity and equality in the world of business.
Connie Stack, Chief Strategy Officer at Digital Guardian, explains the importance of involving young women in the world of technology:
“The key to addressing many of society’s greatest challenges is also the key to improving the tech gender gap – education, particularly in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). Recent research from Microsoft and KRC Research found that confidence in STEM wanes as girls get older, but interest can be recovered when subjects are related to real-word people and problems, tapping into girls’ desire to be creative and make a difference in the world. At DG we’re trying to do just that by sponsoring the United Way STEM program, including hosting girls and boys for a cyber security training camp every summer.”
Agata Nowakowska, Area Vice President at Skillsoft, believes education is key to solving the gender gap:
“Despite advancing in education, we are still seeing a huge disconnect between school subject choices and the boardroom when it comes to gender representation. And across entire organisations, women are still being paid less than men. Fewer than half of the UK’s largest employers have succeeded in reducing their gender pay gap this year, with 78% still favouring men. Education is key – from encouraging girls to pursue academic subjects traditionally seen as ‘for boys’ to highlighting unconscious bias in the boardroom. Women’s Equality Day offers us a chance to self-assess; where is change needed and how do we do it? One thing is clear in 2019 – we need to do much more.”
Rachael Andrews, Technical Course Director at WhiteHat Security, implores organisations to overcome their bias:
“As a discipline, technology can often be stereotyped as more ‘for boys.’ That stereotype has permeated the industry for decades and persists in 2019, where roles are still very male dominated. IT is slowly evolving to accept more women over time, including into C-suite roles of organisations.
Overcoming the gender bias is not easy. But the first step is for women to become comfortable expressing conviction in their abilities and greater confidence in the expertise and ideas they can contribute. Tech is changing every day and it can spark a career interest early. Whenever I speak with young women, I love hearing them say, ‘I want to be a scientist!’ Pursuing a technology career has been enriching, especially in the cybersecurity industry, and I would encourage more girls and women to consider this growing field.”
April Taylor, Vice President, ConnectWise Manage, has seen how greater exposure is encouraging more women:
“Schools are leading the way in representation for women in technology from a young age and organisations should be cognisant of the talent that makes up the current workforce. Every industry is tied to technology, so it’s great that the right education is available, especially to younger women because now they’re getting more exposure to potential careers within the tech sector. While there hasn’t been a significant increase, we have seen more women entering our company through our internship program because of that exposure and it’s our responsibility to welcome them to the tech space without making them feel different.”
Bethany Allee, EVP Marketing at Cybera, examines the importance of company culture:
“Although women have made impressive strides in the tech industry, not every company culture is as supportive. However, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the most successful companies tend to be the most progressive in terms of advocating for diversity in leadership roles. That type of success tends to permeate one company’s culture and positively influence an entire downstream ecosystem of other companies.”
Svenja de Vos, CTO at Leaseweb, advises women to ignore stereotypes and go with their passion:
“My advice to women keen to develop a career in tech is to just do it; don’t be put off by the stereotypes as a team comprised of people with an even balance of genders is more representative of the clients and customers you are building products for. Listen, learn and be the best version of yourself. Find the role that fits you best – after all, it’s person-specific, not gender-specific and now is the time to change perceptions while narrowing the skills gap.”
Leane Parsons, Cloud Team Leader at Node4, is convinced women need to go out and be disruptors:
“I always find it interesting when I am asked about being female in a technical role within the tech industry. Whilst it is still very much true that it is a male dominated industry, most of us women do not sit here wondering how we made it into our current technical roles. The truth is that many of us are in the position we are because we saw a role we wanted, and we went for it.
For women who are thinking of taking a job in the tech industry, my advice would be: if you find something you have a passion for, go for it. Be a disruptor!”
Lucie Sadler, Head of Content at Hyve Managed Hosting, encourages businesses to keep striving for greater diversity and equality:
“Women’s Equality Day gives us the opportunity to not only stand in solidarity with women across the USA, but to also reinforce the message that equality is not a female issue. There needs to be a shift culturally to recognise that equality is a wider social issue – and one that we are all responsible for.
“Too often the technology industry is tarred with the ‘lack of diversity’ brush, but thanks to mentoring initiatives, coding workshops and more women in leadership roles, we are starting to shake up the industry.
“But there’s still a long way to go. As women working in tech we must do all that we can to encourage diversity and equality in the workplace and to educate our peers.”
David Graham, founder and CEO of Code Ninjas discusses how parents can make screen time more productive for their offspring
Children’s screen time is always a hot topic for parents these days. How much is too much, what’s the difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ screen time, and how do you find the right balance? At this time of year, in fact during any school holiday, it’s something that becomes even more of a stressor.
In a recent study by Internet Matters, 9 out of 10 parents said they try to limit their child’s use of devices. 32% of parents with children aged 6-10 said they were concerned about the impact of screen time on playtime, and 30% said screen time means they have to fight for their child’s attention. Interestingly though, despite these worries, parents do acknowledge and understand that there are benefits. 70% think screen time is essential for their child’s learning development and 67% believe that using devices gives their child another way of being creative.
So, what’s the solution? I personally think that instead of categorising screen time as ‘bad’, parents should instead say to themselves, ‘how can we put that screen time to better use?’ As a former coder and entrepreneur, I feel confident that it’s all about turning screen time into something productive. I believe – and have seen first-hand – that through programmes like Code Ninjas, screen time comes with a host of benefits.
Everything about Code Ninjas is built around fun. Kids between the age of 7 and 14 learn how to code by building video games, robotics and drones – they love it! It’s fun, it’s loud – it’s exciting. Our centres are called Dojos, teachers are called Senseis and our Ninjas progress through a game-based curriculum made up of nine belts, just like martial arts. As well as coding, children gain the complimentary skills – such as logic, problem-solving and teamwork – that they’ll need for the jobs of the future.
Instead of simply playing a computer game, scrolling on social media or scouring YouTube for funny videos, encouraging children to use their screen or device time to learn how to code is something that parents can feel good about. Rather than at-home, secluded screen time, encourage your children (although from my experience, it’s often them encouraging you!) to become involved in a regular group or centre-based coding club. There are a multitude of benefits to this type of learning, many of which directly address the top worries cited by parents in the same study mentioned above.
Worry: lack of interest in more traditional subjects
Learning to code in a group environment is complementary to other STEM and non-STEM subjects. The supplementary skills learnt – including teamwork, communication and problem solving – benefit students both in their academic and personal development. A great coding centre, such as Code Ninjas, will foster an environment of collaboration and encourage kids to share ideas and solutions, just like real coders! All of which helps kids to build confidence and independence in their own learning, whilst having fun.
Worry: lack of exercise/obesity
Remember that screen time doesn’t always mean sitting in front of a computer! Building drones and robots gets kids up and out of their seats so, when choosing a provider, look for evidence that sessions are active and engaging. Silence isn’t golden – if you can’t hear the kids having fun, chances are, they aren’t.
Worry: isolation/addiction
Learning to code in a destination setting, particularly a group environment, is a great way for kids to make friends. A good provider will be passionate about their community so, check how sessions are structured and avoid ‘classroom’ style setups. Ask how progression is acknowledged and celebrated – it should be something that everyone takes part in. A great example from Code Ninjas is that our coding centres, or Dojos, are parent-free zones! Kids are encouraged to make friends and work together. And when someone progresses, colour wristbands are awarded in ‘belt-up’ ceremonies that the whole Dojo takes part in. Inclusion and collaboration are big drivers in the coding community.
Worry: fighting for your child’s attention
When kids learn something new – and fun – they are inspired to share it with their parents and friends. Look for a centre or a provider that has a system in place to help your child share their achievements and creations with you when they get home. Can they show you what they have built? What game they have designed? Can you play it with them? By showing interest and celebrating your child’s achievements with them, you can create a real sense of positivity around this kind of screen time over others. Not to mention you are also strengthening your relationship with them.
Worry: staying safe online
Coding programmes rarely require internet browsing. Screen time and online time have come to mean the same thing, when they are in fact, different. In the case of Code Ninjas, learning to code by building games that they already know and love, is a great way to capture their imagination and attention – without a social media account in sight! They are also not connected to anything that would allow someone outside of the Dojo to communicate or interact with them, so they are not in danger of strangers online.
In today’s digital world, you can’t escape screen time. What we can do, as parents, is take a more realistic approach and instead of letting our children passively consume media, we can leverage screen time for future benefit. Whilst our kids are learning and having fun!
For more information about Code Ninjas, to find out when a centre might be opening near you – or if you’re interested in opening one of your own – visit www.codeninjasfranchise.co.uk
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