OSS Transformation is all about managing change – organisationally, functionally and operationally during in-flight projects. This is the most commonly overlooked factor when planning OSS projects
On face-value, you’d think that NASA’s Mission Control (MC) would have quite a lot in common with the typical service provider’s Network Operations Centre (NOC), apart from the fact that NASA probably IS largely run by rocket scientists. Both MC and NOCs exist to operate and coordinate a multitude of different, complex systems as well as providing event […]
There’s a myriad of important metrics used across the world of telco, ranging from technical to marketing, to financial to executive. As discussed yesterday, OSS / BSS has an influence on many of these key metrics. Not only that, but the volumes of data collected by most OSS / BSS give scope to slice and […]
“Some simple principles: – Software can change faster than hardware, which means that in changing markets, bet on software. – It’s tempting to treat the user interface as a piece of fashion, some bling, a sort of jewelry. It’s not. It’s the way your user controls the tool you build. Change it when it stops […]
Do you know what the word ossify means? If not, can you guess? No, it’s not another of my made-up words to describe OSS in an obscure way. For those of you who didn’t already know that it’s a real word and what it means, wait for it… it means to cease developing; to stagnate. […]
We’ve recently talked about the two service provider business model extremes – OTT / DSP (Over the Top or DSP) versus REIT / TaaU (Telco as a Utility) are affecting OSS. The fast-twitch OSS that services the OTT / DSP model is bringing about some fascinating changes in the way service providers procure “assets.” They’re […]
Yesterday’s blog covered how exponential growth in ICT industries has been (and will continue to be) a challenge for all of us in OSS-land. We’ve already seen some fundamental changes in OSS in recent years to be able to cope with the massive growth in device counts, bandwidth demands, etc. We’ve seen hyper-scaled hardware/software platforms […]
We’ve all heard of Moore’s Law, which predicts the semiconductor industry’s ability to exponentially increase transistor density in an integrated circuit. “Moore’s prediction proved accurate for several decades, and has been used in the semiconductor industry to guide long-term planning and to set targets for research and development. Advancements in digital electronics are strongly linked to […]
Five nines is a catch-cry in the telco industry. There’s a view that we should measure the up-time of all the devices in our network and they should all reach the gold standard of 99.999% (ie downtime is less than five and a half minutes per year). But how many times have you seen an […]
A recent blog discussed the concept of running fire drills on your OSS to see how your organisation would handle outages. In Monday’s blog, we discussed where OSS customers are going to be and what their requirements are going to look like. The “Telcos as OTT players” model will be hyperscaled and more “transient by […]
“Whilst doing rather than planning has been a hugely successful tactic for entrepreneurs and their investors, before I go any further I want to note that as with everything you can take it too far. To get the best chance of achieving huge success, and avoid getting stuck at a local maxima, a certain amount […]
Today I’d like to share a mistake that I’ve made over and over again in my career. It’s a mistake I’m constantly trying to rectify, and succeeding, but still failing. It’s not just me either. Many of my OSS colleagues fall into the same trap, so there must be something in our nature that makes […]
Time-to-market is an important metric in the Telco vernacular. It’s important because rapid TTM allows one CSP to get an attractive new product out to customers earlier than competitors and all the benefits that go with it (ie rapid revenue turn-on, market share, brand awareness, etc). One of the primary impediments to a product’s TTM […]
“Gartner’s 2016 CIO Survey revealed five key innovation practices that deliver the highest improvement in digital performance: Crowdsourcing, Different metrics, Formal innovation management and work with Startups. Nevertheless according to the same survey, CIOs also indicated that these five innovation were the least used.” Sebastian Barros here. I suspect these CIO findings are also mirrored in the OSS industry. How many […]
“Answers to leading questions under torture naturally tell us nothing about the beliefs of the accused; but they are good evidence for the beliefs of the accusers.” C.S. Lewis. Today I’d like to share a clever strategy used by a clever OSS division head that l once worked with. The team he led was in […]
“Yes, it’s true, almost no one reads the instructions… people are so self-absorbed and hurried that they plunge first. One more reason to build something simple. But at least you can post instructions so that after they fail the first time, they have a shot at getting it right the second time.” Seth Godin. My washing […]
“Companies often see the disruptive forces affecting their industry. They frequently divert sufficient resources to participate in emerging markets. Their failure is usually an inability to truly embrace the new business models the disruptive change opens up. Kodak created a digital camera, invested in the technology, and even understood that photos would be shared online. […]
I once heard a comment from a teacher that, “Sesame Street had a lot to answer for.” Sounds strange on face value because this famous TV program has been educating children for decades. The teacher then went on to state that kids now all expect to be entertained, not just taught. Interesting perspective isn’t it? […]
“Most of us are, by default, in automation mode. We are pattern-seeking animals, and there is immense comfort in the familiar…established systems help to preserve our energy and attention. Things are easier. The cognitive (and emotional) burden of trying to figure out what needs to be done, when and by whom, is minimal, Automation is […]
As you might have noticed, I’m passionate about OSS, what they can do now, what they can do in the future and how they can help organisations prosper in this highly digital era. But one of the things I notice when speaking with the vast number of people directly involved or touched by our industry […]
The picture you see below is of a coin minted by Roman Emperor Titus. It is the visualisation of the oxymoron of Festina Lente, or hasten slowly, where dolphins were known for their speed and the anchor for its stability. In terms of OSS, this is mirrored in the dichotomy of the speed of change […]
