A guide to defining the IT influencer

Looking for those people who define IT trends and evaluate products? In the mire of the online "swamp," it's difficult to define who matters within IT. Here are some tips on how to do it. 

Influencers, simply put, are those whose ideas and accomplishments go beyond being inspiration. They provide new ways of solving problems. They define trends, services, and evaluate products with the expertise that inspires trust. 

In the mire of the online "swamp," it’s difficult to define who matters within IT. The benefit of today’s social media landscape is that no matter who they are, once you identify an influencer you have the opportunity to engage, seek feedback/insight, and converse with them about the products and services they cover.

The value in this engagement can manifest itself in many ways, from direct influence into a service you or your company offers to simple conversation about predictions within your field. Influencers also can shape the buyer’s decision and because of this, any input into the product or service being created or advanced should be highly valued. The challenge for anyone interested in finding the right person is weeding through all the “pretenders” who portray themselves as titans of industry. Below is a criterion for defining influencers within IT.

Activity

Most influencers are active on all channels within media. Most favor a specific medium (their site, Twitter, Google+, etc.) but usually they are everywhere. Look at their channels and the content being shared.

Here are just a few questions to ask when looking online:

• Are the channels industry-specific?
• In social, are they getting shared and retweeted?
• Do their summations reflect new ideas and directions within their field?

Influencers regularly attend conferences and/or speak in front of groups related to their industry. They also usually own a site/blog and write…a lot. Their articles can be found in tweets, posts, and other forms throughout the online world. With each post, look at the comments. Are there any? What is the page rank of their site and how many subscribers do they have? Finally, does the particular person add value to the industry conversation? You can measure this in the comments, tweets, and overall engagement where you can see the dialogue going on about a particular topic. 

Example in Cloud Computing: Adrian Cockcroft, Cloud Architect at Netflix:

Mr. Cockcroft managed a team that implemented a scalable cloud based personalized web page and algorithm platform and is one of the main reasons why Netflix is so amazing. He has a large following on Twitter, is constantly invited to speak at IT events, and writes articles pertinent to his audience.

Consistency

Influencers never stop because the passion that drives them is directly related to the customer experience. In your evaluation of who to connect with, do the people you’re considering consistently speak, write, blog, contribute, and participate in social sharing? Their expertise is the result of their passion, so look for evidence of said passion when you evaluate who to follow.

Example in Solid State Storage: Duncan Epping, owner of yellow-bricks.com and Principal Architect at VMware:

Mr. Epping is consistently active on all social channels (11,983 twitter followers), is regularly asked to speak at conferences and is a prolific writer about the happenings of his industry. He is a true expert.

The golden question

Influencers regularly ask the question, “What is good for my followers?” This means that they only share what will empower those that listen to them. Gone is the time when those with influence are measured simply through social media metrics and online popularity. The rate at which technology changes requires those within to be sharper and ahead of the next big change. It’s about spreading the knowledge, making the job easier, and sharing new ideas which change not just how we see the product or service, but the world as whole.

Exactly what is 'Thinking Outside the Box' ?

A reason we often hear for the need for innovation training is to get "our team to think outside the box."
This may come from the person at the top who feels that the quality of solutions or ideas is not great. This stems from frustration. It also comes from people working in teams who feel that the contribution of others is not helping find new and original solutions to the challenges they face. If you have ever been in this situation, you will know how hard it is to deal with. Perhaps it is best to start with what this term actually means.
I don't know of an official definition for "out of the box" thinking, but here is my perspective starting with "in the box" thinking.

Inside The Box
Thinking inside the box means accepting the status quo. For example, Charles H. Duell, Director of the US Patent Office, said, "Everything that can be invented has been invented." That was in 1899: clearly he was in the box!
In-the-box thinkers find it difficult to recognize the quality of an idea. An idea is an idea. A solution is a solution. In fact, they can be quite pigheaded when it comes to valuing an idea. They rarely invest time to turn a mediocre solution into a great solution.
More importantly, in-the-box thinkers are skillful at killing ideas. They are masters of the creativity killer attitude such as "that'll never work" or "it's too risky." The best in-the-box thinkers are unaware that they drain the enthusiasm and passion of innovative thinkers while they kill their innovative ideas.
They also believe that every problem needs only one solution; therefore, finding more than one possible solution is a waste of time. They often say, "There is no time for creative solutions. We just need THE solution."
Even great creative people can become in-the-box thinkers when they stop trying. Apathy and indifference can turn an innovator into an in-the-box thinker.
In only one case is in-the-box thinking necessary. This comes from a cartoon: a man talks to his cat and points to the kitty litter box. He says, "Never ever think outside the box!"
Outside the Box
Thinking outside the box requires different attributes that include:

• Willingness to take new perspectives to day-to-day work.
• Openness to do different things and to do things differently.
• Focusing on the value of finding new ideas and acting on them.
• Striving to create value in new ways.
• Listening to others.
• Supporting and respecting others when they come up with new ideas.

Out-of-the box thinking requires an openness to new ways of seeing the world and a willingness to explore. Out-of-the box thinkers know that new ideas need nurturing and support. They also know that having an idea is good but acting on it is more important. Results are what count.

Manage client expectations with a project scope document

The middle of delivering a service or project deliverable is too late to begin managing a client’s expectations. To be successful, you have to start managing expectations at the beginning of every client request. It would be nice to be able to take the quick and easy path of just discussing an issue or request with a client and then doing the work. The challenge is that people hear and interpret the same message in different ways. To protect your client and yourself, take the time to develop a detailed scope document on the front end of any project to manage both of your expectations.

What does a scope document achieve?
The essence of the scope document is always to state to your client, “This is what I heard you say, this is what I plan to do, and this is the cost of the effort.” Making this statement:

• · Forces you to think through the elements of the project or request.
• · Gives the client your interpretation.
• · Verifies the project’s who, what, when, where, and how.
• · Forces the client to validate your interpretation of the planned work.

The level of detail you put into a scope document will vary based on the project and your client. In some cases, I simply use a follow-up e-mail or short letter to clarify what I’m planning to do based on a conversation. But usually in my consulting role, it’s my standard practice to create some type of scope document before I do any work for a new or existing client.

Elements of a scope document
Here’s a brief look at what your project scope document should address.

The problem or need
Describe the problem or project request briefly. By doing this, you restate the issues as described by your client, helping confirm your interpretation. Define the project’s goals and objectives. This section doesn’t have to be lengthy, but you need to include enough detail to ensure the client’s needs and objectives are clearly outlined.

Deliverables
Describe all deliverables that will establish the successful completion of the project. If your work includes programming changes, include an application design or a summary of the software development effort that provides enough detail for the client to see and agree on the deliverable. For a Web site design, this might include a short written description as opposed to detailed Web page designs. Gauge the level of description you need based on your client’s need for detail and the complexity of the project.

The plan
Define the specifics of the work plan to a level of detail that helps the client understand what you plan to do in the project and how the process will work. Clarifying issues that will keep your client out of the dark makes it easier for your client to do business with you, reduces questions, and helps you achieve a positive experience with your client. The plan needs to include key milestones and estimated timeframes to the extent that you can define them.

Resource needs
Quantify the resources you’ll need from the client so he or she can plan for the effect your work will have on the organization.

Cost
Be as specific as you can with your cost estimates to prevent misunderstandings later. Consultants use many different cost models, such as billing time and material, giving a fixed project cost, and working on a monthly retainer fee. Clients have to justify your consulting expense and the better you can articulate your cost, what it’s for, and the deliverables the client will receive by spending the money, the more likely you are to be paid without issue. The bottom line is that there should not be any guesswork on the client’s part about how much a project will cost and what he or she gets for it.

Payment plan
Define when and how you should be paid for the project. Again, state this information up front to avoid creating confusion and building up an accounts receivable balance.

Project scope document
Use this sample as a guide to help you develop your next scope document.

Final thoughts
Creating a definitive scope document helps eliminate confusion with any project and presents you in a more professional light. Consultants that provide professionally delivered services often get called back or recommended to other companies.

Use the scope document as a means of managing your client’s expectations from the start. Too many client dissatisfaction issues occur because the client’s expectations aren’t managed up front. Start every project venture out on the right foot by stating the project’s scope clearly and you’ll reward yourself with fewer problems down the road. Once you get into the habit of developing a scope document at the beginning of new projects, it will become a quick process and one that saves you valuable time later.