Tag Archives: Strategy

WIMS Client Spotlight Sourceree

WIMS Client Spotlight: Sourceree

Sourceree is a cutting-edge technology company aiming to foster innovation and the collaboration of bright minds across industry, government, military, and academia. They are growing rapidly and looking to expand and bring on new professionals with a variety of open positions (check out the website). They have offices in the Pittsburgh/Johnstown, PA area, Arlington, VA, and Washington D.C.

They have an environment where they make things happen. Fast. They have the atmosphere to urge collaboration and idea development. Fun. They strongly desire to drive innovation over the edge. Exciting.

Sourceree supports programs across offices in the U.S. Department of Defense and Commercial Enterprises cross pollinating ideas to lead change, adding value by introducing proven techniques in management, implementing habits to increase productivity, and providing leading edge engineering support to meet any challenge. Sourceree is comprised of program managers, engineers, cyber security experts, and analysts who are experts in their respective fields. Together they make a team with expansive experience and complementing skill sets that enable us to deliver simple innovative solutions.

Their service offerings include the following:

STRATEGY AND MANAGEMENT

Sourceree works with all levels of an organization to develop a comprehensive strategy and implementation plan, by assessing the client’s strengths and weaknesses. Our group advises the client on the best way to achieve their goals and manage their program or business more efficiently. Some of the ways we accomplish this is by building a flexible operating framework that will improve policies and practices, team collaboration, and information delivery.

CYBER SECURITY

Sourceree uniquely assists clients in strengthening their systems in the face of a cyber-attack by implementing an agile lean management approach to design, and managing cyber security operations with program managers and stakeholders. Our expert team members have extensive experience in addressing risks to critical Defense programs, and can support clients in fortifying their information systems and technology at any criticality level.

SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

Sourceree employs well-versed engineers to effectively manage, lead, and support large and highly visible programs. Sourceree assists clients by developing systems, computer hardware, and/or applications. Using a lean management approach allows us to deliver solutions that meet client needs quickly and cost effectively. Sourceree also provides understanding on how the system works, what best approach aligns with a client’s strategy, and how to take advantage of it.

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

Software Development includes research, development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, and maintenance to build a software product. Sourceree pushes to use agile methods, short design, development, and test cycles to deliver as quickly, and often, as possible to meet clients’ needs and desires by developing applications for client use.

ANALYSIS

Sourceree, led by an all-source analyst, conducts intelligence analysis for clients in the areas of supply chains, commercial maritime shipping, and financial networks. By pulling resources from various data sources and systems, Sourceree analysts investigate commercial operations, industry trends, counterfeit products, and network connections to meet the objectives of its clients.

PLATFORM CONSULTING

Sourceree works with clients to create solutions for single and multi-sided technology platforms. Platforms, in this instance, are technologies, products, and services that create value by enabling direct interactions between two or more clients—or participant—groups. We work with clients to not only define their Platform Strategy, but also develop the solution to fully exploit their platform.

The Power of Blockchain



I want to take some time and walk you through an interesting interactive project about Blockchain from the Reuters Graphics department with sponsorship from Barclays. This post is from June 2018 and I came across it while scrolling through a 2018 Reuters Graphics Best of List. This article shows where the news industry is heading, merging visual interactive content, with narratives to tell a story. The blockchain follows a story where information is shared on a shared ledger.

This article shows how to easily understand what the blockchain is and how the technology can be harnessed through words and infographics. The piece begins by discussing how the blockchain, at its core, is a database where no one entity holds ownership of the information, be it a banking record or information on the tracking of a tomato through a supply chain. This decentralizing of record keeping is the core of what the blockchain is. Since the information on the blockchain is held on a network that is shared changes are noticeable and it is difficult, not impossible, to distort the information.

For most of history information was controlled and distributed by organizations who could sway decisions and make a good sum of money through being the only forces involved in selling and distributing goods or services. When information is placed on the blockchain, the system is constantly scanned for any changes making sure that all copies of members on the blockchain have the same accurate information. This means as the scale of the blockchain network increases the necessity of scanning and accurately identifying the information across the system also grows and becomes more complex. While much of the media hype surrounding blockchain surrounds bitcoins and the changes in bitcoin prices other useful applications of blockchain range of monitoring food supply to helping make the energy grid smarter.

Now that the foundations of blockchain technology has been outlined the Reuters article walks through a scenario where blockchain can be used to track a transaction. The core of the blockchain, as alluded to earlier, is the database with information on it. This is implemented by having records added one after another to the chain.

Here is a case study where the blockchain would be used across a supply chain. In this example a restaurant owner makes a deal for a restaurant company to purchase tomatoes from a large farm. The structure can be summed up as the record holds the information on the transaction.

If a restaurant wanted to track the location and quality of food through its supply chain the record would be the deals made with suppliers while the block is the collection of records involved and the chain is the link of the blocks. If a restaurant in North Carolina wanted to purchase an order of tomatoes, the order would be placed on the record showing that an exchange was initiated. This is followed by having the system go ahead and scan to ensure the record is authentic. This is followed by having accepted records added to a block which contains a unique hash as well as the prior hash in the system in a specific order.

With all this protection the tomatoes in the salad are ensured to be of high quality as they move along the system. The hash codes along the blockchain serve as an encryption where the information is not control by any one individual and a key is needed to access the information of the transaction. With possible uses from healthcare record keeping to tracking that diamonds are mined without blood diamond warlords and move through a supply chain without forced labor. The blockchain is much more than a cryptocurrency fad and should be something on your radar during 2019.

Sources

Arnold, Andrew, “How Blockchain Can Help Increase The Security Of Smart Grids” Forbes. Retrieved 4 January 2019 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewarnold/2018/04/16/how-blockchain-can-help-increase-the-security-of-smart-grids/#2ffea9a4b489

Murphy, Maryanne, “A Reuters Visual Guide: Blockchain Explained.” Reuters. Retrieved 3 January 2019 fromhttps://graphics.reuters.com/TECHNOLOGY-BLOCKCHAIN/010070MF1E7/index.html

Institute of Food Technologist (IFT), “The Potential of Blockchain Technology Application in the Food System.” Retrieved 4 January 2019 from http://www.ift.org/Knowledge-Center/Learn-About-Food-Science/Food-Facts/The-Potential-of-Blockchain-Technology-Application.aspx

It’s Q4: Finish Like a Savage & Prepare for 2018 Domination!

There’s something about Q4 that is always exhilarating to me. Knowing that “the game” is coming to an end, each and every play is more significant, there’s less margin for error. Perform well during this time and you can make up for a lot of previous mistakes and setbacks along the way. Let up or fumble the ball, and you can destroy all the momentum you made thus far. No pressure, right?

All of this is going on while simultaneously a new game is going to begin soon thereafter. Endings are always thrilling, but so are new beginnings after all.

Despite the hectic grind I’ve been on lately, I made sure to take a little time to write up a quick “Q4 Manifesto” which is mostly for myself, but then I decided to add a few extra tips for others too, primarily applicable to your business or professional life.

  • Don’t wait for January 1st to start your New Year’s Resolutions, now’s as good a time as any. It’s a misguided practice that usually doesn’t end well anyway. You don’t need an arbitrary start date to work on self-improvement, that should be a daily practice as it is.
  • Get AGGRESSIVE – Close out ALL of those pending dream deals that have been lingering. Do much more outreach and lead generation. Don’t dwell on whether you’re annoying people or assume that they already have an expert helping them that does what you do.
  • Debrief/Reflect on the past year. What worked, what didn’t, what do you need to improve upon? Lay it all out objectively and identify opportunities to get better.
  • Strategize for 2018 now. Spend an appropriate amount of time writing out goals, sketching out project plans, be thoughtful and deliberate. But once that’s completed, start working on implementing that strategy ASAP.
  • Don’t eat and drink everything in sight just because it’s the holidays. Maintain (or in some cases start) your workout routine consistently and only indulge occasionally.
  • Enjoy time with my family and friends and BE PRESENT. Don’t spend that precious time distracted with your head in the clouds and worrying about things that are out of your control.

A few specifically for you:

  • Get and implement a CRM already! Seriously, how many times do I have to say it? If you need to spend some time asking a few questions on how to get started, reach out to me, that part is, and always will be, on the house.
  • Start a blog, a podcast, video/webinar series, whatever. Leverage content marketing to develop and enhance your brand and get your business’ name out there.
  • Finally start that business you’ve been day dreaming about for years now.
  • Or at least start working on that side hustle you’ve been planning.
  • Identify an organization you’re interested in and get involved in the community. This could be philanthropic or civic, doesn’t matter as much as simply taking action and giving back.

I’m sure there are plenty others I’m forgetting. And I will likely revisit this some more over the next few months to continue tweaking it.

What are some of your Q4 goals? What about your 2018 goals? How can I help you achieve them? Please let me know, would love to hear from you!