evans data developer relations conference

i spoke at the Evans Data Developer Relations conference last week, which is an event focused on companies and folks who run or are looking to start developer networks. I met all kinds of great people from other developer programs - Intel, Adobe, RIM, Citrix. I particularly enjoyed Chad's session on Yahoo! Hack Day, and how they pulled off such a kick-ass developer event. (thanks for including my quote, Chad!) I wasn't able to make it the second day, but I heard Jeffrey's Approver.com session was also very good and entertaining. He has posted his slides from his session, too, if you want to see them.

Since many folks came up and asked for a copy of my preso "Architect your platform for developer participation", here it is. Like I said in my session, my topic was architected for participation as well, so go ahead and share your comments if you were not among the folks who came up to see me after my talk. Developer community is a fun place!

blythe loves disco

attention new san francisco parents: you probably remember not too terribly long ago the days when you could go clubbing until the wee hours in the morning. when you'd be taking a taxi home at 6AM, not waking up to change a nappy at 6AM -- plus, have all day to sleep in, nurse your hangover over a killer greasy brunch, then sleep some more.

if you recall when you used to have a serious post-11PM nightlife, you may want to check out Baby Loves Disco. This event organizer rents out a popular club in San Francisco in the afternoon - when clubbers are taking their disco naps - and opens it up to parents and their babies, toddlers from 2pm - 5pm in the afternoon.

On St. Patrick's Day this past Saturday, post-parade, we packed off with friends to Ruby Skye from 1:30pm - 3:30pm, shook our money maker on the dance floor to a live DJ, and drank a BEER with our friends while the little 'uns ran around dancing, too. Good times. If it's been a few years since you saw the inside of a nightclub, the novelty certainly worked on me. Favorite image: the ultra cool, back-lit Ruby Skye entry lobby with velvet ropes completely filled with 70+ strollers. Here's Blythe and her friend, Jackson, playing with their egg shakers to the base beat.

Geoffrey Moore on innovation

Last week, Farhang in our Architecture group arranged for Geoffrey Moore, bestselling author of Crossing the Chasm, to come speak to our Platform & Innovation team.

His talk, Dealing with Darwin, focused on the nature of innovative ideas, and how today’s leading companies are able to leverage innovation to compete successfully for revenues and profits in a globalized, commoditized, and deregulated marketplace.

I found it interesting to walk through with him how companies can free up existing resources claimed by supporting core assets, or context, and then re-deploy them towards growth and innovation projects. Geoff termed this freeing up "coins in the couch", or claimed resources, by commoditizing the processes supporting context as much as possible. Resources for innovation in companies can often get "politically claimed", in other words trapped in the comfy couch.

Another key point is that there are different types of innovation - operational excellence, process, disruptive, line extension, platform - they key is to focus on how each of these areas help differentiate and separate growth opportunities from the gravitational pull of commoditization.

Geoffrey was an entertaining speaker, and I really enjoyed meeting him since I had read Crossing the Chasm a few years ago. Do pick up his new book, Dealing With Darwin, if you get a chance.