IBM – Nabeel Hamed
Nabeel Ahmed IBM Learning Technologist
I thought I would pop along and take in the presentation by Nabeel Ahmed a Learning Technologist from IBM. Mainly it was out of curiosity to observe the differences between the education sector Learning Technologists and the corporate versions. Terminology was the first thing I noticed the presentation was peperred with the language of the Blue Chip corporation. ‘Low hanging fruit’ and ‘growth sector’ sector. Hey I’m not judging! Let’s face it education terminology is equally vague at times.
So the theme for the afternoon was transformation but in my mind I always translate this to ‘change’. Basically the chap gave a brief overview of what IBM were up to in terms of usage of mobile tech internally (and what they expect to be doing). The abridged version of this was:
- Network learning and attempting to harness the weak ties (2nd and 3rd level level connections)
- IBM Blue pages now accessible through mobile devices (Blue pages being their internal directory)
- Performance support for selllers i.e. delivering just in time information to people out in the field.
- Just in time learning rather than porting courseware to mobile platforms (courseware being the generic term for e-learning courses) * I thought this was interesting shift in attitude incidentally.
- SMS messages pushed at new joiners e.g. ‘have you completed your compliance training?’
I think it is fair to say that none of that was particularly cutting edge but it was all good common sense stuff. Also some of which we already do as a Univeristy, txtools alerts for instance. Probably the one thing no University has however is the level of funding that IBM command. Apparently £60 million is being invested over five years. Not surprisingly the Blackberry was the officially supported smartphone within IBM (I’d assume due to security being stronger). However he did say that there was going to be a shift toward opening things up to a users’ personal devices.
One nice quote that he referred to from the Wall Street Journal (although I can not source it) by Sam Palmisano CEO of IBM was ‘the PC is the past, now it all goes on the mobile phone’. Not sure I completly agree but how do you define a Personal Computer these days?
Posted: October 7th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
Comment from Rob Bourne
Time October 13, 2009 at 11:56 am
Here are my full rough notes as well. Good luck trying to interpret them!
‘Quote from Sam palmisano wall street jounral pc is the past , now it all goes on te mobile phone.
ibm is the blackberry, 25000 offical mobile device users thoguh the enterprise level, 64 countries, 9k managers,.. interesting, sellers as well. nominal fee of about 20 quid a month, growth is 1000 users a month. prediction of 100k smart phone users by 2012. policy shift to go to your own device
connectivity
empowered
intersectiion btw tech, edu , busin – mobile technology sitting in the middle. Blue pages internal directory for ibm mobile on the blackberry.
workplace mobile usage – not courseware (pushing e-learning content. people do not want the traditional courseware, just in case learning. not needed for mobile, you would go to the desktop. Just in time learning is desirable. evidence of othe companies porting courseware could be usefyl for compliance traingin.
mobile usability
* fewer options
* easy
* specific intent for uses
* speed tp access how to avboid abandon 30 sec
network learning
* finding others globally – networking learning
* strength of weak ties 2nd and 3rd level connections
transofrmation – what is ibm doing
60 mill over 5 years see conference link to full report
* enablement giving users the tech
* enterprise to end user experience, consistant etc
* growth markets
txts for new hires, using what people already have. quick tips, reminders esstentially. learning plan reminders
performace support sellers, just in time info. checklists e.g. interacting with clients
latest informatiopn before client meetings’