Printing my iThoughtsHD Mind Maps with the HP ePrint Technology

Just this past week I updated my version of iThoughtsHD to Version 2 on my iPad and had a chance to create some great maps for some projects I am working on. One of the really great features of iThoughtsHD is the fact that it can open and export to a wide range of mind mapping formats. So regardless of which mind mapping application you are using on your desktop you can be sure that you will be able to open it with the leading mind mapping desktop applications. After I created a mind map with iThoughtsHD I realized that I wanted to be able to print it out on my new Hp D110 ePrint Printer. Since iThoughtsHD does not support printing at this time, I simply emailed the map to my HP D110 printer and within seconds my map was printed. Every Hp printer with ePrint technology has a unique email address which makes it  easy to mail all kinds of documents to. When you are ready to print from your computer or mobile device simply enter the the Hp email address for the printer and your are good to go. Talk about an easy way to print your iThoughtsHD mind maps.

I Feel the Need - The Need for Speed

This month's #LCBQ is: How do you address the "I want it now!" demand from stakeholders? There are some great responses that can be found by visiting the link above.

Corny 1986 line. :)

Content Needs

This is a very crude self-assessment, but I believe it makes an important point.

If you are reading this, you are a knowledge worker. Consider the content (knowledge, information, learning) you personally need to get your job done. Draw a circle in each quadrant based on the amount (percentage) of the content that you need that's:

• Slow changing vs. fast changing. Will the content remain roughly the same for two years? Or will it really be out of date in two years?
• Large audience vs. small audience. Is the content I need applicable to a relatively large audience or do I have fairly particular needs?

I did a crude version of this for myself and came up with the following:

Definitely the vast majority of the time, I'm needing information that is relatively fast moving and is specific to the particular situations I face. In fact, often the information does really exist. Actually most of us that are Concept Workers will find that we play in that upper right quadrant most of the time.

That said, there are some exceptions that I could think of. For example, I consume a fair bit of content that's around technology. There's a fair amount of it that has a pretty large applicable audience. Of course, most of it is pretty old news in two years time. There is some information around core technologies that will last longer. I also should point out that the information is more specialized all the time, meaning ever smaller audiences. So, that kind of information makes for Fast but Larger audiences.

And when you consider the trends for most concept workers (knowledge workers), we clearly are heading towards faster moving content aimed at smaller audiences.

Workplace Learning's Challenge

Now let's put on the hat of someone in workplace learning. What's our ideal kind of content?

Workplace Learning's ideal content: Slow changing and large audience

How big is that circle? How is that circle doing for most knowledge workers?

This isn't something new, it's just becoming more and more clear. I've discussed it in Disruptive Changes in Learning, Innovators' Dilemma in Learning/eLearning, Business of Learning, and Learning Performance Business Talent Focus.

The reality is that we need to find ways to insert ourselves into the faster moving content and be able to change the dynamics to reach smaller audiences. These relate to speed. One of the nice things about the responses to this month's LCBQ is that they relate directly to speed even though they were not necessarily aimed at the bigger picture above.

Responding to the Need for Speed

I like where Glenn Hansen started his answer:

1. Don’t assume that training is the answer.
2. Even if some kind of training is reasonable, don’t assume the stakeholder in question has identified the right solution.

And liked Glenn's point about what's required:

Work up your material to the point where it conveys the skills and knowledge needed and where it is professionally presented and fit for purpose. Don’t chase perfection, because it’s more likely your information will be out of date by the time you have it ready.

This is echoed quite a bit by the collection of Agile eLearning - 27 Great Articles that I pulled together previously.

In terms of specific suggestions there are some real nuggets in several of the responses.

Clive has some very good suggestions on speeding things up in The Big Question: How do you respond to the ‘I want it now’ demand?.

Open Sesame's response similarly has some good ideas for rapid solutions.

Jeff Goldman also has several suggestions for speeding the process or approach in his post: A Priest, A Rabbi and an Instructional Designer Are in a Bar and Identify a Training Need: A response to the #LCBQ." However, his punch-line struck me as defending slower processes:

Oh, the priest, rabbi and instructional designer identified a training need, collaborated on designing an effective learning program which was not implemented until it was damn well ready to be implemented.

It's fairly contrary to the rest of his more reasoned approach. And if the stakeholder hears slow moving training solutions as the response that won't be ready until it's "damn well ready." Well ... good luck with that.

I also feel a bit the same way about Tom Gram's response that included:

The best strategy is a preventative one.

He's correctly arguing that you should try to cut off some of the problem at the pass, but the reality is that you should get yourself ready to be fast, agile or however, you want to describe it.

So let me ask you ... do you feel the need? The need for speed?

Tazzle IT Updated Features and New Pricing!

I asked my friend Bruce to share with you some updated information about his innovative solution called Tazzle IT which I have written about in some previous blog posts. Tazzle IT is an innovative solution for printing, sharing and now controlling your presentations on a standard Blackberry phone.Brian
---

Controlling PowerPoints® and other presentations from your BlackBerry is not a new idea. However,  with other solutions you compress versions and load them into your handheld. Tazzle lets you control full fidelity presentations with, embedded movies, soundtracks, any transitions, and all fonts. Tazzle IT turns your BlackBerry into a remote control for presentations like PowerPoint, PDF, or cloud-based Google Docs that run on PC’s.

Set up Tazzle’s receiver software on anyone's PC in a couple of minutes, and the next time you want to connect, the setup time is literally 10 seconds. The 3 main control buttons are easy to use.



             



The presentation interface on your BlackBerry is simple and to the point. Click the right arrow to advance, click the left arrow to reverse. Avid presenters will appreciate the ability to toggle screen-to-black by either clicking the screen blanking button or hitting the phone’s space bar. These new features have been added to the already amazing view, print and send features of the Tazzle IT, just as the retail price drops to $59.95!

Readers may recall that the Tazzle IT lets you print wirelessly to any PC's printer. Just plug it into the USB port, make sure the software is engaged and you’re off. Send email content right to the PC to open in Word format. "Tazzle" your attachments, like PDF's, spreadsheets, and photos and view them on the computer screen. And leave nothing behind on receiving PC's unless you choose to. The Tazzle IT key provides a secure hardware firewall between your phone and the PC, and gives you instant authentication when inserted in any PC running the Tazzle software.

Groups can now purchase a box of 50 Tazzles and receive a handy discount. Check it out at www.tazzleit.com

PS- Tazzle has extended their online PROMO, so take another 40% off while it lasts!!

Using WebspirationPRO for Brainstorming Ideas

I recently started using WebspirationPRO, which is a software as service application from Inspiration which allows me to brainstorm and think visually in the cloud. As  along time Inspiration user, I feel right at home using WebspirationPRO since many of the conventions used are those that can be found on the desktop version. To this day, RapidFire remains one of my favorite tools when I am brainstorming- it is easy to use and very efficient when you want to get your ideas down. WebspirationPRO supports RapidFire and within minutes my ideas were literally shooting out around my central idea. While WebspirationPRO has a nice library of pictures and clip art it does allow you to bring in your own graphics which was easy and straightforward to do. When it is time to share my visual map I was able to use the Sharing feature and publish it to the web with a unique URL. Once you publish your visual map you can also capture the embedding code that is handy to paste into blogs and wikis making it easy to share. You can see visual organizer above.

Once you start using WebspirationPRO you will swear that it feels just like a desktop application until you realize that you can now access your files from any computer connected to the internet that has a browser, and that is what makes this application really stand out. Having access to my files from any computer is the new law of the land for me. The more I work with the computers - the more I want my files available 24/7 to me from anywhere I am connected. In this sense applications like WebspirationPRO become even more important to me- now if it only worked on the iPad. But yes, I know it is on the road map!

PS: Coming Soon - information about a 1 day iPad Summer Institute to be held in New Jersey

Informix Roadshow 2011 Lisboa (Agenda)

This article is only written in Portuguese due to it's local nature
Este artigo só está escrito em Português dada a sua natureza local


A agenda do evento Informix Roadshow 2011 a realizar no próximo dia 3 de Maio nas instalações da IBM é:


AGENDA:

• 9:45 Registo e Boas Vindas
• 10.00 – 10.15 Discover the Next Decade of Informix at IBM
  Juan Brogeras - SWG Information Management Sales Director SPGI
• 10.15 – 10.45 Informix UltimateWarehouse.Transformational and Continuous Improvements for Your DataWarehouse.
  Steve Shoaf -WWSales Executive - Informix & solidDB
• 10.45 – 11.15 Informix Genero: Broadening the Informix 4GL Portfolio.
  Manuel Jorge Sousa - Vice President 4Js for Iberia
• 11.15 – 11.45 Café
• 11.45 – 12.15 Informix 11.7 solutions, features, roadmap and evolution
  José Manuel Ruiz Gallud - Database Sales, Southwest IOT
• 12.15 – 12.45 Upgrading Informix Dynamic Server / Case study.
• 12.45 – 13.15 Testemunho de um Informix Business Partner
• 13.15 – 13.30 Wrap up / Almoço

Faça a sua inscrição através do email ibmdm@pt.ibm.com
Estacionamento gratuito no parque do Hotel Vip Art’s (mesmo em frente ao Edf IBM no Parque das Nações em Lisboa)

Informix Roadshow 2011 Lisboa

This article is written only in Portuguese due to it's local nature
Este artigo só está escrito em Português dada a natureza local

Versão Portuguesa:

A IBM vai realizar o Informix Roadshow 2011 no dia 3 de Maio, no IBM Fórum Lisboa (instalações da IBM no Parque das Nações).
Será meio dia dedicado às últimas novidades da família Informix. Em particular:

• Funcionalidades da versão 11.7 (Panther)
  
• Informix Warehouse Accelerator
• Informix Genero

Comemoram-se este ano os primeiros 10 anos após a aquisição da Informix, pelo que será apresentado um balanço desta década e lançamento das bases para a próxima
As sessões contarão com oradores nacionais e internacionais. Haverá tempo para questões e interação entre clientes, parceiros e equipa IBM.
Não deixe se comparecer e se não receber convite nos próximos dias não deixe de contactar a IBM ou a mim pessoalmente.
No final das sessões será proporcionado um almoço onde terá toda a equipa IBM e oradores à sua disposição para qualquer esclarecimento adicional.
O convite é extensível a todos os que não sendo clientes ou parceiros desejem conhecer melhor uma base de dados fiável, robusta, rápida, moderna, extensível e especialmente adaptada para ambientes "embebidos".

Finalmente, mantenha-se atento a este espaço para obter informação mais detalhada sobre a agenda.

RFB&D Releases App for the iPhone, iPad, & iPod Touch

I finally had a chance to download the RFBD app to my iPad last week and download some audiobooks to give the app a test run. There are two steps to the process: first you must download the DAISY Audio file from the RFB&D website to the RFBD Download Manager, and then once the audiobook is downloaded you need to open iTunes on your computer and add the audiobook zip file into the RFB&D app within your iTunes library. Now synch your iPad and voila your book comes across the device and your are ready to listen to it.

The audiobooks are all human narration and it is possible with the RFB&D App to have the reader slow down or speed up as well you can also bookmark the page for future reference. Because the audiobook is a DAISY file the book allows you the freedom to navigate by levels and pages numbers if you wish. The quality of the audio is excellent when listening to the audio  book on my iPad. This is a big step forward for RFB&D to have the app running on iOS devices and I hope that in the future we will be able to download books without the need to use the Download Manager- like we do when downloading from the Apple iBooks store or from the Kindle Bookstore.

The RFB&D app is a great step forward for the organization but more so, for all the students that rely on audiobooks and want the convenience to be able to play them on their favorite iOS device. The RFB&D App costs $19.99 and can be downloaded from the Apple Apps Store.

New Digital Pen & Paper Solution from AssistiveTek, LLC

Over the years I have delved into the digital pen and paper arena to find a rich set of powerful and easy to use solutions to address both personal and business needs. Whether-I am using Livescribe Echo pen to record my notes or Xpaper to prepare my signed documents or PaperShow for Teachers to do my lectures and presentations - I always find that each digital pen affords me the opportunity to enhance what I am doing and make my work flow that much more efficient. In this light, I recently began to explore some new digital pen solutions from a company called PenData Solutions from California. PenData Solutions offers a rich set of solutions that is built upon Anoto functionality that takes the digital pen and paper solution to the next level.

Side by Side View: Handwriting on Left and Processed Form on the Right
Click on Image to Zoom In

If you work in an environment that demands that you collect information on traditional forms and then you have to re-key the data then you are a perfect candidate for using a digital pen solution. Working closely with Pen Data Solutions, AssistiveTek, LLC can build a custom solution that meets your business or organizations needs. Imagine all of the time saved when you can fill out the paper form with a digital pen and then when you get back to the office have the information flow seamlessly into your computer ready to be processed. Using state of the art handwriting recognition software your forms can be checked and validated and outputted as a Microsoft Word or PDF document. Better yet we can design the form so that each data point can be mapped to your internal database for further analysis. Think of the times savings that will occur when you institute this type of solution.

One of the factors which has always drawn me to this technology is ease of use. As a consultant, I spend most of my time training others on how to use hardware and software. To tell you the truth, if you know how to use a pen and paper you are set to go. The pen operates like an ordinary pen except for the fact that it can make sense of where it is on the page with its built-in camera which is oriented by the microdot pattern on the paper. As a mobile user- you can simply complete the form and when you are back in the office dock your pen to complete the process. The process is easy and seamless and just works. Think of the hours saved on data entry and think about the reliability of the data coming into the system as compared to when users are manually re-keying in information they are pulling off of forms.

If you are working in environments that still dictate the collection of data on paper forms- then you really owe it to yourself to take a look at the latest digital pen and paper solution that is being offered by AssistiveTek, LLC. If you are interested in a free demo to see if this is the right solution for you then click here to register and I will get back to you on a time and date that we can meet over the web. Come and learn about the advantages of using digital pen and paper solutions in your business or organization and how it can help solve your needs.

Agile eLearning - 27 Great Articles

The first couple of responses to this month's LCBQ Addressing I Want it Now #LCBQ have come in and Kasper Spiro's caught my eye: On demand: agile e-Learning development #LCBQ.  Like Kasper, I'm very familiar with Agile in software development.  I was not as familiar with it in terms of eLearning development.

So, I wanted to pull together some reading and resources around Agile eLearning, Agile ADDIE, etc.

I found some amazing resources using eLearning Learning and via search:

1. What Agile Means to Me- ID Reflections
2. ADDIE isn't Dead; it's just more Agile- Integrated Learnings
3. The Agile Elearning Design Manual - Of Project Spaces & Project Managers- The Learning Generalist
4. Agile instructional design- Jay Cross's Informal Learning
5. Agility and Autonomy- Learning and Working on the Web
6. Designing for Agile Learning- Big Dog, Little Dog
7. No time for design?- Making Change
8. Agile, Lego and Training: The common factors.- ID Reflections
9. Agile e-learning- Clive on Learning
10. The Agile Elearning Design Manual - Agile Re-explained- The Learning Generalist
11. I lost my agile virginity- Challenge to Learn
12. Tackling Wicked Problems Using an Iterative Approach- ID Reflections
13. Get Real: Mission Critical E-learning- Lars is Learning
14. The Agile Elearning Design Manual - Why Synchronous Learning makes so much sense today- The Learning Generalist
15. ADDIE isn't dead; how can it be?- Integrated Learnings
16. The Agile Elearning Design Manual: Problems with existing approaches- The Learning Generalist
17. The Agile Elearning Design Manual - Iterations huh?- The Learning Generalist
18. Agility through collaboration- Learning and Working on the Web
19. The Periodic Table of Agile Learning- Big Dog, Little Dog
20. Harold Jarche » Instructional Design Needs More Agility- Learning and Working on the Web
21. Orientation in Agile Learning Design- Big Dog, Little Dog
22. Towards an alternative e-learning- Onlignment
23. Agile Design: An Ethos for Creating Learning Platforms- Big Dog, Little Dog
24. Planning in Agile Learning Design- Big Dog, Little Dog
25. Selection in Agile Learning Design- Big Dog, Little Dog
26. Iterations in Agile Learning Design- Big Dog, Little Dog
27. Agile Learning Design: Tools for Learners- Big Dog, Little Dog

Bonus Items Recommended by my Tweets

1. Agility through collaboration
2. Is ADDIE dead?
3. Agile Instructional Design

I'm still studying all of this to see whether I really buy that Agile methods will work.   Lots of my experience tells me that while we intended to be Agile, put something out and then update it.  It's the updating part that doesn't happen.  If Agile turns into rapid elearning, then we are back to Rapid eLearning Tools Debate.

Inspiration Launches Webspiration Pro

It was really exciting to learn about the launch of Webspiration Pro from Inspiration, which is geared for business professionals and college students. Launched as software as a service all you need is a browser an a account to get started to access this feature rich tool for visual thinking. Webspiration Pro is sold as a subscription and if you act now you can get some really great deals on the pricing. Webspiration is ideal for brainstorming and collaborating with colleagues when working on shared projects. Using Webspiration it is easy to invite, comment,  chat with collaborators as you are working on your ideas. You will find Webspiration to be easy and intuitive to use with the right mix of features. I have always enjoyed using Inspiration on the desktop and now with the release of Webspiration it affords the capability to share my ideas and collaborate across time zones. When I'm ready, I can publish my maps to my blog or web site with the provided URL and embed code. So if you have the chance take the time to look at the release of Webspiration Pro. There is a free 30 day Trial - so get started and let me know what you think? And by the way, Inspiration is working on an iPad App for Webspiration which should be pretty cool! More to come.

New products / Novos produtos

This article is written in English and Portuguese
Este artigo está disponível em Inglês e Português

English version:

Informix Warehouse Accelerator

There are several news in the Informix area. As I mentioned in the last article, version 11.7.xC2 is already available (including the update on the documentation center), but that's not all. One of the major features of 11.7.xC2 is that it supports a new product called Informix Warehouse Accelerator. This is a separate installable component, that uses a columnar based approach and holds copy of certain groups of tables (datamarts). The data is stored in memory and the queries that can be solved by this system are transparently sent from the main instance. If the data you're querying is not stored/duplicated in the system than the query is solved by the Informix instance. The principle is terribly simple and the installation and configuration is very straight forward. The Accelerator is only available for Linux x86_64 but can work together with Informix on other platforms. The product includes an eclipse based tool to manage the data mapping and configuration of your Informix instance. The product is oriented for data warehouse workloads and was already available for DB2 on z/OS.
The Informix Ultimate Warehouse Edition includes the usual Informix features, the Warehouse Accelerator, compression, LBAC, replications etc.
I've done a few preliminary tests and I can assure you the configuration is very easy. Expect some details in a future article. Meanwhile you can start discovering it at the following URL:

http://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/informix/ultimate-warehouse-edition/

Informix Genero

Informix Genero is another new product targeting the 4GL users. You may recognize the name as a 4JS product. It enables the modernization of 4GL applications (new interface, new functionalities, new deployment environments).

I've seen lots of customers with very customized, flexible and stable applications running with Informix 4GL that complain about the looks (character based) and some lack of functionalities. Nevertheless they don't want to leave 4GL for several reasons:

• 4GL productivity
• Programmers mindset (4GL is a procedural language, and moving to object oriented is not always easy)
• Ease of debug
• Stability
• etc.

If you're one of this customers you may want to take a close look at this new IBM offer. Please start here:

http://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/informix/tools/genero.html

Partners conference calls:

If you have interest in these two topics, you can try to check these two partner conference calls:

• Informix Ultimate Warehouse Editions:
  April 5, at 10:00 Eastern Time (for Americas and EMEA)
  
  https://events.webdialogs.com/register.php?id=5585aaa88c&l=en-US
  
  April 5, at 20:00 Eastern Time (for Asia and Pacific)
  
  https://events.webdialogs.com/register.php?id=aff9b337a3&l=en-US

• Informix Genero
  April 7, at 10:00 Eastern Time (for Americas and EMEA)
  
  https://events.webdialogs.com/register.php?id=ca67bb2acd&l=en-US
  
  April 7, at 20:00 Eastern Time (for Asia and Pacific)
  
  https://events.webdialogs.com/register.php?id=6b389b0604&l=en-US

Versão Portuguesa:



Informix Warehouse Accelerator
Há várias noticias na área de Informix. Como mencionei no último artigo, a versão 11.7.xC2 já está disponível (incluindo a actualização no centro de documentação), mas não é tudo. Uma das funcionalidades da 11.7.xC2 é suportar um novo produto chamado Informix Warehouse Accelerator. Este é um componente instalado separadamente, que usa uma abordagem orientada a colunas e que guarda uma cópia de vários groupos de tabelas (datamarts). Estes dados são guardados em memória e a queries que possam resolver-se no novo sistema serão enviadas transparentementde pelo sistema principal. Se os dados não que estamos a interrogar não existirem neste sistema, então a query é resolvida pelo sistema principal. O princípi é terrivelmente simples bem como a configuração e instalação. O Accelerator só existe para Linux x86_64 (mas pode estar ligado a uma instância Informix noutra plataforma). O produto incluí uma ferramenta baseada no Eclipse que permite a gestão dos mapeamentos de dados e a configuração da instância Informix. O produto é orientado a ambientes de data warehouse e já estava disponível para DB2 em z/OS.
O Informix Ultimate Warehouse Edition incluí as funcionalidades habituais do motor, o Warehouse Accelerator, compressão LBAC, replicação etc.
Já tive oportunidade de fazer alguns testes preliminares e posso assegurar que a configuração é de facto muito fácil. Aguarde mais detalhes num futuro artigo. Entretanto pode começar a descobrir o assunto no seguinte URL:

http://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/informix/ultimate-warehouse-edition/

Informix Genero

O Informix Genero é outro produto cujo alvo são os utilizadores de 4GL. Talvez reconheça o nome como um produto da 4JS. Permite a modernização de aplicações 4GL (novo interface, novas funcionalidades, novos ambinetes de utilização).

Tenho visto muitos clientes com aplicações muito adaptadas, fléxivies e estáveis que sistematicamente se quixam do aspecto (baseado em caracter) e alguma falta de funcionalidades.
No entanto não querem deixar o 4GL por várias razoes.:

• Produtividade do 4GL
  
• Orientação dos programadores(4GL é uma linguagem procedimental e a mudança para programação orientada a objectos nem sempre é fácil)
• Facilidade de despiste de problemas
  
• Estabilidade
  
• etc.

Se é um destes clientes, talvez queira dar uma olhadela nestas novas ofertas da IBM: Comec aqui:

http://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/informix/tools/genero.html

Conferências para parceiras;

Se tem interesse em algum destes tópicos pode tentar assistir a estas duas reuniões

Informix Ultimate Warehouse Editions:

• 5 de Abril, às 10:00 Eastern Time (para as Americas e EMEA)
  
  https://events.webdialogs.com/register.php?id=5585aaa88c&l=en-US
  
  5 de Abril, às 20:00 Eastern Time (para a Asia e o Pacifico)
  
  https://events.webdialogs.com/register.php?id=aff9b337a3&l=en-US

• Informix Genero
  7 de Abril, às 10:00 Eastern Time (para as Americas e EMEA)
  
  https://events.webdialogs.com/register.php?id=ca67bb2acd&l=en-US
  
  7 de Abril, às 20:00 Eastern Time (Asia e Pacifico)
  
  https://events.webdialogs.com/register.php?id=6b389b0604&l=en-US

How Would You Use PaperShow for Teachers In the Classroom?

I came across this handy tool from Lino which lets you create an interactive bulletin board for others to post. In this activity I am asking you to think about creative ways you could use PaperShow for Teachers in the classroom. If you have some ideas please feel free to create a sticky note with your ideas.