Walt Carter

A great post from #NettaSquires today regarding the NASCIO 2024 State CIO Survey mentions some excellent points. And it got me thinking.... She says, "With nearly 40% of #CISOs saying budgets are unclear and often fall short, it’s more important than ever to focus on strategic thinking and develop 3-5 year cybersecurity investment plans, while also leaving enough funds for tackling the ‘known unknown’- immediate threats." I agree! And guess what's of equal if not more interest in the NASCIO report? GenAI and cybersecurity. Unsurprisingly, GenAI seems to be top of mind for most CIOs. When I look at that factoid plus what Netta calls the "uncomfortably murky" cybersecurity budgets I have to ask what's really going on with state CIOs. An MIT/Rubrik Technology Review Insight in July found that CIOs are less transformational than last year. Could that be due in some part to reduced IT and cybersecurity budgets? I think so. The publication goes on to say that state CIOs’ interest in GenAI will be misplaced if they don't truly have a strategic view of what it takes to not only be transformational, but to adopt GenAI with increased impact to services and capabilities. This goes directly to Netta's point! Another reason transformation may be dropping off is states' difficulties in attracting talent at competitive wages. The generative AI era necessitates cybersecurity and data infrastructures that are secure, flexible, scalable, resilient, and efficient. To power these new initiatives, CIOs and practitioners must be capable of building and mantaining next-generation data infrastructures. Data lakehouses represent new approaches that can make access to data and analytics more accessible, enhance cybersecurity capabilities, and bring about lower storage costs and higher-performance querying. And one thing that escapes almost all the positing I hear and read regarding AI and GenAI (including the NASCIO report) in particular is data governance. (Same can be said for cybersecurity governance, BTW.) Many IT organizations are building GenAI planes in mid-flight without any real regard to governance. Are small language models perhaps better for the business use cases in question? Where does the data reside? Is there duplicated data? Who owns the data and the language model? What parts of the data need to be shared and why? What about metadata? Who sets the policies regarding data use? What are the guidelines for data accuracy and quality? Those questions are just for starters. And every one of the questions applies to the security of the data. After all, almost all breaches are about the data and stealing it and/or holding it for ransom. And at its most fundamental level, isn't cybersecurity about safeguarding an organization's assets like infrastructure and data from assault?

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…which is a missed opportunity, IMO. I learned the basics of systems integration in the 1990s with my seven-year stint at Andersen Consulting. These fundamentals became the basis for how we’ve done projects at PW for the past 20 years. But even the most battle-tested methodology is not a guarantee of success. Following are two instances where I’ve failed. Failure #1: Saying “No” to a Client Many years ago, when we first started partnering with BigMachines, I had a CPQ project with an infrastructure company. We just completed the testing phase, locked down the system, and were about to go into production. Right then, the client introduced an overhaul to the approvals process. From a purist methodology perspective, you don’t touch anything after testing. Too much can and will go wrong. I knew that this major change, so late in the game, had the potential to blow up and cost the client more time, money, and aggravation. So, I held to my principles, and I said no. For that, I was rewarded with one of the most embarrassing moments of my career. I was kicked off the project. Was I right? I think so. Could I have been more diplomatic? I suppose. Failure #2: Not Saying “No” to a Client I was the engagement manager for a large enterprise manufacturing client. We had successfully completed a global CPQ rollout for one of their divisions. The plan was to move on to a second business unit and repeat the process. Their team-lead had a very specific vision for the project. The vision was good, but it wasn’t what the tool was built to do. (You can’t turn a CPQ system into an ERP system.) Forcing the software beyond its scope through customization and complex coding introduces many potential fail points. The client was driving down this path and the system was headed for trouble. I raised several red flags, but I failed to fully say no. I bent to pressure and will and didn’t stand firm for the client’s big-picture best interest. The problem came to a boil and the project was stopped. These two scenarios beg the question, “Do you follow the rules and do what’s best or do you do what clients want, even if it’s detrimental to their project, budget, or job?” I came to the conclusion that trust is the key. Trust the tool and play to its strengths. Trust a proven process. And work with a partner you trust and communicate with effectively. Today, trust is one of PW’s key differentiators and secrets to success. JC

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I'm wondering if anyone else has a "second favorite cognitive bias..." No...??It's always a highlight of my week when I get to peer review Karsten Scherer's Friday Nonsense™️ post and this week his on the Dunning-Kruger Effect! (my second favorite cognitive bias) 💡 The Dunning-Kruger Effect is a bias that occurs when individuals overestimate their own abilities or knowledge in a specific area, often because they lack the metacognitive skills to accurately assess their own competence. Have I left you wondering what my first favorite bias is...? (... thought you'd never ask) 🔨 The Ikea Effect is a cognitive bias in which humans place a disproportionately high value on products they partially created. This is central to my research on digital workers and one of the main themes of my session "Key Trends in Digital Employee Experience You Can't Ignore", which I will be presenting at Gartner's IT Symposium in Orlando on October 21 - 24! Here's what CIOs and CXOs need to know: 1️⃣ First, people may like what you give them two. 2️⃣ If you want people to value something, let them build it. 3️⃣ If you want people to love something, then let them create and shape it. #CognitiveBias #HoldOnLetMeOverthinkThis #GartnerSYM #IkeaEffect #DunningKrugerEffect #digitalworker #GartnerDW

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I finished reading retired Director of The National Institutes of Health, Francis Collins' book titled, "The Road To Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust" and I haven't been able to sleep. I'm stuck in what Brené Brown calls the rumbling. Here are my takeaways: 🧠 On Truth 🧠 It will set you free but only if you let it. There are some things that are objective truths and well known facts. Even if we don't like them, it doesn't make them less true. It's an exercise of the mind not the heart. We need to seek the truth above all. 🔬 On Science🔬 (and 👩‍🔬 Scientists 🧑‍🔬) Science is the pathway to truth. While it's not perfect, it's the closet thing we have to understanding our bodies, our planet and our universe. Most scientists are devoted to knowledge, ethics and progress for the greater good. Science is worthy of our trust. ⛪ On Faith ⛪ Faith, in whatever form it takes for you, can help shape the future. There is more harmony between science and faith than we realize. Faith can also bring us peace and hope in the darkness of world. 🤝 On Trust 🤝 It takes years to earn, moments to break and forever to rebuild. Right now we see lots of breakage and little rebuilding. When we determine who & what we trust we look for Integrity, Competence, Humility and Aligned Values>> but over indexing on aligned values (and diverse perspectives) can actually steer us further from Truth. (Cough, cough #socialmedia #algorithims) ⚖️ On Politics ⚖️ Where politics should be a moderator of extremism it has instead been, in recent years, an amplifier. The primary driver of social division in the US is currently pollical party and the division is growing (see comment about aligned values, trust and truth). This division benefits none of us. ❤️ On Healing ❤️ It's up to each of us to work to bridge the gap. We need to listen & to learn. Seek to understand. Embrace what we do have in common. And... one of my favorite all time sayings, "Bring the Data Not the Drama." It's work. But it's worthy. #leadership #wisdom #truth #science #faith #trust

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The final CMMC 2.0 rule brings significant changes for Defense Industrial Base vendors and suppliers. This webinar explores the implications, compliance strategies, and future of managed service providers in this evolving landscape. If you are a MSP you must attend. Great way to add a revenue stream in 2025. https://lnkd.in/gXbwYQr6

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How Ann & Larry Saved Over $88,000 on Their IRS Tax Debt: How much could you save? Imagine the constant anxiety of knowing you owe the IRS $93,490. Every day feels like a ticking time bomb—calls, letters, the fear of losing everything. Getting those high-pressure sales calls from “Tax Debt” firms adds more pressure to an already stressful situation—like a boiling pot about to burst. Ann & Larry from San Francisco lived in that nightmare for months, unsure if there would ever be a way out. "They say dealing with the IRS is impossible, but after 10 months of getting nowhere with another tax company, we finally found Beat The IRS Training And the IRS Form Assistant. Today, we owe the IRS just $5,176—yes, you read that right. We discovered how to install the IRS Strategies taught in the Beat the IRS Video course into our situation. Helped settle our massive $93,490 debt for a fraction of the cost." If you're drowning in tax debt, overwhelmed by letters from the IRS, or just not getting results from your current tax company, you’re not alone. Tiffany, another client, spent months with no answers—until she found us. "After struggling with another tax company, Beat The IRS Training And the IRS Form Assistant was a breath of fresh air. I finally learned how to save thousands of dollars. No more one-size-fits-all solutions—just personalized, expert help that works." This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about peace of mind. Marilyn from Los Angeles can attest to that: "Beat The IRS Training And the IRS Form Assistant didn’t just save me $13,000; it brought back hope. The fees were reasonable, the service is exceptional, and I’m already referring it to everyone I know. If you’re struggling, this is the real deal." Don’t let your tax debt control your life any longer. Whether you owe $5,000 or $50,000, there’s a way out. Claim your copy of the Beat the IRS Video Course with DIY Tax Debt Solution today. 👉 https://zurl.co/YRqb

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Did you know GSA has a way to accelerate your IT GSA schedule? Find out more about the GSA Fastlane and Springboard Programs in this webinar presented by GSA. Tuesday, Dec. 10th, 2024, at 10:am EST Register: https://lnkd.in/e_e52jkh You will learn how he FASt Lane and Startup Springboard programs streamline the process for vendors to get their IT products and services to federal agencies faster. Discover how the FASt Lane reduces processing times for new offers and modifications, while the Startup Springboard enables startups to meet federal requirements using alternative experience criteria. To participate in FASt Lane, you must: ✅Be a Multiple Award Schedule offeror or existing schedule holder assigned under the Information Technology Category and assigned an ITC contracting officer. ✅Only those assigned under ITC are eligible for FASt Lane. No other categories are eligible. ✅Only ITC Special Item Numbers can be submitted in eOffer/eMod. No other MAS categories or non-ITC SINs are FASt Lane eligible. ✅ Note: ANCILLARY SIN from the Miscellaneous Category may be included on your offer and still be eligible for FASt Lane. ✅Be associated with a FASt Lane-eligible initiative. Second Generation Information Technology IT BPAs awardees (use FASt Lane tab in FSS Online) 💡Defense Health Agency Enterprise IT Services 💡SCRIPTS BPA - Supply Chain Risk Illumination Professional Tools 💡Other IT initiatives that arise (such as contract modification initiatives) ✅Have a written request from a federal agency ordering activity that states vendors should participate in FASt Lane to support the agency’s IT requirements. Vendors must include this written request in the eOffer submission package) #GSA #Fastlane #entrepreneurs #IT #smallbusiness #federalcontracting

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Understanding cybersecurity threats can be challenging. Mike Kimiecik clears up the complexity of cybersecurity jargon with a robust guide to understand essential cybersecurity concepts like phishing, ransomware, encryption and zero-day attacks. #VTeam

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Egoless Programming #10: Critique code instead of people In 2001, Lamont Adams of TechRepublic chiseled what would become ten commandments of Gerald M. Weinberg’s timeless wisdom: Egoless Programming. Today we’re going to learn its tenth commandment: Critique code instead of people. This final commandment was added in 2006 by Brendon Chase in a rerun of Adams’ original article. I think it’s a great addition, as it compliments the second commandment: You are not your code. That commandment taught us to not take criticism of our code personally. This commandment reminds us to be kind to humans but not to the code. Let’s contrast some right and wrong ways to provide critique: YES: This code won’t scale. NO: You don’t understand scalability. I understand scalability, and I often intentionally write unscalable code. If it doesn’t need to scale (yet), why place my focus there? YES: This code doesn’t use library X correctly. NO: You don’t understand how to use library X. I can’t count the number of times I’ve mishandled a library, even one I’ve used hundreds of times and understand well. Show me what I missed, and help me use it correctly. YES: This code doesn’t handle an edge case. NO: You never remember to handle anything but the happy path. Chances are high that I simply missed it or forgot to handle it. Don’t make me feel worse by branding me as sloppy or forgetful. Just help me add the necessary guards. YES: This code doesn’t follow our team’s conventions. NO: You don’t write code like the rest of the team. Transform a moment of exclusion into one of education. Rather than shaming me for not fitting in, teach me why the convention I missed is important. No matter how hard you try, you can’t hurt the code’s feelings. So tear the code down and build me up.

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Many Big Tech companies are modifying their licensing agreement to include verbiage for the use of AI in their software. Read these carefully and make sure they align with your company's policies. I think you will be surprised at what you find.

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Stronger cybersecurity starts with smart regulations 🔐✨ Federal standards on passwords and MFA could make a big difference in keeping us all safer online. #CyberRegulations #MFA #CyberSecurity #ForbesTechCouncil

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In reviewing the Bluecore Cyber weekend data three things popped out at me that were super interesting::  🎯 ID rates are up. Last year, these were at 21% and this year they're at 29%. This means more effective re-marketing so retailers can continue to nurture customers beyond their first buy.  This is growing but shows a HUGE opportunity to continue improving. 🔁 Repeat buyers were a bigger focus. 51% of sales came from retained and reactivated customers. This is something Bluecore predicted would happen as more retailers lean into their existing base amidst P&L pressure on acquisition spend. 📱 80% of sessions were mobile. No surprise here.  Thinking about my own Black Friday engagement I noted solid mobile experiences.  That said, there are a number of places to continue to improve the customer experience here on mobile.  Great brands are spending to make this experience even better. One BONUS note.  I reviewed the Bluecore customer movement assessment data as well last week.  I was sincerely blown away.  I wish I had this type of assessment when I was a CMO.  It not only spots areas of opportunity to drive better business outcomes, but it compares you to your competitive cohort.  Super powerful.  If anyone wants a free assessment, DM me, I am happy to connect you to the Bluecore team. I would love to hear if these insights are consistent with what you saw during Cyber, let me know your thoughts. (Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eruHG5_a ) . Fayez Mohamood Jason Grunberg Michael Cantrell Sarah Gascoigne Jenna Flateman Posner Cindy Marshall Nick Kaplan Kristine Lowery Randi Gladstone

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⛺ 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻! Over the next few days, I'll be diving deep into the value chain of generative AI—a topic I've frequently discussed. Yesterday, Sam Altman mentioned his readiness to invest $50 billion in pursuit of AGI, prioritizing it above all else. I see things differently—resources are finite, but trust is even more so, and it often runs out faster. Is the current investment frenzy in Generative AI sustainable? How long can startups and tech giants continue to burn billions without seeing returns? Not very long, I'd argue. The attached image contrasts the profitable cloud business on the left with the costly generative AI investments on the right. We need a shift in strategy. Here's my take: Imagine we've just invented the car, and manufacturers are only competing to build the fastest one. Wouldn't it be smarter to focus on creating cars that are affordable, cost-efficient, and reliably get you from point A to B? The same principle applies to generative AI. Before racing to create the most advanced models, we should first demonstrate the basic value. Stay tuned for a series of posts on this topic! #ai #genai

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Kimberly Pace Becker, Ph.D. -- ASI is already here—and it's transforming everything. We are crossing over into the era of Artificial Superintelligence (ASI). The changes it brings won’t fit into old systems or structures. Whether it’s education or any other field, we need to rethink how we operate. For instance, AI can now tutor students individually, offering exactly what they need, when they need it, and following them beyond formal schooling as personal assistants. Educators and professionals in every sector need to prepare for a world where AI is more than just a tool—it’s a partner. The implications go far beyond education, but the mission is clear: it's time to adapt. https://lnkd.in/gEtST-fz

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Metallic Convergence and Catastrophic Divergence Under the new administration, one of the biggest impact areas will be the ACA marketplace. I believe we should closely watch how things unfold and the impacts of potential changes. I've started downloading numerous ACA-related open datasets. Thanks, C. Seth Lester, ASA, MAAA, for guiding me to these resources! Today, I explored the Rate Review data from one of the CMS websites. These data files contain information about ACA plans - including their past performance metrics like MLR, projections, and premium information. While the files are messy and need more cleaning - it's still a work in progress - I wanted to share my initial findings, as I usually do. Here's what I plotted: The chart shows premium rate changes over time by metal level. As expected, premiums have been rising. But what's interesting is how these metal levels have evolved as a group. All metal levels now have surprisingly similar premium rates. Bronze plans saw the steepest increase, becoming very close to Silver, while Silver rates approached those of Gold plans. This evolution has significantly widened the gap between Catastrophic plans and all other metal levels. Of course, I'm still new to analyzing these data files, so if you have any insights or tips, I'd really appreciate your help! The preliminary data files are available at mimilabs!

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CodeLock, Inc. Inc. has updated its home page to show you a timeline for compliance with the latest GSA announcement regarding Executive Order 14028 and SSDF compliance. As of today, there are only 13 days left to comply. Head over to www.CodeLock.it and sign up for a free account to get access to CodeLock’s NIST 800-218 Compliance Module. #compliance #Cybersecurity #SecureSoftware #CodeLock

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Technology is bad. Technology is dangerous. Technology allows bad actors to do bad things. Or.... Technology is fantastic and powerful and can be used for not just good, but great things. Want proof? Here you go. "We now have ways to objectively measure risk". https://lnkd.in/gu7GU6-u. #StopSoldierSuicide Less guess work. More timely interventions. #dataforgood #partnership #aws

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The Fort Collins - Republic contract…  Boondoggle or Business as Usual? Here’s the story as I understand it. Fort Collins and Republic agree to a new contract in 2023 that begins in 2024 and runs for 5 years (2029) -> Everyone pays same 2023 price for services.  -> but if you "opt out" you pay $33 for ... no services. haha That’s funny. April fools! Oh, they are serious. Some details here: https://lnkd.in/eDCHWZD3 hmmm, justify this please? Well, in 2013 the City wanted to go Zero Waste.  So, in order to go Zero Waste, you have to pay $33 if you don't want the services the City has arranged for your waste. (their stated logic, not mine) Josh Birks, deputy director of the Sustainability Services, appeals to a number of weak arguments to justify this: - it's legal under the Colorado code  - paying the hauler more helps the environment by subsidizing the hauler to have fewer trucks on the road and better customer service  - the same price for everyone!  - kickbacks! Wait...what about kick backs? The City gets $1.35/month for every household paying into this.  For "administrative and customer service costs, not as a way to make money for other projects" I thought the hauler was the one improving their customer service...now the city is improving customer service too? This is going to be well cared for trash & customers! So much love for trash in a Zero Waste by 2030 city…weird. Fine, fine....this is Fort Collins...maybe they want this and are rabidly working hard to achieve it. Let's check in on their progress towards their goals: Goals Waste reduction goals adopted by Fort Collins City Council in 2013: 2020 Goals = 75% diversion 2025 Goals = 90% diversion 2030 Goal = Zero Waste The last report I can find online is from 2021 = 52% diversion rate  -> with Industrial carrying the weight (pun intended) Read it for yourself. https://lnkd.in/eMRDreZs Fort Collins was 23 percentage points short of the 2020 goal in that report. Are they not measuring it anymore? Weird Here’s the fun part of the whole thing…their waste & recycling contract with Republic runs through 2029! Do you expect material changes….? This is business as usual. Government at its finest.  Republic is meeting the needs of the customer. They’ve done nothing wrong IMO. Write a different RFP if you want a different outcome. The boondoggle is the soon-to-happen moving of the goal posts that are 2030 goals. Maybe they will finally be seen as unrealistic. https://lnkd.in/eVXvVRuM

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