Enabling Technology Announcement: Results from the Enabling Technologies Survey 2018

The output and analysis from the Enabling Technologies Survey is in the attached pdf. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the survey. The findings are fairly self explanatory, but the key points are: AI and BigData/Analytics are the most popular topics, and have featured in recent workshops and webinars. We will run future events on these topics, including one of the quarterly workshops scheduled for 2019. Members wanted to know more about Blockchain. A very successful and well-attended Masterclass was arranged for the 3rd July at the PwC offices in London. Presentations and other knowledge assets are available from the KIN Memberspace event page, or alternativley, KIN Members and WBS Alumni can contact me if they want copies. There is a lot of interest in collaborative tools & technologies and Office365, so it makes sense combine these into a single event, which will be a blend of Masterclass (with an expert on O365) and Roundtable, for peer knowledge sharing. This event - Supercharging Collaboration with O365 - has been scheduled for the 16th October. We're looking for a venue for this event, so please let me know if you can accommodate. Immersive Technologies (Augmented and Virtual Reality applications) is the topic for our forthcoming Autumn Workshop on the 11th September. We are have also arranged a visit to the WMG labs for the afternoon of the 10th September to see some of the leading-edge developments, including AI, robotics, 3D imaging etc. We will be joined by KIN Alumni for this visit. We ran a webinar on Chatbots & Virtual Agents on the 14th June, organised by Nancy Kinder in conjunction with the  Knowledge & Community Network. The webinar was recorded and is available on Youtube and the event page. I will follow up with the organisation that has expressed an interest in G-Suite. If anyone has any additional feedback on the survey, or would like KIN to consider running an event on a topic not mentioned in the survey, please contact Steve Dale (steve.dale@mail.wbs.ac.uk)

Enabling Technology Announcement: Algorithms In Decision Making - Commons Select Committee Report

Anyone who attended the December 2017 Workshop on "Data Driven Decision Making" couldn't have failed to be impressed by the presentation given by Dr Stephanie Mathisen, who spoke about the dangers of unregulated algorithms in the public sector that may influence decisions that could affect any of us. But whether you attended or not, I highly recommend reading the recently published report by the House of Commons Science & technology Select Committee.   The report acknowledges the role that Stephanie played in bringing these issues to the attention of Government: "The Report responds to a request for an inquiry into algorithms suggested to the previous Committee's 'My Science Inquiry' by Dr Stephanie Mathisen. She raised the question of "the extent to which algorithms can exacerbate or reduce biases" as well as "the need for decisions made by algorithms to be challenged, understood and regulated".

Augmented and Virtual Reality in the Workplace

Recent ‘innovation’ themed KIN Quarterly workshops have included “Reimagining the Innovative Organisation”, “The People Side of Innovation” and AI-augmented decision making. We continue the series for our Autumn Workshop (10/11 September) looking at how innovative technologies are shaping the way that work is done. We will look at how immersive technologies, such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), have transitioned from game-playing to serious business applications.

The emphasis will be on the business application of the technology rather than how the technology works. We will hear (and see) from pioneers in the practical application of AR and VR to solve real world business problems. There will be case studies from PwC, Severn Trent Water and the National College. The best way to understand the potential of these technologies is to actually try them out. Participants will be able to ‘immerse’ themselves in some of the AR and VR applications in our “Showcase” demonstrations from Kazendi, Cognitant, and Mbyronic.

Examples of business and operational tasks to which AR and VR bring benefits are: 

• Hands-free tasks: From engineering to medicine, the ability to access information and digital objects through AR and VR devices.  Examples: AR to enable engineers to see inside complex machinery by overlaying a design schematic. Allowing employees to check judgements, consult models or literally ‘see-through’ the problem.

• Visualisation of data, objects, projections and models: AR and VR technologies allow for visualisations of all kinds to be shared between teams within their working environment. Example: AR used to enable architects or product designers to share models with clients. 

• Improving teamwork, collaboration and communication: AR and VR have real potential to facilitate remote working and virtual team-working. Example: Team or project co-presence / virtual meeting in digital environments.

• AR and VR can provide cost-effective solutions for knowledge-intensive training on high-value assets. Example:  Virtual ‘on-the-job’ training in simulated hazardous environments.

KIN events always strive to balance academic and experiential learning. We will will start the day with a thought-provoking keynote from Dr Fridolin Wild. Fridolin has undertaken significant research into performance augmentation and enhanced learning techniques provided by Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality applications.

This workshop is not a glimpse into the future or ‘what might be’, but a practical exploration of what business and industry innovators are doing now to augment human capabilities and change the way that work is done.  But you need to experience this rather than read about it. If you're sceptical, I’m sure you'll come away more excited than you thought you would be.

KIN members can register to attend the workshop by contacting Jane at kin@wbs.ac.uk. Please register by 29^th August.

Not only, but also….

Previous KIN members (alumni) are invited to join current members on Monday 10th September from 2.30pm - 5.00pm for a guided tour of the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG). WMG provides innovative solutions to industry; through research, education and collaboration. The tour will include a visit to the Manufacturing Automation Centre, where they use immersive technologies and advanced 3D imagining. We will also visit the Autonomous Vehicle development centre where we will be able to try their simulator. This will be followed by a networking dinner in the evening. KIN alumni should let Jane at kin@wbs.ac.uk know if you’d like to attend the tour and the networking dinner by 29^th August.

10 years of KIN Bloggin'

It's almost unbelievable, but it's 10 years since KIN started this Blog.

We have covered a huge range of topics, moving from old-school Knowledge Management to cutting-edge innovation practices. We've covered site visits, member news, changes in KIN personnel (we miss you Dawn!) and some personal perspectives on the changing nature of work.

Individual blog posts: 264
Most unlikely topic: James May and Meccano
My favourite post: Rory Sutherland
Funniest posts: Don't laugh and Tongue-in-cheek project management definitions

We hope that you continue to enjoy the KIN Facilitators' picks.

Gary, Steve, Erica (and Phil, who posted the very first KIN blog in 2008)

PS, If you don't subscribe to KIN Bloggin' you can easily sign-up here.