Author Archives: Skip Walter

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About Skip Walter

Retired software executive, ardent book reader. Enjoying slow travel, learning to cook, and searching for fine wine growing. Grandfather, husband, father, brother. Recorder of Seattle sunrises. Voting blue.💙

ALL-IN-1 Philosophy

In the process of describing the Making of Enterprise Software – ALL-IN-1, I came across the ALL-IN-1 Philosophy we published in 1982.  I was impressed at how much I still adhere to this philosophy thirty years later.  This philosophy was … Continue reading

Posted in ALL-IN-1, Content with Context, Human Centered Design, Idealized Design, Knowledge Management, User Experience, WUKID | Leave a comment

The Making of Enterprise Software – All-IN-1

In the early 1980s I was part of Digital Equipment Corporation’s (DEC) Software Services group in Charlotte, NC.  The unit I was a part of consisted of 10 software specialists and a manager.  Due to the nature of our remote … Continue reading

Posted in ALL-IN-1, Content with Context, Dilbert, Human Centered Design, Learning, organizing, Relationship Capital, Value Capture, Working in teams | 22 Comments

What if Business were Art Making?

At the UW Bothell Bootcamp Part 1 facilitated by Michele and Jim McCarthy, a powerful part of the process was the making of team art.  The supplies were all there and we were encouraged to “make art” throughout the weekend. … Continue reading

Posted in Content with Context, Human Centered Design, Idealized Design, Learning, social networking, User Experience, Working in teams | 5 Comments

Life Goes On

As I was watching an episode of Body of Proof, the main character, Megan Hunt, in comforting the wife of a policeman who was killed in the episode shared this quote from the poet Thomas Campbell: “To live in hearts we … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Quotes | 4 Comments

Looking Out my Window

On a grey winter day, it is the little things in life that make a difference in the dreary Northwest.  As I was heads down focusing on my virtual screen to the world, I looked up and there was an … Continue reading

Posted in Nature, Photos, User Experience | 1 Comment

Hassle Maps and Theory of Constraints

In the midst of teaching my human centered design course last fall, I came across Adrian Slywotzkys latest book Demand: Creating What People Love Before They Know They Want it.  I was delighted to find his discussion of the use … Continue reading

Posted in Content with Context, Humor, Learning, Teaching | 2 Comments

The Cricket

After an intense weekend of group process at a McCarthy bootcamp, I wanted to spend some time reflecting on the process and the insights.  As part of searching while “On the way to Somewhere Else” to aid those reflections, I … Continue reading

Posted in Content with Context, Human Centered Design, Learning, Nature, Travel, Working in teams | Leave a comment

Bootcamping with the McCarthys

I am spending the weekend getting booted at a McCarthys bootcamp sponsored by my colleague, Professor David Socha at UW Bothell.  It is an exciting way to learn new things about myself and to meet a wonderful collection of students, … Continue reading

Posted in Humor, organizing, social networking, Uncategorized, Working in teams | 1 Comment

Orbiting the Giant Hairball

It’s been one of those weeks.  Today, feels like the wonderful image from a book by Gordon MacKenzie called Orbiting the Giant Hairball:  A Corporate Fool’s Guide to Surviving with Grace.  Too many projects and too many new and wonderful … Continue reading

Posted in Humor, Relationship Capital, social networking, User Experience | Leave a comment

The Future of Higher Education – MLA Seattle

Action driving tweets – who knew that such few characters of text could drive action that leads to engaging learning. A few days ago, Cathy Davidson tweeted that she was headed to Seattle, WA to the Modern Language Association Conference … Continue reading

Posted in Big Data, Content with Context, Human Centered Design, Idealized Design, Intellectual Capital, Knowledge Management, Learning, University, User Experience, WUKID | 6 Comments