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.đź’™

About Business and Product Development

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Skip Walter

The transformation of business is continuing to accelerate as we begin a new century.  We were barely understanding the Industrial Age when the widespread usage of computers in business moved us into the Information Age.  The rapid doubling of processor … Continue reading →

Posted in Content with Context, Human Centered Design, Idealized Design, Knowledge Management, Learning, Teaching, Transactive Content, User Experience, Value Capture | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The One to One Future

Posted on December 25, 2011 by Skip Walter

I hate buying clothes, particularly business suits.  But I have added a lot of weight, so it is time to get a new business suit.  But still I delay.  Then, Greg, a neighbor who is the Men’s Clothes Purchasing Manager … Continue reading →

Posted in Content with Context, Human Centered Design, Idealized Design, Knowledge Management, Learning, Russ Ackoff, User Experience | Leave a comment

Chris Alexander – Patterns Which are Alive

Posted on December 25, 2011 by Skip Walter

One of the many challenges of life is how work and living get separated along with the spiritual and play.  I often reflect on how much I am away from home with my business and how little my children got … Continue reading →

Posted in Content with Context, Human Centered Design, Nature, Quotes | Leave a comment

Russ Ackoff – The Aesthetics of Work

Posted on December 25, 2011 by Skip Walter

While working with Russ Ackoff, he noticed that the company that we were working with at the time – Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) – seemed to be stuck in OK performance, but not exciting performance.  He pointed me to one … Continue reading →

Posted in Content with Context, Russ Ackoff, User Experience, WUKID | 6 Comments

Japan Study Mission – A Learning Intensive Model

Posted on December 24, 2011 by Skip Walter

In the late 1980s I had the good fortune to participate in a Japan Study Mission while at Digital Equipment Corporation (now Compaq which became HP).  This activity was a great example in several areas of process innovation and adult … Continue reading →

Posted in Knowledge Management, Learning, organizing, social networking, Value Capture, Working in teams, WUKID | 2 Comments

Making Intangible Assets Tangible

Posted on December 24, 2011 by Skip Walter

In 2008, Paul D’Antilio, CEO of Future Point Systems called to see if I would be interested in  consulting with his company about visual analytics.  He had recently become the CEO and knew that we’d been successful commercializing a visual analytics … Continue reading →

Posted in Content with Context, Knowledge Management, organizing, Transactive Content, Value Capture, Wine | 3 Comments

Facebook Timeline – is the current me happy with the older me?

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Skip Walter

“I can’t believe how much work it is to clean up my Facebook posts before my Timeline gets turned on and I only have 7 days to do it” a colleague explained the other day in a meeting. Not a regular … Continue reading →

Posted in Ask and Tell, Content with Context, social networking | 2 Comments

PhD General Exam – A Model for Mentoring?

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Skip Walter

Earlier this year, I was asked to serve on the PhD committee for Alex Thayer at UW HCDE along with the co-chairs – Charlotte Lee and Jan Spyridakis, and Cecilia Aragon.  I eagerly accepted as a way to understand what the process for … Continue reading →

Posted in Content with Context, Human Centered Design, Knowledge Management, Learning, Teaching, Transactive Content, University, WUKID | Leave a comment

Eliminating the Professional Priesthoods

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Skip Walter

One of the trends I’ve seen over the years is the systematic elimination of priesthoods in industry after industry. I first noticed this with the publication of the book From Wall Street to Main Street by Gene Perry.  He described the transition … Continue reading →

Posted in Content with Context, Health Care, organizing, Teaching, Working in teams | Leave a comment

Too Funny for Words – Redneck Wine Glass

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Skip Walter

Just in time for the Holidays, we now have Redneck Wine Glasses. How could I possibly have missed such a creative way to drink wine? I loved one of the advertising blurbs: “Break out the hooch and sip in bumpkin … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Wine | Leave a comment