
What is the Most Important Thing We Wish to Do in Business?
Connect.
Connect with Whom?
Everyone.
Outcomes today require the generation, curation, dissemination and assimilation of a great amount of data by a great many diverse groups or stakeholders. It is vital to make multiple, dynamic and specific connections to ensure mission success.
Connect What?
Your Value: Their Needs
The ultimate business transaction is one in which a product or service is rendered to a willing recipient, and normally in exchange of some kind of compensation. But even before that transaction can take place, it is often paramount that a strong connection is achieved such that the recipient, or buyer, is open and cognisant of the value being presented. Failure to properly establish this connection can lead to transactional failure, and thus significantly affect business. Plus, the client is not getting the help he/she needs.
Connect How?




Data, statistics, facts, etc are all vitally important. However, businesses are challenged today in framing those vital data points into representations that can be quickly and easily consumed by the target or buyer. Having the best and most accurate spreadsheet is not going to help you if the buyer can not make the connection to the impact on his or her business. Again, a poor connection can lead to business failure.

Back in the 1970’s there was a feverish battle going on in the home entertainment business, and in this case, the home entertainment business. Technology had made it possible to view movies in the comfort of our own homes. The major players on this battlefield were Sony (Beta format) and JVC (VHS format). Sony bet wrongly (thus had a poor connection) that the average consumer cared more about picture and sound quality than about recording length and price. The result was that VHS became the default standard for home videos before being replaced by other digital media.

The Coca-Cola corporation had been experiencing growing market pressure from Pepsi in the 1980’s. More and more, Coke products were losing taste-test challenges to the sweeter competitor. In response, Coke came up with a new formula (‘New Coke’) that they felt would compete more effectively, and shelved the older version. The result: New Coke was a dismal failure. The Coca-Cola corporation did not connect adequately with its strong base of loyal ‘Coke-Classic’ drinkers, and were eventually forced to bring back the iconic flavour.

Sometimes making connections requires a proper interface or ‘translator’. Before the 18th century discovery of the ‘Rosetta Stone‘, which included depictions of Egyptian language in both hieroglyphics and demotic forms, along with a Greek translation, scholars were at a disadvantage in understanding the rich history and knowledge of the Pharaohs.

Tackling today’s engineering challenges might seem as much a daunting task as the deciphering of Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Across organizations and across system lifecycles, there is a growing problem of connecting the data, models and processes of complex systems, and systems of systems, to make the best decisions possible, as soon as possible.

Physics-based, open and collaborative tools can form the necessary ‘connective tissue’ for engineering and program teams to exploit digital technologies, data and models. This can have the effect of discovering critical issues sooner, reduce duplication of effort, and enhance knowledge transfer across many dimensions.

Making a connection today means upping your communication game about the value your business represents. You owe it to your clients, your partners, and your team. Contact us to discover your options for better connections.
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