Big Data with UKTI in France

UKTI event at the Residence of the British Ambassador in Paris

On 19^th March, I attended a very informative event at the Residence of the British Ambassador in Paris entitled:

 "How Big Data and Analytics are Energising Economic Growth - Accelerating Innovation, Building Trust, Powering Performance".

UKTI's Lyon-based team planned the programme to explore the business, social and technical challenges created by Big Data and analytics.

Sir Peter Ricketts, the British Ambassador to France, opened the day's proceedings and underlined how both Britain and France are at the forefront in the field.

The day comprised of 4 panel discussions in the morning and a series of roundtables in the afternoon. The event was very successfully chaired by David Reed of DataIQ and involved a well-selected blend of knowledgeable UK and French panel speakers and roundtable hosts.

The 4V's

In his introduction, David Reed referred to the 4V's of Big Data:

·      Velocity

·      Volume

·      Variety

·      Veracity

He stressed the pace of change and the importance of unlocking the value in data. Unstructured data is of no value whatsoever. We need to work out how to structure it. A new skillset will be required.

Female caution

There were many knowledgeable female panellists. It was generally the women who raised the main notes of caution and ethics in this new Big Data "gold rush".

The event covered so much ground that it is impossible to do the subject justice in a single blog. My main takeaways are summarised below:

1. Infrastructure will be key

Structuring huge amounts of data will be power-hungry. 

2. Doubts over ability of mature cities to expand

Global Switch datacenters commented that most mature cities are struggling with ageing infrastructures. No additional capacity in London; tough situation in Paris. You need a window of 3-5 years to get a reliable new electricity supply. (Major financial centres cannot afford to lose even a day's trading or want to risk resorting to back-up systems).

3. Structuring data

Data needs to be structured and segmented to unlock value for different demographics, locations and requirements.

4. Right "TechCity" location

Four key factors:

(i) TechCities need to be sited near universities producing graduates with the right skills from data science courses with very current industry relevance.

(ii) Access to local staff with technical know-how (examples of Barcelona, Toulouse and Montpellier given).

(iii) A supportive local Government

(iv) Must meet demanding bandwidth requirements (rural areas should not be excluded. Reverse of UK trend to live in countryside in France).

4. Verifiable identity and privacy

The ability currently exists to identify more than 50% of the world's population. It was suggested that identifying the remaining 50% could be achieved within 5 years. Accessed via worldwide agreements, but dangers and concerns exist over privacy.

5. Consumer at the heart of regulation 

Concern for the consumer needs to be at the heart of regulation. Only the right people should have access to given data. Access rights need careful segmentation.

6. Standards and good governance

Standards are important - ISO/IEC 27001: Information security management.

Significant numbers of organisations are simply not doing enough on security protocols.

7. Data security breaches

US requires that data security breaches are reported within 72 hours. Most companies do not realise that they have been attacked for 200 days. The average cybercriminal only needs one day to succeed. In 69% of cases, a cyberattack is detected by third parties - usually the customer with a fraud on his account.

8. Hacking of health and medical data

Major and powerful pharmaceutical companies are very keen to access data relating to medicines. There is a major concern about the security of medical data. Credit card details can be changed. Medical data cannot be changed if hacked. French example given of hacked blood tests with extortion demands. 

9. Potential role of innovation centres

Example of TUBA in Lyon to capture local ideas. Aim for a bottom-up rather than top-down approach. Success of the Lyon scheme should be unveiled in October 2015.

10. SMEs for innovation

There is concern over private sector involvement in research. Often findings do not make it into the public domain. Innovation needs to happen with SMEs. Is FrenchTech competitive approach one to be copied? Tech clusters already exist around the UK.

What next?

UKTI hopes to build a UK/French collaborative business campaign around the Information Economy. Plans are already afoot in Big Data and IoT. The new Eurostars scheme may offer French and British SMEs opportunities to collaborate.

If you would appreciate help with your technical communications, email karen@anglicity.com or call Karen on +44 (0)20 8581 9369.

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is a

technical writer and 

translator with over

15 years' marketing

experience. Anglicity offers

marketing consultancy and

content marketing with a 

particular focus on innovation.

The Education of Girls

Malala won the Nobel Peace Prize at an amazing 17. There are many unsung heroines in the world. It seems to be a very appropriate time between International Women's Day and Mother's Day to recognise such heroines. Many mothers appreciate the value of education for their daughters because it was absent from their own lives. This blog is a thank you to a very special mother.

Unsung heroine

My mother is an unsung heroine. At 15, she left school barely able to read. An endless succession of childhood illnesses and hospital stays meant that she was hardly in school to learn. She lost her first job because she couldn't spell.  At secretarial college, a kindly lady helped her to read, spell and do shorthand. It seems ironic that in her later working life, many better-educated colleagues relied on her excellent spelling and grammar. The ability must always have been there. Confidence knocked in early life can remain elusive.

Three girls

Carole Andrews (my mother) married at 17. She had three daughters while still in her twenties. She worked hard to spare us her bad school experiences. She ensured that I could read fluently at 4, before even starting school.

Achievement

My mother continued to support my education as best she could even after divorce. She recognises that education opens doors. As a single parent on a secretary's salary, she ensured that all three of her daughters benefited from a higher education. We followed the career path of our choice. So it was that I, the great-granddaughter of a Welsh coal miner, was the first member of our family ever to go to university. At one stage my mother had 3 jobs to make this possible. What she couldn't achieve for herself, she helped us to achieve. Three daughters: two scientists and one linguist. Quite an achievement.

Do your best

No "thank you" could ever be enough for some of the sacrifices she had to make. My level of success often does not appear enough by comparison. Probably becoming Britain's Prime Minister, achieving a double doctorate or winning the Nobel Peace Prize wouldn't have come near either. But then, she never expected any of that. She only ever asked that we tried our best within our abilities.

Literacy to pay forward

I cannot hope to repay her. Neither of us is particularly demonstrative. The words always seem to come out backwards, sideways or not at all.  But I can write. I use those very literacy skills that she helped me to develop. I can write using the education that she made possible to pay it forward.

My family's story illustrates what can be achieved by educating girls in just a generation.

Thank you, Mum, today and always.

As a mother of two sons, I will save my views on the education of boys for a future blog. Please check back soon.

Coding weekend at the Guardian

Last weekend, the Guardian ran a 2-day masterclass entitled: Build a website: Introduction to HTML5 and CSS3.* Carlo Rossi, our teacher, was brilliant. He assumed no previous knowledge. I had previously found website coding a difficult and frustrating skill to acquire. Carlo succeeded in taking the whole class from zero to a fully functional website by the end of the second day.

Carlo Rossi (half Italian/half British) comes from a traditional print background. He now works on ads at The Guardian. He taught himself website design from books. Endless experimenting. A lot of frustration. A lot of tears. An awful lot of tears apparently - but now he can teach coding to the previously "unteachable". People who have struggled to learn something themselves often make the best teachers. If only the British Education System could appreciate that.

Carlo described how nervous he had been teaching his first class of 16 eager students. Now after 15 such masterclasses, he can relax and be himself. He has perfected the timing and lesson plan. There was even time for questions - and a few bad jokes along the way.

Our class was a friendly group of 4 women to 3 men - so appropriate for women to be coding on International Women's Day.  It seemed like no time at all before we were able to tweet our first effort. Hello World!

Before long, I had understood elements, declarations, selectors, pseudo-elements, attributes and parent-child relationships. Having learnt the hard way himself, Carlo assumed nothing. He explained clearly and kept repeating it all. He encouraged neat coding habits. If one of our class got into difficulties, he knew instantly that we had spelt "color" the English way, or used : instead of ; etc.

The garish colours of our first efforts would not win any design prizes. There were no underachievers  in Carlo's class.

Day 1: following projected instructions

The class was conducted on modern Mac equipment. We were able to follow Carlo's instructions easily from his screen projected onto two whiteboards at the front. He fostered a friendly class environment that meant that we helped each other along too. At the end of the second day, we all felt the huge satisfaction of a job well done.

Fully functional website on my screen at the end

Lunch and coffee breaks were in the Guardian's canteen. I enjoyed the tasty vegetarian option on Saturday and roast chicken on Sunday. I loved the Guardian's location overlooking the canal. It can be reached easily from Kings Cross and St Pancras International stations. I liked the light and airy, modern glass building with its brightly coloured seating areas. The perfect place to inspire a writer.

At one point, Carlo showed us how to ensure that our own website tab remains open, despite linking to an external website.* I asked how I could ensure that my visitors were forced back to my website. Carlo frowned. He said that was "censorship". As we all know, the Guardian does not approve of censorship.

The introductory website course has my approval. It doesn't end there. There is also a more advanced web-responsive course. Carlo doesn't abandon his students, as he offers to remain in touch via email. Not all attendees go on to build their own websites. Even busy marketing managers can benefit from understanding their web designers' code.

You don't need to take my word for how good this course is. Word has already got out. One of our number flew in from Singapore - and apparently that it is not unusual for this excellent class at all.

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is an
entrepreneurial French
to English translator,
content writer and 

marketing consultant.

For further information,

email karen@anglicity.com

Overcoming the "curse" of technical knowledge

An origami swan - not as simple as it looks © M. Gove

An expert is very close to the technical details of his field on a daily basis. The terms become so familiar. He forgets how unfamiliar those same terms once were. This is known as the curse of knowledge.

Different target audiences

Many experts are unable to explain their subject simply. "Doing simple" feels very uncomfortable. It feels like you are "dumbing down" years of hard-earned education and painstaking research. Yet, there are many times when an expert needs to persuade or communicate with target audiences outside his field - for example:

·      to access funding and support

·      to maintain or renew existing funding

·      to influence policy-makers

·      to access the Media - both trade and non-trade press

·      to debate ethical and other issues with university management, etc

·      to work with the private sector

·      to launch and market a prototype or product

·      to seek advice from experts in other fields

·      to report on research progress

·      to present findings at international/multicultural conferences

·      to publish online, newsletters, emails, short videos, etc

·      to take advantage of the growing trend for MOOCs

·      to engage with the general public.

Academic writing

Academic writing often encourages an intellectual approach. It is seen as good to sound clever and obscure. You are supposed to sound like an expert. However, it is also said that you do not know your subject well enough if you cannot explain it simply. 

Cultural differences

There are also cultural differences in approach to academic writing. When studying in France, I remember English students being berated for a meandering style. Our writing was likened to that of the great French Renaissance philosopher Montaigne. As I loved Montaigne's essays, it felt like a compliment. However, if you wish your writing to be accepted in another culture, you have to conform to their current expectations and norms.

Rewriting

German academic writing expects the reader to find his own way. English academic writing requires clear guidance for the reader. English is the language of science. You need to publish in English if you wish to reach the widest possible audience. Rewriting can improve readability for target audiences outside the academic world. Machine translation will not convert academic German into academic English. Nor will it create material fit for 21st Century digital consumption. Greater attention needs to be paid to presentation and formatting as well as technical content.

Readability

Improving the readability of a text does not mean lowering the research's value or content. The simplest way to improve readability is to talk your subject through with someone outside your field. Explain your story and aims to them. A technical writer or professional translator is the perfect choice as they work with different target audiences on a daily basis. Their questions will help you fine-tune your material for your new audience. Your message is much more likely to be heard and understood.

Choose an expert

Simplicity may look simple. It takes time and thought. It is easy to underestimate the skill involved. It requires the hard-earned education and painstaking effort of an expert to make technical translation and writing look simple. 

If you would appreciate some expert help with your technical communications, email karen@anglicity.com or call Karen on +44 (0)20 8581 9369.

Karen Andrews runs
Anglicity Ltd. She is a

technical writer and 

translator with over

15 years' marketing

experience. Anglicity offers

marketing consultancy and

content marketing with a 

particular focus on innovation.

Gym with a view

Ruislip Lido Outdoor Gym

When I want to get away from my desk, my favourite local spot is Ruislip Lido. Ruislip offers easy access to Central London and Heathrow Airport, but the countryside and various nature reserves aren't far away either. A number of Anglicity's blogs have been written in my head as I walked through Ruislip's woods and around the lake. I always find fresh air inspires me. 

View over Ruislip Lido towards the Water's Edge Pub

I can't say that I miss my old daily commute into Central London since turning freelance. Unfortunately, I have gained weight as a result. I used to follow a regular routine of walking up all the escalators on my way to work. I spent lunchtimes wandering in Green Park or St James's Park.  Obviously, these activities helped me keep the weight off much more than I realised.

I don't like gyms as a rule. I definitely don't like some of their tight contract clauses. I enjoy swimming if the pool is calm and quiet, but I would much prefer to exercise outdoors. My favourite activity is walking.

I was born in the green city of Bristol. I have fond memories of The Downs in Clifton and the Ashton Court Estate with its well-known International Balloon Fiesta. I was lucky to grow up in the area of the most famous English cheese: Cheddar in North Somerset. 

Cheddar Gorge, Somerset 

This is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. I had the Mendip Hills, the Somerset Levels, Cheddar Reservoir and the Black Rock Nature Reserve as my "playground". With a limited country bus service, you either walked or rode your bike everywhere.

Calm, luminous swan among the frantic ducks

Ruislip Lido has the perfect solution for this "country girl at heart" to exercise. The outdoor gym has a wonderful view of the lake. I can "walk" on my favourite apparatus there (see picture). I can exercise while admiring the view. My project management article on LinkedIn and this blog was inspired by the fighting ducks and gliding swans on the lake.

Can you beat my inspirational gym with a view?

Karen Andrews is a freelance copywriter and translator based in Ruislip, Hillingdon. If you wish to discuss Anglicity Ltd's services, please email karen@anglicity.com or call Karen on +44 (0)20 8581 9369.

Creativity and Light in Chihuly's Lumière Exhibition

I first saw Dale Chihuly's amazingly innovative glass creations at his exhibition in the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in 2005. I recently discovered another highly creative Chihuly exhibition in London.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Kew Gardens is one of my favourite places to visit. I have spent many happy hours there with my family and friends over the years. Chihuly's creations within such very familiar settings had unexpected appeal. As you walked through the grounds and the glasshouses, there were so many surprises among the plants - and even in the lake (see above).

I instantly loved the American artist's contemporary, intricate designs. They are very colourful. I particularly remember his bright yellow "Sun" with its enormous glass "squiggles". I have never seen anything so original in glass. Chihuly's chosen medium has a particularly strong appeal with its transparent, luminous and reflective qualities. I still have a strong memory of this unique exhibition from 10 years ago.

London's New Bond Street
On my way to the Chinese Whispers exhibition featured in earlier blogs, a glow ahead caught my attention in the fading evening light. The glowing light came from the windows of the Halcyon Gallery in New Bond Street. Chihuly's creativity had drawn me in again.

Glowing window from Chihuly's acrylic light painting

Lumière Exhibition

The art gallery was holding an exhibition of Chihuly's sculptures and acrylic light drawings. This time, the light paintings caught my particular attention. My favourites used a mixture of extremely bright colours. The exhibition was entitled Lumière after the French word for "light". Lumière also conjures up the Age of Enlightenment in French philosophy and the early French filmmakers, the Lumière brothers. Thus, the title conveys both light and a sense of groundbreaking vision.

I later discovered from an online video how the pictures and sculptures were made. The acrylic paintings are lit from behind in light boxes as well as from the front. This light adds even greater intensity to the colours.

I was surprised to learn that Chihuly works with a glassblowing team. The glassblowers bring the creative vision into being under his enthusiastic supervision. There is no doubt that Chihuly is the innovator and visionary.

Such abstract designs and bright colours may not be to everyone's taste. It can take some time to adjust and appreciate the creativity. Historically, the work of master artists and great innovators has not always been appreciated in their lifetime. Chihuly is certainly a unique artist.

Lumière is a very appropriate title for this exhibition for 3 reasons:

1. It uses light creatively

2. It is the work of a leading and groundbreaking artistic "light"

3. 2015 is the UN/UNESCO International Year of Light

Karen Andrews of
Anglicity Ltd
offers content
marketing

and transcreation 

services - with a 

particular focus 

on innovation.