An interview with Richard Banks in which he discusses the likely impact of the advancing world of technology on the London 2012 Olympics.

• Live cell phone video streaming
• The first true digital Games
• The technology legacy

Today Associate Partner of Major Events International (MEI) and Director of Archerball, Richard Banks, took time out to answer our questions on the impact of technology on the 2012 London Olympics. Here is that interview:

Q: Should stadiums and the media be concerned by live cell phone video streaming or should it be encouraged?

A: I think it’s all about satisfying consumer demand – a new generation has grown up with the internet and the intense scrutiny of sporting events pioneered by Sky coverage of football cricket and rugby. Many young people miss this ability to watch re runs and have an interactive experience when attending live events so I think the challenge is to provide platforms to engage in a positive way.

Q: How will the Internet impact on the 2012 Olympics?

A: London 2012 will be the first true digital Games – the possibilities are endless – social networks , ‘narrowcasting’ and digital signage can play massive roles in enhancing the user experience.This is a huge challenge for the organisers who are used to deploying ‘command and control’ tactics and strategies for broadcasting coverage and content.

Q: Is it possible for technology and stadium infrastructure to over shadow the sporting acheivements?

A: I doubt it – people love the human aspects of sport -they will gravitate towards best of breed solutions such as Youtube Twitter etc and products which enhance the feeling of being more involved on a personal level.

Q: How will the legacy of the stadiums and technology impact on London?

A: This totally depend on the organisers engaging with the right individuals during the legacy planning phase. Unfortunately, there is little evidence that this is actually happening.

Q: Will London benefit from the influx in CCTV coverage from the Olympics?

A: It’s simply a fact that we need London to be the safest and most secure place on the planet – not just for the duration of the Games.CCTV will play a vital role – but I think encouraging a ‘concerned citizen’ culture where people actively look after their own circle of influence is the best way to engage and secure communities.

Q: Internet coverage for the Beijing Olympics put a strain on bandwidth levels?

A: Technology can always catch up with demand !! Not having the right experience for a global audience is the big challenge !!

Article taken from Major Events International. Click here to view the original article (free membership required).

How Much Security Do We Need?  An Alternative Post-Mumbai Perspective.

Tariq Ghaffur’s piece offers a good analysis of events and issues arising and draws some sound conclusions as they apply to the Indian sub-continent, though these might not all translate to the UK and Europe given the different societal and political contexts.  One can agree with the view that the type and scale of the Mumbai assault is the latest example of why a new way of thinking about and meeting current terror threats is needed, but a debate still remains to be had over not just how much security is enough, but who decides (and by implication, pays).  And these should not be first order decisions or undertaken solely by Police Commissioners or individual Ministers.

In the UK, one might take a radical view that ‘why bother’ beyond current measures?  Determined terrorists will always succeed as history has shown, though the Heathrow attackers in August 2006 were all successfully arrested before anywhere near the airport.  But we may all just have to get used to accepting a level of risk and casualties as part of modern life; what is better, to live life without oppressive security and intrusion but risk a few casualties now and then, or live under a ‘Big Brother’ state?  Even with oppressive security, we are likely to still take casualties from one terrorist or another, while increasingly draconian protective measures risk fomenting terrorism and subjecting us all to a more a miserable life in any event.  The ‘cost-benefit’ part of risk management is usually that least considered!   

The current Police doctrine of command levels may well need some review and training at all levels changed if they are to deal successfully with the scale, violence and dynamism of Mumbai style attacks here.  For example, these – fortunately still rare events – will demand a greater level of autonomy and capability to act devolving to Police at the scene than has hitherto been required (Jean-Charles’ shooting has some important echoes here).    

Intelligence is the key as TQ suggests, and society and governments would of course want to do what was possible to prevent a catastrophic terrorist attack such as a biological or nuclear event.  The jury is still out on Mumbai over the extent to which rogue Pakistani Intelligence (ISI) and other state elements may have colluded in the Indian attacks, but the Pakistani government’s unwillingness to share the results of their own investigation suggest that an element of this was present.    

But before we commit to large-scale expansion of armed police capability and other, more oppressive measures running in to 2012, time and money might be better spent on developing an ‘intelligence-led strategy’ based on indicators and warnings that extends into areas where we have been poor at joining up (or collecting) information for analysis from which ‘intelligence’ (as opposed to merely information) can be derived.  That would require some significant shifts in policy and the strategic deployment of information technology in a way that hitherto has not been a hallmark of underpinning our own homeland security.  But first off, society needs to consider and debate the strategic question of just ‘how much security’ is enough and what is and isn’t tolerable.   

The Tetramar Product is a bespoken mass-production system for constructing buildings.

The ‘Product’ is therefore not a new type of building, but a new method of constructing existing buildings, which clearly represents an extremely large and comprehensive project undertaking.

Tetramar buildings are manufactured in a modular volumetric format. Buildings are produced in infinite designs and sizes, for different usages and for different market applications:

Residential, Houses, Apartments, Hotels, Flats etc

Commercial, Offices, Schools, Hospitals etc

Transportable, Temporary Offices, Quick Response and Emergency Accommodation, Exporation Facilities, MOD Facilities etc

Special features include: massive cost reduction, superior quality, high-speed construction, post-build changeability, and new health and safety standards.

Buildings are solid in texture and are indistinguishable from traditional construction, in feel, appearance and sound, both inside and out.

The building system is ‘green’ and conserves global resources.

The Tetramar Research Project has been in operation for the past fifteen years, and is now in the final stages of product testing and certification and will shortly be commencing trail production and marketing.

Present State of Industry

The Construction Industry is arguably the only major industry that has failed to undergo radical evolvement during the 20C.  The present Traditional and Offsite building systems, remain either, too expensive, too slow, or to inefficient, to meet the growing demands of the markets they serve.

The industry, in its present shape, is unlikely to catch up with this demand because, over the past twenty / thirty years, it has also run into increasing labour recruitment problem (young people are more and more attracted to computer associted industries). Consequently production is falling behind demand, this is forcing up the cost of buildings, which in turn is creating economic inflation. Inflation has catapulted the building industry’s problems into the political arena.

For these reasons fundamental new building systems are urgently being sought by the major industrial players, and the Government is throwing in every incentive.

Obstacle Precluding Change

Despite large numbers of new ideas and ventures, attempting to discover solutions to the building industry’s problems over the past hundred or more years, the industry remains doggedly unchanged.

What therefore is the root of this problem?

The only known method of producing buildings, in high speed with the lowest cost, and with the best quality, is through the principles of Mass-Production. The same as for cars, televisions, milk bottles, etc, etc.

However, mass-production in the Construction Industry is extremely complicated because buildings are not uniform, they are infinitely diverse. If therefore an answer is to be found it lies in finding a bespoken system of Mass-production.

This then is the obstacle that has long been preventing the transformation of the world wide Construction Industry into the 20 Century.

Many leading Construction Companies in the Western World, have long been researching this field, and are continuing to do so today, with exceedingly large budgets, and the utmost urgentcy.

Nonetheless, an extremely lucrative door is open to anyone finding an answer. This is the challenge that the Tetramar Research Project has entered into.

Tetramar in World Stakes

The Tetramar System is the first and the only fully comprehensive, start to finish, bespoken mass-production process,  existing today. There is nothing comparable in the United Kingdom, in Germany, America, Japan or anywhere else in the world.

It could now be difficult for new companies to compete with Tetramar because important technologies, that new systems are likely to require, are now protected by the Tetramar worldwide Patents.

Mission Statement

A major problem in the world today is the inequality in living standards. In the western economy more than 90% of the population have houses to live in. In the third and fourth world-economies this figure reduces to as low as 10%.

This is a difficult problem for the pooer economies to tackle because they do not posses the necessary skills and infra-structure to properly address their Construction Industry. However, it is also true that the buildings required by these economies are far less sophisticated, or advanced, than Tetranar buildings ( onboard computers, etc, would be superfluous).

To this end, it is Tetramar’s intention, sooner rather than later, to establish business enterprises, in these countries, to mass-produce buildings that can properly address their population’s purchasing power, their practical requirements and their immediate needs.

Tetramar has already been in discussion with Governments requiring these facilities, and the company is presently finding answers as to how factories can be set up, and the new technologies adapted to these different requirements.

Léon is social media and web 2.0 practitioner and has managed a number of successful social software implementations with clients including British Airways, Microsoft & BT.  Co-designed with Ecademy’s board one of only a few economically viable social network subscription based business models.  Previously spent 15 years designing and delivering IT transformation programmes in financial services, telecoms, retail and travel, for blue chip companies, counting Union Bank of Switzerland, Dresdner Kleinwort Benson, Barclays Capital, Andersen Consulting, Airtours, Opodo, BT, Tesco, Argos and Norwich Union.

Current  Assignment

Carphone Warehouse Plc

Managing a programme of work to deliver connected world services to CPW Wireless Stores opening in 2009, technical support & protection services to giant US consumer electronics retailer, Best Buy ahead of the roll out of its massive footprint stores in 2009, and advising on the social media strategy for the UK’s new Geek Squad (technical support & protection services) web site.

Social Media Assignments

BBH, London,  British Airways, Social Media

Managed a programme of work to deliver a ground breaking social utility (a recommendation engine) for British Airways.  Developed in Ruby on Rails, using Agile development techniques (acting Scrum Master), Amazon Cloud services and an innovative user experience based around lists.  Introduced rigorous project management disciplines.  Planned and delivered business and technical streams across four separate agencies covering legal, PR, marketing, software development, moderation and community management. www.metrotwin.com.

Passado.  Social Network

• Managed multiple streams of activity to migrate five European language social network sites (supporting 5m members in five languages) to a new suite of applications designed to redefine the way Groups and User Generated Content are provided in the Web 2.0 space.
• Strategic guidance to CEO & Board: Proposition development, user interaction design and integration with Google OpenSocial and Facebook platforms. White label distribution, Software As A Service, widgets.
• Managing the offshore development team (St Petersburg, Russia – 25 people) and on-shore project activities.
• www.wasabi.com

Ecademy. Social Business Network

• Member of management team and minority shareholder. Co-designed a successful social network subscription model (150k+ subscribers). Led Ecademy’s consulting vehicle to deliver a wide range of online community solutions for BT, Microsoft, Regus and the DTI. Highlights;
  • For BT Mobile Sense; Devised and implemented a community marketing strategy for the launch of BT’s consumer centric mobile phone business (following 02 sale). Worked with BT’s creative agencies, identified and engaged online communities (Gay UK, Auto communities, and other lifestyle communities). Calculated the ROI.
  • For BT Broadband; Designed and specified a crowd sourcing platform to enable broadband champions at local exchange level to lobby citizens to register for broadband in order to hit trigger levels for exchange conversion.
  • For BT Openworld; Designed and implemented a “member get member” advocacy programme leveraging Ecademy’s online community platform.

Microsoft Solutions Provider (now Synchronica plc)

Conceived and wrote the concept document for Microsoft and presented in Redmond (2001) that led to the creation of a mobile web services community that is now Microsoft’s Mobile2Market.

Notable Career Achievements

Tesco Stores Plc

• Interim Project Manager. Led a technical stream of work across the UK, India & Turkey to create a ‘Tesco in a Box’ solution that enables the rapid roll out and deployment of new store openings worldwide, ahead of live implementation in Tesco’s first US stores (Fresh & Easy).

Argos, Home Retail Group

• Interim Programme Manager. Wrote the programme plan for a step change in eCommerce functionality on Argos web properties spanning 2 years. Responsible for translating the board’s business requirements into working specifications, programme costs, business case and risk assessments for executive sign off. £10m budget.

Norwich Union

• Programme Manager. Managed the infrastructure integration programme following Aviva’s acquisition of the RAC. Governing a portfolio of projects including; IP based contact centre integration, intranet consolidation, and the implementation of a £2m technology and application refresh of Norwich Union Direct’s eCommerce platform ahead of an eight figure, six month TV advertising and marketing campaign

Union Bank of Switzerland – Ground breaking investment banking web application

• Project Director. For the Quantitative Finance Group (QFG). Managed the business/IT relationship at executive level to create a politically acceptable policy framework for conducting business on the internet. Delivered the first internet web site in UK investment banking, for the secure capture and warehousing of the quantitative financial analyses of European government investment portfolios.

Personal & Advisory

The Comedy Hub

• Summer break to pursue passion in social media. Assembled ex-BBC comedy writers, actors and professional editors to write a series of 12 football world cup comedy sketches as a proof of concept for ad funded podcast content. Beat Sky Sports, The Telegraph and Daily Mirror in iTunes rankings reaching second in the charts after Baddiel & Skinner. www.thecomedyhub.co.uk

Published Author – Winning by Sharing

• Self-published a book in 2004 on the future of brands in the context of the globalisation of work, the rise of network societies and the emergence of social software as a disruptive technology
• Blog – http://winningbysharing.typepad.com/
• Winning by Sharing: The Big Picture – http://www.winningbysharing.net/bp.asp

Advisory

• Advisor to The Law Firm & Andy Law, previously founder of St Luke’s (London) ad agency on social software design for their clients. http://www.the-l-a-w-firm.com/
• Advisor to CEO of SwarmTeams – a mobile social network viral marketing utility enabling musicians and artists to communicate at scale with their fan bases (Universal & EMI are clients). http://home.swarmteams.com/

Personal

• Married, 3 children. Age 45. Live in Hertfordshire.
• Computer Science degree
• Played schoolboy rugby for England
• Arsenal football fan (fanatic)

You can view all of Leon’s articles on Archer Ball by clicking here.

Winning by Sharing™ is a collection of true stories combined with market research and analysis about the future of work, how profoundly it will affect people in the next decade, and how this will take most people by surprise.

Based on the personal experience of the author (Léon Benjamin), it describes the new ways in which in freedom-loving individuals are choosing to work, buy and invest.

“The internet has caused a fundamental change in attitude towards work and the realisation that a ‘career’ has ceased to be a feasible way to organise working life. I now view work as an instrument of self-development and personal autonomy and entrepreneurship not as a status symbol, but as an attitude – an attitude that everyone is going to need.” Léon Benjamin

You can read more about Winning by Sharing™ at www.winningbysharing.net

You can read all of Léon Benjamin’s articles on Archer Ball here.

Léon Benjamin’s media profile can be read here.

The Big Picture

View the Big Picture

Because everyone’s time is precious, The Big Picture Company created a Big Picture of this book. Big Pictures are designed to help people explain new ideas, to anyone else, in ten minutes.

alf-raju-digital-media-portal

alf-raju-wireless-cities-nov-08

Two very high profile interviews published recently finally seem to hightlight how important the security issues facing 2012 organisers will be.

Both John and Tarique have identified key shortcomings in the development of an overall strategy and ownership of capturing the requirements.

Both have avoided scaremongering , but have given some very stark reminders of the challenges we face.

Let’s hope that this advice resonates with stakeholders and that we can put aside political/financial distractions and create one body with overall responsibility for owning and delivering a ‘joined-up’ solution.

I am currently working closely with Dennis Mills at MEI to promote the services we offer.The portal has been very well received , we are talking with many organisations looking to capitalise on the specialist audience which MEI has.

If you would like further information on advertising with us , or would like to hear more about the services we can offer, please contact me directly.

Best regards

Richard

To celebrate the launch of our Archer Ball website – Silver Coast Holidays are offering heavily reduced rates for all our clients , associates and friends.

To check out details have a look at

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www.silvercoastholidays.com

Feel free to have a chat with me about this great offer

kind regards

Richard