critical assumption

Wow - after looking through the list, I've got to say this may be the best list I've seen in a while. Interesting Ides from "getting your rock fantasy fix" to "the zero thrills hotel" - what a great list. It reminds me of the theories of "Blue Oceans" about product development - that you add/subtract/modify/multiply to products and services to create new products and services. See what you think. Are these companies competing or "creating"? Enjoy!




Matching would-be gardeners with arable land
Food & beverage / Eco & sustainability

A new campaign in the UK aims to match unused plots of land with
keen would-be gardeners, with the goal of using more arable land to
grow fresh fruit and veggies.

I've had this blog for ... [I can't really remember, will need to look at the archives] - and it started because like most blogs, a way to organize my thoughts and interests. What I've noticed is that over the past year, I've meandered from topic to topic - rather than apply focus to the posts. It's time to come back and focus - so, it's back to basics and focus.

Here's the topics I will focus on going forward...

• Business Trends and Ideas - I like seeing what others are doing in the market and new/emerging business trends. This is a very broad category, but it's really more about people starting their own business, rather than "big" business trying something new. Examples including Springwise and the weekly newsletter they put out. I like re-posting it, first, it's got a nice look - but it also concise with a very broad stroke across lots of business types and geographies. So, more trendspotting and my personal comments around these new trends and ideas.
• Emerging Technology Services - my day job is within the technology world, so I see lots of "new" models to delivery technology services. These include such topics as Software-as-a-Service - but also includes the underlying business purpose of these technology services. Again, this is a broad category - but not as big as just "technology" - because there is plenty of tech that I could care less about.
• And Finally...a dove tail topic to the two preceding is the World of "Service" management and marketing. This will have a technology focus, but possibly could cross over into other industries - but expect it to be about technology service management/marketing - once again, that's what I do for a paycheck and feel I've got something to say on the topic [which is why you put yourself out there in the first place - because you have something to say].

This blog is called "Critical Assumption" and the tag line is "The difference between flying in blue sky or hitting rock bottom" - because it is our assumptions that make the difference between success and failure. All the research in the world, getting all the smartest people in a single room, having lots of money - none of those things are guarantee success - they are only assumptions of success. Our world is currently being turned upside down - what we believed was "true" may not be true. We are navigating in uncharted water right now - the "facts" that drove our decisions [based upon our assumptions] are really not facts at all.

2009 is going to be an exciting year - with the possibility of changing our view and therefore our assumptions.