Takeaways from SCIP's Annual Conference

[Ellen Naylor]

I just got off a great Intelcollab call where August Jackson, Arik Johnson and Eric Garland shared their takeaways from the SCIP conference with us. I was unable to attend and I imagine others would be interested as well.

 

Here is just some of what they shared, as I was tardy for the call!

 

Information toxicity - If you provide additional information towards a competitive intelligence project, make sure it's relevant to the decision at hand. If it's not, it's toxic and detracts.

 

The impact of technology is more integrated in CI. A good example of this was Rick Marcet's talk on how Microsoft's win/loss program disrupts the current practice of win/loss collection and analysis. Microsoft uses a sales focused questionnaire that sales fills out after the win, loss or disengaged event. The statistical analysis that Microsoft conducts is continuous and real-time. The analysis is far reaching and issues bubble up which the company can probe more deeply.

 

We discussed other applications where technology is being used to tap intelligence from internal sources such as at Best Buy and Southwest Airlines, not part of SCIP's annual conference. Maybe this would be a good topic for next year: "How to effectively use technology to tap intelligence from internal resources." 

 

BTW, the Twitter stream for the conference is #scip2011. 

 

What did you learn from the conference that made you say "aha"?

[Emily Cunningham Rushing]

Thanks for sharing, Ellen.

I missed today's call and appear to have gotten myself dropped from the notifications. Could someone please tell me how I can receive notice of these calls? Thanks!

[Arik Johnson]

Hi Emily - sorry, my fault - I only posted to Twitter and not the Intel Collab group here, as I wasn't sure how many might turn out on such short notice - I only sent the reminder an hour before the call.

I'd like to get us back on track with topic discussions but perhaps not every week... Maybe once a month is more the right tempo to start?

Thoughts? Volunteers to lead discussions?

[Alessandro Comai]

HI Ellen, I was not there but I apreciate a lot your comments. Alessandro

[Eric Garland]

My takeaways:

1. I don't like being in a suit when its 97 degrees and 99% humidity.
2. Mickey ears: Not enough of them! Do you hear me, SCIP? That should have been standard in the gift bag at the beginning of the conference. A "SC" on one ear, a "IP" on the other - it would have been major brand recognition!

[Steve McHale]

So true. Who knew that getting execs, stategists and the like to listen to, act upon and love CI would be so easy?

[Eric Garland]

Tak - and make sure Martha knows this - if SCIP 2012 is in Baltimore, a short ride from DC, Competitive Futures will sponsor the most bad-assed salsa band any of you have every heard, a galaxy of all-stars from one of the best Latin music scenes in the world.

You heard it here first.

[martha gleason]

Tak and Eric,

Sorry for my tardy response...been quite hectic around here!  I will definitely be joining the Salsa in Baltimore  :)

[Suki Fuller]

Eric, you know I'd fly back just for that!

[martha gleason]

Awesome...can't wait to see you!

[Arik Johnson]

Many thanks Tak - the party was lots of fun!

[August Jackson]

I think I'm still a little hung over from that party.

[Richard]

Great sessions, but the best came from discussions with other CI practitioners.  Major Lesson Learned:  Wargaming Workshop with Ben Gilad was excellent.  Looking at the Energy Drink Industry.  It was probably not a good idea to distribute energy drinks to sample to a room full of type "A" individuals fueled by an over energetic Ben.  Ben started off the afternoon session with "Okay this is where you really challenge the strategies--really go after their thinking".  Many took that to heart.  Being the first out of the chute, I could feel the heat!   It was lots of fun nevertheless.  Somehow Shark Feed is not quite descriptive....