The Blog That Isn’t … (Followed by the ‘Blog That Is’)

By Rob Rich, TM Forum

Welcome to my first blog. Well, maybe it’s a blog and maybe it isn’t. When I think of a blog, I generally think of a concise (at least hopefully) piece of writing that introduces a topic and expresses some sort of opinion relevant to the topic. It may (or may not) be a topic you’re interested in, but that’s what you’re getting, because that’s what the blogger thinks you want.

I am going to try a different tack here with my first blog. Rather than just pick a topic and opine, I am going to introduce myself and then I am going to (gasp) ask you what you would like me to write about in future blogs. I did get the ball rolling with my second blog below called “Don’t Stop,” but I look forward to your suggestions.

So first, a bit about me. I have been a market analyst for a long time, more than 15 years. Most of my analyst career has been with the Yankee Group, though I started with Dataquest (pre-Gartner), and now I manage the Transformation Resource Center at the TM Forum, which produces, among other things, market research. Prior to becoming an analyst, I spent about 15 years in the industry, working in various management positions including IT, professional services and engineering. So I have been on both sides of the table in systems projects, and I have seen good and bad. I also have had the opportunity to be an expert witness in a few litigatory events, so I have seen things go really bad. I also have seen really good, and I believe that information technology in its various forms has the potential to enable real change and competitive advantage for service providers. But it’s almost never easy.

I also believe that the hard part is not the technology; there is lots of great technology out there. The hard part is extracting value from the technology in a business environment. Finally, I believe that direct, in-depth communication is the best way to capture information. In fact, I am writing this very blog on a plane, on the way to see a service provider to discuss software trends and solution selection criteria. My goal in the session is to listen as much as I talk.

Okay, enough about me. Now comes the important part. Here’s where I ask you what you’d like me to write about. I think too often bloggers talk about the “voice of the customer,” but then never ask our customers what they want to know. If you have experienced this, here’s your chance. Either post something below, or send me an e-mail at rrich@tmforum.org. I can’t promise that I will be able to blog on all the topics, but I do promise to consider them all.

Thanks for your consideration, and I look forward to an ongoing dialogue. Now scroll down to read my next blog, “Don’t Stop.”

Rob Rich is managing director of TM Forum’s Transformation Information Resource Center. He has 16 years of research experience in technology and communications markets, and previously was executive vice president of communications and networking research at the Yankee Group, as well as director of communications research at Dataquest. Prior to that, he held management positions in research, professional services and IT in the networking and computing industries. Rich is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, and has been quoted widely in the business and trade press.