Tuesday November 30, 2004

How to fill up your mail box

Yesterday Jonathan sent out an all Sun email urging people to move to JDS Preview and give up CDE. He ended it with a request for people to let us know what they thought of JDS Preview and if they are not running it why not. There was an alias for people to send their responses to. Unfortunately we had a typo in the alias. The alias and word before it were run together. Even with the error a lot of people figured out how to respond and my mail box has over 170 responses so far.

The responses have mainly been things like this :- “ Love it for sure, great to show others peers and convert 'em as fast as I can. Even more fun when I have clients in for a meeting. I sit 'em down and show them a slice of what we also discussing during our meeting. We've come a long way quickly, don't stop now, full throttle....then again I'm a Sun software guy...pretty easy to please - keep giving me the products to use that I'm selling, and the results are amazing!”.

We have had a very few like this one :- “So the Common Desktop Environment (CDE) is going away? We will be forced to use something else? Why? CDE is great...if it ain't broke, don't get 100 geniuses to fix it... ” Which just proves that some people don't like change :-)

We also got a lot of good feedback that will help us improve JDS and thus accelerate acceptance. For instance I didn't know that “ in Europe the logistics tool is in an extreme ugly pink on JDS. After on hour you get a massive headache.” We'll definitely have to fix that!

It is fun responding to the feedback. I think each of them deserves a response :-) (2004-11-30 14:49:43.0) Permalink

Monday November 29, 2004

Change Acceptance and PR

Browsing through blogs I came across a very interesting blog by Richard Edelman who is president of the Edelman Public Relations Firm. I never thought of change acceleration as Public Relations (PR) but reading Edelman's blog entry on Ethics in PR I realized that Change Acceleration work is in many ways just PR internal to a company. Of course I am talking about the kind of public relations that builds a market for a product and facilitates the conversation between a company and its markets.

In his essay Edelman says “ we should demand a seat at the decision making table and not simply accept the role of mouthpiece for legal counsel. We have a unique sense of the potential impact of a given action on multiple stakeholders, from Wall Street to employees and consumers. If we are limited to a classic, small box communications role, we are unable to fulfill our broader mandate of advice and counsel.”

The same is absolutely true for change acceleration. I've found that if someone in IT just wants us to do communications it really doesn't make sense for my change acceleration team to engage with them because we can't achieve the full potential of change acceleration. In contrast for the JDS change acceleration effort our learnings on issues like support needs, bugs, performance perceptions and the transition process helped improve the quality of our JDS Preview deployment. On projects where the developers really just want us to come in at the last minute and help write some emails it is really not worth our time.

I think there are other lessons to be learned about how to do change acceleration if I think about it as a form of public relations. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this. (2004-11-29 15:25:24.0) Permalink

Wednesday November 24, 2004

JDS Preview status

Because I'm sure you are all dying to know, here is an update on the deployment of Java Desktop System Preview at Sun. As you probably know JDS Preview is a first step to deploying Solaris 10 and JDS 3 at Sun. JDS Preview is Gnome 2.02 with a new JDS look and feel. Two weeks ago we updated all the SunRay servers world wide to include JDS Preview and converted all existing Gnome users to the new look and feel.

We now have close to 15,000 people running JDS Preview on their SunRay desktops. From a change acceptance perspective it is interesting to find out why we still have a whole lot of people who aren't running JDS Preview even though I feel like we have done a hell of a lot of communicating, listening, engaging, selling etc. It just shows how much you have to do.

Monday I am hosting a 7am and a 5pm conference call with our Siebel user owners, many of whom may believe there are issues with Siebel and JDS. There aren't, unless you count a couple of minor things that have work arounds. I hope I can remember to make the 7am conference call on Monday after four days off!! We have also asked Jonathan to send out another email asking people to switch. There is a whole lot of other stuff going on but those are a couple.

The change team has been asking people why they are still running CDE. Many of them say they just don't like change, or they don't have time, or they'll change when they have to but not before.

The next big step in the transition is to make JDS Preview the default desktop. If we pass the compliance review on December 3 we'll change the default on December 8. After the default is changed people will get JDS Preview when they log in unless they actively choose CDE.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! (2004-11-24 15:33:38.0) Permalink

Monday November 22, 2004

Conversations and iWork

As I mentioned on Friday, I've been reading the Clue Train Manifesto. In Chapter 1 Christopher Locke talks about conversation. Conversation can range from the silly and fun to sharing our knowledge and our work. “But this whole gamut of conversation, from infinite jest to point-specific expertise: who needs it?”. Markets need conversation and companies need conversation Locke answers “Without it they can't innovate, build consensus, or go to market. ” And finally he say that cultures need it. Without conversation they begin to die.

I would add that work groups need it. The group I am a part of, the iWork solutions Group, is highly dispersed. We work from everywhere. One of the conversations we have been having lately is how do we make sure we continue to function as a team. What is happening to the conversation that used to happen in the hall ways or when someone popped in to my office? How will we continue to have the conversation that allows us to innovate, problem solve, and build connections for the future?

The conversations also nurture our culture, our sense of being a team. Without the culture and the connections that come from the conversations Locke says “The Guns come out.” Some of us have worked together for a long time so when something contentious comes up we pick up the phone. But what about new team members who don't have those connections yet. How do we foster the kinds of conversations that will build those connections and might happen naturally if you were co-located? I think it is one of the important questions for iWork and its impact on Sun

There is no doubt in my mind that we have to consciously nurture the conversation. And there is no doubt that the network can enormously help. But there is also no doubt that it won't necessarily happen by itself. And it can't be contrived. It isn't a newsletter or regular broadcasts form the boss. It has to be real. So, how DO you foster the conversations that make a group a team?

Sunday November 21, 2004

The basketball brawl

I don't usually blog much about non Sun stuff but I got an email from my daughter the 4th grade teacher yesterday. Her email said it all, I thought, about the recent basketball brawl.

She said “I was just reading about that fight at a basketball game and I'm so disgusted that I just have to vent. It makes me furious that a basketball player who beat up fans is saying that he shouldn't get in trouble because someone else started it. I mean these are supposed to be adults and role models. If one of my students got in a fight, even if someone else had been bullying him, he would be suspended or expelled. These players get into fights all the time and get a slap on the wrist. I think there should be zero tolerance. These players should be held to the same or higher standards. Honestly I think they should be kicked off their teams. Make them get a real job. In a real job you'd get fired for fighting with coworkers. Argh! It just makes me so angry.”

I totally agree with her!!

Friday November 19, 2004

Conversations

I just discovered the Clue Train Manifesto since Sun started blogging. In fact I just discovered blogging since Sun started blogging. This should make it clear to anyone who has any doubts that I am a real neophyte at most of this stuff. My excuse, for how I missed the whole Cluetrain Manifesto thing is that I was raising kids. But now they are grown. I really love learning and discovering new things. That is one of the great things about working about Sun. There are always lots of opportunities to learn. The trouble is finding the time or should I say making the time to explore and learn.

The Cluetrain Manifesto book is almost 15 years old. I haven't finished reading it yet but it really resonates with me. It is interesting for me to think about the concept of markets as conversations in thinking about how we deploy something like JDS at Sun. This first thesis, that "Markets are conversations." confirms what I have been saying about change acceleration. It's all about the conversation. When I don't worry about hierarchy and just have conversations people get it, I learn, and I think the word spreads. We just have to have more conversations.

I also think there are lessons here for iWork . It is clear to me that the way that iWork depends on technology and tends to do away with the hierarchical limitations can help build community within Sun. We just need to keep having the conversations.

I'm just starting to think about this. I know that lots of you are way ahead of me on this. I am interested in your thoughts and perspectives.

Thursday November 18, 2004

Solaris 10 Squabbles, Conversation and Synchronization

My mind is scattered this morning. So many different ideas going in so many different directions. Here are a couple of them.

Solaris 10 and Squabbling
I'm sure I am just stating the obvious but it seems that HP pretty much played into Sun's hands by starting a debate about Solaris 10. The debate between Martin Fink of HP , and a lot of the Sun blogs, and some non Sun blogs is entertaining to watch and has to be good for Solaris 10. On the other hand Mr. Fink is obviously a smart man and maybe a public squabble is really his way of drawing attention to HP Linux. Isn't that what the under dog does to point to himself against the clear winner?

Conversation, Alignment, and Change Acceleration
I've replied to every comment/question that has come over the JDS Preview Comments alias. It has been a great way to learn about what is going on. It has also been a great way to identify issues and engage resistance. And last but not least it has been a great way to build acceptance and accelerate the change to JDS. I don't have an exact count but I think I've had email conversations with at least 200 people. It has been a really powerful change acceptance/acceleration tool.

Listening to the Sun leadership conference over the last two days I heard a discussion about building synchronization within Sun and about employee frustration when we appear to be working at cross purposes. One of the suggestions was to have a place or a person to whom employees could go to to get these kinds of questions answered. What is really good is that Sun employees care and are not quiet about raising issues. Someone once told me that you really need to start worrying when a vocal employee goes quiet. It means they have given up and are actively looking for another job. I have always liked it that most Sun employees are in the vocal category. It is an demonstration of how much we care. Anyway I like the idea of a person answering employees questions about synchronousness and direction. Engaging employees in conversation can be really powerful.

Monday November 15, 2004

Open Source Questions

I always hesitate to write about something I don't know much about for fear of looking like a fool. But then I remind myself that although there are lots of people who know a lot more than I do, I've always found that when I swallow my pride and ask what seems like it might be a dumb question there are often at least a few others who wanted to ask the same question.

I've thought a lot about what to write in this blog. One of my goals in life, and by extension in this blog, is to be an interesting person. So what can I write about that is interesting to readers and interesting to me. Obviously everybody finds different things interesting but I think I am going to try turning this around a bit. Instead of talking about what I already know I'll go ahead and ask some of the questions for which I am interested in finding answers.

One subject that has been on my list for some time is Open Source. As a computer science major who hasn't programmed anything in about 15 years I keep thinking that digging into an open source project like Firefox or Roller would be fun. I have always loved a puzzle and figuring out how one of these applications works would definitely be a challenge. I've been browsing but I wonder what the best place is to start.

Friday November 12, 2004

JDS and Change Acceptance

As Jim Grisanzio has already pointed out, John Loiacano talks about Java Desktop System in a very interesting Linux World interview. He says " Sun's Linux desktop strategy is that we are in it for the long haul. I have been using JDS for a year now. I don't have a Windows environment. It is not perfect by any means. It is a solution, however, that is working in the enterprise environment. For people who are in call centers, rental car agencies, etc., it's an ideal environment. "

I talked in my blog yesterday about how Jonathan Schwartz addressed the very same point. It is nice to see the alignment :-)

I received a few comments from skeptics who doubted that using our own products would improve them. One of my strong points has always been that I can see both sides of every question. Of course that isn't always a strong point. It sometimes makes it hard to be tough when you need to be. Anyway, I do agree that using Java Desktop System internal to Sun in order to improve it may not be all that compelling a reason for us to use it internally. So I thought of a couple more reasons to use Java Desktop System at Sun. One is that using it saves us bundles of money. And the other is that it is part of Sun's strategy for success. I am not saying that we should do something just because the boss says so. And I am not slighting the importance of having a compelling business case. But change acceptance work is not about selling a solution to our employees. It is about engaging the employees to understand how we can be even more successful in going the direction we have decided to go.

The comments also got me thinking about what I believe is a very important function of change acceptance work. It is certainly something I observed as we did the change acceptance work for JDS Preview. Which, by the way has now been successfully rolled out world wide.

We often talk inside Sun about the equation: Quality (Q) times Acceptance (A) equals Effectiveness (E). The thing I saw in the JDS Preview roll out was that the Quality work and the Acceptance work create a feedback loop. First we communicated the vision and strategy. Then we engaged users to help us understand concerns and issues. Then we worked to fix those issues and improve the quality of the deployment which resulted in better Acceptance. So doing the Acceptance work resulted in improving the Quality of the product and the deployment. I believe on a much larger scale that is exactly what we will do with Java desktop System. We are in it for the long haul and we have only just begun.

Thursday November 11, 2004

Why run JDS at Sun?

In his latest blog Jonathan Schwartz says "But let's be clear. Do I expect an investment banker at Goldman, Sachs to pick up the Java Desktop System? No. No way. He's not our target demographic, not a route to make 120 million into 1.2 billion. A call center in Bangalore, a factory in Tennessee, a generation of kids that care more about ringtones than Win32 legacy? Dedicated internet terminals in shopping malls, touch screens in phone booths, the world's academic environments? There's a market calling." So you might ask why would Sun want to use Java Desktop System internally if we don't expect Goldman, Sachs to use it?

As we have rolled out Java Desktop Preview this week we have gotten lots of feedback, most of it very positive. But, a few people complain that this really isn't as good as Apple's mature and very good user interface. While Java Desktop System is a very functional fully integrated user environment, there really is room for improvement. I think that one of the keys to successful change acceptance efforts is honesty. People become cynical if you sell them one thing but deliver something less.

But I digress. My question in the title of this blog was why JDS at Sun. If it isn't the best why should we use it? I think the answer to that question is really very simple. How can we ever expect Java Desktop System to get better if we don't use it? Maybe it will get better but I believe that it will get better faster if we use it.

If we don't use it I'm sure we will still sell it to a lot of customers in the target demographic. I'm no salesman but if we use Java Desktop System I believe we will sell it to more customers and maybe even expand the market. I believe in the power of Open Source and Sun. I can imagine a time in the future when the combination of security, mobility across platforms and a continually expanding market make Java Desktop system dominant.

But I am known for being an optimist. I once (many years ago) went into a meeting thinking that maybe the company was announcing bonuses when actually they told us they were going to lay most of us off ! But even if I am way too optimistic, even if Java Desktop System only takes hold in the target demographic that Jonathan defined, I absolutely think it is critically important for Sun to run Sun with Java Desktop System.

Wednesday November 10, 2004

Java Desktop System Preview Status Report

The IT Operations team has deployed the Java Desktop System Preview on about 66% of our SunRay servers world wide. It has gone amazingly smoothly. It's real tribute I think to all the people who contributed to the change acceptance and communications teams and to the developers and support people.

Our internal support (Global Resolution Center) vendor put on extra staff to handle what could have been a big peak in call volume. So far,and I know it's early, we have seen calls from less than 1% of users who have been converted. Wow!

I have been replying to the questions that come in on our internal feedback alias and they have been almost universally positive too. There are a few things that people wish were different like the version of Gnome and the calendar client. But they understand the reasons why we've done what we've done.

Our next target is to see everyone running Gnome. I want to make CDE extinct at sun, relegate it to a distant memory like Visicalc or Wordstar :-)

Friday November 05, 2004

JDS at Sun

I really found this article about the Java Desktop System interesting. A few months ago I had a very vague idea about what exactly JDS was. It is not an Operating System. It is not Gnome. The best (not very good) analogy I could come up with was that it is a paper bag full of components for a new Sun desktop. As I helped do the change acceptance work for Java Desktop System over the past three months I have gotten a better handle on what exactly JDS is. The article above helped coalesce my thoughts.

I have found that the more I learn the more I forget what it was like not to know. The problem is that I bet I am not the only person at Sun who is still struggling with exactly what Java Desktop System is, and why it is important. For a lot of people I bet the vision is intuitively obvious and its very hard to imagine that someone might not get it! But for me I'm still working on getting there.

To quote the article above " Java Desktop System is the very best, most complete, and thoroughly integrated GNU/Linux distribution on the market." It is a fully integrated set of open source components that is targeted for the enterprise market.

Based on that definition, here is my latest stab at an understanding of JDS (using a few words from the above article) and its future.

As Java Desktop System infiltrates the enterprise desktops of the world it neutralizes the power of any single O/S platform to dominate the way Windows has dominated in the past. We know that right now Java Desktop System provides productivity, usability, stability, and operational/TCO benefits to a limited market of which Sun is not typical. But we believe that the combination of the Open source developer community and Sun's ability to support the enterprise will in the long run produce a product that appeals to a broader and broader market base. So we want to have everyone running JDS everywhere in anticipation of the stellar product we believe it will become. We can help make it even stronger.

Some feedback I received today " JDS+Solaris+Opteron make a killer software development environment. Add in Trusted Solaris features and it addresses the DOD/spook market. Or add in the integrated identity services and it becomes an excellent solution for certain vertical markets. " makes me think that my understanding is still pretty darn shallow and may in fact miss the mark but I am enjoying the dialogue and I think I will get there eventually

Thursday November 04, 2004

JDS Preview is coming Next Week!

As I mentioned in an earlier Blog we are rolling out a new Gnome look and feel across Sun. It will make Gnome look more like JDS. This is the first step to getting everyone at Sun running JDS everywhere. We call this new Gnome look and feel JDS preview. The base version for JDS Preview to be installed on is Solaris9U4(min) and Gnome 2.02.

The rollout has been delayed a couple of times because we really wan to get this right. But now we are good to go, and we will do the roll out next week. If all goes as planned we'll do a third of the SunRay servers Sunday night, and a third each of the next two nights.

The change acceptance work and communications for this has been a fantastic learning experience. We've used multiple methods of communication and repeated the message over and over again. Just some of the methods we've used include: all Sun email from Jonathan Schwartz, cartoon posters featuring the JDS Phantom, phone calls to key influencers, group presentations, ask the expert conference calls, each team member focused on individual conversations with a different key stakeholder group, and a jds-preview-comments alias with personalized responses.

But the most exciting thing about this is that it is working!! I know I shouldn't sound surprised but it always nice to see what you believe in actually work. We are doing multiple conference calls this week to answer people's questions. What is really exciting is that we are getting feedback that people like JDS Preview and are excited to see us beginning to roll out improvements to our user interface. IT so often gets beat up any time there is a change. This time it looks like it will be received as a positive improvement moving us forward. I think it is symbolic of Sun's recovery. It feels good.