The Blogs of 2008 You Never Read
As the sands of 2008 run out, I'm left thinking about all the things you, the community didn't get to read or see here on SCN.
Call it my wishful thinking or better yet a call to action. I've lots of metaphors in my head about half full/half empty glasses and the opportunities and challenges that 2009 will bring.
So without further ado I'd like to introduce you to a number of people who engaged in important work in progress (although many of you may be quite familiar with the excellent work they visibly do here in the community).
Here are my somewhat fictitious titles and hopeful renderings of the blogs that should have been written here in 2008.
1) Pay it Forward by Marcelo Ramos
SAP Mentor Marcelo Ramos from Brazil - inspires thousands when writing about his "Pay it Forward" project mentoring and aiding poor children in San Paulo. Marcelo, who attended SAPTechEd08 shared this video with me and later some pictures of himself and his wife making good on this year's promise with his 300+ children last week in Brazil.
Pictures of the holiday event that Marcelo staged (good to his word) can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/mepmarcelo/BrazilianKids2008
I don't believe he has blogged about his own work with children but you can see how he launched the year with a call to action to the Thinking and Running CSR. (what? No comments for Marcelo?) Pay special note to his CSR links in his wiki profile as well. This is not really fiction, it's the stuff that Marcelo just does, naturally.
2) The CRM Forum Cleanup Project - by stephen.johannes2/blog, Senior Analyst - SAP CRM and employee of Bunge North America - stepped forward to improve and granularize the contents of the CRM forums. In his own words (not yet blogged here) he is willing, able and needs more community participant support in going beyond "forum contributions" in the CRM area especially with folks not employed by SAP.
Stephen always provides valuable and candid insights as regards his experiences with CRM (good and the less positive as well). We are looking forward to the blog that announces the successful reorganizing of the CRM forums and a much wider and deeper participation from other CRM customers and partners in CRM contents in 2009.
3) The ERP Financials Expert Wiki Overhaul - by Nathan Genez, Managing Partner Serio Consulting
Nathan knows that customers are "still struggling with the basic block-and-tackle of SAP." So he diligently set about improving the ERP Financials Wiki area where he has been working tirelessly this past year to improve quality and content. Again more truth than fiction, but we are waiting for the expert concept to kick in so that wiki content contributors to an expert area will have more credence.
4) The Day the Abuse Button Remained Unused - by Julius Bussche , SAP NetWeaver Security Consultant , TBC
Julius is a folk hero to some, and a nemesis to others. What we would like to see happen would be the contents of this blog becoming a reality: the perfect day(s) when there are no security, plagiarizing, or point hunting issues in the forums and blogs. Good community behavior and quality triumphs.
5) Micro Loans are the "New" New Black for Sustainability or Giving in the Time of Scarcity -by Ginger Gatling
SAP Mentor and NW product manager turns a community on to the concept of lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. When Ginger Gatling told me about reminded me about Kiva , the micro loan website I realized the concept was very simple to implement and was just waiting for her prompting for me to join: "The individuals featured on our website are real people who need a loan and are waiting for socially-minded individuals like you to lend them money." Not a handout, a loan. Very empowering. Looking forward to Ginger's blog detailing how the community responds to this concept. But I won't hold my breath. Ginger is one of those folks who I assume rarely goes public with her good own deeds. A hearty thanks to her for making me more aware of how easy it is, especially in these times.
6) BPM Certification and the SAP Roadmap to BPM Take Business School Students by Storm- by ann.rosenberg/blog Senior Business Process Management Consultant, SAP Business Transformation Consulting. When Ann Rosenberg and jeffrey.word/blog met-up at SAPTechEd '08 (at my behest) sparks began to fly.
This video is an excerpt of that meeting. By the bye, way back in 2003 Jeff spoke about Launch of the SAP Developer Network-Part 1. Perhaps another wishful blog? Or another good opportunity for SAP Mentor jon.reed/blog to create an informative podcast.
7) The Happy Jim Wiki and Forum Quality Post by Jim Spath Jim cedes his self-proclaimed New Grumpy Workshop title as quality of wikis, blogs, forums increase 10 fold. There is already an ardent group of wiki improvement evangelizers, such as Somnath Manna who launched this Blog List for Community Day and TechEd Bangalore 08. Let's see their work enabled in 2009.
😎 Demo Jam in the Land Down Under by Craig Cmehil (or in Rio or Peru), fill in the blanks with a dream destination to send our evangelical, emceeing, RIA hacking hero.
9) Co-innovation IS Worth the Trouble by vijay.vijayasankar/blog and Post financial crisis GRC: what is it likely to require from BPX'ers?
Vijay and Dennis are two favorite writers here on the website and beyond.
Why? We can all take a lesson from them in active listening (commenting, thoughtful engaging in conversation with a broad spectrum of community). Even when they Is co-innovation worth the trouble? it's bound to be interesting. And perhaps a second title for them both: What are we missing in GRC?
10) The Sustainability Challenge - richard.hirsch2/blog, Tom Raftery, SAP Developers Challenge: Take me to a greener world, Jim Spath and the entire SCN community.
This is my own personal wishlist entry: to see sustainability as a topic of leading concern for our community, our companies and our planet.
By the way good excuse to show an additional video blog that really excited me. John Astill helped create a facebook application to track personal carbon related spending. Wouldn't that be a theme for our next after jam design slam? And yes, he kept his word and did SAP Developers Challenge: Take me to a greener world. Hope you've read it.
So a wistful and wishful list, with some self-critique thrown in for good measure, but soon we start anew.
Happy Healthy and Sustainable 2009.
7 Comments