Danny Kwok

There’s no box

Recent Posts

  • Agile Migration

    Migration is a challenging project for many. With the Cloud model, there are plenty of migration to and fro on premises and Cloud. Some will try to migrate to a ERP type large global system only to find its constraint. Then, they will migrate it back to legacy. One common trend in these migration is often traditional approach. Instead, you can consider to adopt Agile migration.

    Photo by Ethan Kwok
    Traditional Migration

    Traditional migration adopt incubator or sandbox approach. It involves a waterfall model of Big Bang. Initial fixes are done in the upgraded system with sample data. Changes are then deployed accordingly to testing environment for UAT (User Acceptance Testing). Once signed off, the entire fixes are deployed in a Big Bang to production environment. For each fix, regression testing are conducted again from testing environment. Duration of project will be at least 6 months to a year.

    Agile Migration

    Agile migration are pioneered by the Cloud trend. Lift and Shift is the most common migration approach. In this case, at least 3 cyclic runs are performed on the migrated production environment. Agile is adapted for the project approach. The duration is shorter and takes less than 6 months. Another Agile approach is incremental migration. Migration is done incremental or Agile to move from legacy to target system.

    Many organisations or vendors will conform to traditional migration approach to mitigate risks. With growing trend of Cloud and Agile team, you can consider to use Agile migration. The Agile approach aims to minimise costs and duration. However, you do required experienced vendors and SME (Subject Matter Expert) to adopt this strategy.

  • Information Gatekeeper in Asia

    Information gatekeepers still play a dominant role in many Asia countries. Recently, I have the opportunities to participate in two different projects in American and Asia. It is interesting to see how cultures playing an important part of information gathering for these two projects. This is a quick overview on a typical information gatekeeper faced in Asia.

    Characteristics
    • Information given are high level and lacking in details.
    • Gatekeeper are not the user of the system.
    • Gatekeeper is usually in management position.
    • Gatekeeper will not allow you to contact the direct users.
    Counter Measures
    • Utilise backlogs to capture the high level information.
    • Adopt Agile to manage change and risks for the actual users.
    • Mitigate information to non critical path.
    • Design solution to be scalable.

    Information gatekeeper role is part and parcel of IT projects in Asia. It is common to see gaps in information and actual testing with end users. The key to managing information gatekeeper is to be agile with the requirements and change. In addition, stay positive and try not to be frustrated by these gatekeepers.

  • Back to Phase 2

    Singapore is back to phase 2 from 8 May to 30 May with the spike in COVID-19 cases. This time, our workforce is more adapt to remote working or work from home (wfh). It is always great to see how well we switch to working anywhere. Elsewhere, we are also seeing spike and result in travel ban from certain countries. How should the management adapt to changing government policies on the pandemic?

    Adapt and React

    By now, most organisations are resilient to adapt and react to different phases of government responses to COVID-19. The infections can be unpredictable with waves or cluster of infections. Business continuity remains top priority to ensure service level are similar. In some cases, we need to slow down or de prioritise certain tasks or projects.

    Self Organising Team

    The pandemic have result in an importance of self organising team. Centralised management of team will be obsolete in face of empowerment. As our workforce becomes remote, decision making must be empowered and teams need to be self reliant. Teams become autonomous and accountable to their projects or job scope.

    For all old management, it is time to face the change from the pandemic. Management needs to create self organising teams and empowering staffs. On the other hand, workers must play their part to be accountable to their tasks without decentralise management.

  • Can Troubleshooting Codes be Tested?

    Troubleshooting codes is a skillset that is always “taught” in school. There are always test that ask what to spot mistakes in the code syntax. This is often tested school exam, coding certification or interview coding tests. How often are these effective to spot if someone is good at troubleshooting code?

    Troubleshooting cannot be Tested

    Like all soft skill, it is difficult to test the level of troubleshooting. Tests usually focus on code syntax. This form of test are considered obsolete as compiler will flag syntax errors. Testing on logic flow also do not reveal much on your troubleshooting skills as you can memorise the form of common logic occurrences. This is why you cannot expect a person with lots of certifications as an indicator of good problem solver.

    How to Demonstrate your Troubleshooting Skill

    This brings the question on how one can identify this skill. There are a few common ways to demonstrate this skill. You can illustrate on how you are able to solve complex problems. Interviewers can also pose scenario based questions and see how the person react. A good problem solver will be calm to analyse and dissect the issues given. Another method is your track record of your career. If you are a problem solver, it is good to show it in your resume.

    Scenario based questions are getting popular. Freshies must learn to demonstrate their soft skills. One of a key important skill is troubleshooting codes. Of course, certifications and tests will not reveal such skill. You can only demonstrate it via your track records or confidence to react to such scenario questions.

  • Casualty of Digital Transformation

    SPH to restructure media business into not-for-profit entity.

    Read more at TodayOnline

    I read with interest at another incumbent that become casualty of digital transformation. I also learn a new word “umbrage”. Once upon a time, this incumbent monopolise the entire media industry in Singapore. Now, we watch with dismay at its demise or struggle. The newer generation will not have any emotional attachment as they have grown up without the need of TV and newspapers.

    Will we Learn our Lesson?

    Digital disruption is a norm now. Publisher, banks and media are some of industries facing major change in digital transformation. Content can be digitalise and created by anyone anywhere. There is no longer a monopoly to content creation, storage, delivery and to generate revenue. As the content platforms grows nimbly and speedily, these incumbents remains entrenched and defensive to transform. Lessons are often not learnt from history.

    Learning as Individuals

    The demise of these incumbents are good motivator for individuals to keep learning. We must not trust that our skillsets will remain relevant. It is important to stay on our toes and be aware of the digital trends. Always stay ahead instead of being forced to be eliminated as a “not for profit”. Lastly, do not take umbrage if you are confronted on the truth of being obsolete!

  • Divide and Conquer

    A key concept of Agile is to timebox. I usually refer it as the “Divide and Conquer”. Scope and requirments comes hand in hand in shaping on what can be done by the end of timebox. Although Scrum timebox daily, the reality is not true of that.

    What to Divide

    The rule of thumb in dividing the tasks is to find the easiest component. Completing the easy component leads to clarify. Once completed, you can further determine if the task can be split further. So, how do you identify the easy component? Easy usually refers to below criterions:

    • It is known solution and you can complete easily within an hour.
    • The task component have low risk.
    • You can reuse the task component.
    Conquer After Divided

    After you divide your tasks, it is ready to be completed within the timebox. Some of the divided task may be added back to the backlog as it will exceed the timebox. You shall take many iterations to improve on your timeboxing. One key things you learn is the ease of completing your tasks after you divided it in the most effective way.

  • Track and Trace in Asia Supply Chain

    Big brother is here to stay. Required by COVID-19 pandemic, humans are now trackable in Singapore.Everyone and everywhere will need to be check in to log your presence. A pandemic is needed to remove the resistance to being tracked. Do you know that this resistance is also a challenge of IoT to track and trace the goods in supply chain?

    Source SafeEntry App
    Hiding our Movement

    In my younger days, working in warehouse and helping with delivery runs do let you know the perks of not being tracked. If you are able to complete your run earlier, you can run the rest of the clock till knock off. This is the key reason why majority of transportation face resistance in Asia countries. This is the reason that drivers are lower paid in Asia and there are no incentives to be traceable.

    Freelancing is High Cost Tracking

    Many drivers are also freelance or daily wage in Asia. This means the tracking by the usage of your vehicles or drivers are not feasible as they are not under official employment of your truckers. That will also translate to tracking by cargo instead of utilising your vehicles or drivers. Thus, this incur higher cost to your cargo track and Trace.

    A common resistance to track and trace in Asia is ironically due to the cheap labour and supply chain. These factors in transport industry create a strong barriers and resistance to track and trace implementation in Asia. The technologies are ready but are consumers prepare to pay for visibility?

  • Time, Scope, Cost

    Have you ever meet user who like to ask if this or that can be done to change the system? That someone will also like make recommendations to the system. An age old answers to them is always “Time Scope and Cost”. It is usually easy to make suggestions or recommendations without such constraints or understanding of the system. So, how should we deal with it?

    The Ignorant User

    Some user will always be ignorant and oblivious to the basic of “Time scope and Cost”. For such user, the best way to handle is a detailed SOP (Standard Operating Procedure). With SOP, everything is documented with full transparency. If it is a product constraint, you can also state it clearly. All communication will need to formalise to prevent repetitive explanation with the ignorant user.

    The “Want It All” User

    There is another set of user who wants every features and yet having non existent scenario or test cases. This is the dreaded scope creep where development team waste valuable time designing for non existent requirments. I often apply Agile and scalable solution to handle such user. Agile allows your solution to scale if the “said” scenario occurs.

    In every projects or production support, there will always be users who falls under the above categories. They usually have no understanding of time, scope or cost. You can easily be transparent and show your SOP. Do also consider applying Agile and design your solution to scale easily.

  • A Startup Mindset in MNC

    There is a trend of MNC hiring that requires a working stint or experience in a Startup. One reason is the ability to innovate with minimum cost for a startup. Of course, you will not see such phenomena if you always work in a MNC. So, why are MNC looking for startup capabilities? I will relook my own experiences in Startup and explain quickly why it is such sought after for MNC.

    What is a Startup Mindset?

    In a MNC, majority of IT are outsourced and dependent on vendors. You give requirements and vendor provide cost and quotations. In contrast, startup have lower cash and can only able to rely on its most valuable skills i.e. human capital! IT solution are often open source and incur zero licensing. The constant need to be creative and innovate with minimum cost will hone the startup mindset in an individual.

    Think like a Startup in the MNC

    In a startup, you are always hands on for all implementation from business analyst, developer, tester, support and even pre sales. This is the perfect Agile team competencies and each members are capable to handle end to end project implementation. The view is not to rely on vendors and focus to build resource competencies in-house.

    It is good to see MNC looking to acquire startup resources or people with such experiences. However, you can also encourage such mindset with a single leader who have such expertise. All I can say, it is not easy to create startup mindset for your team. Do not give up as the rewards are worth it.

  • IT Supply Chain Dilemma

    Designing IT solution in Supply Chain is a constant dilemma. This is because we are trying to map the physical world into a digital plane. There will always be a constant timing and data gap in the system. So, how does we overcome this dilemma?

    Managing Expectations

    User expectations determines how you can tweak your supply chain system. The bullwhip effect actually applies for the information system as well. It is no uncommon for supply chain system to front facing to end users and vice versa. The dilemma happens when there is a mismatch of the system design with user expectations.

    Real Time is Costly

    Information flow is actually directly proportional to cost. The technology have provided cheaper real time information to users now. However, the change have not been effected to all existing systems built during the days of 2000s. It may take another five years or so before real time is the become a de facto standard. Meanwhile, it is a fact that all supply chain systems are only Near real time.

    Many solutions that promised real time information update is nearly a hoax and dilemma in the year 2020s. This is because the physical world is not yet ready to provide such updates. By managing user expectations, you can deliver supply chain that achieve consumer satisfaction and not burden your IT team.