CONTENTS 5 ACS WELCOME SPEAKER Q&A 2 ROSS DAWSON Futurist & author 10 3 JODIE FOX Shoes of Prey, Co-founder & chief creative officer 4 CLIVE WHINCUP Woolworths, CIO 5 SHENG YEO OrionVM, CEO 6 BEN HEYES Commonwealth Bank, GM Cyber Security, Privacy & Operational Risk 7 JOSH GUEST B2Cloud, managing director & founder 8 GABE ZICHERMANN Gamification.co & EQ Magazine, Founder 9 MICHAEL WOODS Co-founder and creative director, Media Saints 10 MARTIN JANSE VAN RENSBURG Cisco, Alliance Manager Industry Solution Partners 11 BENJAMIN CHONG Partner at Right Click Capital 12 COERT DU PLESSIS Deloitte Analytics, Partner 13 NAOMI HENN Founder, TapIn 14 KEN MATTHEWS CIO Advisory, Founder & Director 15 STEPHANIE BENDIXSEN Co-host ABC’s Good Game 16 NISHAN DAVID Project manager, Adappt

www.acs.org.au FUTURE PERFECTION

What has made you an innovator? big picture, while others hone in on I am a futurist and entrepreneur, details. By having the flexibility to look ROSS DAWSON and that has come from always at, for example, big trends, while also futurist and author being interested in and excited being nit-picky, you can select what about what we are becoming and is being done correctly. Whatever where we are going. I have had a our natural preferences, we can all future-oriented perspective as to try to have both views. This can also what I want to become, and I have be done by having business partners managed to build that over time. and other forms of collaborations to Thinking about the future combine the two traits. is one thing, but it is also about What is the cornerstone for doing; actually making a change. competitive innovation? Collectively, what I am trying to Everything starts from curiosity; do with the companies is provide being able to always look into an example of what is possible. I ‘why’; why things work, how am not interested in doing what they work, what happens when other people have done. I want to you try something. Curiosity is do new things, and as a result, show fundamentally important and a different possibilities. The role of starting point for innovation. the futurist is to help people think You also need to have the tech about the future so they can act foundation to understand what is better today, and ultimately create a possible and how that can be done better future for humanity. using software and hardware to What traits have allowed you to understand the execution. That does maintain an innovative mindset? require experimenting and learning. Recently I re-did a list of current and The innovation then requires upcoming projects that I want to take some kind of a vision, and an on. It is about getting ideas from what absolutely critical part is collaboration. I see happening and filtering those As we move into an increasingly to prioritise and try to act on them. specialised world, collaborating with I am fortunate because of the others to achieve is key. nature of what I do in communicating Studies have shown that most with a lot of people. I have been successful people focus on two exposed to many things. That gives things: getting deeper expertise, Ross Dawson is globally recognized as a leading futurist, me exposure to different perspectives and building their own network; not entrepreneur, keynote speaker, strategy advisor, bestselling and ideas, and that is where I start to just who you know, but effectively author and media commentator. He is the Founding Chairman of see ideas to put on the project list. collaborating. The pace of change four tech companies. There are many traits, but one of is accelerating, and unless you are the very critical ones is to be about developing, you are a commodity. to consider both detail and the big You have to choose a space and say picture. Most people tend to have a you will become world class in that preference for either having a very space. Keep a t-shaped skillset; deep macro view of change by seeing the and broad.

2 www.acs.org.au CREATIVITY & OPPORTUNITY

What was the genesis of your journey taking a risk is a normal and towards innovation? necessary part of the process. Not JODIE FOX The solving of a problem. I was only will you sound like the crazy Co-founder and chief creative officer, solving a problem of my own, in person in the room when you Shoes of Prey that I’d always liked shoes, but I explain the idea, but you will also never loved them because I couldn’t need to invent the process that find exactly what I was looking takes it from the too-hard-basket to for. Either it wasn’t quite the right the real world. colour, there was an embellishment At a broader level, the thing you I didn’t like, not quite the right need to remember is to just make heel height, and so on. When I a decision and see what happens. was travelling, in the same way Your bias to action is critical. Also, that you find someone who will do everything before you’re ready. make a custom suit for you, I You can bet you aren’t the only one found someone with whom I could thinking of doing this. First to move commission shoe designs. to action with slick execution wins. My shoe collection became Finally, believe passionately in what really exciting, and my girlfriends you’re doing. You’ll face a tonne of asked me where I was getting my nay-sayers, rejections and failures footwear. When I explained, they along the way. You’re going to need asked me to create shoes for them to passionately believe in this to too. Concurrently, my two business make it a successful reality. partners Mike and Michael were at Google and becoming really excited about the opportunities in online retail. They just needed an idea. We all came together and Shoes of Prey Jodie Fox is the chief creative officer (CCO) was born. and one of three co-founders of Shoes of How did you follow-up after that Prey, a website where women can design their initial step? perfect pair of shoes. Launched in 2009, Shoes We built a business plan to of Prey was the first company to offer women understand the opportunity better the opportunity to design their own shoes and map out next steps. We also online, breaking even within two months and gave it a name, met with potential hitting multi-million dollar revenues within suppliers, and started to look at two years. Today, Shoes of Prey is a global how the experience would work. multi-million dollar company with a syndicate With the benefit of hindsight, what of influential investors including Techcrunch would your advice be to others who founder Mike Arrington. Jodie Fox was named are keen to innovate? National Telstra Businesswoman of the Year, It’s hard to set out to innovate, private and corporate, in 2011, and has been but it’s easy to set out to solve a named in SmartCompany’s ‘Hot 30, Under 30’ problem that hasn’t been addressed. for the past three years. Innovation is the by-product;

www.acs.org.au 3 FRESH FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How did you get your start in the IT So the relevance of technology industry? has steadily progressed from the My first attraction to IT was workplace, into the home and through programming. I used finally into the pocket. The next Fortran at University and step is onto our wrists and then on afterwards decided to take a and in our bodies. This is such a programming course to include fertile ground for innovation, I don’t COBOL and BASIC. My first job see an end to it any time soon. was programming pre-PC micro- What do you personally wish to computers running CPM in Z80 achieve over the next few years when assembly language. I was always it comes to innovating within the role fascinated by the combination you play at Woolworth’s? of technology and the creative In Woolworths we are pushing on process of programming. There our Google journey which is really is a deep satisfaction in taking transforming the way we work. a ‘dumb obedient machine’ and Collaboration and the technology making it do useful things for that supports our workplace and humans. Unfortunately I don’t get provides our people with flexibility much time for programming these is a big area of innovation. I think days but I am really excited by back to the time before email and the opportunities in Woolworths. mobile phones and how differently Learning a new industry, after so we used to work then. Going many years in Financial Services, is forward I think we will see even a real motivator for me. greater changes in the way we work CLIVE WHINCUP What is it that you love most about driven by the ubiquity of computing CIO, Woolworths technology, and what is your power and high bandwidth favourite gadget? connectivity. Clive has delivered large scale transformation programs with What I love most about technology My proudest achievements have strategic business outcomes, delivers technology innovation and is that there is always something always been around working with new ways of doing business. He has held senior leadership positions new to learn. My favourite ‘gadget’ people and helping them to develop with Westpac, Lloyds, Banca Popolare di Milano, Bank of Scotland at the moment is Garmin GPS their careers by realising their and CariVerona Banking Group. cycling computer. I think location potential. awareness and fitness are two of the What advice do you want to give to big emerging trends we’ll see over kids looking to get a start in IT? the next few years. There are so many ways into IT but What are some of the key tech one of the most exciting is through innovations you think will emerge the development of Apps on the over the next 12 months? various phone platforms, Android, Innovation is a constant factor iOS and Windows. There has never in IT. What is really exciting is been so much opportunity to turn the way that nowadays everybody a great idea into something which carries at least one computer (a can change so many people’s lives smartphone) around with them. so quickly.

4 www.acs.org.au PROOF OF LIFE

What was the spark that drove you to launched it with our last $50. It was begin 5 years ago? a decision point moment. We had SHENG YEO Well, going back to December the lease on a data centre, and had OrionVM CEO 2009 there was myself and 2 other scraped together some seed funding founders. I was 21, Alex had just of about $80,000 to pay for the turned 18 and Joseph was 17. We equipment in the data centre, which were a pretty young team. came from savings and our parents, At the time I had a guaranteed and it absolutely had to go live. salaried job, but I didn’t really That was on March 30, and we like what I was doing. I was an decided to launch on April 1. Soon accountant, and had done 2 years we were benchmarked as the fastest of financial audit and 1 year of IT replicated storage service in the world. security consulting. This meant You have to remember though doing 70-80 hour weeks, and it was that this was 4 guys, sleeping under great background but my biggest tables. It sounds cool now but at the problem was that I wasn’t really time it really wasn’t glamorous. It achieving anything – I wasn’t was hard work with a lot of risk. changing the world. The risk was worth it though as My personality means that I we kept signing on customers, who need to be doing something I like then went and helped spread the Sheng co-founded OrionVM while attending the University of Technology and pushing the boundaries in order word about what we were doing. It in Sydney, where he now lectures. From the dorm room his team hatched to be happy. So a salaried job was was great brand traction. an idea to build an IaaS company using a new technology blueprint. not really for me. What advice would you give As CEO he drives innovation, supported by his versatile background, So at the time we were building to someone who is thinking of detail-oriented nature and strong management skills. an AI learning platform and using innovating and taking a risk? established cloud providers. We I think it’s important to ask a lot of found that they didn’t really work for people to give you their opinion on us, so we decided to build our own. what you’re doing, and then ignore then it’s a 100% guarantee that you It was just a prototype but the most of it, because 90% of people won’t succeed. driving force was wanting to do will tell you that you will fail. Finally, innovating and building something better. We were all really The most common comment we a business is not a walk in the park. big geeks basically, so in 2012 we got was that we were too young to It’s hard work, but it’s rewarding grabbed $2,000 each and decided to do this – we would simply say why? and there’s nothing better than start a virtualization company. We knew that we were building seeing all the people who told us We bought 4 computers, and built something that people would that we’d fail and showing them how what we called an Orion cluster. We pay for, and that’s probably the far we’ve come. didn’t have much money, so we had most critical piece of advice – do to build it to a mantra – Efficiency. something that people will pay for. Performance. Price-point. It’s also important to be willing So how did you go from that point to to take the risk. It’s entirely possible launch? that you will fail, but it’s equally It took us about 18 months to get possible that you will succeed. the build right, and we actually However, if you don’t take the risk

www.acs.org.au 5 YOU CAN BANK ON IT

What is that attracts you to employs the latest technologies innovation? and approaches including Cloud, BEN HEYES I’ve long had a keen interest in data analytics, Agile, DevOps, General Manager technology and innovation, having digitisation and much more. Cyber Security, worked in a range of technology- We have the number one website Privacy & Operational related roles in Australia and and online services and mobile Risk, Commonwealth overseas. It’s particularly exciting to apps among our peers. We have Bank me that today – due to developments delivered CommBank app which such as the internet, smartphones, now has more than 3 million Cloud and social media – we have users and is the leading finance more opportunities than ever to app. Our ATMs now offer the enjoy incredible experiences and market-leading Cardless Cash. For connect with people online. business customers, the CommBiz Working at a place like app was updated to allow business Commonwealth Bank puts you at customers to transfer funds and the heart of this exciting world in a make or authorise payments, very direct way. We’re committed anywhere anytime. We have and passionate about using delivered Daily IQ giving insights to technology to create incredible customers. We continue with world experiences for our customers and first innovations revolutionising enhance their wellbeing. point-of-sale experience with As a technology professional, our payments platform we call Pi it’s fulfilling to be part of delivering and the recently launched Emmy financial services innovations that point-of-sale device which joins the have been Australian firsts and already available Leo. even world-firsts. It’s immensely What do you personally wish to Ben leads a team of security, privacy and risk professionals, and has satisfying to work on products that achieve over the next few years when previously held leadership roles in a number of the world’s leading large numbers of people use daily – it comes to innovating within the role financial service providers: NAB, Deutsche Bank, and UBS. He also there are few other places where this you play at the bank? spent six years working in various technical and liaison roles in is possible. Like many others in the bank, national security and foreign intelligence. Where do you think innovation will I’m also passionate about making go next and how do you stay ahead of sure all Australians get the most the pack? out of the digital world. This into them. This combination is We’ve worked on industry- means creating a positive online important to us, and also to our leading and in some cases world- environment where innovations customers, as seen by the popularity leading projects. We’ve invested flourish and people have the of our apps. significantly in technology which confidence to use them. We also shape the world around means our people can work on As an organisation that us. I’m an advocate for increasing a wide range of major projects Australians trust – something we digital awareness and literacy and across different disciplines – be it hold dear – we deliver products promoting skills in technology, things online development, architecture, that are both innovative and have we are doing as a bank and which or IT security. As a recognised the highest standards of security, I believe will lay the foundation for technology leader, the bank also privacy and resilience built even more great innovation.

6 www.acs.org.au WEARING TECHNOLOGY

What major technology trends have hand-in-hand with us to build changed the world over the past five amazing mobile and wearable JOSH GUEST years? apps. The main challenge was b2Cloud managing Apple releasing the iPhone. Its helping our partners understand director and founder incredible popularity changed the that the shift towards mobile world in too many ways to count. and wearable technology is an From the fact that you can now incredible opportunity for them run your businesses and life from to take advantage of. Often larger a small device in your pocket, to companies are slowed down by the subsequent rise of Google’s bureaucracy and the traditional Android operating system and way of doing things, which is why devices, the world is a very different they have come to value working place than it was 5 years ago. We with an agile innovation partner realised very early that the world is like b2cloud. We help them leverage shifting to a mobile first approach mobile and wearable technology and there will need to be amazing to achieve their current businesses apps to run it, which is why we objectives, while also creating new work with some of Australia’s ones in the process. most innovative companies to What advice would you give to young ensure they are taking advantage app developers/startups who are of these changes and seizing the seeking to take advantage of the next opportunities now available to wave of technology? them. It is this same realisation The greatest threat to the that has driven b2cloud to be one innovations currently taking place of Australia’s first and leading in mobile and wearable technology developers for wearable technology is marketers and startups that and the Internet of Things. are using new technologies to How does it feel to have started excessively spam users as opposed Australia’s fastest growing app to forming meaningful and developer for mobile and wearable worthwhile relationships that technology, and what were the main genuinely make users’ lives better. As founder of b2cloud, Australia fastest growing app developer for challenges you faced from launch As we tell all our clients, this is mobile and wearable technology. Guest started building websites until now? an incredible opportunity for in high school. The company’s most popular app, designed in 2011 It is highly gratifying to have companies to create invaluable for Alzheimer’s Australia, has been downloaded 300,000 times. a wonderful team of mobile brand loyalty and recognition, to enthusiasts that work for b2cloud, do this they must always prioritise who all share a passion for the users’ best interest and create improving users’ lives through apps that improve their lives in delightful mobile experiences. some way. Building any business organically is always a challenge, but we’ve found a fantastic place in our market where our clients work

www.acs.org.au 7 MAKING A GAME OUT OF IT

What was the catalyst that from the tests was that the market sparked your inspiration? really needed to see and understand GABE ZICHERMANN I helped start a digital games gamification concepts in a tangible Founder of gamification.co and EQ Magazine platform company in 1999 and we way, and that they needed a way sold it in 2005. After the sale, I to connect with others working began to think, “can we do more in similar areas. This led to the with games than entertain?” I development of our first gamified think entertainment is important apps (to organize digital photos) and meaningful, but I also thought and the launch of the gsummit we could do something to improve conference. Ultimately, the the world and advance business development of a community was strategy. So I started to research the strongest and most meaningful what folks had done in the early concept. “serious games” space, and started Looking back on your experiences prototyping various ideas to with taking a risk and innovating, explore the extent of gamification what would your recommendation be concepts. I kept doing public to other people? speaking in the meantime, and Many people believe that that also allowed me to expose my innovation can be turned into a ideas to many people, meet my clearly repeatable process, but I peers and connect with others who don’t think this is entirely true. could help amplify my thinking. To deliver meaningful innovation, Ultimately, my inspiration and you need to begin with your own goal was to help bring game personal skills, interests and goals: Gabe Zichermann is an author, public speaker, and self-described concepts to a wider audience and what do you love to do, and what do “serial entrepreneur.” He has worked as a proponent of leveraging help folks unlock the potential in you really hate doing? Concurrently game mechanics in business, education, and other non-entertainment themselves through the power of - and this is especially important platforms to increase user engagement. game concepts. for Australians - it’s critical to get a How would you describe your journey handle on what you do better than from idea to reality? anyone else in the world, without As I was ideating various hubris. This understanding of your gamification concepts in early days, strengths and weaknesses will help I followed an agile philosophy. That to filter the universe of possible is, take the concept/issue I was options down to a list of things working on and make a compact, that you can actually accomplish. simplified and easy-to-test concept Once you understand this, you can out of it. The goal is to expose take your concept, get it to market this product, called an MVP or super quickly, and see if it sticks. Minimum Viable Product, to the If you fail, get up and try again market as quickly as possible to get - innovation takes time and risk. feedback. Our first couple of ideas But only your own momentum and were quick and easy to test, but energy can help you see it through ultimately the most valuable lesson to realisation.

8 www.acs.org.au MEDIA MAESTRO

How did you get your start in the IT for? What is your proudest moment industry? What drew you to the IT/ of IT or technology innovation? MICHAEL WOODS tech industry? How did your career My first real job was as a Co-founder and creative director, progress to Media Saints? columnist and mobile media Media Saints When I started uni I had the manager for MX Newspaper. I opportunity to blend my two got the job at the last minute as favourite things together. Video they were about to roll out the games and film. With support worlds first mobile newspaper. from RMITV, some friends and The mobile newspaper really I created a web series following wasn’t a big success at all, in fact Australian professional video the iPhone launched in the same game tournaments. It didn’t take month and we all know how that long before our videos became ended. From this I learnt timing is very popular and soon we weren’t everything. A good idea can be too just filming the video game early and its better to be patient tournaments, we were running with innovation than rushed. them. We moved the tournaments What advice do you want to give to from LAN cafes to TV studios kids looking to get a start in the and for 5+ years we hosted over 25 industry? major tournaments and gave away Honestly, volunteer your time as if over $100,000. These video game you were being paid for it. When tournaments laid the foundation I was 18, I would pretend my for the rest of my career. It taught volunteer projects were being paid me a lot about running a business, $50 an hour. If you show you’re a leading a team, engaging with an dedicated hard worker it wont take online audience and networking. you long to be earning the money While running these tournaments you’re looking for. I took a few jobs - one at MX What are some of the key tech Newspaper, another Film Victoria innovations you think will emerge before starting Media Saints. over the next 12 months? What is it that you love most about Right now I’m really interested technology, and what is your in the social media content boom favourite gadget? happening. Online video is tipped I love solid state hard drives. to increase 700% in the next 4 Honestly, its the biggest years. Advertising has shifted and breakthrough in my world. There there is fantastic technology in sites Michael is Co-founder and creative director of Media Saints, a company is nothing quite as painful, in that like YouTube to enable you to track that makes educational games, websites, apps, films, adverts and more. perfect moment on your pc, to audience engagement. I think this He has been a games/tech journalist, worked in government investment sit and wait while your computer technology will become very very at Film Victoria, and has presented at conferences around the world catches up. SSD solved this for me. accurate in the future. about games, technology and Generation Y. He recently received a In what ways have you used fellowship to the Australian CEO Institute and is an Associate Fellow innovation to further your career, of the Australian Institute of Management. or the companies you’ve worked

www.acs.org.au 9 INTERNET OF EVERYTHING

What has driven the rise of the Internet Finally, Disintermediation is of Everything over the past five years? seeing the removal of intermediaries MARTIN JANSE A key driver of the Internet of in a supply chain (“cutting out the VAN RENSBURG Everything over the past five years middle man”) due to IoE. Based on Alliance Manager Industry has been the evolution of the IoE, some intermediaries who had Solution Partners, corporate network or the Internet previously been removed from the Cisco to become a platform for driving supply chain will be reintroduced. innovation by connecting devices What impacts are these new that can improve efficiency, reduce technologies having on business? cost, improve asset utilization, The industrial revolution created enhance the customer experience new career opportunities and and transform supply chain and removed others from society logistics. Cisco prides itself on not completely. In the same way, the just capturing market transitions Internet of Everything will have but actually becoming the global the same effect in our time. The leader in them. IoE is one of the transition is going to be one of the next focus areas for us. largest disruptions to business, and There are four primary factors will create a need to re-educate that have accelerated the adoption of employees to develop skills relevant the Internet of Everything. Firstly, to the future of work. Cisco is reduced costs. Network capacity working with our partners to create is becoming affordable, removing education programs to help meet bottlenecks on information flows. these needs. The number of “things” that can What technological trends do you now connect to the Internet are think will be the most over the next Martin Janse van Rensburg is responsible for building partnerships taking advantage of this increase in ten year? with companies around Internet of Everything business opportunities. network capacity. The Internet of Everything will Martin has been in the information and communication technology Secondly, technology become the biggest platform for (ICT) industry since 1995 and has held several senior ICT roles architectures are making Internet apps by allowing developers to within both the private and public sector including operating as an of Everything adoptions easier. build real-time applications that independent consultant. There are increasing numbers of can deal with data in motion. workers migrating to smartphones Rather than having to send data and connected devices, while Cloud back to the Cloud, you will be able is fueling market entry of smaller to place the application directly at technology players. Our networks the edge of the Cisco network as have also become “smarter.” close to the device as possible for Thirdly, the next generation of real-time analytics and resolution. users have different expectations. Workers now expect video, mobile, visual, virtual, and social collaboration in real time from “things” when they want it and only when they need it.

10 www.acs.org.au START ME UP

How did you get your start in the IT notes in meetings. It automatically industry? syncs with my phone and my BENJAMIN CHONG I was offered a scholarship to computers and home and work. It Partner at Right Click Capital, general study Information Systems and means I don’t have an excuse for partner at Sydney Seed Fund Management at The University of forgetting anything. New South Wales. I was always In what ways have you used interested in the interaction innovation to further your career, or between technology and business. the companies you’ve worked for? How did your career progress to I’ve taken part in a range of Right Click Capital? formal and informal training. I’ve been fortunate to have started, I’ve previously been certified by a built, bought, and sold a few number of vendors after taking part businesses. All of my businesses in their courses and passing exams. have been internet or technology- I’ve also been fortunate to attend related. In 2003, my business many demo, training days and partner and I, Ari Klinger, decided conferences where I’ve learnt from to begin investing in early-stage expert presenters and other guests. tech businesses and we called our On reflection, I find I learn the firm Right Click Capital. Right most when I’ve been pushed outside Click Capital is an investment firm my comfort zone, even though I that specialises in identifying and don’t enjoy it at the time. investing in high-growth, early- What advice do you want to give stage Internet-based businesses. to kids looking to get a start in the Benjamin Chong is a partner at Right Click Capital and a general What is it that you love most about industry? partner at Sydney Seed Fund. He has a track record of investing in technology, and what is your Be open to new ideas and try and building successful Internet-related businesses over the last favourite gadget? everything. How do you know you fifteen years. Benjamin was named National Young Business Person I love the opportunity that won’t like coding unless you give of the Year by Young Achievement Australia and is a member of the technology provides to make it a go? And even if you work out Entrepreneurs’ Organisation, the Australian Private Equity and our lives better. This can take you don’t like it after having tried Venture Capital Association (AVCAL), and Sydney Angels. many innovative forms including: it, you’ll have a lot more experience medical technology that prevents about the effort and process and cures disease; communications involved in that task. By having a started offering similar solutions technology that allows us to broad understanding of different in different parts of the world. I’m instantly stay in touch with family, areas of the industry, you can make hoping we’ll see more Internet of friends, and colleagues around a larger impact in your field of things devices making a real impact the world (WhatsApp and SMS specialisation. in our every-day lives. is great!); sensor technology that What are some of the key tech allows us to automatically save innovations you think will emerge energy at home and in the office over the next 12 months? by sensing whether people are There’ll be an increasing amount in the room or not. My favourite of consumer-facing sensor-based gadget at the moment is my tablet devices. Nest is growing in the computer that allows me to take US and other manufacturers have

www.acs.org.au 11 NO DUMB QUESTIONS

What inspired your approach to data work at Deloitte today? and analytics? The analytics business at Deloitte COERT DU PLESSIS There were two foundational has been shaped in the same way I Partner, Deloitte Analytics aspects. Necessity is one. I was have been able to do experiments; born on a rural farm, where I have taught my team to do the resources were limited and I needed same, and they do not get in trouble to make a lot of choices and do for trying things if they have more with one thing; turn a ute thought about it. We understand into a car, a truck, and a family we are on a journey that is not quite passenger vehicle. The second charted. The only thing you need thing was that I have had very is ‘t-h-i-n-k’. If you can justify that inspirational teachers, even in that you have thought about any action rural community. you have taken, failure is fine. In my career at Deloitte, I One of the things I do today to was never afraid to ask the dumb keep fresh is always ask junior staff questions – and believe me some of what they think. I often take the them were very dumb. Six or seven most junior staff to client meetings years ago when I was asked to take to see their viewpoint. on Deloitte’s Western Australian As I have moved from the analytics business, which at the time business to be a partner of the WA did not exist. I did not know what analytics business, I have ensured to expect, so I asked a lot of dumb that I do not lose access to the list of Coert specialises in advanced data analytics and large scale data questions. As a result of asking those ideas I innovated with. manipulation. He is a qualified chartered accountant and avid questions, I found there were a lot What will innovators of tomorrow be technophile who has worked as a marketing accountant, financial of other people that did not know. driven by? auditor, IT auditor, business continuity practitioner and data miner. The art of curiosity is the heart of Innovation is key, but more so is He has over 12 years’ experience with Deloitte. innovation; the bravery to ask is perseverance. You can no longer important because it is not always as compete on knowledge alone. obvious as it seems, and even when The knowledge economy has you ask someone that knows the been replaced by very efficient answer, they will rethink it. computing and incredible Another thing is accepting that I experience in offshore locations. would be wrong. I therefore looked The thing that gets you through for an environment where I was the door is going to be that you encouraged to fail – genuinely fail, are going to have experience, and with low consequences so long as I that will come from mistakes from would learn from it. Deloitte offered the past, but more importantly, that. I was allowed to hire anyone creativity. How can we compete I wanted, run innovation sessions, with well experienced labour from and that was scary. I took risks that overseas? We need to tell a better were different. You have to have the story. IT has struggled to speak bravery to fail. business. Innovators that want to How did these approaches shape your do well must be able to tell a story.

12 www.acs.org.au INTERNAL DRIVE

What skills contribute most to they see it as black and white, and becoming a renowned entrepreneur? don’t realise it can be a far more NAOMI HENN Broadly speaking, to get yourself creative industry. There are a few Founder, TapIn going you need to be able to specialist ICT schools popping in articulate your vision, recruit well, Western Australia, and a few which and raise funds. Then each day you have initiated better IT programs. also need to be confident, listen, However, it’s not a majority within ask the right people for help, and the education system. It’s about apply and execute on those points. three things: starting early to Sometimes I feel like being develop better IT classes; continuous an entrepreneur is an internal learning from an early age through to drive, but people’s guidance has university, coupled with scholarships always helped me down the right and incentives; finding role models path. Young entrepreneurs often for children to look up to. can’t do it alone, and leveraging What attracted me to IT is that advice is a good way forward. At it is challenging, fast-paced, and different times, as you grow, your creative. mentors grow, and you continue Secondly, a lot of women who building that net of support. I have do choose to move into a leadership always been able to touch base with role, myself included, feel they different people when I have needed can’t be as confident or strong as help and they have always been male counterparts; we are expected happy to support me. to be more submissive. Women What challenges have you faced, and in leadership positions – not just perhaps continue to face, as a woman in tech – can often be wrongly Growing up Naomi Henn wanted to be two things: an Olympian and a in IT? perceived as a bit more bossy business woman. While two knee injuries prevented her from the first, Firstly, there’s not really a lot of than being the boss. That idea she has turned into a renowned young entrepreneur. Henn currently us. If you look at the statistics, is decreasing, but until we can runs TapIn, an app development platform she founded in 2013, the not many women choose to go override those stereotypes, I fear latest of a healthy line of experiences across sport, business, and IT. into technology. That’s part of that some women will continue the problem because there isn’t to sacrifice being liked to be as much of a support network successful. more competition might means among our peers – at least not Where do you see the ICT industry innovation is less likely to be stifled when I initially started. Now there heading the app space? as people are forced to come up with a number of groups around, such It is moving more towards online new ways of things to survive. At as Women In Technology, where competition. The tech we provide the time, you don’t necessarily have programs are used to advocate at TapIn lets you design and to have the next big idea. If there women in the industry. build your apps online, from an is competition in the market for But it all starts at an early age, idea to delivering in app stores. your idea, it not only validates that and the misconceptions learned Competition will continue to grow, there is a need for it, but provides then. When you go into a lot of but we are providing the platform the opportunity to execute it better schools and speak to students, a lot to make app development easier. or find a different revenue stream. of them have wrong ideas about IT; In some ways, though, There’s always room in the market.

www.acs.org.au 13 DIGITAL CULTURE SHOCK

How has your experience over 25 How has the role of the CIO changed years in IT shaped your view of the over the last ten years? role of the CIO, and what drew you to In the last ten years the CIO role the industry initially? has changed significantly, from a I was initially focused on being technical CIO to a business CIO the boss, I had little knowledge of and on the way to a digital CIO. what a CIO did. In retrospect it Add to that CIOs have lower was a good decision. Not a good reporting lines and authority than answer I know, but I think what ten years ago. So yes, the CIO role initially drives us is a better life has changed significantly. for our families, and a more Has the CIO kept up with this interesting career. My experience change? On the whole no. Are CIOs as a CIO and now as an advisor a trusted business partner? Sadly has shaped my view of the role of this is a no as well. On the whole the CIO to the extent that I am the CIO community needs to work now clear that I wasn’t a great better as a group to support new CIO. CIOs are business leaders CIOs, and to educate CIOs about who happen to have technology as what their job is and where the a portfolio. They are seen by the value is. KEN MATTHEWS business as trusted. What advice would you give to CIOs to Founder and director, No change occurs in the help stay ahead of the curve? CIO Advisory business without their involvement. CIOs these days need to be clear Some CIOs add other roles to their on their career plan, what sort portfolio, like shared services, of culture that they aim to work Ken has 25 years’ experience in IT, most of that at the executive marketing etcetera. Sadly this image in and what sacrifices they are level. His previous roles have included Global CIO of BHP Biliton, CIO of the CIO is largely academic. Most prepared to make to get ahead in Transurban, CIO and GM, Newcrest and global head of NR Services. CIOs are not aspiring to these lofty their career. It is no longer valid He has extensive experience in assisting IT teams create better heights and are stuck in the role of to wait until the phone rings. business strategies. technologist. I would suggest these Hope is a not a career strategy. CIOs are surviving, not thriving You must be active and plan for and eventually they will be replaced. it. Tell people your aspirations, about your capability and style. The role of the CIO is a tenuous get the skills and a mentor who If you are reasonably honest and one at best, and if you are a CIO has done it and do something. lack diplomacy, don’t target gentle and have no plans to evolve your Most people I meet either wait organisations. If you have never role or change the perceptions of until too late in their careers, are been a CIO, don’t gild the Lilly, be technology, then your days are too arrogant to understand they honest with the recruiters. numbered. About 10 per cent of don’t have the answers, or are the CIOs I meet satisfy this loose completely unrealistic about their criteria. As a community I would capabilities. Get a career plan, tell like to see more senior CIOs mentor the recruiters, get independent junior CIOs, and I would like to see advice on whether you are capable junior CIOs display less arrogance and manage your network. and more openness. One more point is to be realistic

14 www.acs.org.au GAME ON!

What is the appeal and significance of play multiple games a week as part gamification? of my role as a game reviewer and It’s about how and why we, as it’s really broadened my experiences gamers, feel compelled and to a wide variety of games and motivated to invest so much time genres, some incorporating aspects in the completion of tasks that offer of gamification into their design. no real-world gain. Games are fun, We also have a children’s version interactive experiences that often of the show called Good Game: offer great storytelling experiences Spawn Point that features G and PG or competitive environments with rated games. Often we look at games friends. Many games are simply that have an educational aspect, based around the idea of giving harnessing gameplay ideas to convey you objectives, and rewarding you lessons and information that are within the game for doing so, often useful learning tools for students. with tools or information that will There’s particular skill in designing assist you in progressing further. these kinds of games, however, kids Gamification explores ways often balk at a game when they in which we can harness this idea figure out it is specifically trying to STEPHANIE BENDIXSEN in real world scenarios. For me, it ‘teach’ them something. But even Co-host ABC’s Good Game works really well with things that I a game as popular as Minecraft find frustrating and unenjoyable in has educational elements involving daily life, like chores and exercise. construction and spatial reasoning. Stephanie Bendixsen is an Australian television presenter - writing There are a few smartphone apps What is it like acting as a voice for and presenting content for Good Game and its companion shows Good I use to “gamify” these tasks for a this part of the ICT industry? Are Game: Spawn Point and Good Game: Pocket Edition. Passionately sense of achievement. there unique challenges as a woman involved in all aspects of nerd culture, she enjoys science fiction, Exercise apps can pit you against in ICT? fantasy, collecting swords and figurines - even occasionally slinging your friends to see who has run At the end of the day, I voice an arrows at her local archery club. the most kilometres that month. opinion, just like anyone else’s. I Achievement badges are also am able to base that opinion on a motivating techniques. I think there fairly in-depth understanding of so many new worlds to visit! are a lot of areas of our lives that games and gaming culture - simply I don’t really see that my have the potential to be ‘gamified’ in because it’s a subject I am and have gender presents any real challenges order to make us more successful. always been genuinely passionate professionally, but being a female Another great example is an app about and invested in. critic provides me with a platform called Epic Win, which allows you Video games are such an to examine the representation of to create a ‘To Do List’ within the exciting medium because the women in video games. That needs construct of a role playing game. technology is advancing so to change. How did you develop your quickly, and the industry is rapidly As an art form, the industry expertise in the field of gaming and expanding as it becomes more is still quite young, and perhaps gamification? popular. Trends are constantly that’s why it feels like it has a bit of I’ve been hosting the ABCTV shifting and new genres are ‘growing up’ to do. Right now, I’m Video Game review show, Good emerging; there is always so much to just excited to be a part of it and Game, for nearly six years now. I discuss and explore. And best of all, watch that change take place.

www.acs.org.au 15 ADAPPT AND CHANGE

How did Adappt come about and main role models for young tech what’s your role in the organisation? entrepreneurs are American men. NISHAN DAVID Adappt was sparked out of a We want to inspire a generation of Project manager, partnership between Samsung trailblazers, young Australians who Adappt Electronics and the Foundation for use technology to make a difference. Young Australians that began in And we’re especially excited to see 2013. We came together to discuss a bunch of that disruption coming how young Australians could start from young women. using the amazing technological What is the biggest success story power in their hands to start that Adappt has produced so far? creating social change in their Having only officially launched in communities. After all, there’s more September, we are definitely in our computing power in the average early days! Though, off the back smartphone than the Apollo 11 of our pilot workshops last year, rocket which sent man to the moon! we’ve already seen two incredible So we’re convinced that apps can teams of app makers start creating be about more than sharing selfies change in their world. The or stalking crushes or ordering first team created an app called takeout. You know, making human MentorTrack, which connects life comfier. We believe that apps students with passionate mentors can make human life better. based on interests. This app was all From the outset, we wanted to about tackling the career paralysis Nishan David leads Adappt, a movement of young Australians equip young people with the tools that hits students before they designing apps that make a difference. He has spent the last six to design and realise apps for social enter the workforce, by enabling years designing fresh ways to engage young people with issues of change. There’s a massive need for them to break free of the broken social justice. David delivered stand-up comedy routines for World opportunities like this, especially internship/job experience model Vision. He is also co-founder of Bloodless, a fashion label where for high schoolers. But, more that is increasingly ill-equipped every collection champions a new changemaker. importantly, we wanted to create for the 21st Century. With youth opportunities for young women unemployment so high in our (who don’t consider themselves country right now, this app is more and inspiring pathway into tech- as technical wizards) to enter the relevant than ever. focused social change for young world of tech. Right now, it’s pretty The second team are working Australians. But only as a result of alarming that only 13 per cent of on an app called Hey Buddy. Three Adappt producing results. I always ICT graduates and 18 per cent of young women are using technology come back to the mantra that ICT professionals in Australia are to connect people who need help technology is a means to an end, women. This means that women with those who can offer it. and the end is humans. So, for us, are under-represented in these What is your future vision for Adappt the real success story would be to workforces, their input in these and what do you hope to achieve in help cultivate a generation of young industries is limited and (unless the next five years? social-tech pioneers. A movement something changes) young women If Adappt was wildly successful in of thinkers, dreamers and believers will miss out on some of the most the next five years, we’d love for the who are world leaders in the interesting work in the coming program to be nationally recognised way they use technology to solve decade. It’s difficult when the as the most entertaining, accessible problems that matter.

16 www.acs.org.au Platinum

Gold

Silver

Sponsors and Exhibitors