Project Closure

One of the projects I am managing is near its end, and though we are facing some last minute scope creep because of a weak SOW and the lack of an SRS document, I have already started working on a template for the Project Closure document. During this process, I browsed through many websites on the Web and observed what others had to say on the subject of project closure. Some define it as "a process, with deliverables, to successfully conclude your project". Other consider it the last phase in the project life cycle, "in which you will formally close your project and then report its overall level of success to your sponsor"; this "involves handing over the deliverables to your customer, passing the documentation to the business, cancelling supplier contracts, releasing staff and equipment, and informing stakeholders of the closure of the project". Whether you see it as a project phase or just a process, the fact remains that closure is a very crucial part of the project life cycle, which should not be taken lightly. There are many ways in which a project can end, which can be positive (inclusion, addition, integration, etc.) or negative (extinction, collapse, starvation, etc.). The most important management documents related to project closure are the Project Closure report and the Post Implementation Review document. As the names suggest, the first document is created as part of the project closure process while the second is created some time after the formal closure of the project, as part of the project manager's analysis of the success or failure of the project

Nokia Pureview 808

Ever since the Nokia Pureview 808 was launched in India last month, I've been researching the pros and cons of this not-so-smartphone with the powerhouse camera, trying to figure out if it can replace my almost-2-years-old Nokia N8, which doubles as a decent point-and-shoot camera whenever and wherever I don't have my DSLR handy. I say not-so-smart because unlike the N8, which was quite advanced for its time with three home screens, online widgets and social media integration, the Belle-powered 808 does not offer any new features that are not seen in other Belle phones (other than perhaps NFC)

So essentially it comes down to the monster camera, with its 41  megapixel  sensor, and whether it is worth spending Rs 34,000 (minus whatever I would get for turning in my N8). But is the camera of the 808 really going to give me gigantic 41 MP images, and what would I do with them anyway? Not really - the default image size is only 5 MP, though theoretically the camera can be used to record images as large as 38 MP. So why use a 41 MP sensor to produce 5 or 8 MP images? The answer lies in the Pureview technology that Nokia has developed over five years, to provide lossless zoom up to 3x and better performance in low-light conditions (the latter being a major weakness of the otherwise solid N8)

Pureview as I understand it works by combining details from all the extra pixels captured by the sensor to create sharper 5 or 8 MP images (when compared to the other camera phones, not digicams). This approach helps the phone's image processor to discard visual noise in low light photographs. Also, since the phone has so many pixels to play with, what it actually does when you zoom in is to select the relevant area of the image, rather than scale up the whole image as other camera phones such as the N8 do. In other words, Pureview technology can put out of business not just rival phones but even basic digicams without optical zoom (Wow! Can't wait for a chance to test such an awesome camera)

But that brings us back to the question of whether the phone is worth buying at this point of time. Let us consider the cons:- heavy and bulky body, single core processor, low RAM, low resolution screen, outdated OS, fewer apps than iPhone or Android, high price tag. Tempted as I am by the single but crucial pro of the camera, I think I shall hold off till the market price comes down a bit. Given the cons and the lack of any other "game changer" features, I believe the Pureview 808 should have been priced around Rs 25,000 to be really competitive in the Indian market. For Nokia's sake, I hope that they choose a more realistic pricing when they come out with a Windows phone using Pureview technology

Importance of Innovation

In a hard-hitting article in today's (3rd July 2012) issue of The Economic Times, former NASSCOM president Kiran Karnik makes a strong case for promoting innovation among Indians. Karnik says that the three 'i's of innovation, invention and ideas are essential for any individual, organization, society or country to gain a decisive edge in today's competitive, globalized world. He bemoans the fact that India today is dominated by political elements that seek homogenization at the cost of the immense diversity that has traditionally defined our country, and which along with adversity is the prime driver of innovation. Other roadblocks for innovation in today's India are censorship, moral policing and the feudalistic mindset symbolized by the beacons on VIP cars

What Karnik says about India as a country is also valid for organizations. Every company tends to have dictatorial leaders or cliques that seek to impose a particular culture on the entire organization, while muzzling any independent voices in the name of hierarchy and respect for authority. What they don't realize is that such lack of diversity ultimately results in total absence of innovation, leaving them with a complacent workforce that is happy to maintain the status quo, without ever thinking out of the box or coming up with more efficient and effective solutions. Also, while many companies have started allocating a significant proportion of their budget to draw out new ideas from their staff, they don't usually put in as much time and effort to develop those ideas to fruition. A good manager has to not only inculcate the spirit of innovation in his employees but also nurture it and ensure that it produces tangible results that add value to the entire organization