tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32202893.post5248278795278683649..comments2023-10-18T08:32:17.510-07:00Comments on Kevin Hillstrom: MineThatData: Fast ForwardingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32202893.post-86346253925923715982007-11-25T11:18:00.000-08:002007-11-25T11:18:00.000-08:00A great topic, and I think one of the key things t...A great topic, and I think one of the key things to remember in this sort of exercise is the concept of "first down" and its Woody Hayes corollary about three yards and a cloud of dust.<BR/><BR/>For those not attuned to football generally, the ground game more specifically and Big Ten heritage still more specifically, I think the lesson here is NOT to go for the end zone every time in trying to advance a point of view within the organization. Can you get one or two colleagues a little bit farther along the path? First down! Eventually, with much patience, you'll get in the red zone and there the skills you've developed in the march down the field can finally put points on the board.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17958556246013869159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32202893.post-23833401413320213392007-11-23T15:33:00.000-08:002007-11-23T15:33:00.000-08:00Agree --- a project has to be constructed on a who...Agree --- a project has to be constructed on a whole different level of expectations than when working with a typical consultant.<BR/><BR/>Those were brilliant folks!!MineThatDatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14014200122021988374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32202893.post-85863557358328096662007-11-21T04:46:00.000-08:002007-11-21T04:46:00.000-08:00Hi Kevin --Neat to know you attempted a project wi...Hi Kevin --<BR/><BR/>Neat to know you attempted a project with SFI back at EB. Sad it fell so flat. <BR/>I had the amazing opportunity to intern at SFI between college and rad school. Amazing place, great ideas, several Nobel economists floating in and out. Worked with <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Kauffman" REL="nofollow">Stu Kaufman</A> (no relation). Great time, great place. <BR/>Anyway, as per your post, I saw many companies try projects with with SFI, and most came to naught. Citibank comes to mind in particular. After watching these projects, and watching sponsored research grants while @ MIT, my sense is that biz-academic collaborations are often "inefficient", most fail. AND THAT IS OK. The upside of a success is so large that smart firms (with sufficient spare funds) will try these projects, accepting the high fail rate, because such collaborations offer the chance of radical new ideas. The corporation just needs to know that academic collaborations aren't consulting gigs, with defined scope / cost / deliverables. It is somewhat of a lottery ticket, part philanthropy, part "blue-sky" dream funds.<BR/>So, not suprised an established successful mainstream company like EB shied away from SFI.<BR/>Cheers<BR/>Alan<BR/>PS Beyond the science, being at SFI meant living in Santa Fe -- the hiking! The food! What great memories.rimm-kaufmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11537242246745655184noreply@blogger.com