links for 2008-07-09

new CIO & “chief innovation officer” “former CTO, COO and merger strategy chief Deborah Hopkins…involve tying together “strategy, information technology and research and development to drive cross-business, client-focused innovation across the com

Google’s answer to XML for internal data exchange “Protocol Buffers allow you to define simple data structures in a special definition language, then compile them to produce classes to represent those structures in the language of your choice.”

green, but applicable to tech “Call it downscaling, a design approach that focuses on a product’s material and energy use. Downscaling entails small, consistent improvements across one (or more) of three dimensions: size, features, and longevity.”

“CIOs are being hit from all sides to become environmentally savvy, not just because it sounds good but because it cuts costs, drives profitability and improves competitiveness…Top 10 people who are pressuring CIOs to green up their IT practices.”

recommended reading (Matt Cutts – www.mattcutts.com) for context on Google’s Protocol Buffers (no, I haven’t read it yet)

…difficulty engaging business execs in business strategy or business architecture sessions… discussion on downturn scenarios “could awaken business-side representatives to the value of regular contact with architects to discuss plans and alternative

“analysts do not have the resources..conduct and publish comprehensive research..gather most of their data from client inquiry and vendor briefings..do not conduct product evaluations, lab tests against specifications, or [QOS] investigations.”