SCS Magazine 2013 Issue 4 by SCS secretariat

THE

SOCIETY

ISSUE FOUR 2013 The Magazine of the Singapore Computer Society

THE NEW ROLE OF IT:

NOT JUST ABOUT KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON

04 WHEN BRAINS AND

COMPUTERS BECOME ONE

MCI (P) 108/07/2013

08 WHY IT IS YOUR STRATEGIC ASSET TO TRANSFORMING YOUR BUSINESS

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THE MAGAZINE OF THE SINGAPORE COMPUTER SOCIETY

EDITOR’S MESSAGE

THE NEW IT:

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON TAN TENG CHEONG Editor Senior Member, SCS tengcheong.tan@scs.org.sg

p until a few years ago, IT had been the domain of experts and professionals with the skills, knowhow and access to computing resources – and many of us had been merely passive users turning on a switch to receive content that’s predetermined. However, with the advent of ubiquitous high-speed networks, always-available online data store, devices and platforms of various forms that keep people constantly connected, things have changed dramatically and many of us now use IT proactively not only to choose content, but even to create it. Even four-year olds these days can be heard asking their mums and dads to “download” some game or apps for them. They may not understand how exactly this happens, but they know that somehow and from somewhere, their parents can get them what they want with a few taps on their tablets or SmartPhones. Yes, this is the era of the New IT, in which it is not just about keeping the lights on, but rather, being abuzz with new possibilities

Editor Tan Teng Cheong Contributing Writers Alan Ng Charles Ling Darren Lim Dharmendra S. Modha Fung Ka Yee Leif Nielsen Terence Lim Columnists Chandra Sekar Veerappan

and new realities. And things can only accelerate even more quickly from here. In this issue, we celebrate this new reality, this new IT era. Read about the computer that has beaten the best human “Jeopardy” contestant and that will soon become the best assistant to the best oncologists. Find out how two young men have taken advantage of this new environment to start a new venture in which they’re not just helping new e-commence ventures, but also assisting the brick-and-mortar brigade to strike back. Be inspired by the journey to success of Rosina Howe, LTA’s Group Director for Innovation & Infocomm Technology, who was recently conferred the Asia Women Leadership Award by CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) Asia, an Asia-based network of marketing professionals. Of course, for light relief, we’ll fill you in on the latest fun innovations on the IT scene, as well as the activities and other news of our SCS members. As we get closer to the festive season, please accept our season’s greetings and best wishes for the coming year from all of us at the IT Society. Enjoy!

Contributing Photographer Foo Ce Wei Byron Chang Joyce Chua Adrian Kwek

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Editorial Support Leong Hoi Lan

Feedback We value your feedback on this magazine. Simply email scs.secretariat@scs.org.sg with your comments to help us produce an even more interesting and relevant magazine for you in subsequent issues. You are welcome to submit articles for consideration of inclusion.

Advertising Sales & Admin Leong Hoi Lan For ad sales enquiries, Tel: 6226 2567 ext 12 Email: hoilan.leong@scs.org.sg Mailing Address 53 Neil Road Singapore 088891

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For advertising enquiries, please call 6226 2567 or email scs.secretariat@scs.org.sg. The IT Society is the official publication of the Singapore Computer Society. Any part of this publication may be reproduced as long as credit is given to the publisher, Singapore Computer Society. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Society.

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CONTENTS REGULARS 01 Editor’s Message

FEATURES 03 5 Minutes with Asia Women Leadership Award Recipient 04 When Brains and Computers Become One 05 Keeping The Cool 07 Building A Cloud-Based E-Commerce Site: A Personal Account 08 Why IT Is Your Strategic Asset To Transforming Your Business

MEMBERS 11 Welcome Aboard PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 13 Great New Features on InfoPier 14 Newly Accredited Training Providers HAPPENINGS 15 Optimise Your Workspace, Improve Your Life 17 YES for Youths! 19 Big Splash by St Joseph’s Institution and Temasek Polytechnic 20 Fellowship on the Green 21 SCS Collaborates with SHRI for Members’ Benefit Check Out My Green Fingers! 23 This Is How We Chill Calendar of Events THE LITE SIDE 24 SCS Quiz Innovative Invents

13 14

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FEATURE

5 Minutes with Asia Women Leadership Award Recipient Rosina Howe, Group Director for Innovation & Infocomm for LTA, shares the secrets to her success.

n 1 August 2013, at Pan Pacific Singapore, LTA’s Group Director for Innovation & Infocomm Technology, Rosina Howe, added yet another accolade to her name: the Asia Women Leadership Award, conferred by CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) Asia, an Asian-based network of marketing professionals. Rosina was not only the sole winner from the public service, but also the only one with an IT background. She has over 30 years of experience, and has been with LTA since 1999. At LTA, Rosina was in charge of the internationally lauded mobile app, MyTransport.sg, amongst other cutting edge projects. Here is what Rosina has to say about her journey to success at LTA:

What are some of the highlights of your time in LTA? I was very proud of the success of onemotoring, which is the motoring site for LTA eServices, motoring, and traffic information. I also produced LTA’s first and only musical in 2005, A Hampshire Tale, for charity. We won the international UITP (International Association of Public Transport) Awards twice, in 2006 for VR-10 (LTA’s e-game developed to commemorate LTA’s 10th anniversary in 2005), and again in 2013 for MyTransport.SG. LTA also won the Innovation Excellence Award in 2008 on its first attempt, and of course being honoured with the Women Leadership Award 2013 is a highlight. It is indeed a most gratifying surprise.

“

I must be M.A.D. to do things I did, but it is precisely the desire to “Make a Difference” that has kept me going all these years.

”

What drives you to succeed? I must be M.A.D. to do things I did, but it is precisely the desire to “Make a Difference” that has kept me going all these years. I also believe that we are put in our positions for a purpose, and that we have a duty, to others, to do our best.

What are some of the biggest leadership challenges you have had to overcome in your career? How did you overcome them? I had an IT background. As a technical person, I was thrust into the corporate world at a very early stage in my career and it was very new to me. I learned the hard way by suffering many knocks and bruises. I read management books on weekends before I decided to pursue my MBA. Although I had a technical background, ironically, my best score for my MBA was in International Marketing. If you ask how I overcome work challenges, I would say that it is important to develop a network of friends and I got to know a lot of people from various industry sectors. At various occasions, these friends cheer me on, lend a helping hand, exchange ideas with me, and provide moral support. I shared my problems with my family too, and they gave me a lot of encouragement when things were rough at work. At LTA, I had my share of anxieties during my early days, but my staff were my pillars of support. They never let me give up!

About The Women Leadership Award The CMO Asia Women Leadership Awards honours the strategic and influential role of various women leaders who play a pivotal role in the development of modern economy, technology, and administrative methodologies in both the public and private sectors. Winners are selected by a panel of judges.

2 1. LTA Group Director for Innovation & InfoComm Technology, Rosina Howe, receiving the Women Leadership Award of CMO Asia from Professor Y.K Bhushan, Senior Advisor ICFAI Business School – Mumbai, Vice-Chancellor of ICFAI University Meghalaya, & Chairman Federation of Universities of ICFAI Universities. 2. Mrs Rosina Howe – Recipient of the Women Leadership Award.

THE IT SOCIETY — Issue Four 2013

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FEATURE

When Brains and Computers Become One “Brain-in-a-Box” technology underway to foster cognitive computing. DR DHARMENDRA S. MODHA, PhD Senior Manager Cognitive Computing IBM Research

“

Inspired by the brain’s ability to interpret, act upon, and learn from massive amounts of complex, ever-changing data from various sources in an extremely energyefficient way, we aim to bring together recent advances in neuroscience, supercomputing and nanotechnology.

”

rain-in-a-box”. This term may sound like science fiction, but it really is a quest to change computing as we know it. Our world is becoming ever more complex and data-rich -- ironically, it is informationpoor. Today, the society is one big massive feed, with signals flowing in from cameras, microphones, and other sensors that stream real-time, noisy, parallel, spatiotemporal, and multimodal information. We have more data at our fingertips than ever before, but we are also more overwhelmed. Processing this flood of real-time data using traditional computers would simply be too slow and too costly, in terms of power consumption. Why?

Computer vs Brain

Traditional computers were designed for sequential and centralised processing in accordance to a pre-defined programme. Although traditional computers are precise number crunchers, they tend to consume a lot of energy, and are very inefficient for brain-like pattern recognition. In contrast, the brain, which operates comparatively slowly and at low precision, excels at tasks such as recognising, interpreting, and acting upon patterns. Plus, the human brain does all that while consuming the same amount of power as a 20W light bulb and fitting into the same volume as a two-litre bottle of soda. That is why we are turning to the brain for inspiration.

The Quest to building a Brain-In-A-Box

Inspired by the brain’s ability to interpret, act upon, and learn from massive amounts

of complex, ever-changing data from various sources in an extremely energy-efficient way, we aim to bring together recent advances in neuroscience, supercomputing and nanotechnology. Our ultimate goal is to develop a system of chips that allows a hundred trillion synapses (electric signals that move from one nerve cell to another), occupies less than two litres of space, and uses only one kilowatt of power. The system will understand and interact with the world the way we humans do by processing sensory input instead of using the abstraction of numbers. It will enable a new generation of intelligent sensor networks that mimic the brain’s abilities for perception, action, and cognition. As a result, this system will usher in the next big shift in computing: the era of cognitive computing, which will complement today’s programmed computers. Working under the charge of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) SyNAPSE programme, our team at IBM, together with a group of leading universities, undertook the challenge in 2008 to create an entirely new architecture: a new synthesis of silicon and software.

What we have achieved so far

In the process, we are fundamentally expanding the boundaries of what computers can do. Our work breaks the mould of the sequential operation that supports John von Neumann’s architectures and computers. In the pipeline is a new modular, scalable, parallel, distributed, event-driven, as well as a faulttolerant cognitive computing architecture.

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The first step forward came in 2011, when we demonstrated the first building block: tiny cognitive chips on the scale of a worm’s nervous system. These chips were taught to play Pong, one of the earliest computer games, and learned simple cognitive tasks including navigation, machine vision and pattern recognition. By tiling these building blocks, our next step is to create a chip on the scale of a bee’s nervous system. Eventually, we aim to develop a brain-in-a box with 100 trillion synapses on a human scale. To help pave the way to this goal, we have mapped the largest long-distance wiring diagram in the primate brain. Using this wiring diagram, we have simulated our cognitive computing architecture at the scale of 100 trillion synapses on 96 racks of the “Sequoia” Blue Gene/Q supercomputer at Lawrence Livermore National Lab. To enable applications, we have developed an entirely new programming language that covers all aspects of the development cycle.

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Plus, we have mapped onto this architecture a wide array of complex cognitive algorithms and applications that massively link parallel, multimodal, spatiotemporal sensors, and actuators together in real time. On top of that, to facilitate mass adoption, we have created a new teaching curriculum that covers all aspects of the project.

Future Forward

As these “brain boxes” become more sophisticated, they will be able to combine information from different sensors and sources, draw conclusions, make recommendations and initiate responses. They will be pervasive because they are lightweight and energy-efficient. Instead of bringing data to computation as we do today, we can increasingly bring computation and intelligence to data. We will be able to create entirely new kinds of sensor networks and capabilities. For instance, we could create floating mesh networks at sea, monitor oil spills

Keeping The Cool Two simple and surprising ways to cool your data centres so you can save money, save the planet, and maintain peak cloud performance for your business. LEIF NIELSEN Cloud Solution Architect, APAC/PRC Datacenter and Connected Systems Product Group (DCSG) Intel Corporation

ith the explosion of public and private cloud services, social media, cross-device data syncing, and online storage – to name a few – cloudbased services are spreading exponentially. To that end, more companies and service providers are heavily investing in highperformance and efficient data centres that can effectively cater to the ever-increasing demands of the public without having to impact the environment or the company’s wallet.

or pollution. Or, we could embed these cognitive chip systems throughout an elderly person’s home, tracking his or her health with sight and sound. And, should the need arise, these cognitive chip systems could automatically send alerts to a central monitoring service. To summarise where we are now, let us turn to Sir Winston Churchill, who said, “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

Visualisation of a simulated network of neurosynaptic chips

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FEATURE Running green and efficient data centres, however, is a costly operation. According to analysts, roughly $27 billion is spent per year on server energy costsi. Data centre hardware spending is projected to surpass $126.2 billion by 2015ii. This represents a huge increase in just five years, compared with $87.8 billion spent in 2010. With so much money on the line, it is only natural that great emphasis is placed on the efficiencies of data centres to ensure healthy returns on the investments. In order to run a cost and energy-efficient data centre, a holistic and integrated approach is required. Here are two ways to look at it:

Solution 1: Become Heat-bearable

To improve the efficiencies of data centres and ensure that cloud offerings or storage solution investments are environmentally considerate and profitable, we need to approach data centre cooling differently. Cranking up the thermostat to save on cooling costs may sound crazy, but perhaps this is exactly want we need to do to curb the ever-increasing energy bill. Data centres 10 years ago were typically cooled to 1821 degree Celsius for a number of reasons – including warranties on servers that stipulate the need for this temperature range. However, this may no longer be the case, especially with warranties on servers now set closer to 35 degrees Celsius. For every one degree rise in operating temperature, there is an estimated four percent operational saving. To put this into perspective, if data centres were to increase their operational temperatures by five degrees Celsius, there could be a total annual power savings of $2.16 billion globally. More than just financial savings, a data centre operating at this level of efficiency is also considered a ‘green’ data centre. Achieving such significant results requires innovative solutions in modernising, managing, and maximising both the infrastructure and cooling methods of data centres.

Solution 2: Smart Tuning for Energy Consumption

Currently, there are a number of hardware and software products already in the market to help cool data centres, with significant development in technologies such as Power Thermal-Aware Scheduling (PTAS) paving the way to more efficiency. PTAS is a new concept that manages metrics such as CPU consumption, memory consumption, input, and output temperatures at the workload level. Traditionally, these data would be separately aggregated into a capacity planner along with other building management data, if it was done at all. But, by capturing these computing metrics at the server level, we could use analytics to migrate workloads that are creating “hot spots” to cooler areas in data centres – bringing yet more cost and energy savings to the data centre. In fact, trials of this concept in building management systems at data centres in India and Taiwan have started; systems are interacting with air-conditioning units to efficiently cool specific areas on demand. This automated solution is far more intuitive than the traditional method which, in some cases, is wasteful because all airconditioning units are utilised at the same time.

Towards Green, Cost-Saving Data Centres

By cutting operational costs the green way, Asian businesses can recognise a stark return on their investments in data centres, and at the same time, provide ‘green’ solutions to customers. Only when industries stop and think about how their data centres are operating can they truly see the rewards and benefits of a more sustainable and cost-efficient operation. i ii

IDC Gartner

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FEATURE

Building A Cloud-Based E-Commerce Site: A Personal Account By harnessing the power of the cloud, my business partner, Andy, and I created a platform for e-commerce for thousands of businesses / hobbyists.

DARREN LIM Co-founder XiaoBazaar.com

t all started when a friend of mine asked for my help to create an e-commerce website for his medium-sized businesses in the homecare sector. The challenges were real and familiar, the constant requirement changes were painful, and the implementation time far too long, with too much idle time in between when each side was waiting for the other side to clarify questions raised. Eventually, it did not work out well and the deal was off. After that, Andy and I asked ourselves tough questions on how to smooth the birth of e-commerce sites. After some time, we started wondering, “Why not put e-commerce websites on a cloud, and make it a service model?” Easier said than done; the technical aspects of this concept required some out-of-thebox thinking, but after some tweaking and trial and error, a solution was found and XiaoBazaar.com was born. This e-commerce online store aims to empower businesses to set up their own e-commerce websites without having to engage the services of, and pay high fees to, system integration companies.

How XiaoBazaar Works

Our solution offers small businesses/ hobbyists simple tools to build full-fledged e-commerce stores with the capability to allow customers to make purchases via credit cards or PayPal. Adhering to the cloud model, we eliminated unnecessary features, simplified the set-up process, and standardised the top five features —

meaning the business logo and domain name, desired theme or skin, easy linking to payment gateway, automated inventory management and reporting and flexible shopping cart. Most importantly, we also made the automated self-set-up process easy. Plus, XiaoBazaar can help businesses brand their e-commerce sites with their own customised label. As the Internet is almost pervasive around the world, scalability will not be an issue either.

XiaoBazaar at The Infant Stage

To test the viability of the idea, we decided to roll out XiaoBazaar.com to the market for free during the beta-testing stage. But the sign-up rate was disappointing. I think it was due to our marketing approach. Andy and I started by distributing pamphlets to stores. While our method to attract businesses was right, our target audience was wrong. Most of the people in the stores that we approached were sales staff with no decision-making power. Fair to say, not a single store signed up in the first two months. The whole equation changed when Andy and I decided to post the concept on online forums. That eventful night, we had our very first sign-up. We could hardly sleep that night.

First Taste of Success

Following the initial success of our concept, Andy and I went on to pitch the idea to the Singapore InfoComm Technology Federation (SITF), and eventually, won a grant to further expand our concept. This would allow us to evangelise a wider audience.

What’s Next?

After identifying this trend as a consumerisation of Information Technology, our next aim is to target small brick-andmortar businesses to bring them to the e-commerce bandwagon. Through our experience from hosting hobbyist/online stores, we have observed that successful stores have certain best practices and operation procedures. We plan to document and share these tips to the brick-and-mortar shops. With this, we hope to bring all physical businesses online, while giving users the freedom to position their brands and identities. No doubt, there are still challenges in the realm of e-commerce, with payment and fulfilment/logistics at the top of the list. But with the rapid growth of e-commerce and m-commerce, this cloud offering solution is set to deliver more value to businesses and hobbyists. Ultimately, the key message we want to send is that creating an online store of your own can be very simple, fast, and cost effective, even without much technical knowledge.

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FEATURE (Continue from Builing a Cloud-Based Commerce Site: Personal Account)

Examples of Online Stores Created in minutes using XiaoBazaar

Gift in a Box

House of Plushies

All products that are sold in individual online stores are also collated into a single marketplace. XiaoBazaar now has over thousands of products being sold.

Why IT Is Your Strategic Asset To Transforming Your Business Dr Charles Ling highlights three factors that will help you to achieve your business objectives. CHARLES LING Ph.D Director and Practice Associate Professor Strategic Technology Management Institute (STMI) National University of Singapore

n an information-rich environment, IT is becoming the primary driver to enable business growth and critical decision-making. Therefore, it is important for business leaders to start shifting their attention towards technology and rethink about using IT to achieve their desired business outcome.

With these changing views of the business world, IT leaders should expect a change in their roles – from business support responsibilities to ones that pioneer the search for upcoming technology investments that will drive positive business outcomes. Increasingly, IT departments will play more roles on the demand side of business compared with the past, when the emphasis was on the supply side. In order to be well prepared for the shift in roles, on top of the day-to-day running of IT operations, IT departments should focus on three key areas, namely: • Technology-Centred Business Innovation • Stakeholder Management • Talent Management

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Technology-Centred Business Innovation

With most businesses going into digital mode, it is important for IT leaders to see their roles as technologycentred business strategists, and be the trailblazers in the space of technology innovation and investment. As the IT subject matter experts in the organisation, IT departments will have to advise their board members on technology-related matters and investments. Gone are the days where IT plays only business supporting roles, especially since more and more IT leaders are taking responsibilities as members in their organisations’ management board. Therefore, it is critical for IT leaders to be well informed on the latest technology trends and contribute to their organisations’ business transformation efforts. These may include imagining, creating, or uncovering new business opportunities using their knowledge on IT possibilities and competitive opportunities. But that is not all. Being well informed is more important than ever, now that we are seeing advancements in new technologies such as social computing, mobile apps, analytics, and cloud technologies. These technologies are changing the whole landscape on user experience and client interactions. Plus, they allow organisations to establish deeper factbased insights (e.g. consumer behaviour, competitive information and organisation’s performance evaluation) when performing critical decision making. Forwardlooking organisations would notice these trends, recognise their impact on the changes in the business landscape, and include technology disruption as a crucial part of their business plan to add value to their businesses.

Stakeholder Management

As there is an increasing need for IT departments to provide more digital leadership in business issues, IT leaders will have to increase their engagement and communication in the boardroom. Some of the key activities that IT leaders could do include educating the senior management on the value of IT, as well as providing advice on right technology investments and relevant IT innovation in order to generate new business outcomes. In addition, IT leaders should also engage and communicate with business stakeholders regularly on potential technology risks and issues that could arise in implementing certain business solutions. Also, with the expanded roles of the IT department, it is becoming increasingly common for the department to outsource some commoditised services to partners. This allows the IT department to focus on IT investments that could help to improve the organisation’s competitive position. As such, partners are now deemed extended arms of the IT department, playing some key roles in the IT service delivery. However, for partnerships to be effectively established, it is important to build an environment that promotes cooperative and collaborative working relationships. That is why stakeholder management is of paramount importance: so that the right expectation can be

communicated through partnership contracts administrations, delivery performance evaluations, disagreement resolutions, and regular partner interactions. It is only with a working environment in which all parties strive to achieve win-win commitments that long-term sustainability in the partnerships can be achieved.

Talent Management

In order to shift the focus towards technology-centred business innovation and maximise outsourcing strategies, IT leaders should elevate workforce planning to a strategic level. They should invest time and resources in the professional development of their staff. This will involve taking a long-term view in workforce planning by mapping the needs and demands of the different roles and competencies for not only the current, but also the future plan of the IT department. With a good strategic workforce plan, IT leaders can then narrow capability gaps and prepare themselves for future competency demands of the department. In addition, a workforce plan can help to provide clear direction to people development strategies such as learning and development, skill-set acquisition, talent retention, leadership succession, and performance management. For a start, organisations that are contemplating embarking on an effective workforce planning initiative should explore the National Infocomm Competency Framework1 (NICF) Readiness Kit. Jointly developed by the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) and the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA), this kit serves as a guide to assist organisations in the development of learning roadmaps, career paths, and training programmes. The NICF Readiness Kit is readily available online at www. nicf.sg/ReadinessKit.aspx. IT has become a strategic asset in achieving competitive advantage in the business world. For most organisations, it is getting harder to de-couple IT from business. With the advancements in technologies and outsourcing capabilities, the shift in roles of IT is inevitable; IT leaders should recognise this shift early and help staff in IT departments embrace the change. To assist organisations in coping with the changes discussed in this article, the STMI, an established NICF Continuing Education and Training (CET) centre, offers relevant NICF accredited programmes. Delivered by experienced course leaders, these programmes aim to help IT leaders equip their employees with the required knowledge, skills, and attributes. To find out more about STMI and the programmes offered, visit www.stmi.nus.edu.sg. The NICF is part of the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) system, and was developed as a joint effort by the IDA, WDA, and strategic stakeholders in the IT industry. To date, 587 competency standards have been identified for 314 job roles. For more information on NICF, please refer to www.nicf.sg.

Join Us at the Forefront of Mobile Innovation

Now Hiring AirWatch is looking for driven individuals who are passionate about mobile technology and share our vision to simplify enterprise mobility. Join our industry-leading team and become part of the future of mobility. Our Singapore office is now hiring mobility professionals; interested candidates should email their resume to careerssingapore@air-watch.com. Account Executives Drive new business in the region through product demos and developing client relationships. Sales Engineers Provide technical expertise and product evaluation support to prospective customers. Professional Services Work with our customers on system implementation, configuration, testing and support. Channel Account Management Develop relationships to expand our ecosystem of OEMs, VARs, resellers and technology partners. Industry-leading Enterprise Mobility Management Solutions AirWatch is the largest Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) provider in the world with over 1,400 employees globally. More than 8,000 companies trust AirWatch to secure and manage their mobile enterprise. We enable organizations across a wide spectrum of verticals to successfully deploy, secure and manage the mobile initiatives that drive their business. With market-leading solutions for mobile security, device, email, application and content management, we simplify enterprise mobility. To learn more about AirWatch, visit our website at www.air-watch.com.

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MEMBERS

Welcome

ABOARD Let’s hear from some of our new members about what attracts them to SCS… Top 6 Reasons to Join SCS

• Professional Development Through certifications and insightful talks, we aim to keep our professionals abreast of the latest developments and industry standards. • Communities of Practice Through our various chapters and interest groups, we enable our members to choose the specific fields they wish to immerse themselves in. • InfoPier The first and only registry for local ICT professional, InfoPier is a platform where networking and collaboration opportunities are bountiful. • Social & Fun Our social activities are replete with fun as we unite professionals from all walks of life for a common purpose. • Engaging Youths Grooming young talents to whom we can pass the torch comes high on our agenda. We aim to nurture youths into capable leaders. • Resources Through the dissemination of various publications, we keep our valued members informed of the exciting happenings in the SCS milieu.

Be Our Member Today!

Andrew Goh

Assistant Service Delivery Manager Questview Pte Ltd I am an IT and certified service professional with experience in Service Management and Managed Services across two industry sectors: Healthcare and Government Agencies. My journey with IT dated back to my Primary 5 days, when I first started learning computer skills with Windows 3.1, and designing DOS games like Pac-man. My interest grew eventually, landing me a junior IT job. Soon after, I furthered my studies with a part-time Diploma in Game Design, followed by a Bachelor in Business IT while working concurrently. IT is never boring, especially with technologies evolving every day. As a new member of the Society, I am confident that SCS is able to provide and equip me with the latest news within the local IT circle, as well as enhance my skills and IT certifications relevant to my current work.

Shreeniwas V Iyer Director,Technology Vocanic

It was almost 20 years ago when I first started learning LOGO programming and using a bunch of 8086 machines to make a turtle move around the screen. At that time, it was most exhilarating just to draw lines and shapes. Now, writing a new piece of code or designing a new solution is the primary motivation for me to work. I have seen IT solve social problems and I think those are the reasons we should all continue to expand the horizon of our solutions. That is why I joined SCS: to meet members of the technology profession and to explore business opportunities.

Francisco D. Liwa

Software Engineer Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, Inc. I joined SCS to be able to expose myself to IT events, training, and at the same time, meet fellow practitioners in the field of computing. I remember the first time I attended a computer class back in those days: I learnt how to create a “happy birthday song” using GW Basic. I was so amazed by a computer’s ability to interpret each line of the programme and sing the birthday song with the same note as the piano. My love for numbers, computing, and programming has led me to the IT profession. It has given me a sense of direction in my career. IT has now become an integral part of my life, and I would, perhaps, feel disconnected without IT.

Haridoss Radha Krishnan

System Consultant NCS Pte Ltd

I’ve been passionate about computers from my childhood days. Since the day I touched a computer for the very first time at the age of 15, I knew I wanted to be a professional in the IT industry. Today, I am blessed to work in IT. I came to know about SCS and its happenings through my friends and I was keen to be a part of it. By being a member, I am able to participate in seminars by experts in the field, which I believe will certainly help me to keep up with the latest technology and its management.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Great New Features on InfoPier Thought Leadership Forums

Get in the know about the latest trends and technologies that the leaders are talking about.

Gallery

Missed an event? Catch the highlights of our recent events and “meet” fellow SCS members.

More Cool New Features

We also round up the hottest job opportunities so that you can make an informed choice on your next career move.

More than 3700 users have been using SCS’s InfoPier social media platform for their networking and career enhancements needs. Now, Singapore’s first and only ICT online community portal has been upgraded with more new, useful and exciting features and tools for IT professionals. Here’s a roundup of what’s hot and new on the latest InfoPier:

Movers & Shakers

InfoPier lets you access our up-to-date training calendar. You can also enhance your learning and augment your experience through our online video library of selected events. Build up your professional profile and list your achievements and competencies by updating your own dedicated profile log. Best of All! It’s Still FREE! Sign up if you haven’t already. Your must-visit portal comes to all SCS members at zero charge, for now! So, if you have not registered for InfoPier yet, get free access by signing up online at www.infopier.sg/signup now.

Read profiles of the industry’s best and brightest and gain insights from them.

InfoPier is designed with a whole suite of useful tools for you to accelerate your infocomm career:

Showcase your Profile

InfoPier offers you a secure platform to host and build up your professional profile. Update this and receive vital information that will help you plan your career path and gauge your advancement progress.

Learn from the Best

Get first-hand insights and knowledge from leading companies and thought leaders. Read exclusive blogs and selected resources that tap what people at the top are thinking.

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THE IT SOCIETY — Issue Four 2013

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SingaporeComputerSociety

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Newly Accredited Training Providers SCS appoints COMAT Training Services to conduct the CITPM and COMIT certification courses, and Organisation Resilience Management to conduct the CITBCM certification course.

2013 marks an exciting year for SCS’s suite of professional certifications. Besides the enhancement of SCS certification courses and examinations that had been introduced to keep the programmes highly relevant for IT professionals and the industry, SCS also appointed two other training providers, COMAT Training Services, to conduct the Certification in IT Project Management and Certification in Outsourcing Management for IT preparatory course, and Organisation Resilience Management, to conduct the Certification in Business Continuity for IT preparatory course. 1. SCS President, Chak Kong Soon and ORM’s MD Wong Tew Kiat at the Signing Ceremony on 30 July 2013. 2. SCS President, Chak Kong Soon and COMAT’s GM Jonathan Chin at the Signing Ceremony on 30 August 2013.

Enhanced Examinations for SCS Certifications The new format of MCQ exam has now been introduced for professionals, with a minimum of 1 year to acquire the coveted CITPM (Associate), COMIT (Associate) or CITBCM (Associate). An introductory fee of $550 for examinations in March 2014 and May 2014 will apply. Sign up for these SCS certification courses and level up your IT competencies with SCS today!

Approved Provider

Course Schedule

CITPM & COMIT

Dates

Institute of Systems Science, NUS www.iss.nus.edu.sg

CITPM 5-Day Course: 9-16 January 2014 10-17 April 2014 15-19 September 2014

Contact Tay Li Ying Tay_li_ying@nus.edu.sg 6516 7646

COMIT 3-Day Course: 23-25 April 2014 15-17 Oct 2014 COMAT Training Services NEW

www.comat.com.sg

CITPM 5-Day Course: 10-14 February 2014 24-28 February 2014

Daniel Yoong Daniel.yoong@comat. com.sg 6323 7911

CITBCM 4-Day Course 24-27 Febraury 2014 19-22 May 2014 10-13 November 2014

Emily Ng Emilyng@ormgt.com.sg

CITBCM Organisation Resilience Management NEW www.ormgt.com.sg

Shirley Choy Shirleychoy@ormgt. com.sg

Web: www.scs.org.sg

THE MAGAZINE OF THE SINGAPORE COMPUTER SOCIETY

Congratulations to SCS’s inaugural Certified Software Testing Professionals! At SCS, we are serious about giving you a leg-up in your professional experience in software testing. We recognise the need in delivering a training and certification programme that is practice-oriented and tailored to suit the software testing industry’s needs. Unlike other courses, CSTP has a unique assessment format focusing 80% on the practical component and 20% on the theory component, thus allowing participants to utilise fully what they have learnt in practice.

Newly-Conferred CSTP

Congratulations to SCS’s very first batch of CSTP Course and Examination graduates! A promising passing rate of 90% was obtained and this marked a significant milestone in laying a strong foundation for CSTP.

Zhang Yang

Come and join us for a free preview seminar on 22 January 2014 to gain deeper insights on CSTP, learn how it can help you advance to the next level in your career and receive tips in preparing for the assessment. Contact Ms Sharon Koh at Sharon.koh@scs.org.sg or call her on 6226 2567 ext 15 to find out more on CSTP now!

Goh Choon Siong

Hoe Siew Lan Melina

Jin Qiao Min

Kong Kim Yuan

Leau Bee Lin

Lee Li Ern

Ng Orr Thiak

Ng Yong Kiat

Rowena Limbaga Buhawi

Sardual Robert Benton Funda

Vanny Sukanto

Wong Han Heng, Brandon

Yeo Seow Eng Melvin

Yong E Wai

The IT industry is knowledge-driven and the CSTP syllabus is well thought out as it emphasises practical knowledge that is critical to further developing participants’ competencies in software testing.The practical assessment, which I considered to be the highlight of the course, had allowed me to apply the knowledge and skills I gained from the course in a realistic setting and relate it to my work. I encourage IT professionals whose work involves software quality to consider the CSTP certification.

Brandon Wong, CSTP Graduate Associate Institutional Banking Group Technology, DBS Bank

HAPPENINGS

OptimiseYour Workspace, ImproveYour Life Cisco Systems Singapore opened its doors to showcase to SCS’ Young Professionals Chapter the next generation of workspace.

Alan Ng Member, SCS Honorary Secretary SCS Young Professionals’ Chapter

ore than 100 young professionals, lecturers, and students gathered at Cisco Systems Singapore’s new office facility in Changi Business Park on 8 November 2013 for a technology showcase. Jointly organised by Cisco Systems Singapore and the SCS Young Professionals Chapter, the event aimed to provide participants with an understanding of how Cisco Connected Workspace can help maximise flexibility and collaboration in the workplace. The event started with a networking session, where SCS members and the Cisco

Systems Singapore team got together for an interaction session. Miss Kwok Wai Mui, Program Manager of Social Innovation Group at Cisco Systems Singapore, then took the stage to welcome everyone to their new state-of-the-art office facility. Mr Joshua Soh, Managing Director of Cisco Systems Singapore, followed with a warm welcome address. Mr Ng Tock Hiong, Manager of Systems Engineering at Cisco Systems Singapore, then shared about Cisco Systems’ vision of the Internet of Everything and presented a captivating multimedia presentation. Mr Ong Juin Hau, System Engineer at Cisco Systems Singapore, took over from Mr Ng next and talked about his work life at Cisco Systems Singapore.

Members were then treated to an office tour. They visited the Customer Briefing Centre where they were immersed in Cisco Systems’ technologies such as the Telepresence rooms. Participants also got a first-hand taste of lively video conference sessions and saw how the space in Cisco Systems Singapore’s office was carefully planned to be a well-optimised workspace. At the end of the tour, all were treated to a great meal before another round of networking. Christmas came early, as members were presented with a token gift to remind them of their visit. Thank You Cisco! The Young Professionals Chapter would like to thank Cisco Systems Singapore for being a great host. Watch out for more exciting activities by the Young Professionals Chapter coming soon!

Web: www.scs.org.sg

THE MAGAZINE OF THE SINGAPORE COMPUTER SOCIETY

HAPPENINGS

YES forYouths!

Young IT professionals gain valuable insights from Youth Engagement Series (YES!)

Terence Lim and Fung Ka Yee IT Youth council

t various points in their career paths, the IT veterans of today once stood at the crossroads of life-changing career decisions. So, how did they get to where they are today? The SCS IT Youth Council seeks to provide answers through YES!, a dialogue session where industry veterans share their experiences with students, start-up entrepreneurs and young IT professionals. This quarter, YES! held two sessions and invited Ms Jessica Tan from Microsoft Singapore and Mr Tan Tong Hai from StarHub to take centre stage.

The Importance of Teamwork and Recognition

As a wife, mother of three, and Managing Director to over 1,000 employees at Microsoft Singapore, Ms Jessica Tan certainly has big responsibilities on her plate. During the two-hour dialogue on 7 September at the Green Bar at Millenia Walk, Ms Tan shared “Tips on Career Choices and Success” and went into detail on how she juggled her responsibilities. She delved into her job scope, and her enjoyment of her work. An engaging speaker, Ms Tan was candid and offered many personal anecdotes. She reminded the audience about the importance of recognising and acknowledging the efforts of partners and benefactors. Ms Tan then took the opportunity to express her appreciation of those whom she had worked with, and those who took her ideas and scaled them. She credited her success today to them. She also highlighted her family, particularly her husband, for being her pillar of support.

Opening the floor to questions, Ms Tan advised the audience to be flexible, to equip themselves with relevant skills, and to build an impressive track record. She also urged the audience to always seize opportunities, learn and innovate, know the industry’s trends, and always to be involved with the community. Ms Tan also warned the audience about the dangers of job-hopping, and dissuaded them from choosing a career based on what pays most. She also emphasised that while achieving the objective is important, the importance of teamwork should never be forgotten. In addition, she encouraged participants to build professional networks and maintain the right attitude at work constantly. She stressed that it is important to be sincere about learning, and that knowledge and experiences should be shared whenever opportunities arise. Finally, she said that no matter what, professionals should never lose sight of their values and what they want to achieve in their career.

Be Patient and Persevere

The second instalment of YES! was held on 12 October 2013 at The Bank Bar + Bistro with Mr Tan Tong Hai, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of StarHub, as the guest speaker on the topic “Staying Ahead of Your Career Challenges”. The StarHub CEO highlighted the importance of having a solid foundation and staying ahead of career challenges. He stressed that it is critical to be constantly updated on knowledge and skills, especially in today’s rapidly changing environment. On top of that, Mr Tan emphasised that young IT professionals should always have patience and perseverance – to maximise their time by “doing the tough things when you’re young”, and to stay committed to a job.

Mr Tan also added that youths should be open to new challenges, removing artificial barriers, and exposing themselves to new domains. Young IT professionals should also learn to take on more responsibilities because that could mean opportunities for job recognition. During the Question & Answer session, Mr Tan highlighted the importance of having not just one, but multiple mentors at different career stages. He took the opportunity to thank his mentors for their wisdom which helped him achieve success in his career. The CEO also urged youths to always review their management styles as different situations call for different approaches. There is no one formula that fits all.

The Importance of Giving Thanks

Indeed, both sessions provided young and aspiring IT professionals with valuable insights. Once again, we thank Ms Jessica Tan and Mr Tan Tong Hai for taking time out of their busy schedules to share their immeasurable experiences. Do remember to check out more upcoming YES! events coming your way! Watch out for the next YES! event on 15 February 2014 with three industry veterans – Mr Steve Leonard (Deputy Chairman, IDA Singapore), Ms Janet Ang (Managing Director, IBM Singapore), and Mr Koh Kong Meng (General Manager and Executive Director, Lenovo ASEAN). 1.Ms Jessica Tan engaging the audience with personal anecdotes. 2. Mr Tan Tong Hai (center) sharing his experiences with the audience.

Web: www.scs.org.sg

THE MAGAZINE OF THE SINGAPORE COMPUTER SOCIETY

HAPPENINGS

Big Splash by St Joseph’s Institution and Temasek Polytechnic

Annual Splash Awards Competition spurs students to innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship.

he Splash Awards 2013 Finals scored its highest attendance in 10 years. Close to 200 SCS members, fans, students, and teachers attended the event held at the Singapore Management University on 20 September! The muchanticipated event also attracted media crews from MediaCorp and Razor TV. This year, participants were tasked to develop mobile applications based on insights gathered from government data from data.gov.sg. The Competition garnered a total of 78 entries from more than 200 participants, from secondary schools to Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL). Finalists were required to present their innovations on stage and tackle questions from the judges in the presence of a live audience – a new component introduced into the Competition just this year. The spectacular and creative apps showcased by the students impressed judges with breakthrough ideas, many of which displayed great commercial potential as useful services relevant to the market! Teams from St Joseph’s Institution and Temasek Polytechnic took the Challenge by storm, winning the top place in the High School category and the IHL category respectively. A team from Nanyang Polytechnic clinched the “Most Popular App” Award. Guest of Honour, Mr Tan Eng Pheng, Senior Director of Industry Cluster Group from the Industry Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), presented the prizes to the winning teams.

Here’s a peek at the winning creative mobile apps – • Champion of IHL Category Temasek Polytechnic Project Name: “Loov” A “Kickstarter” app to promote community projects to volunteers. This app encourages volunteering in a fun way with functionalities such as integration with social media and points system. • Champion of High School Category St Joseph’s Institution Project Name: “The Kindred Knowledge Konnector (K.K.K.)” A mobile app that allows students to connect with mentors and experts who can provide guidance in research projects or experiments. • “Most Popular App” Award Nanyang Polytechnic Creation : “Motorist Companion” An iPhone utility app dedicated to helping motorists in traffic related situations they may encounter. The app provides useful functionalities such as guiding them to the nearest rain shelter and providing alternative routes. For information on other finalists’ entries, visit www.infopier.sg/splash-awards-2013-gallery 1. Top 3 winning teams for High School category 2. Top 3 winning teams for IHL category

High School Category Rank

Team Name

School

Champion

YAM

St Joseph’s Institution

1st Runner-up

Help.ED

Hwa Chong Institution

2nd Runnerup

Team Jed

Hwa Chong Institution

3rd Runner-up

Team Hwach Cre8ors

Hwa Chong Institution

4th Runner-up

Tanjong Katong Sec School

Rank

Team Name

School

Champion

Loov

Temasek Polytechnic

1st Runner-up

EduChoices

Nanyang Polytechnic

2nd Runnerup

Team CTRL+R

Nanyang Polytechnic

3rd Runner-up

Motorist Companion

Nanyang Polytechnic

4th Runner-up

Ecologiste

Nanyang Polytechnic