When CTOs think of the word convergence we usually associate it with old concepts like the convergence of voice, video and data onto common communications paths or the convergence of multiple devices into fewer devices. These ideas are still very powerful and many of today’s major concepts in IT, like unified communications, utility computing and even mashups are direct descendants of convergence ideas.
But there is an even more powerful convergence underway. The convergence of computer science, political science, business management and innovation.
There are few masters of this new discipline. In fact, I know of only one, Lewis Shepherd. Lewis is the recently departed chief of the innovation directorate of the Defense intelligence Agency (DIA). Lewis has been a friend and teacher for several years. I’ve had the benefit of having frequent access to him and he has had a significant impact on my thinking on subjects related to technology. More importantly, he has had a tremendous impact on the US Intelligence Community and the Department of Defense. The entire national security community is better off because of his years of service.
Technologically, he has been a pioneer in areas like mashups, web2.0, AJAX, gadgets, widgets, blogs, wikis and collaborative environments.
Lewis was a daily blogger for years, but his writings were primarily posted on the top secret network of the intelligence community (via JWICS). Lewis has now transitioned to a new job as CTO for Microsoft’s Institute of Advanced Technology for Government, a position that will allow to share more thoughts with a wider swath of readers. Lewis is doing that now on his blog at “Shepherd’s Pi.” Check it out!
