Microsoft & Innovation Paradox
Microsoft CFO Amy Hood: for the first time, Microsoft got more revenue from Office 365 subscriptions than from traditional Office software licensing. This as a great example of how a large company like Microsoft can completely transform itself. Azure sales almost doubled, and Office 365 app revenue increased by 43%.
The success story of Microsoft reminds me of this quote from Storey and Salaman from their study — Theories about the process of innovation, 2002
“paradox is at the heart of innovation. The pressing need for survival in the short term requires efficient exploration of current competencies and requires ‘coherence, coordination and stability’; whereas exploration / innovation requires the discovery and development of new competencies and this requires the loosening and replacement of these erstwhile virtues”
It looks like Microsoft was able to replace those erstwhile virtues that came from selling Windows operating system and discovered new competencies to allow them to build new best-in-class platforms for a mobile-first, cloud-first world. This letter from Satya Nadella in 2015 provided the clarity and focus needed for their new direction.
What Is Strategy, Again? A great recap on strategy thinking over the years.
Speed in Software Development This is written in 2014 but still very relevant. The article provides a complete analysis on all the factors that impact speed in both positive and negative ways.
State of Tech Hiring in 2017. According to this survey, hiring managers cited Scalability, Machine Learning, & Design Thinking as the most valuable skills.
Duolingo currently has 200M users and has become a daily habit for many looking to learn a second or a third language. Gina Gotthilf, VP of Growth at Duolingo, shares some of her favorite A/B tests that led to Duolingo’s growth.
