April 2008 Archives

As Mark Ford, Principal, Deloitte, shares in this segment (download 7 minute iPod compatible video, 34MB), Deloitte's privacy and security practice is growing in excess of 30% per year, and the firm expects this rate to continue through 2010. An issue with this kind of growth in demand is how to add quality capacity to meet it.

Deloitte's strategy consists of a mixture of internal growth and and acquisition. Recently, the firm acquired Iditarod Systems, a McLean, VA based firm in the identity space. Iditarod has a similar culture to Deloitte's and brings a valuable technical focus to the table.

At Michigan Innovators, we tend toward Larry Schmitt's definition of innovation, i.e., a change that is accepted by the market place. In the case we have been discussing in this series of segments, Deloitte perceived a decade ago that the Internet would bring a whole host of access and security issues to its traditional corporate clientele. The rapid growth of Deloitte's Internet security related practices bears witness to the scope of change taking place in that market place.

(n.b., As used in this article, "Deloitte" means Deloitte & Touche LLP, a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Deloitte's site (www.deloitte.com/us/about) outlines the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries.)

The main message that John George wants to send over the next month is that Detroit is working together to solve its problems (download 3.5 minute iPod compatible video, 17MB). Among his specific goals, he wants to turn Blight Busters' neighborhood into the Detroit arts district. To that end, he has partnered with the Motor City Theatre Organ Society to restore the Old Redford Theatre and has plans to refurbish the 350 seat theater in the third floor of his headquarters. Combined with the existing Artist Village and the upcoming Motor City Java Cafe, these initiatives should create a critical mass to bring more culture and development into the area.

As Mark Ford, Principal, Deloitte, notes (download 6 minute iPod compatible video, 32MB), enabling access management is not just a question of installing a technology toolkit. Access management issues profoundly impact a company's business processes. For instance, regulatory compliance may require that only certain officers have access to financial reports. Allowing customers access to company systems allows them to serve themselves but also creates opportunities for exploits.

Mark feels his best opportunity to help his clients comes when they are first addressing access management issues. That way he can help them consider the changes such systems will bring in the context of their business strategy. When he comes in later in the process, he typically has to reconcile the strategy with the technology chosen and faces more challenges in helping with the change in the business process.

(n.b., As used in this article, "Deloitte" means Deloitte & Touche LLP, a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Deloitte's site (www.deloitte.com/us/about) outlines the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries.)

Kevin Phillips, founder of LTI-IT, believes in setting a point on the horizon and then sailing for it (download 7 minute iPod compatible video, 34MB). He began his journey 12 years ago as an internal IT technician for LimnoTech, the parent of LTI-IT. After 3 years, he had succeeded in getting LimnoTech's network to a very high level of performance, and he was ready to leave.

LimnoTech countered with an offer to let him start a division. Five years ago, they made the decision to start spinning that division out to a separate company. In the next 5 years, he would like the company to go national. He believes their training advantage will enable this move, and they already have projects in Washington, D.C., and Tijuana, Mexico.

John George, founder of Blight Busters, feels non-profits need to think like businesses to survive (download 7 minute iPod compatible video, 36MB). To this end, he has created a series of sister organizations, both for-profit and not-for-profit. These separate organizations each have their own director, own board, and own focus. In this way, each organization takes ownership of its front in the war on blight.

Two examples of these partnerships are:

• Good Faith Homes which buys and rehabs homes, splitting the profits with Blight Busters.
• The Artist Village which combines community art outreach with a coffee shop and cafe.

As explained by Anan Ameri (download 6.5 minute iPod compatible video, 35MB), the Arab American National Museum's founding director, the idea behind the museum is to show the extent to which Arab Americans are part of the fabric of US society. Arabs first came to America in 1528, and there were 50 Arabic newspapers in publication by 1938.

As mentioned previously, momentum for the museum began to build just before September 11, 2001. That event initially slowed movement toward the museum. However, when the American Association of Museums featured the museum in its 100th anniversary publication, it became clear that the museum would be a positive vehicle for communicating the Arab American story, a story which bears no relationship to 9/11.

The museum tells its story through exhibits:

• The courtyard exhibit sets the scene with a large map of the Arab world.
• Coming to America tells the immigration story.
• Living in America describes Arab American customs.
• Making an impact highlights Arab Americans who have gained significant recognition for their contributions.

In this segment (download 8 minute iPod compatible, 41MB), Mark Ford, Principal, Deloitte, describes the "bottom-up" process of innovation that led to the creation of Deloitte's Identity and Access Management practice. Ten years ago, when Mark joined Deloitte as a senior consultant, there was no Identity and Access Management Practice. Rather, groups of consultants working in the Enterprise Risk Management practice saw the opportunity to extend the practice by going into implementation.

The fit was natural. Risk assessment is an important first step in determining access management policies so that you do not spend more than it is worth to control access to resources. In their spare time, Mark and his cohort began selling identity and access management work, involving others, and ultimately growing a separate practice area.

In this process, the Deloitte brand was critical. It provided a mark of quality and opened doors with already existing relationships.

(n.b., As used in this article, "Deloitte" means Deloitte & Touche LLP, a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Deloitte's site (www.deloitte.com/us/about) outlines the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries.)