IBM Takes Big Data, Social, Cloud to the Workforce

By Darryl K. Taft

Author and social influencer Jay Baer hosts the IBM Connect 2014 General Session.

Brooklyn, N.Y.-based recording group American Authors kick off IBM Connect 2014 with a medley of their hits, including “Best Day of My Life.”

Comedian Seth Meyers of “Saturday Night Live” fame and future host of NBC’s “Late Night” wows the crowd with jokes and also explains how he uses social media to find new writers for his comedic act.

Craig Hayman, general manager of industry solutions for IBM Software Group, talks about how the new Kenexa Talent Suite plays into IBM’s overall Smarter Commerce strategy.

Hayman sports a pair of bright yellow Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers, ostensibly in solidarity with the yellow associated with the Lotus brand, as Lotusphere preceded the IBM Connect conference.

Kenexa co-founder Rudy Karsan discusses how making work meaningful for the individual makes it beneficial for the business at IBM Connect 2014.

IBM announces the rebranding of its mail, chat, meetings, office productivity and content capabilities, making them part of its Connections brand in 2014. The new mail offering, planned for availability in both the cloud and on premises, will use analytics to deliver task-level focus and inbox management capabilities.

Senior Social Software Product Manager Luis Benitez and Vice President of Social Business Jeff Schick unveil and demonstrate IBM Mail on stage at IBM Connect 2014 to hearty applause from the crowd.

Manager of Workforce Science Abby Euler and Smarter Workforce Executive Tim Geisert take the stage at IBM Connect 2014 to talk about how organizations can transform how they identify, attract and retain today’s top talent.

Bridget van Kralingen, senior vice president of IBM Global Business Services, discusses how organizations must adjust their mindset, culture and operations to make the most of social, mobile and big data.

Van Kralingen presents with Jeffrey Burns, M.D., MPH, chief of Critical Care Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital, discussing how OPENPediatrics is improving care for critically ill children across the globe. IBM technology-based OPENPediatrics is an interactive digital learning platform for physicians and nurses sponsored by Boston Children’s Hospital that uses social, mobile, cloud and big data technology.

Taking a cue from the recent Grammy Awards, Fern Johnson, senior director of the Global Collaboration Program at Pepsico, conjures up her inner Beyonce to talk business transformation and driving innovation with IBM.

Using his book “How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big” as a backdrop on stage at IBM Connect 2014, “Dilbert” creator and author Scott Adams illustrates how his failures contributed to his success.

At IBM Connect 2014, Tim Maleeny, chief strategy officer at integrated marketing communications agency Havas Worldwide, offers 10 tips for successful companies in the cloud, mobile, social and big data age.

Keith Wiedenkeller, senior vice president and chief people officer for AMC Entertainment, discusses at IBM Connect 2014 how his company has created a Smarter Workforce.