Tech-Clarity Celebrates 20 Years of Making the Value of Technology Clear
A message from Jim Brown, President of Tech-Clarity…
Tech-Clarity recently turned 20 years old. I have to admit that it snuck up on me. I didn’t think much about it until I started getting “congratulations on your work anniversary” messages on LinkedIn. Two decades is a long time to do anything, let alone have the same job. But here it is, and I couldn’t be happier about it. And I have a lot of thanks to offer.
Why Tech-Clarity?
Seeing how software technology can help improve business performance in manufacturing is a fascinating thing. I had the chance to experience it from a variety of angles – in manufacturing, as a management consultant, and as a product manager and marketing leader in the software industry. Everywhere I went, I saw a consistent need. Tech people didn’t understand business people, and business people didn’t understand tech people. Somebody needed to bridge the gap in understanding between software and the business value it drives. That’s why Tech-Clarity was created with the mission to make the business value of technology clear.
Time has Passed, Surely People “Get it” Now?
So much has changed over the last 20 years. Technology has evolved at a blistering pace. Business has transitioned from business process re-engineering, to lean, to digital transformation. The way people educate themselves about software has also changed, from attending conferences and reading paper reports to consuming eBooks, videos, infographics, interactive benchmarking tools, animations, and more. The web and the rise of social media put extensive information at everyone’s fingertips. Yet, even as younger, more tech-savvy generations have entered the workforce, the need – and our mission – has not changed. In fact, we believe it’s more important today than ever because business people are a more significant part of the process.
What Now? Thanking Everyone (and sorry for inevitably missing some)
After 20, what I feel most is grateful. I have so much to be thankful for and so many people to thank. First, I want to thank Michelle Boucher for being the “A-Team” and helping us continuously improve. You have been the stable presence in “Team Tech-Clarity.” Thanks to Julie Fraser, who expanded our coverage as product innovation and engineering converged with manufacturing operations, and for all of the wisdom you provide. And thank you to Mandy Jiang for helping our research reach and inspire so many people. I also want to thank James White and Jeff Hojlo for the roles they played on our analyst team.
I also want to express my gratitude to my team at Aberdeen Group. I learned a lot from them as Tech-Clarity was acquired to create the Product Innovation and Engineering practice. I also learned from the manufacturing team when they joined us before I left to resume the Tech-Clarity mission independently. I was fortunate to work with some talented and amazing people, many of whom have gone on to bigger and better things. Thank you to Chad Jackson for helping create and lead the practice, and to a team that always made things work, including Michelle Boucher, Risa Barnett, Dave Houlihan, Maura Buxton, Marjorie Westerman, Dave Mesgar, Adam Hollander, Scott Mitchem, Ric Stanley, and Dave Ableman. A special thanks also to Matt Littlefield, Mehul Shah, and Cindy Jutras, who put up with me as we merged our teams – we were ahead of the times!
Thanks to my friends at COFES, including Brad Holtz and Joel Orr, for trusting me as a part of the team. Thanks also to Pete Wells, Lynne Allen, and Jim Doxey for teaming up on the Board of Directors to keep the spirit alive. May it rise again in some form. Thanks to our partners along the way. Thanks to my clients. There are too many of you to name, but please know how much I appreciate your support over the years. I am deeply touched and appreciative for your trust and willingness to support our mission. Thank you to the multitude of manufacturers that I’ve surveyed, interviewed, and worked with for keeping me grounded in the reality of what it takes to design and produce products amidst increasing complexity. Thanks to my family and especially my wife Cori Brown for their support and understanding of why what we do at Tech-Clarity means so much to me.
Time to Get Started on the Next 20 Years
In addition to feeling grateful, I feel energized. I am excited about how digital transformation is fundamentally changing the manufacturing industry in profound ways. There are so many cool things happening in manufacturing itself and the engineering, manufacturing, and enterprise software that supports it. With the technological evolution and advances and the lines blurring between business and technology, we still need education on how tech drives better business results.
The Tech-Clarity team and I are looking forward to the next 20 years!
Be a Part of It
I invite you to be a part of it. Click the follow button on the Tech-Clarity, Inc. LinkedIn page. Visit our website to sign up for our newsletter and surveys. And most of all, keep us up to date on all of the cool, innovative things you’re seeing and doing. Let’s keep moving forward. There is still a lot of business value to be uncovered and realized. Thanks again for the opportunity to be a part of it.
Our History in Visuals (Just for Fun)
