amdocsgosocial-blog

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

Wholesome for "Amdocs Lifehacks Blogging Competition" wrap-up - Inspirations for some world-class innovations

By: Soma Dey

Topic: Innovations at Work

“Amdocs Lifehacks Blogging Competition” reached a finale. Before the curtain falls I would like to welcome this for its likely next season. Having said that I put some facts that would let people mull over till the next season is announced.

Japans bullet train! Do you find a similitude of a Kingfisher beak with it, yes? It’s not a coincidence! While traversing through tunnels, Trains produced extreme loud claps that wound up to be a challenge to reduce the high noise level! Nature helped. The kingfisher’s beak inspired engineers to design a 15-metre nosecone at the front car of the bullet train. Just as a kingfisher dives seamlessly into the water without a splash, the modified bullet train became much quieter with smoother journeys!

Butterfly’s wings reflect light so that specific wavelengths interfere with each other to create nature’s purest, most vivid colors. This same principle was applied to cutting-edge display technology to make brighter, more readable, lower-power displays in mobile devices.

Designing turbines for effective tidal power generation actually was inspired by the sea plants and movements of fish like sharks and tuna.

And of course we never can forget newton-apple piece.

So…. As I endorsed for “innovation is around” over most of my blogs…. Indisputably Innovation is around. We should only lay eyes on….

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

My first dish

By: Akash Tyagi

Topic: Home & Kitchen Innovations

In pursuit of enjoyment (truth to be told) I left my home, I was confident that I’ll Crack gate/cat

1:45 PM it was a regular day start, after completing B.Tech and being job less for two months. This is how usually the day begins in the life of an ENGINEER.

I was a spoiled child, being youngest family member you have your pros and cons, mostly pros.

It was already 45 past 1, I was hungry like anything, but due some (let say problem) problem I was short of money.

Now at that point you have two options either borrow money from someone or cut your expenses. I was too stiff to borrow, so I took the moral high ground and the story begins.

We had a kitchen which is less used then my books in two months, but it has necessary item which we purchased while shifting to that flat.

I cooked veg pulav, and it was not good (truth is it was the worst vegypulav

I was too proud to borrow money from someone,

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

Leave early & LIVE...

By: Shalu Chaudhari

Topic: Innovations at Work

The clock is ticking, time is flowing fast, second by second, and I am being just helpless. Its already 11.30 pm and still I have a lot of work to do. Many people might be sleeping in their comfortable beds and dreaming right now, but not me, I still have lodz of work to do and its checking my patience. But I don’t even care about that right now, I just want to complete it and go home because I don’t want to come on weekend, so I am working!!!

Almost all of us have a bad habit of not leaving office on time. Sometimes due to excessive workload, sometimes due to others. But this impacts our personal life as well as professional. When its peak time, you can’t deny it obviously, but when it’s not you must leave office on time. Don’t make it a habit and spoil your days at office for all your life. Because life is very beautiful and short, so enjoy it to the fullest.

Use your time wisely, clock is ticking, you never know when it stops and then one day you might end up realizing you just lived but never LIVED 

So leave early and live!!!

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

Don't be afraid to break the chain

By: Pankaj Pandey

Topic: Innovations at Work

How many times have we encountered a situation where the existing solutions don’t work and we need to break the convention?

Such situation happen a lot of times. Be it nut-bolt issues of code and design, happening world of top management’s or not so happening world of our lives.

Many a times we are afraid to break the convention and try something

new. But sometimes that is the only option. Let me present the case using an old story here.

There was a little kid who had planted a flower tree in his garden and was waiting for flower to bloom. After long time when the flower did not bloom the kid asked the flower, “Why don’t you bloom?” “How can I bloom when the cow eats my buds”, the flower said.

So the kid went to the cow and asked “Why do you eat the buds?” The cow replied “Why shouldn’t I?” “My caretaker does not feed me so I have nothing to eat except the buds”. So the kid went on to the caretaker. “Why don’t you feed the cow?” He asked. Pat came the reply “I don’t have dry wood you see. The wood cutter does not give me dry woods, so I can’t prepare the food for the cow”. Kid then went to the wood cutter and asked “Why do you not give dry woods to the care taker?” The wood cutter replied, “It rains all the time so there is no dry wood”. So the kid moved on to the cloud and asked, “Why do you keep raining?” The cloud said, “You see the frogs below just keep croaking (The noise made by frogs is called croaking), so I have to make rain. I have no choice”. Tired by now, but determined to solve the issue the kid went to the frogs and fired his question, “Why do you all keep ribbiting? Can’t you stop doing that?” “Of course not.” said a frog. “You see, we have been doing this since ages and all our past generations have been doing this and this is our culture. So no we can’t stop doing this.”

The kid went back home, heart broken at the realization that his flower might never bloom.

However we need not have the same end to our stories. we surely can break the chain, sometimes by being the cow and eating the weeds instead of flowers, sometimes by being the caretaker and then cooking something for the cow on the Gas rather than waiting for the wood. The woodcutter can plan ahead by avoiding the rains and doing enough when there is no raid, The clouds of course can be better predicted now. As for our dear friend frog, he can sometimes sing songs instead of croaking wildly.

As for us, we can always keep innovating, trying different things, until we succeed.

Its interesting to note that most successful people are not necessarily the ones with the best ideas, but the ones who always had another idea ready when the previous ones failed. The just refuse to give up.

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

GO Social to Go Global

By: Mayank Gupta

Topic: Vacation Innovations

A friend has come all the way from Delhi to meet us, so to celebrate her presence, why not plan something here in Pune ? But as we were too Spontaneous to make any vacation plans and implement them as well ,we decided to explore the local as internationals, along with another friend Mr. J from Germany.

It was Saturday morning ,with an empty stomach and sleepy eyes we hoped from one eating joint to the other in search of some good breakfast and coffee ,and eventually ended to an evening filled with some delicious desserts, we were done with eating and tired as well, but how can a vacation be complete without nature’s bliss. 

We decided to go on a long drive to Lonavala, accompanied by the cold breeze, clad in soul embracing music on the way. The fun ended late night, making our Sunday all the way more lazy and, to no surprise, afternoon was an extended morning. In the evening, again we were on the same boat searching for a new coffee joint, and to our rescue, a friends’ friends,a lovely couple(Mr H and Mrs N) suggested one, and joined us at the same place. They recently moved from Israel and they loved this place. we ordered Some tea/juices/coffee and some desserts, the place was well known for. So here we are at the table with people from different parts of the world. A friend showed me the picture of a bed that Mr.H made ,all the way, from scratch in India, to which the conversation Steered towards India, and how he Struggled in finding basic items like different kind of Screws, which were easily available in Israel.we added “Carpentry is considered a low profile job in India”. To which the other lamented about, how queues are not respected in shopping malls here, and people pop in between the lines , or stretch above you to reach the counter. Another added how badly people drive here and they cannot risk their lives on Indian roads. All this made me think there is a lot in me I need to change, for I make India. Well it was not just a thought provoking talk, we shared some laughs as well .. and they invited us for dinner, on Tuesday.

At first I was hesitant , as the lady was expecting and I just met them for the first time, while my friend convinced me that, she is good friends with them and it’s fine and I should join. It’s Tuesday, after office hours, we reached at their place, picking up some chocolates and biscuits on the way (Indian sweets are too sweet for them, and you cannot think of spicy food at all ). As we entered we were welcomed by them along with four lovely dogs, by the time they bought us some drinks, I noticed that the house was decorated with some lovely stuff. They showed us the house, and we entered their back yard , where Mr. H has made a little apparatus to grow lettuce ,as they have 5-6 different variety of lettuce back there in Israel, as it’s hard to find in India. To which the Mr.J added, real fresh fruits and vegetables are not easily available here and a green salad is not as green in India, as it is back there in west we moved towards the dining table, and here we were having 2 different kind of humus and pita bread with salad and some add ons, all prepared by Mr. H .We asked “do you have a maid coming over to do stuff?”

To which Mr H said something that struck me, he said I move out when she comes,as I don’t like someone doing things for me, and I can’t resist helping them with work ,which was OK with Mrs N but that’s so because back there in Israel, we are used to do things on our own, as it is costly to afford assistance. If we get it done, we do it together. We kept the dishes and were felicitated after we clicked a picture. I realized that I have traveled Israel as well as Germany, from others’ eyes. After all travel is all about opening up your perspective to a different land and learning from what is better ,and what can be done better. Eventually in the end I will say, “I travelled internationally as a local”. That’s why we Should Go Social to go global or vice versa.

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

Innovation Comes From "Imagination": Be Imaginative!

By: Swapnil Shrivastava

Topic: Innovations at Work

Hello Everyone,

Being a girl , I love to be in my Imagination World. And according to me Imagination is the main driving factor for Innovation.

We all seem to have an instinctive sense that kids are more creative than adults. We don'’t question it; we all intuitively just know it’’s true and we view it as a natural state for children. And it is.

When it comes to creativity in adults, our beliefs about it seem to change. There are lots of perceptions in our ethos about creativity— that it’’s elusive and mysterious, that it comes in an “a-ha” moment that we can'’t predict or control for, and that any individual is either creative or not. Somehow, what is totally natural for every child seems unnatural when we’re adults.

If below things were not Imaginative, You can think what would have happened:

1. After seeing birds flying, Wright Brothers imaginative why we people cannot fly? And he crafted his imagination in the form of “Airplane”.

2. After seeing Stars/Moon in the sky, some great people imaginative how we can reach Them, and then NASA scientists came up with Space craft.

3. All household Appliances like Vacuum Cleaner, Refrigerator, Geyser, Food Processor, Roti Maker, Washing Machine, and a lot many ……. Are results of our Imaginations only.

4. All workplace facilities like VC sessions, Wifi offices, Smart Offices, Biometric Attendance Systems, IVR Systems, Coffee Machines, Printers, Centralized Fire Alarm System And so many other things which are making our life easy and effective, came out from our Imaginations.

5. Last but not the least few things out from my “Imagination World” :

-> After seeing so many deaths because of Airplane Crash, Road Accidents, Train Accidents, Wars I have imaginative, why can’t we have Life saving jacket which will save us from Fire, Water, and other Physical Injuries. Suit like Iron Man!

-> After seeing so many Robberies, Thefts, I have imaginative why can’t we have 1 centralized camera which will Monitor each and everything and once that camera found anything Suspicious, it should alert Security Agencies. So may be we can save many lives from Bomb Blasts, robberies and other Crimes. -> After doing so many things manually daily, I have imaginative to automate them.

Imagination Everywhere : Imagination, like creativity, is not for exclusive use during the visionary idea generation phase. It is useful throughout the innovation process. For instance, in order to turn a new product idea into a manufactured product, someone needs to visualize and design a production process.

Someone else needs to design the components and someone needs to design packaging that not only protects the product but, in many cases, motivates people to pick up your boxed product, look at it and buy it. In other words, for a truly innovative product, you want great imaginations at every step of the innovation ladder.

Last few words :

Be Imaginative and Do Innovation!

- Swapnil

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

4. Vacation innovation at Durga puja (India festival- Worshiping God) – a Bengali-Indian tip-off

By: Soma Dey

Topic: Vacation Innovations

intro: 50 years back who would have imagined Durga-puja will go that innovative which it is now? From Festival promos, idol to pandal (a fabricated structure, usually temporary for idol to stay in and accommodate public gathering) everything has a mark of innovation.

another new episode: Arguably the most notorious racetrack in the world, this 12.93-mile loop of tarmac also happens to be a toll road that anyone with 24 euros and a need for speed can drive on non-race days. That’s in Germany. And so we got a German architect to build a pandal that would showcase such road. Not sure I will have enough words to depict, but when I spotted it after wind up, I see a 20 ft. whitish sheeny road as flat as a pancake with some mini street lights, road signs, road crossing. And all what I mentioned is a facet of a pandal. Yes! But then how I see those details of the whole street? It was upside down! It’s a melancholy to feel about structure only built temporarily, however visiting such innovation is worth. And when I visited Germany later, most of my close-thought was on the streets, whenever I routed.

Amazed.

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

3. Home and Kitchen Innovation at Durga Puja (India Festival- Worshiping God) – a Bengali-Indian Tip-Off

By: Soma Dey

Topic: Home & Kitchen Innovations

50 years back who would have imagined Durga-puja will go that innovative which it is now? From Festival promos, idol to pandal (a fabricated structure, usually temporary for idol to stay in and accommodate public gathering) everything has a mark of innovation.

Can you imagine a chandelier hanging light via spoons-tea ones? What is worth in there is its shines like anything. if lights are of varied colors, bingo! A pandal is spotted by me had a huge chandelier with 300 spoons (yes, you read it right!). One can have it with spoons and forks. A domestic one might have with wooden spoons. Plastic spoons would be light and do its justice as well. How about a big bowl on top? A foodie’s room equipped with such is quite commendable. Ting ti ting ting!

Amazed!

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

2. Work innovation at Durga puja (India festival- Worshiping God) – a Bengali-Indian tip-off

By: Soma Dey

Topic: Innovations at Work

Intro: 50 years back who would have imagined Durga-puja will go that innovative which it is now? From Festival promos, idol to pandal (a fabricated structure, usually temporary for idol to stay in and accommodate public gathering) everything has a mark of innovation.

episode: Technology is key even in pandal. This is evident. A much hyped pandal I came across recently was made of barrel drums and plastic mugs. Whole wall was filled with such stuff. A hole was made in the drums and lights were fitted inside. Mugs were fabricated as people faces. Drums were varied in colors. In night neither I see drums, nor mugs. What I saw was a huge cloth with glitters hanging from vertex. Another one was decorated by flowers and petals and green leafs. And all those were made nothing but fan blades and arms. A huge flower in the middle is moving its big big petals at a leisurely pace. The big petal was built combing many many such fan blades.

Amazed.

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

1. Movie Innovation at Durga Puja (India festival- Worshiping God) – a Bengali-Indian Tip-Off

By: Soma Dey

Topic: Movie Innovations

50 years back who would have imagined Durga-puja will go that innovative which it is now? From Festival promos, idol to pandal (a fabricated structure, usually temporary for idol to stay in and accommodate public gathering) everything has a mark of innovation.

One such example we spotted which was based on a Bollywood movie “Bhool bhulaiyaa”. Those who watched it can guess what I am going to start about. The whole pandal was ghost-ish! As if we entered in an ancient bungalow, now remnants. Olden chairs and tables were there but hanging! Trees were overturned. A vague shadow of a girl is popping in and out oddly. Image of the girl at times was smiling, was annoyed, was scared and was calm and peaceful. Freakish! Not yet! Stunned us when turned to the goddess idol, the face is alike to that girl image! The idol was carrying a trident with a smile in face! A low tune of handbell was discernible as if someone is worshipping!

The aura is likely depicting a story of revenge-Hypothesis! It may have several presumptions.

I wonder about innovation!

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

Beating the Pop Breakout

By: Arye Zacks

Topic: Innovations at Work

I started my post-college career at a small ad agency working as a writer handling Kmart print advertising. Kmart sold pop, or soda for those of you who don’t live in the Midwest, at different prices across the country, and so we had to create alternate page layouts for each price point.

The price points and regions were complicated, and using a printed out pricing sheet, it would take about 3 hours each week to organize prices, create the page layers, and build out all the alternate pages. We called the process the Pop Breakout, as we broke out all the sales pricing for different stores across the United States.

At some point, I realized that I could save time and increase accuracy

if I could work on the page electronically. I asked the account executive if she could get me an Excel file of the prices, which she did, and then I talked to an Excel expert, who taught me how to filter numbers.

Suddenly, the dreaded Pop Breakout changed from a 3 hour ordeal to a 15 minute task, without the risk of human error. And for some reason, no matter how I tried to teach it to the other writers on my team, they were all resistant to change. Which just goes to show that not everyone can embrace innovation and new tools equally.

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

Innovation : Small Step for World, Mighty Leap for Me.

By: Shwetha Bhat

Topic: Innovations at Work

Don’t resort to IMITATION but rather look for INSPIRATION to Further your own CREATION in pursuit of INNOVATION.

It was time I had just completed my bachelors in Computer Science and engineering, the time where i was bombarded with choices and advices about my “near next future!!”. I chose to work as a Lecturer in the very own college from where I had graduated in the very own department for a year.

It was all in spur of moment that i made this decision but nonetheless It was a wonderful time where I cherished the guidance of my lectures and gained ample of knowledge in many subjects. One remarkable leap in my carrier was that I learnt the ART of writing “conference papers”. Until the time I was actually involved in writing these papers for my own graduation project I always thought paper presentation is a very boring thing all in all. 

But being there, researching on my own project I got to know what value a journal/conference paper carries and the value of my project. I also was able to successfully published two of papers in international journals ,all credits goes to my lectures who inspired me to do so. Penning down each of your thought in words , making that priceless abstract thought visible to world is the beauty of writing and is an innovation in itself.

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

When Innovation Is In Vacationing

By: Soma Dey

Topic: Vacation Innovations

It was the time, my college days, most of my meal included fast food or street food. Basically any kind of food that is way far from ‘homemade’ sounded consumable by then. And at any point of time I used to make faces to 'Dosa’ whenever uttered. To me, 'Dosa’ was nothing better than breakfast cereals anytime.

And …… then one day I traveled down Karnataka-Tamilnadu (India). Someone inside myself was surely smiling at me while I was preparing for the trip! Though it was South India but huge restos of hyderabadi-bengali-north indian options restocked all my lunches and dinners and brunches mostly. It was lack of my food research or probably I was wacky-freaky while myself with few friends were tugged towards a famous South-indian resto.

While I was really skeptical to settle on, I heard the chef endorsing for 'Aam (Mango) Dosa’ or 'Chicken Dosa’ or 'Paneer Dosa’! What, really? It’s the selfsame state of mind as it was during my abrupt sight of Maria Sharapova posing in front of Eiffel tower during French open! Probably a min or too I am out of my nausea and led on ordering all those alien dishes that made me fall for. While it arrived, even though the look didn’t leave a mark but I can say I made this blog because I had that experience-I want to travel there again because I had that experience-I am in love with the Chef because I had that experience-I recommend each and everyone the cuisine because I had that experience-And I look for such meal every time to travel down south because I had that experience.

Travelling is fun, innovation is around.

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

Thanks for the amazing platform to express

By: Sanjay Upadhyay

Topic: Innovations at Work

Thanks for the amazing platform to express

You must have read an enjoyed my blog for the Klout effect of the Amdocs Lifehacks Blogging Competition “ Score of 57”. As I write my score has touched 58 and I’m on the top of the world!!!

It had been a great while since I had blogged so regularly and religiously. The platform brought back the Adrenaline rush you have when your blog goes live and gets shared by people and teams. The competition as a great driver and it was amazing to see so many creative people in Amdocs writing with a flair never seen before.

As far as I know it’s the 1st time we have the blogging competition in Amdocs and was great to participate. The topic Innovation was great and to club it with 4 everyday aspects Movie, Home, vacation and Work was a master stroke.

The fact that so many blogs were reviewed, checked and published is a huge task in itself. I salute the team behind it for bringing so much energy in the competition while being available to help always when the blog was misaligned or technical support was available.

So impressed I’m with the team that I would like to join them in organizing and moderating theesent. Also am available for other volunteering activities for Innovation and social media too…

Signing off with a big THANK YOU for the platform to express and looking forward to much more of this soon…

&

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

When innovation is in Office

By: Soma Dey

Topic: Innovations at Work

My readers might have already noticed many of my blogs reference eco-friendliness! Probably its because nature is warning every single moment, and the least I can do is being close to nature as feasible and encouraging others. Honestly around me people are really aware and trying to find alternatives to save nature energy. One option for such is ‘tree-free paper’!

Sounds nuts!

Blissfully it’s sought-after.

Over the centuries, paper has been made from a wide variety of materials

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

Clutcher as Comb for Girls!

By: Shreya Kore

Topic: Innovations at Work

Girls, Whenever we go on vacation and it becomes impossible to untangle our hair everytime. As all the girls wanted to look perfect at all the time, “hair do” is the major part of it to manage.

Almost all girls carry comb with them, but you can skip that and can reduce the weight of comb from your tiny bag while visiting places.

All you need to untangle your hair is the teeths of comb. And during vacations, most of us like to tie their hair up with a clutcher as it helps for managing hair and its health. Here’s up! The common thing between a comb and a clutcher is “teeth”. So a clutcher can replace a comb. Just you have to open your clutcher with clutcher’s jaw’s teeths parallel and the job is done. Untangle your hair with clutcher’s teeths. Only efforts you have to make is to properly handle an open clutcher.

And at work also, a comb cannot be with us all the time, but a clutcher can! So the time you are in jiffy or have a meeting in few minutes, you can manage your hair in seconds……

Go girls and look perfect!

[amdocsgosocial-blog]

When Innovation is in Home and Kitchen Dealings

By: Soma Dey

Topic: Home & Kitchen Innovations

** are you allergic to Citrus? Try dried berry or dried mango powder.

** No eggs for you! But you adore pastry? Use plain and simple fruit glaze instead of egg white brush- bliss!

** Are you skipping fish? You are missing protein and omega 3 fatty acids. Try tofu or tempeh as an alternative gleefully.

** Bored of wood? Want to go nature-friendly? Go nuts …. And ground the nutshells into a paste, intermingle with resin and then shape in furniture! Its innovative, creative, widely available, eco-friendly and inexpensive!

** Dull Photo frames? Use a dart (yes! you read correct) to stick your photos.