AutoGov

AutoGov Lost a Colleague, Advisor, Hero and Great Friend

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:19:00 GMT

On Sunday at 5:02 am, Gary Gumbert passed away at his home in Cedar Park, TX.

Gary was a great American. A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, he served his country for more than two decades as a pilot.

Gary went on to serve as the CIO at the Texas Health and Human Service Commission following a stint at MAXIMUS.

AutoGov engaged Gary to assist our efforts to gain control of our rapidly expanding technical infrastructure. His advice and counsel provide us with a much needed focus on our core offerings.

In recent months, Gary and his wife, Jackie, allowed me an opportunity to share some private time with him. Providing me insight into the life of this selfless man, Gary's words were those of one without regret who remained fiercely loyal - a true patriot - through his last days.

His struggle with cancer was a mighty one. He was fearless and fought back time and again over six years.

He often referred to me as a "dragon slayer", as side by side, we fought together on a variety of fronts. I recently wondered aloud if he realized that he was my hero, the real dragon slayer. He shrugged and said simply, "No sir."

On April 23, 1910, Theodore Roosevelt made a speech in Paris, France entitled "Citizenship in a Republic." This excerpt from the speech captures much of how my friend lived his life.

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

Gary Gumbert's face was always marred with dust, sweat and blood. His victories where many and his failures few. He was a great man and a better friend.

You sir are my hero, the real dragon slayer.

Godspeed Gary Gumbert.

Obituary

Running Ahead

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:02:00 GMT

Humorist and showman Will Rogers said “Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.”

This quote is the epitome of our technological world. Small businesses must keep trying to out run, out think, and out maneuver the corporate big dogs or risk getting run over. Doing the best today isn’t going to be good enough for tomorrow.

Working for AutoGov, I have firsthand experience with continuously striving to be bigger, better, faster etc. The necessity for innovation and change is ever present and is the heartbeat of the small business.

AutoGov is a prime example of a successful company because we continuously mold and transform into what is needed. We aren’t stagnant and you can’t put what we do into a box. We determine the needs of our clients as well as our potential clients. We use our resources wisely. We stay up to date on trending technology and new innovations in our marketplace and use this information to create new and improved products and ideas.

With all of this said, you can’t have a successful company without a successful team. Independently, we are all strong but when a core group of people get together and brainstorm, implement action, and create a finished project, that’s when the company is at its best and a force to be reckoned with.

I wanted to take the time to express my gratitude to everyone behind the scenes at AutoGov. In response to the quote “Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there”, I say, we are the leaders of life's marathon and keep on running team!

AutoGov at the University of Alabama's Business Analytics Symposium

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:58:00 GMT

AutoGov founder Gregg Phillips had the distinct pleasure of speaking at the 2012 Business Analytics Symposium hosted by the IBA, Institute of Business Analytics, at the University of Alabama.

Official "about" from the Symposium website:

The Business Analytics Symposium is a two day event exploring the diverse landscape of analytics in business. World-renowned experts in the fields of statistics, data mining, analytics, and business attend.

In addition to many excellent presentations and discussions, guests have the opportunity to interview and get to know University of Alabama students pursuing graduate degrees in Statistics, Business Analytics, and Economics.

In addition to meeting the up and coming talent, guests have the opportunity to network with seasoned colleagues. Many of our partners will take part in an exhibition following day one of the event where you will have the opportunity to learn about how they use analytics .

Past speakers include Bill Kahn of Traveler's insurance, Lan Guan of Accenture, Kevin Busby of Capital One, Sundar Dorai-Raj of Google, Gene Grabowski of Ford, Collen McCue of Geoeye Analytics, and Tom Bohannon of SAS.

Lean more here:

http://www.cba.ua.edu/basymposium/

Here are a few of our twitter highlights during Gregg's speech:

"Be brave. You have to be brave." -Gregg Phillips on small businesses going for goals and challenges.
— AutoGov (@AutoGov) February 2, 2012

55% of all denials of eligibility of Gov't healthcare benefits comes from lack of data on the applications.
— AutoGov (@AutoGov) February 2, 2012

CaseVue - Simplicity isn't so Simple

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:21:00 GMT

Among the AutoGov accomplishments of which we are the most proud is the ease with which our customers can use our CaseVue software and adopt it into their business process. CaseVue doesn't require a business process overhaul. But it will have a huge impact on your business and your bottom line.

Don't be fooled though. Simplicity doesn't come easy. CaseVue reflects years of business knowledge and subject matter expertise in Medicaid, program integrity, eligibility, data analytics and risk management.

Check out our software. A sophisticated back end that is easy to use.

See for yourself. We'd love to give you a demo.

Constant Innovation

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:53:00 GMT

We made a pile of mistakes during the development of CaseVue, our flagship software offering.

In spite of all the warnings from consultants, books and advisers, we trudged through years of development without stopping to think about the next round of innovation.

The result was a fabulous product that delivers massive returns on a limited investment for our clients.

Good enough, right? Wrong. Even software as good as ours requires care and feeding, failure to do so renders the software outdated quickly.

I was reminded of this fact this week. Rocking along believing all is well, one of our lead technology advisers suggested a simple solution to issue related to efficiency and intellectual property. Almost on queue, our CEO, Rose Hayden, made a suggestion regarding our user interfaces and deployment that solved two major challenges that have faced our implementation teams.

Two innovative ideas in two days that hold the promise of solving problems that we had chosen to ignore.

Is Social Networking Important?

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 02:04:00 GMT

We recently have been having discussions about the importance of social networking. Should it dictate our time and effort to reach out to people? With its prevalence in everyday society, can it actually be a business tool or just a way to show how awesome my dog is?

Exhibit A.

Now more than ever people are using the internet and its many social networks to communicate, grow, and learn. The following are examples of the sheer volume of people that use them. Check out these videos...

Can BILLIONS of people be wrong?

Facebook

Twitter

All Social Media Collectively

Resources For Finding an Assisted Living Facility

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:28:00 GMT

The search for the perfect Assisted Living facility for your loved one can be time consuming and confusing. With so many options, it’s hard to know where to start or how to begin to narrow down the search. There are many resources on the web for you to be able to check out and do research. We have gathered 3 websites that have important information to be able to make this process easier for you.

Memberofthefamily.net - http://www.memberofthefamily.net/

This website offers a rating system of 16,000+ Medicare/Medicaid- certified nursing homes across the United States. You can also look at a national watch list they have compiled. This can help you build a list of possible facilities and know which ones you should steer clear of.

AARP- http://aarp.us/wl1QsR

AARP is a valuable and respected site for senior citizens. The link above will take you to an article on “The “Do’s” of Due Diligence” concerning choosing a nursing home. Before you start the nursing home selection process, you should know what it is you are looking for and how to find it.

Medicare.gov - http://1.usa.gov/zuWwn4

Medicare.gov has compiled a detailed check list for you to be able to take it with you on your assisted living search. It offers questions to ask, reminders of what to look for, a detailed area for recording information gathered, and a rating system.

Hopefully these websites answer any questions you may have on choosing the best assisted living facility and make the process less confusing and less time consuming.

Exclusion Authorities and Effects of Exclusion: 2nd Video from the Provider Compliance Training Videos

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:34:00 GMT

This is the 2nd video in the OIG's compliance training videos and audio podcasts. This series will have 11 videos and audio podcasts that are part of the award-winning Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) Provider Compliance Training initiative. The videos cover a variety of healthcare fraud laws, common abuses, and what to do when a compliance issue arises. These presentations will be posted on the OIG website at the start of each week for the months of December, January, and February. These videos are part of the OIG’s Provider Compliance Training initiative.

Holidays Bring You Chaos and Peace

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 19:20:00 GMT

This week my nephew Hayden Covert has joined us in holiday office coverage. Here are some of his thoughts in his own words:

So, it is literally three days after Christmas and it is so quiet here. Cherish and my Aunt Rose are the only ones here. Everybody else, for instance, Gregg, Taylor, Randy and Brenda are all off for New Year's and it's reasonable and understandable but it just makes the place quiet and and super different.

Now I am here, helping out my Aunt Rose with her blogs.

- Hayden Covert is a fourth grader at St. Austin's Catholic School in Austin Texas. He is 9 years old and loves soccer, reading and writing and his IPad.

Believe

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 04:45:00 GMT

"Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind." Mary Ellen Chase

Forty-five years ago on Christmas Eve, I stood by a fish pond outside our home in a small community in the Philippines.

I believed in the Christmas story. Christ was born that night in Bethlehem almost 2,000 years ago. I believed the light from our Christmas tree symbolized the light of Christ.

I believed in both Santa Claus and the spirit of giving. The big guy was coming to my new house tonight, slide down the chimney and leave me some stuff. Not wanting him to be hungry on this long journey, I left him cookies.

Looking at the stars that night 5,000 miles from my home, I asked my Dad about the Christmas star. He told me that the star was a miracle that told the world that his Son was born that night. I believed my Dad. And why not, he was trained to navigate by the stars in case he ever got lost.
Every year since then, I go out to look at the stars on Christmas Eve. I think of my Dad. He found his way home 11 years ago. I think of the stars that have shown me the way when I've been lost. Lord knows I have been lost in darkness more than a few times. And I think of the greatest miracle of all, the one I learned about 45 years ago tonight.

I still believe.

Merry Christmas from all of us to all of you!

Inspector General Introduces Provider Compliance Training Videos

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:40:00 GMT

Daniel R. Levinson, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, introduces OIG's compliance training videos and audio podcasts. This series will have 11 videos and audio podcasts that are part of the award-winning Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) Provider Compliance Training initiative. The videos cover a variety of healthcare fraud laws, common abuses, and what to do when a compliance issue arises. These presentations will be posted on the OIG website at the start of each week for the months of December, January, and February. These videos are part of the OIG’s Provider Compliance Training initiative. AutoGov will post these videos as a series.

The Generosity Experiment

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:24:00 GMT

Once again, we find ourselves at the end of the year. December seems to be the best time to take a snap shot of life, business, relationships, etc. and see how far you have come or grown throughout the year.

AutoGov and its employees have been blessed by having wonderful clients, a great business platform, and each other to work with on a daily basis.

We would like to not only take a “snap shot” of our life but focus on passing the blessings along. “The Generosity Experiment” by Sasha Dichter is a prime example of moving forward with generosity and remembering that life isn’t just about us.

Sasha Dichter: The Generosity Experiment from NextGen:Charity on Vimeo.

AutoGov Films: Joe the Caseworker

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:06:00 GMT

We are happy to finally announce that our long running "Joe the Caseworker" video has finally made its way to YouTube. Please watch and share our first of many video's to come.

Please don't forget to subscribe to our new YouTube Channel to get the latest:

Data Mining: The Tool of the Information Age

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:07:00 GMT

In this Stanford produced webinar, you will learn how to explore, analyze, and leverage data sets of any scale in this 60-minute webinar with Google's Search Scientist and Stanford Instructor Dr. Rajan Patel. The content is a little technical but offers insight into the science behind dating mining and the reasons why data mining and analytics are the tools of the information age.

Inches

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:47:00 GMT

So it's coming on Christmas, And AutoGov faces the end of 2011 with a curious blend of optimism and realism. I've blogged before about how well this company and my team have faced the small business challenges of the economic downturn -- with tenacity, belief and humor. I am proud to be on their team.

And that got me thinking about the past year and the pivotal AutoGov moments. One day in particular stands out. It was July 1 and we had a team meeting. A friend of mine had suggested that I watch the Any Given Sunday Inches Speech that Al Pacino gives in a locker room - for inspiration in talking with my team. I rolled my eyes. More sports!

Even I was moved. Pacino says "... in football, in life, the inches we need are everywhere around us."

I kicked the meeting off with talk of inches - that our company would live or die by the inches. That July day, just before Independence Day in Austin Texas, we were joined by family members of our staff. They jumped into our team discussion. My questions were "what motivates you?" What kind of a team do you want to be a part of?" Youth led us in wisdom as the 13-year old son of our founder, a baseball player to his bones responded "to play with people who try, to believe in my team, to get to the finish line with them." After that, everyone joined in and it was one of the best meetings I've ever been a part of in all my working years.

Here's our list of what motivates us, Give me these inches any day.

Effort, Faith, Belief, Respect, Trust, Service, Passion

Take a minute and listen to Al. It's worth it "one inch at a time."

Believe in Heroes Through the Wounded Warrior Project

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:20:00 GMT

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

One of the new trademarked slogans of the Wounded Warrior Project is Believe in Heroes™. We borrowed this short write-up from the Wounded Warrior website. Please read, and if you can, Donate to the Wounded Warriors to our American Heroes. AutoGov - through the Tough Mudder and Wounded Warrior Project and Under Armour - will always support our heroes!

At 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918, "the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month," a cease-fire came into effect that would end World War I. For this reason, the date is generally regarded as the end of "the war to end all wars." Eighty-three years later, on September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists hijacked and crashed four commercial airliners, killing thousands of Americans. The events of that day would inspire droves of brave men and women to answer the call to duty to enlist in our country's all-volunteer armed services.

All veterans face challenges as they return to society, and today's wounded warriors are meeting extraordinary obstacles. These include visible, physical injuries as well as invisible ones, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Our challenge goes beyond just raising awareness for veterans, but by addressing the real hurdles our warriors face as they return to civilian life.

Believe in Heroes™ is a Wounded Warrior Project™ initiative that calls on Americans to recognize the enormous sacrifices made by our newest generation of veterans and to honor the service of these individual over a two-month campaign leading up to Veterans Day. The Believe in Heroes campaign will provide the American public with an opportunity to show their support and appreciation of our veterans in their communities, and across the nation.

Trace Adkins believes in heroes and has supported the Wounded Warrior Project with his song, "Till the Last Shot's Fired. Sung with the West Point Glee Club and brought to life here with this amazing photography.

Happy Thanksgiving from AutoGov to you! God Bless America!

Making Sense of Medicaid

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:32:00 GMT

Medicaid and Medicare are a maze of rules and regulations. For ordinary citizens, Medicaid can seem like a chemistry experiment that only an expert can do.

I have noticed that the term “spend down” when talking about Medicaid long term care can cause a lot of confusion for people. The explanation is full of jargon and confusing rules.

Today though, I came across this article that explains what a “spend down” means, and provides a detailed account of how it works.

“Contrary to standard procedure when investing for retirement, where you are looking to maximize your assets, under the spend-down, the government, before it will pay, is looking not to how you have maximized your assets but to how much is left.” Excerpt from “Column: Making sense of the Medicaid spend-down”

Getting educated and prepared for the adventure of applying for Medicaid is the hardest part. There are a plethora of stories, articles, and/or blogs that you can find to help break down the government “lingo” and can steer you on the right path with less frustration and confusion. Here’s one we recommend:

To read the article mentioned above, “Column: Making sense of the Medicaid spend-down”, visit http://bit.ly/uWz4aZ.

What's on our mind?

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:16:00 GMT

After posting our Eligibility whitepaper we noticed that there was a trend in the way we were writing. We created a word map of the top used words. It isn't really a surprise that we think data, errors, information, [Autogov's] engine, and eligibility are extremely important. Check out our word map, then click here to read our Eligibility whitepaper. Do you agree? Let us know!

Be sure to leave us a comment and interact with us!

AutoGov's Library Shelves Are Proof That We Are What We Read!

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:59:00 GMT

AutoGov's library shelves are full of books that support our fanantical interest in data mining, business analytics, statistics and business focused books. Our recommended reading list builds on these themes and a few more that make us click.

http://www.squidoo.com/autogovs-library-shelves

All fees generated through our Squidoo reading list are donated to our favorite charity - in fact, the worlds best - Room to Read.

AutoGov Salutes Our Veterans

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:51:00 GMT

2011 has been a big year for us at AutoGov. We have implemented projects, met deadlines, and rebuilt our corporate technology structure. All of that is great for a small business, but it is good to look beyond just AutoGov. We would like to take a moment to thank all of our friends, collegues, and family that have served America.

Thank you for your sacrifice and keeping us out of harms way.

To those still deployed, please come home safe.

Be Your Own Backstop or How to Handle Chaos

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:14:00 GMT

When the going gets tough or you have no idea what to do next, too often we see folks looking around for help. Finding none, some people are willing to throw up their hands and walk away.

Walking away - especially from a client need - is the worst thing a small business (any business) can do!

AutoGov met last week to begin the process of developing standard operating procedures or SOP's for every facet of our business, ranging from the simple and mundane to the complex.

We began with one that I thought would be simple - "What to do when you have no idea what to do." This was subsequently named the "Chaos" SOP by the participants. Far from being simple, we spent hours following every rabbit trail we could think of and put each possibility through the Chaos flowchart.

Walking away from an issue? Not likely. Everybody learned that it is critical to be your own backstop even when chaos ensues and nobody is there to help you except you!

Ten Data Mining Mistakes to Avoid

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:37:00 GMT

John Elder presents an excellent tutorial in this top ten (actually 11!) list. Three mistakes that jump out at AutoGov's data mining team are those we learned of early in the development of CaseVue's model: 1) it is a mistake to proceed without data, 2) it is a mistake to extrapolate, and 3) it is a mistake to listen only to the data.

A Life Under Medicaid

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:38:00 GMT

This video is a touching story of a 94 year old former nurse aid who has come to love the "family" she has found in her nursing home.

Naming Conventions Make for Good Manners

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:38:00 GMT

As AutoGov grows we're finding that almost everything we do requires a written procedure. Otherwise every day is ground hog day -- a terrible resource waster. We're striving to avoid the curse of small business where only one person has the key to the mailbox.

Today we tackled how to establish standard methods for naming our files. Scintillating, I know. But let's tell the truth here. How many valuable heartbeats have you wasted searching your email attachments, your C Drive, that extra jump drive you carry around, your old laptop, blah, blah, blah -- looking for that document you swear that you have somewhere? We just want to be able to find our stuff!

So off we went, launching our "Naming Convention" work session. Thirty minutes later we were done with the job. And we had reached consensus on how to name our documents, the categories for cataloging and electronic filing processes. Surprisingly this seemingly dull task gave rise to some interesting suggestions and the result reflected the wisdom of the group. It was a thoughtful thirty minutes.

I liken some of these mundane office processes to good table manners. Table manners are only really important to us when you're stuck eating with a real slob. Miss Manners 911. Same is true at work. Being able to readily retrieve information is never more critical until you have spent half your day searching for that detailed flowchart "we already did" that you just have to have for the client deliverable that is due in two hours,

Be kind to yourself and your co-workers. Embrace the mundane!

Acknowledgement Can Be a Bitter Pill to Swallow

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:39:00 GMT

"Any man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is in error." Andrew Jackson

President Jackson's position on the acknowledgement of errors has withstood the test of time, not to in any manner imply that we all actually live by this standard each day. But, we would do well to consider his admonishment in our dealings with clients, vendors, partners and others with which we communicate each day.

Rest assured others know when you blow it. Its in walking away without accepting and acknowledging your hand in an error or mistake that sows the seeds of distrust and resentment. Over time, these incidents can cause a team to fail because the trust is broken and expectations are diminished.

My high school baseball coach used to tell us to forget saying "my fault" when an error was made. His reasoning was that everybody in the stadium knows its your fault, so forget it and move on. While Coach was right about most of the lessons he shared with us, he may have missed this one when applied to life and business.

Just a brief "my fault," an acknoweldgement that you are in error will provide your team with the comfort of knowing three things: 1) you know you blew it, 2) you actually care, and 3) (to borrow a phrase from my son) you are willing to "man up" and accept your failing.

Reflections from the Week

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:40:00 GMT

While most folks race for the door on Friday afternoons, I find the time is perfect to reflect on the chaos of the week – quiet time for my brain. No phones, no deadlines, no payroll and no cash flow issues to concern me.

The week was productive. Working to ensure our business intelligence solutions are meeting our client’s needs, we have explored the BI markets newest stars – those whose model includes software as a service. SaaS meets our client’s needs and allows us to practice what we preach – our flagship software is a SaaS offering. Mashing a BI solution with our own will provide significant benefits to our clients.

AutoGov sales and marketing efforts are blowing and going. The company has a pipeline (yes, I know it’s cool, right?) for the first time since we crawled away from our consulting business years ago. We are exploring new methods of reaching our target markets.

The Mississippi Healthcare Summit held at Mississippi College in Clinton was enlightening. While the State has challenges eclipsed by few others in the United States, the leadership stands tall offering solutions and hope rather than doom and gloom. Soon to be elected Governor Phil Bryant, Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney and newly elected Senator Josh Harkins were a few of the players that will be key to Mississippi’s continued push forward.

Operations are solid, the technology is smokin’ hot and our customer service team ready’s for a month end drawing for an iPod. The team, led by our CEO (Rose Hayden) and lead data scientist (Taylor Phillips) produced a comprehensive analysis for one of our clients. The analysis provides a clear path forward and a bright future for the client’s operations.

Now my week is done. These musings bring clarity. Monday is certain to bring the return of the chaos of a small software company, but – at least for now – all is well.

Health Reform Hits Main Street

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:40:00 GMT

This simple, easy to understand explanation of healthcare reform provides an opportunity to understand the basics of the new law without reading 1,000 pages of legislative lawyer language.

Solving a Medicaid Claim Mystery

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:41:00 GMT

Believe it or not there are some things about the Medicaid program that are simple. For example, while there seems to be a great mystery surrounding what makes a Medicaid claim payable, it is it is really not a mystery at all.

Three simple fact items must be present to pay a Medicaid claim. A claim must be submitted:

1. by an Eligible Provider: A provider submitting a claim for Medicaid reimbursement must be properly enrolled as an official Medicaid provider. Each state conducts separate provider enrollment providers must enroll in every state where they provide services.

2. on behalf of an Eligible Recipient: To become eligible for Medicaid, a person must be determined eligible by the state in which he or she lives. A Medicaid application must be completed and a variety of documents must be submitted. Generally, there are five specific components of the determination. The applicant must prove their identity. They must be a citizen of the U.S. and a resident of the state in which they are applying for assistance. Finally, the applicant must meet certain maximum dollar amounts for assets and income. Once eligibility is determined, the individual will remain eligible until a change in circumstances renders them ineligible. Redeterminations are conducted on a regular basis, generally annually.

3. for an Eligible Service: Medicaid program services that are available to recipients vary from state to state. Providers have some flexibility but must render services in accordance with approved services. Many rules and regulations govern the provision and frequency of these services. For example, many states require high cost or unusual services to undergo a process called prior authorization before the service can be rendered and payment remitted.

With each of these three items properly documented, Medicaid claims should sail through a state’s Medicaid payment system.

Just an Idea or a Real Innovation?

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:41:00 GMT

AutoGov owns and operates a technology platform that has allowed us to create an easy to use web based application driven by advanced business analytics.

We had the idea first. But it was only a cool idea. We had to find a way to build the idea.

The innovation occurred when we developed a method for turning the unintelligible (read: useless) data mining driven algorithm into a useful product that saves our users millions each year.

Ideas are a dime a dozen. Innovations are "practical ideas" - ideas that can be implemented.

Technology is an enabler for millions of ideas, but the game changer is the entrepenuer who turns ideas into an innovation through blood, sweat, tears and usually a pile of cash.

They may not be changing the world but they are the rare breed that understand that ideas are just ideas until somebody makes it happen.

Google Research and the Search for Perfection Yields $1,000,000 Award

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:41:00 GMT

The search for perfection isn't always conducted by the rocket scientists of the world. A music teacher with little knowlege about baseball uses web-based research to win a contest and $1 million.