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  • 3 min read

Think and Grow Rich - Book Review

Welcome to Continuous Improvement, the podcast that helps you unleash your full potential and achieve success in all areas of your life. I'm your host, Victor, and today we're diving into the world of personal development with a book review of "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill.

Now, before we begin, I want to address the elephant in the room. Yes, the title may sound a bit superficial, and you might even feel a tad awkward reading it in public. But trust me, there's much more to this book than meets the eye.

Let's kick things off with a powerful quote that sets the tone for the entire book. Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right." This quote perfectly encapsulates the essence of "Think and Grow Rich." At first, I too had my reservations about this book. Was it a scam? A get-rich-quick scheme? But as I delved into its pages, I discovered something much more profound.

To truly understand this book, we need to consider its historical context. Published in 1937, during the Great Depression, "Think and Grow Rich" remains a bestseller, having sold over 20 million copies. It belongs to the self-improvement genre, and like many self-improvement books, it raises skepticism. After all, if these books were truly effective, we'd all be living lavish lives by now. But let's not jump to conclusions just yet.

The core message of the book revolves around mindset—a key factor in achieving success. It's not just about thinking your way to riches; action is required. Hill presents a simple formula: desire, faith, and then action. If you have an unwavering desire, faith in yourself, and the courage to conquer your fears, you'll be propelled to take the necessary action.

Throughout the book, Hill shares captivating stories and case studies of successful individuals, including renowned industrialist Andrew Carnegie. While some accuse the book of lacking scientific rigor in its methodology, I believe the best way to test its ideas is through action. Knowledge alone won't get you paid; it's the application and the ability to inspire others to act that holds the key to financial success.

"Think and Grow Rich" also tackles the importance of character and mindset. Building positive relationships and cooperative efforts are crucial for achieving power and success. In essence, your ability to provide valuable service and inspire others is what truly sets you apart.

The book challenges the notion that a college degree equates to true education. True education lies in the effective application of knowledge without infringing upon the rights of others. It's about consistently pursuing your goals and making a positive impact.

If you're someone who's passionate about becoming wealthy, I wholeheartedly recommend reading "Think and Grow Rich." It's a powerful exploration of mindset, action, and the principles that can guide you towards your goals.

And that brings us to the end of this episode of Continuous Improvement. I hope you found this book review insightful and inspiring. Remember, success is within reach if you're willing to embrace the right mindset and take consistent action.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to Continuous Improvement on your favorite podcast platform, and don't forget to leave us a review. Until next time, keep striving for greatness.

[END OF SCRIPT]

  • in zh
  • 1 min read

思考與致富 - 書評

我要評論的書是由拿破崙·希爾所著的"思考與致富"。在公眾場合讀這本書可能會有點尷尬，不是因為它寫得不好，而是因為它的書名可能顯得刻板。人們常常以貌取人，我擔心他們可能根據我正在閱讀的內容來評價我。

我們先引用一段亨利·福特在書中說的話："不論你認為自己能，或是你認為你不能，你都是對的。"這句話概括了這本書的精髓。起初，我對於閱讀這本書感到懷疑。這是個騙局？是庞次宗吗？還是試圖說服我投資比特幣和NFT的一種手法？儘管作者被指控欺詐和經營失敗，他仍宣稱揭示了“有史以來最大的秘密”。

然而，在做出評價前，了解書籍的歷史背景很重要。它是在1937年，大蕭條期間出版的。今天，我們發現自己處於類似的情況，股市下跌了20%。儘管如此，這本書仍是暢銷書，已經銷售了超過2000萬冊，並被歸類為自我提升類型的書籍。我讀過很多自我提升的書，如果他們像宣稱的那樣有效，我應該已經富有並在遊艇上過著享受生活的退休生活了。

這本書強調的是心態，明確的表達成一個簡單的公式：慾望，信念，然後行動。儘管他的書名明示你可以通過思考致富，但書中明確表示你必須付諸行動。如果你足夠渴望，對自己有信念，並且克服你的恐懼，你將被迫去行動。

書中有很多成功人士的激勵故事和案例研究，如美國的大工業家安德魯·卡內基。儘管書籍宣稱受到研究支持，但其方法似乎並未嚴格遵循科學準則。測試書中思想的最好方式是將之付諸行動。

別指望僅僅因為知道某件事就能得到報酬；你必須將那知識付諸行動。世界不會因為人們“知道”什麼而付給他們報酬；它會根據他們做了什麼或者他們的能力來激勵其他人去行動來付賬。一個技巧純熟的領導者可以顯著提高他人的效率，說服他們提供比他們自己會提供的更好的服務。

想要錢是一回事–每個人都想–但真正的價值在於你是否真的價值連城。很多人把他們的慾望和他們真正的價值混為一談。你的財務目標與你的實際價值無關，因為你的實際價值完全取決於你提供有價值的服務的能力或鼓勵他人這樣做的能力。

對於將人們以負面的個性推開的人來說，成功是無法實現的。力量是通過合作努力來實現的，而負面的個性不會促進這種合作。

擁有學位並不一定使人受過教育。一個受過教育的人學會了如何在不侵犯他人權利的情況下實現自己的目標。教育不在於積累知識，而在於如何有效且持之以恆地應用知識。

如果你對致富的想法痴迷，我首先建議你閱讀這本書。

  • 5 min read

Vietnamese Street Food

Today, I am going to review Vietnamese street food. All the photos featured in this post were taken by me during the trip. I will showcase the authentic Vietnamese street food that I enjoyed throughout my journey.

Food during the Vietnam War

In the Củ Chi Tunnels

Food during Vietnam War

I traveled with a vegetarian colleague for two weeks. Due to her dietary restrictions, all our meals were vegetarian. Honestly, I found the vegetarian dishes somewhat disappointing. This photo depicts food eaten during the Vietnam War—a dry, flavorless potato. The harsh reality of the time was that people were so hungry they had little choice. An elderly man told me he even had to eat dogs to survive. It's important not to judge in this context.

Motorbike Local Street Food Tour

Motorbike Tour

I could only indulge in proper street food on weekends when my colleague was not around. The most local way to enjoy street food is by riding a motorbike. Driving in Vietnam is an adventure in itself; traffic rules are more like suggestions. People say if you can drive a motorbike in Vietnam, you can drive anywhere in the world. Thankfully, I made it through without any injuries.

Bánh Tráng Nướng (Vietnamese Pizza)

Vietnamese Pizza

Vietnamese pizza is another popular dish. It is made with rice paper, making it light and easy to eat. Authentic Vietnamese pizza is cooked over an open flame, without concern for safety regulations. The end result is simply delightful.

Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Pancake)

Vietnamese Pancake

Next up is the Vietnamese pancake, cooked in a wok over real fire. The pancake is filled with various aromatic ingredients like morning glory, making it incredibly fragrant.

Bột Chiên (Fried Rice Flour Cakes with Papaya on Top)

Fried Rice Flour Cakes

While fried rice is a favorite of mine, this dish takes it up a notch. It's essentially fried rice flour cakes, and it's delicious.

Nem Bò Nướng Sả (Smoky Sweet and Savory Pork Skewer)

Pork Skewer

Pork skewers are also a hit. Pigs might be smart, but they're also incredibly tasty.

Bánh Mì (Vietnamese Baguette)

Vietnamese Baguette

The French colonial influence in Vietnam has left us with this delicious Vietnamese baguette, also known as Bánh Mì.

Bún Bò Huế (Beef Noodle Soup from Hue)

CO AN, 001 BIS C/C NGUYEN THIEN THUAT, P.1 Q3, TPHCM

Beef Noodle Soup from Hue

This isn't Pho; it's called Bún Bò Huế and it's a bit spicy. Hue is the name of the city where this dish originates. I apologize to vegetarians, but it's too good to pass up. In Vietnam, veganism is not commonly understood; people often add fish sauce even to salads.

Bún Cả (Fish Cake)

Fish Cake

Bún Cả is a delightful fish cake dish. It becomes even more flavorful when you add fish sauce, the ultimate flavor enhancer.

And More

Various Foods

There's plenty more delicious food to try.

Chuối Nếp Nướng (Banana Sticky Rice)

378 VO VAN TAN, P.5. QUAN 3, TP. HCM

Banana Sticky Rice

For dessert, I recommend Banana Sticky Rice with coconut. It's a delicious alternative to the Mango Sticky Rice found in Thailand. Just be careful with the pronunciation; you don't want to accidentally say something inappropriate.

Dessert

Miscellaneous Dessert

Various jelly-like desserts offer a perfect balance of sweet and salty.

Coconut Ice Cream

Coconut Ice Cream

In this picture, you see two ice creams, although I'm eating alone. The upside of being single? You get both for yourself.

Coconuts

Coconut

Here's a plain coconut, in case you've never seen one.

Coconut Coffee

Coconut Coffee

My current favorite drink is coconut coffee. It's like Starbucks' Frappuccino but much better.

And More Vietnamese Coffee

Vietnamese Coffee

Of course, Vietnam is famous for its coffee, especially the kind made with condensed milk. It's as good as it looks.

Useful Phrases to Learn

Rượu (Getting Drunk)

The first word is "rượu," which means getting drunk. Whether you're happy or sad, getting "rượu" is the answer to everything.

Một, Hai, Ba, YO (1, 2, 3, Cheers)

The second phrase is "Một, Hai, Ba, YO," meaning "1, 2, 3, Cheers." It's simple and easy to remember, so grab your beer and say it with me: "Một, Hai, Ba, YO!"

  • in podcast
  • 3 min read

Vietnamese Street Food

Welcome to another exciting episode of "Continuous Improvement." I'm your host, Victor, and today we have a mouthwatering topic to dive into - Vietnamese street food! So grab a snack, sit back, and let's embark on a culinary adventure through the vibrant streets of Vietnam.

Vietnam is known for its rich history and diverse culture, but its street food scene is truly something to behold. During the Vietnam War, food was scarce, and the first dish we'll discuss serves as a reminder of that challenging time. It's a photo of a dry, flavorless potato - a representation of the hardships people faced. It's important to approach this with empathy and understanding.

Now, let's switch gears and delve into the exciting experiences I had while sampling authentic Vietnamese street food. The best way to truly immerse oneself in the culture is by joining a motorbike local street food tour. Trust me, driving in Vietnam is an adventure in itself - traffic rules are more like suggestions! But don't worry, I made it through unscathed.

One of my favorite street food dishes is Bánh Tráng Nướng, also known as Vietnamese Pizza. Unlike its Italian counterpart, this dish is made with light and crispy rice paper, cooked over an open flame. Just don't expect any safety regulations here!

A popular dish that you must try is Bánh Xèo, the Vietnamese pancake. Cooked in a wok over real fire, it's a fragrant and savory delight. The pancake is filled with mouthwatering ingredients like morning glory, making it a must-try on your culinary journey.

Another dish that caught my attention is Bột Chiên. It takes fried rice to a whole new level. Imagine tasty rice flour cakes fried to perfection and topped with flavorful papaya slices. It's an explosion of flavors that will leave you craving for more.

Now, let's talk about Nem Bò Nướng Sả, smoky sweet and savory pork skewers. Pigs might be smart, but they are also incredibly delicious. The succulent pieces of grilled pork will satisfy any meat lover's cravings.

The French colonial influence in Vietnam gifted us with Bánh Mì, the Vietnamese baguette. Picture a crispy yet soft baguette filled with various delectable ingredients. It's a mouthwatering blend of flavors that will make your taste buds sing.

For the soup lovers out there, I recommend trying Bún Bò Huế. This spicy beef noodle soup hails from the city of Hue and packs a punch. Although it might not be suitable for vegetarians, it's simply too good to pass up. Keep in mind that fish sauce is a common addition in Vietnamese cuisine, even to salads.

If you're a fan of fish, you must try Bún Cả, a delightful fish cake dish. But wait, there's a secret to enhance its flavor - fish sauce. Known as the ultimate flavor enhancer, it takes this dish to a whole new level of deliciousness.

Now, let's satisfy our sweet tooth. I recommend trying Chuối Nếp Nướng, banana sticky rice with coconut. It's a mouthwatering dessert and a delightful alternative to Thailand's famous Mango Sticky Rice. Just be careful with the pronunciation, as we don't want any unintentional miscommunications.

Vietnam offers a wide variety of desserts. From jelly-like treats to miscellaneous sweet and salty delicacies, there's a dessert to satisfy every craving. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try something new - you won't be disappointed.

Coconut lovers, get ready for a treat! Vietnam is abundant in coconuts, and they're put to great use. Whether it's a simple coconut itself or a creamy coconut ice cream, you're in for a refreshing delight. And for coffee enthusiasts, Vietnam is famous for its coffee, especially the kind made with condensed milk. It's an indulgence worth savoring.

Before we wrap up, let's learn a couple of useful phrases. If you're up for a night of festivities, the word "rượu" means "getting drunk." But remember, everything in moderation! And when it's time to raise your glass, you can join the locals with the phrase "Một, Hai, Ba, YO" - it means "1, 2, 3, Cheers!" So let's practice together: "Một, Hai, Ba, YO!"

And that's a wrap for today's episode of "Continuous Improvement." I hope I've whetted your appetite for Vietnamese street food. If you ever find yourself in Vietnam, be sure to explore the vibrant streets and indulge in these mouthwatering delicacies. Until next time, remember to keep improving, one flavorful bite at a time.

  • in zh
  • 3 min read

越南街頭美食

今天，我將評論一下越南街頭美食。這篇文章中展示的所有照片都是我在旅行期間拍攝的。我將展示我在旅程中享用的道地越南街頭美食。

越戰時期的食物

在Củ Chi隧道中

越戰時期的食物

我和一位素食的同事旅行了兩個星期。由於她的飲食限制，我們所有的餐點都是素食。誠實地說，我覺得素食菜肴有點失望。這張照片描繪的是越戰時期的食物—乾燥、無味的馬鈴薯。當時的世貞現實是，人們餓得並無選擇。一位老人告訴我，他甚至為了生存而不得不吃狗。在這種情況下最重要的是不要進行評判。

摩托車當地街頭美食之旅

摩托車遊覽

只有在我的同事不在的週末，我才能盡情享用正宗的街頭美食。最地道的享用街頭美食的方法就是騎摩托車。在越南駕駛本身就是一種冒險；交通規則更像是建議。人們說，如果你能在越南騎摩托車，你就能在世界任何地方開車。謝天謝地，我並未受到任何傷害。

Bánh Tráng Nướng（越南披薩）

越南披薩

越南披薩是另一種受歡迎的菜肴。它是用米紙做的，吃起來輕盈易嚼。正宗的越南披薩是在開放的火焰上烹製的，而完全不顧安全規定。最終的結果簡直讓人愉快。

Bánh Xèo（越南餅乾）

越南餅乾

下面是越南的餅乾，這是在真火上的鍋子中烹製的。餅乾裡為滿是各種香料像是番薯葉, 讓這餅乾充滿香氣。

Bột Chiên（炸飯粉餅上加木瓜)

炸飯粉餅

雖然炒飯是我的最愛，但這道菜帶來了更多的享受。這基本上是炸飯粉餅，它很美味。

Nem Bò Nướng Sả（煙熏甜味和鹹味的豬肉串）

豬肉串

豬肉串也是很有人氣的。豬可能很聰明，但他們也非常美味。

Bánh Mì（越南法棍）

越南法棍麵包

法國在越南的殖民影響留下了美味的越南法棍，也被稱為Bánh Mì。

Bún Bò Huế（來自順化的牛肉麵湯）

CO AN, 001 BIS C/C NGUYEN THIEN THUAT, P.1 Q3, TPHCM

來自順化的牛肉麵湯

Bún Bò Huế是一種稍微有點辣的菜。Hue是這道菜發源城市的名字。對素食者深感抱歉，但它實在太好吃了。在越南，大部分人並不懂素食主義；他們甚至會在沙拉中加魚露。

Bún Cả (魚餅)

魚餅

Bún Cả是一種令人愉快的魚餅菜。當你加入魚露時，它變得更有風味。

更多

各種食物

還有更多美味的食物等著你去嘗試。

Chuối Nếp Nướng (香蕉糯米飯)

378 VO VAN TAN, P.5. QUAN 3, TP. HCM

香蕉糯米飯

甜點 我推薦香蕉糯米飯配椰子。 與泰國的芒果糯米飯相比，這更加美味。 小心發音，以免說錯關鍵字。

點心

雜式點心

各式各樣的果凍狀點心提供甜鹹味的完美平衡。

椰子冰淇淋

椰子冰淇淋

在這張照片中，你會看到兩份冰淇淋，儘管我自己一個人在吃。單身的好處是？你兩份都可以拿到。

椰子

椰子

這是一顆普通的椰子，如果你從未見過的話。

椰子咖啡

椰子咖啡

我目前最喜歡的飲料是椰子咖啡。 它像星巴克的冰奶茶，但味道更好。

以及更多的越南咖啡

越南咖啡

当然，越南以其咖啡而著名，尤其是用炼乳制成的。 它和看起来一样好。

有用的短語學習

Rượu (喝醉)

第一個字是 "rượu"，意思是喝醉。不論你是高興還是難過，"rượu" 都是解決一切的答案。

Một, Hai, Ba, YO (1, 2, 3, 乾杯)

第二個短語是 "Một, Hai, Ba, YO"，意思是 "1, 2, 3, 乾杯"。這短語簡單易記，所以拿上你的啤酒，跟我一起說： "Một, Hai, Ba, YO!"

  • 4 min read

Product Strategy Recommendations

I recently completed an online course where I learned the frameworks and concepts needed to create compelling and memorable product experiences. I chose to apply this knowledge to Thought Machine, a company that has developed a core banking product. This product is revolutionizing the banking industry by empowering banks to offer innovative services to their customers.

Thought Machine has experienced substantial growth, recently raising $200 million in a Series C funding round. The round included industry-leading VCs and global banks such as Nyca Partners, Molten Ventures, JPMorgan, and Standard Chartered. This brings the company's total funding to $350 million, with a valuation exceeding £1 billion. Thought Machine collaborates with several banks, ranging from Tier 1 institutions to challengers, including Atom Bank, Curve, Lord Banking Group, Monese, SEB, Standard Chartered, TransferGo, Arvest, ING, and JP Morgan Chase.

The company's flagship product is Vault, a cloud-native ledger platform that operates on various cloud services, including Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure. Thanks to smart contracts, Vault offers unparalleled flexibility, allowing it to run various retail banking products like current accounts, savings, loans, credit cards, and mortgages.

Levels of the Product

The best products offer more than just functionality; they meet a psychological need. Here's a breakdown:

Augmented Product

  • Real-time data transmission in and out of the ledger enables rich data streaming for AI and reporting.
  • Banks can manage everything from international currencies to cryptocurrencies and reward points.
  • A payments processing platform that allows any bank to manage payments across all methods, schemes, and regions worldwide.

Actual Product

  • A modern core banking platform in the cloud utilizing state-of-the-art infrastructure.
  • Product Library features a catalog of over 200 pre-configured financial products, such as current and savings accounts, loans, and mortgages.
  • The platform is designed with an API-first architecture, enabling banks to easily connect to services and technologies from other vendors.

Core Product

  • Reduces capital expenditure for on-premise hardware, significantly lowering a bank's carbon footprint.
  • Enables banks to innovate and introduce new financial services to their customers.
  • With Vault Core as the Universal Product Engine, banks can run any product they desire.

Competitive Landscape

Understanding the competition at various levels — narrow, form, need, and substitute — helps in positioning the product.

Narrow

  • Products nearly identical to yours, sharing both core and actual features.

  • Mambu

  • Temenos
  • Finastra

Form

  • Similar actual products competing for wallet share, but not perfect substitutes.

  • Microsoft Dynamics 365

  • 10x
  • FIS MBP

Need

  • Different actual products that meet the same core needs for the user.

  • Legacy systems, like IBM mainframes

Resource

  • Products competing for the same customer resources (i.e., money, time, attention).

  • Excel

  • Fiserv
  • Silverlake

Niche Evaluation

Evaluate the product's niche using Professor Alter's four criteria for a strong niche.

Size

  • The global retail core banking market is estimated to be worth just over £6 billion.

Identifiable

  • How to identify individuals with this need:

  • Newly established banks with digital banking licenses.

  • Banks needing to migrate legacy systems to a cloud platform.

Accessible

  • Channels for marketing to these individuals include:

  • Management consultants working in the banking sector.

  • Partners operating within the banking ecosystem.

Predictable Behaviors

  • Banks looking to compete and differentiate their financial products.

Friction Audit

Identify all customer touchpoints, pinpoint areas of friction, and suggest how Thought Machine could alleviate these issues.

Phase: Pre-Purchase Customer Touchpoint: Assessing Risk Friction: Banks are risk-averse and unwilling to change. Solution: Introduce Agile Methodology

Phase: Pre-Purchase Customer Touchpoint: Joining Demo Sessions Friction: Banks with outdated technological knowledge Solution: Introduce modern cloud architecture

Phase: Pre-Purchase Customer Touchpoint: Decision Making Friction: Bank decision-makers have close personal relationships with competitors. Solution: Build relationships with decision-makers

Phase: Purchase Customer Touchpoint: Signing Contract Friction: Complex software licensing documents Solution: Simplify and standardize the terms and conditions

Phase: Purchase Customer Touchpoint: Writing Statement of Work Friction: Banks may lack complete requirements. Solution: Engage early and provide a technical estimate

Phase: Purchase Customer Touchpoint: Team Formation Friction: Lack of talent within the bank for project participation Solution: Bring in system integration partners

Phase: Post-Purchase Customer Touchpoint: Product Installation Friction: Banks struggle with product installation Solution: Offer expert support

Phase: Post-Purchase Customer Touchpoint: Product Documentation Friction: Bank developers struggle to understand the product Solution: Provide enablement training and a self-service learning portal

Phase: Post-Purchase Customer Touchpoint: Production Support Friction: Need for platform stability Solution: Offer 24/7 product support and triage by severity levels

Product Innovation

The sweet spot for incremental innovation lies at the intersection of articulated needs for unserved customers and unarticulated needs for served customers. Here are some targeted customer needs:

  • Out-of-the-box core banking service
  • Flexibility with an easy-to-use configuration layer
  • Hosting options on both private and public cloud platforms
  • A scalable solution capable of high demand and throughput
  • Better integration with other banking systems
  • Enhanced reporting and data analytics
  • Data protection and privacy for personally identifiable information (PII)
  • Operational resilience to minimize production incidents

Priorities and Recommendations

To fully realize the potential of cloud core banking technology, we suggest the following initiatives:

  1. Focus on narrow niches, such as Shariah-compliant banking products, and leverage platform flexibility.
  2. Build an open-source integration library with other banking systems as augmented products.
  3. Conduct a friction audit to make the product easier to install and offer a SaaS solution that requires no installation effort.

For any questions regarding this proposal, feel free to get in touch with me on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/victorleungtw.

  • in podcast
  • 3 min read

Product Strategy Recommendations

Hello and welcome to Continuous Improvement, the podcast where we explore strategies, frameworks, and concepts to create compelling and memorable product experiences. I'm your host, Victor Leung. Today, we are diving into an exciting blog post that discusses the innovative core banking product developed by Thought Machine. But before we delve into the details, let me tell you a bit about this groundbreaking company. Thought Machine has recently raised a staggering $200 million in a Series C funding round, attracting industry-leading VCs and global banks. With its flagship product, Vault, Thought Machine is revolutionizing the banking industry by empowering banks to offer innovative services to their customers.

Vault, a cloud-native ledger platform, operates on various cloud services, offering unparalleled flexibility to banks. From real-time data transmission and rich data streaming for AI and reporting, to managing international currencies, cryptocurrencies, and reward points, Vault provides an augmented product experience that goes beyond just functionality.

But let's take a step back and examine the different levels of this product. At the core is a modern banking platform, designed with an API-first architecture, allowing easy integration with services and technologies from other vendors. This is the actual product that meets the core needs of users. And finally, we have the augmented product, which includes features like a payments processing platform and the ability to run various retail banking products such as current accounts, savings, loans, credit cards, and mortgages.

Now, it's time to understand the competitive landscape. We will explore the competition at various levels, including narrow, form, need, and substitute. By understanding these levels, Thought Machine can better position its product and stand out from the competition.

Moving on to niche evaluation, we'll use Professor Alter's four criteria for a strong niche. The global retail core banking market is estimated to be worth just over £6 billion. To identify individuals with a need for this product, channels such as marketing and accessible platforms will come into play. And lastly, the predictable behaviors of banks looking to compete and differentiate their financial products will contribute to a strong niche.

Next up is the friction audit. We'll examine the different customer touchpoints and identify areas of friction that Thought Machine could alleviate. From the pre-purchase phase, which involves assessing risk, joining demo sessions, and decision making, to the purchase phase, which includes signing contracts, writing statements of work, and team formation, and finally, the post-purchase phase, which requires smooth product installation, clear product documentation, and reliable production support. By addressing these points of friction, Thought Machine can improve the overall customer experience.

Now, let's talk about product innovation. The sweet spot for incremental innovation lies in fulfilling articulated needs for unserved customers and unarticulated needs for served customers. Thought Machine is targeting customer needs that include out-of-the-box core banking services, flexibility with an easy-to-use configuration layer, hosting options on both private and public cloud platforms, scalability, enhanced integration with other banking systems, improved reporting and data analytics, data protection and privacy, and operational resilience.

Finally, in the blog post, the author provides priorities and recommendations for Thought Machine to fully realize the potential of their product. These include focusing on narrow niches and leveraging platform flexibility, building an open-source integration library, conducting a friction audit, and offering a SaaS solution.

That wraps up our exploration of this fascinating blog post on Thought Machine's revolutionary core banking product. I hope you found this discussion insightful. Thank you for joining me on this episode of Continuous Improvement. Remember, there's always room for improvement, so keep striving for excellence. Until next time!

  • in zh
  • 2 min read

產品策略建議

我最近完成了一個在線課程，學習了創建引人入勝且令人難忘的產品體驗所需的框架和概念。我選擇將這些知識應用到Thought Machine，一家開發了核心銀行產品的公司。這個產品正在革新銀行業，使得銀行能夠向他們的客戶提供創新的服務。

Thought Machine近年來增長迅速，最近在C輪融資中籌集了2億美元。該輪投資包括行業領先的風險投資公司和全球銀行，如Nyca Partners、Molten Ventures、JPMorgan、和 Standard Chartered。這使得該公司的總資金達到3.5億美元，估值超過10億英鎊。Thought Machine與幾家銀行合作，包括從一類金融機構到挑戰者的各種機構，包括Atom Bank、Curve、Lord銀行集團、Monese、SEB、Standard Chartered、TransferGo、Arvest、ING 和JP摩根追蹤。

該公司的旗艦產品是Vault，一個可以在各種雲服務上運行的原生雲賬本平台，包括亞馬遜網絡服務，Google Cloud平台和微軟Azure。憑藉智能合約，Vault提供了無與倫比的靈活性，使其可以運行各種零售銀行產品，如當前賬戶、儲蓄、貸款、信用卡和房屋貸款。

產品的層次

最好的產品不僅提供功能; 他們滿足了一種心理需求。以下是一種分解：

增值產品

  • 賬本內外的實時數據傳輸使AI和報告能夠具有豐富的數據流。
  • 銀行可以管理從國際貨幣到加密貨幣和獎勵積分的一切。
  • 一個支付處理平台，允許任何銀行在全球所有方法、計劃和地區中處理支付。

實際產品

  • 使用最先進的基礎設施在雲中的現代核心銀行平台。
  • 產品庫具有一個包含超過200種預先配置的金融產品的目錄，如當前和儲蓄帳戶，貸款，和房屋貸款。
  • 該平台採用了API優先的架構，使銀行可以輕鬆地連接到其他供應商的服務和技術。

核心產品

  • 減少了就地硬件的資本支出，顯著降低了銀行的碳足跡。
  • 使銀行能夠創新並向他們的客戶推出新的金融服務。
  • 使用Vault Core作為通用產品引擎，銀行可以運行他們想要的任何產品。

競爭格局

理解在各個層次上的競爭 — 狹窄，形式，需要，和替代 — 有助於定位產品。

狹窄

  • 與您的產品幾乎完全相同，既有核心功能也有實際功能。

  • Mambu

  • Temenos
  • Finastra

形式

  • 類似的實際產品在爭取錢包份額，但並非完美替代品。

  • 微軟動態365

  • 10x
  • FIS MBP

需要

  • 實際產品不同，但滿足用戶的相同核心需求。

  • 傳統系統，如IBM大型機

資源

  • 爭奪相同客戶資源（例如，金錢，時間，注意力）的產品。

  • Excel

  • Fiserv
  • Silverlake

利基評估

使用阿爾特教授對強大利基的四個標準來評估產品的利基。

尺寸

  • 全球零售核心銀行業務市場估值僅超過60億英鎊。

可識別

  • 如何識別有此需求的個體：

  • 新成立的銀行，擁有數字銀行許可。

  • 需要將傳統系統遷移到雲平台的銀行。

可訪問

  • 透過以下方式向這些個體進行市場推廣：

  • 在銀行業務中工作的管理顧問。

  • 在銀行生態系統內部運營的合作夥伴。

可預測的行為

  • 渴望競爭並區分其金融產品的銀行。

摩擦審查

識別所有客戶接觸點，找出摩擦區域，並建議Thought Machine如何紓解這些問題。

階段：購買前 客戶接觸點：風險評估 摩擦：銀行對風險規避，不願意改變。 解決方案：引入敏捷方法

階段：購買前 客戶接觸點：參加演示會議 摩擦：技術知識過時的銀行 解決方案：引入現代雲架構

階段：購買前 客戶接觸點：決策 摩擦：銀行決策者與競爭對手有密切的個人關係。 解決方案：與決策者建立關係

階段：購買 客戶接觸點：簽訂合同 摩擦：複雜的軟件許可文件 解決方案：簡化和標準化條款和條件

階段：購買 客戶接觸點：撰寫工作說明 摩擦：銀行可能缺乏完整的需求。 解決方案：提早參與並提供技術估算

階段：購買 客戶接觸點：團隊組成 摩擦：銀行中缺乏參與專案的人才 解決方案：引入系統整合合作夥伴

階段：購買後 客戶接觸點：產品安裝 摩擦：銀行在產品安裝上困苦 解決方案：提供專業支援

階段：購買後 客戶接觸點：產品文檔 摩擦：銀行開發者難以理解產品 解決方案：提供啟用培訓和自助學習門戶

階段：購買後 客戶接觸點：產品支持 摩擦：需要平台穩定性 解決方案：提供24/7產品支援並按危急程度分級處理

產品創新

在已服務客戶的陳述需求和未服務客戶的未陳述需求的交集處，存在著增量創新的甜蜜點。以下是一些目標客戶需求：

  • 即開即用的核心銀行業務服務
  • 靈活性強，配有易於使用的配置層
  • 既可以在私有雲平台上，也可以在公有雲平台上提供主機選擇
  • 可擴展的解決方案，能夠承受高需求和吞吐量
  • 更好地與其他銀行系統集成
  • 增強報告和數據分析
  • 保護個人識別信息（PII）的數據保護和隱私
  • 提高運營能力以減少生產事故

優先事項和建議

為了充分實現雲核心銀行技術的潛力，我們建議進行以下的行動：

  1. 專注於狹窄的利基市場，如遵循伊斯蘭教法的銀行產品，並利用平台靈活性。
  2. 作為增值產品，建立一個與其他銀行系統的開源集成庫。
  3. 進行摩擦審查，使產品更易於安裝，並提供無需安裝工作的SaaS解決方案。

對於此提案有任何問題，請隨時在LinkedIn上與我聯繫：https://linkedin.com/in/victorleungtw.

  • 4 min read

MongoDB Kafka Connector

Apache Kafka is an open-source publish/subscribe messaging system. Kafka Connect, a component of Apache Kafka, addresses the challenge of linking Apache Kafka with various datastores, including MongoDB. Kafka Connect offers:

  • A fault-tolerant runtime for transferring data to and from datastores
  • A framework that enables the Apache Kafka community to share solutions for connecting Apache Kafka to different datastores

In this post, we'll focus on using MongoDB as a data lake. The MongoDB Kafka sink connector is a Kafka Connect connector that reads data from Apache Kafka and writes it to MongoDB. The official MongoDB Kafka Connector can be found here.

Start the Kafka Environment

Download the latest Kafka version from here.

curl https://dlcdn.apache.org/kafka/3.2.0/kafka_2.13-3.2.0.tgz -o kafka_2.13-3.2.0.tgz
tar -xzf kafka_2.13-3.2.0.tgz
cd kafka_2.13-3.2.0

Run the following commands to start all the services in the correct order. Begin with the ZooKeeper service.

bin/zookeeper-server-start.sh config/zookeeper.properties

In another terminal session, start the Kafka broker service:

bin/kafka-server-start.sh config/server.properties

Once all the services have successfully launched, you will have a basic Kafka environment up and running.

Install the Plugin

Download the JAR file from here and navigate to the /libs directory.

curl -L https://search.maven.org/remotecontent?filepath=org/mongodb/kafka/mongo-kafka-connect/1.7.0/mongo-kafka-connect-1.7.0-all.jar -o plugin/mongo-kafka-connect-1.7.0-all.jar

Edit config/connect-standalone.properties and update the plugin.path to point to the downloaded JAR file.

plugin.path=/home/ubuntu/kafka_2.13-3.2.0/libs/mongo-kafka-connect-1.7.0-all.jar

Create Configuration Properties

In the /config folder, create a file named MongoSinkConnector.properties.

name=mongo-sink
topics=quickstart.sampleData
connector.class=com.mongodb.kafka.connect.MongoSinkConnector

Message Types

key.converter=org.apache.kafka.connect.json.JsonConverter
key.converter.schemas.enable=false
value.converter=org.apache.kafka.connect.json.JsonConverter
value.converter.schemas.enable=false

Specific MongoDB Sink Connector Configuration

connection.url=mongodb://localhost:27017
database=quickstart
collection=topicData
change.data.capture.handler=com.mongodb.kafka.connect.sink.cdc.mongodb.ChangeStreamHandler

In the /config folder, create a file named MongoSourceConnector.properties.

name=mongo-source
connector.class=com.mongodb.kafka.connect.MongoSourceConnector

Connection and Source Configuration

connection.uri=mongodb://localhost:27017
database=quickstart
collection=sampleData

Install MongoDB

Import the MongoDB public GPG Key by running the following command:

wget -qO - https://www.mongodb.org/static/pgp/server-5.0.asc | sudo apt-key add -

Create the MongoDB Source List

echo "deb [ arch=amd64,arm64 ] https://repo.mongodb.org/apt/ubuntu focal/mongodb-org/5.0 multiverse" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mongodb-org-5.0.list

Update the Local Package Database

sudo apt-get update

Install MongoDB Packages

sudo apt-get install -y mongodb-org

If you encounter any errors related to unmet dependencies, fix them with the following commands:

echo "deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu impish-security main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/impish-security.list
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install libssl1.1

Verify MongoDB Status

Check that MongoDB has started successfully:

sudo systemctl status mongod

If it's inactive and needs to restart, run:

sudo systemctl restart mongod

Start Kafka Connect

To start Kafka Connect, execute the following command:

bin/connect-standalone.sh config/connect-standalone.properties config/MongoSourceConnector.properties config/MongoSinkConnector.properties

Write Data to the Topic

Run the console producer client to write a few events into your topic. Each line you enter will result in a separate event being written to the topic.

$ bin/kafka-console-producer.sh --topic connect-test --bootstrap-server localhost:9092
This is my first event
This is my second event

Send Document Contents Through Your Connectors

To send the contents of a document through your connectors, insert a document into the MongoDB collection from which your source connector reads data. Use the following MongoDB shell commands:

use quickstart
db.sampleData.insertOne({"hello":"world"})

After inserting the document, verify that your connectors have processed the change by checking the topicData collection.

db.topicData.find()

You should see output similar to the following:

[
  {
    "_id": ObjectId(...),
    "hello": "world",
    "travel": "MongoDB Kafka Connector"
  }
]

Reference

For more information, visit the MongoDB Kafka Connector documentation.

  • in podcast
  • 4 min read

MongoDB Kafka Connector

Welcome back to another episode of "Continuous Improvement." I'm your host, Victor, and today we're going to dive into the world of Apache Kafka and its integration with MongoDB.

Apache Kafka is an open-source publish/subscribe messaging system that allows seamless communication between different data sources. One component of Kafka, known as Kafka Connect, provides a solution for connecting Kafka with various datastores, including MongoDB. In today's episode, we'll focus on using MongoDB as a data lake and explore the MongoDB Kafka sink connector.

But before we get into that, let's start by setting up our Kafka environment. First, you'll need to download the latest Kafka version from the official Apache Kafka website. Once downloaded, extract the files and navigate to the Kafka directory.

To start our Kafka environment, we need to run the ZooKeeper service. Open a terminal window, navigate to the Kafka directory, and execute the following command:

bin/zookeeper-server-start.sh config/zookeeper.properties

Now that the ZooKeeper service is up and running, let's start the Kafka broker service. Open another terminal window, navigate to the Kafka directory, and execute the following command:

bin/kafka-server-start.sh config/server.properties

Excellent! We now have a basic Kafka environment up and running. Now let's install the MongoDB Kafka sink connector, which allows us to write data from Kafka to MongoDB.

First, let's download the required JAR file for the MongoDB Kafka Connector. Visit the official MongoDB Kafka Connector repository and download the JAR file. Once downloaded, navigate to the /libs directory within your Kafka installation.

Now, let's update the config/connect-standalone.properties file to include the plugin's path. Open the file, scroll to the bottom, and update the plugin.path property to point to the downloaded JAR file.

With the plugin installed, it's time to create the configuration properties for our MongoDB sink connector. In the /config folder, create a file named MongoSinkConnector.properties. This file will contain the necessary properties for our MongoDB sink connector to function.

Now, let's add the required properties for the message types. We'll use the JSON converter for both the key and value and disable schemas.

Onto the specific MongoDB sink connector configuration. Here, we define the connection URL, the database we want to write to, the collection within the database, and the change data capture handler.

Great! Now let's create another configuration file for the MongoDB source connector. Create a file in the /config folder named MongoSourceConnector.properties. This file will contain the necessary properties for our MongoDB source connector.

In the MongoSourceConnector.properties file, we need to specify the connection URI of our MongoDB instance, the database we'll be reading from, and the collection within that database.

Now that we have our Kafka environment set up and the MongoDB Kafka connectors configured, it's time to install MongoDB itself. We'll go through the installation steps quickly, but keep in mind that you may need to adjust some commands based on your operating system.

First, we'll need to download the MongoDB public GPG key and add it to our system. This step ensures the authenticity of the MongoDB packages.

Next, we create the MongoDB source list, which specifies the MongoDB packages' download location.

After updating the package database with the MongoDB source list, we can finally install the MongoDB packages.

In case you encounter any errors related to unmet dependencies during the installation, we provided some commands to address those issues.

Finally, let's verify the status of our MongoDB installation to ensure everything is running smoothly. Simply run the command and check the output to see if MongoDB has started successfully.

Perfect! Now that we have our Kafka environment set up, the MongoDB Kafka connectors configured, and MongoDB installed, we're ready to start the Kafka Connect service.

To start Kafka Connect, open a terminal window, navigate to the Kafka directory, and execute the following command:

bin/connect-standalone.sh config/connect-standalone.properties config/MongoSourceConnector.properties config/MongoSinkConnector.properties

With Kafka Connect up and running, let's write some data to our Kafka topic. Open a new terminal window, navigate to the Kafka directory, and execute the command provided.

Fantastic! We've successfully written data to our Kafka topic. Now, let's ensure that our MongoDB sink connector is properly processing the data and writing it to the MongoDB collection.

To verify this, we'll insert a document into the MongoDB collection from which our source connector reads data. Execute the MongoDB shell commands provided, and the document will be inserted.

Finally, let's check the topicData collection in MongoDB to confirm that our connectors have successfully processed the change.

Congratulations! You've successfully integrated Apache Kafka with MongoDB, allowing seamless data transfer between the two systems. For more information and further details, visit the MongoDB Kafka Connector documentation linked in the show notes.

That's it for today's episode of "Continuous Improvement." I hope you found this exploration of Apache Kafka and MongoDB valuable. Stay tuned for more episodes where we uncover the best practices and tools for continuous improvement in the tech world. Until then, keep improving!