A new designation at infotex

What’s in a name, episode 2!
Another one of those Dan’s New Leaf Posts, meant to inspire thought about IT Governance . . . .

As it’s that time of the week, 

I open my typewriter, so to speak, 

(which is nowadays the Siri technique)

to react to the ask from the last week, 

what is a cyber poet, besides being unique?

That’s right, I have taken to calling myself – and soon certain other infotex consultants – CyberPoets.  Or cyberpoets – we still haven’t decided on how we will punctuate it.  (Though Siri doesn’t have a problem with the prior, and puts her ziggy red line under the latter.)

The answer to the question is a mouthful.  Our team wants to continually learn to use metaphors, analogies, rhymes, even punctuation, (like capitalizing Client and not infotex). to help people understand the meanings behind technology, processes, controls, threats, vulnerabilities, and whatever else we end up talking about, as we assist our Clients and communities with technology risk awareness.

We’ve been doing this for quite a while – Joe and Jane ISO, the phrase:  “awareness is 9/11’s of the battle,” the IAM Airport, etc.  We’ve even made up words like Vigilize and LogMon.  Or CYBERPOET.  (Siri hated that way).  

Heck, if you think of it, even our policy chiasmus is poetic.  (Because we’re in the business of enforcing policy, we enforce policy in our business).

But with this Dan’s New Leaf, I am formally creating an honorary designation – an award will come with it.  Yes, money.  And internal stature.  Maybe even a virtual parking place in our virtual parking lot.

And this is what I found myself saying to one of the soon-to-be designated poets here at infotex, when he asked me, “Cyber what?”

”Hey, if we can rhyme . . .  wow, wouldn’t that be cool!  But that’s not the point.  The point is to help people understand complex concepts through the use of language tools.  To inform them of the who, the what, the how and, most importantly, the why.”

Especially the why – in a picture, or a story, or an allusion, allegory, analogy or alliterative sentence – whatever works.  

To me, this is what poets do. 

Maybe the term does make us unique; I’ll admit to that.  I love it when a metaphor has more than one meaning.  Still, I am skeptical of the marketing value.

But the reason behind the name CyberPoet (you’re welcome, Siri) is a metaphor itself.   If we consider ourselves cyberpoets, (I don’t trust you,Siri), we will ensure that our speech is always harmonious with the objectives of the process we happen to be engaged in.  We will be more apt to use analogies over acronyms.   

Or more concisely:

If we pose as poets, we assure our speech syncs with the point of the process we practice.

And not only does that rhyme with our mission, it contains consonance!   

Episode epilogue:  As the title of this article shows, we went with Cyb3rP0e+

Original article by Dan Hadaway CRISC CISA CISM. Founder and Managing Partner, infotex

”Dan’s New Leaf” is a ”fun blog to inspire thought in the area of IT Governance.”