Successful end

The project is successfully finished. We delivered the final document to the customer. Now it will be used as a base for expansion of the business incubators to the other campuses of IFCE. Final presentation took place on Friday, April 11, 2014. All customers and all members of the great Brazil 17 team in IFCE auditorium. For all of us the project was a great experience. I learned a lot and I hope I also helped to the development of Ceara with peace of mine experience.

Final presentation - Christine and me

Final presentation - me and Christine

Anderson, Rejane and Socorro

Rector's office

Formal visit of rector's office in the morning. We received many, many appreciations from IFCE management. Hopefully, our work will help them to implement incubators in all campuses and IFCE will contribute to the development of the Ceara state by creation of many innovative companies via organized activities and well structured environment inside the incubators. In fact, this is their mission.

Consultoria projeto de incubadoras

Christine, IFCE rector Virgílio Araripe and me

So very well done, I've learned a lot about consultancy work from my experienced colleague Christine, IBM consultant, within the short time I've also learned how the effective incubator should support the incubated companies, also how the educational institution like IFCE may work, because as I already mentioned in one of my previous posts, it's not just the university it's a social and educational institution in one. They do really a lot for the students. I've also learned how to be patient, respectful and more social. Because this is Brazil. 

We have only one day left before the final closing meeting will take place. Tomorrow we're going to do a presentation for students, similar as we did in Maracanau and Caucaia IFCE campuses. Check out the advertisement:

3 days more

On Tuesday we always have a status meeting at 7 PM. Today we were presenting the charts we will deliver to our clients on Friday. Everybody wants to deliver as much information as possible therefore most of the teams didn't manage to follow the time assigned for the presentation. It was just a test and I'm sure we will be better on Friday and will show all the professionalism to the clients. But really good job done by all teams since the beginning of the assignment.

The final document was already delivered to client and currently is being translated. Hope there will be only small corrections needed after the client's review, if any.

Our visit to Caucaia IFCE Campus

Article about us - Fortaleza Campus

Last working week just started

After another wonderful weekend on the beach (where else) the last week of assignment just started. During the weekend we were at the Praia do Futuro beach. Probably last time. Sunday just relax on the beach in front of the hotel and in the afternoon visit of the cultural centre Dragao do Mar to check the football expo.

Marcos Evangelista de Moraes

Ponte Dragão do Mar

Fortaleza

Today we received an output of the review done by IFCE. Not many comments, and few of them are just misunderstandings. So we're slowly moving to the successful end.

Campus Maracanau

April 3, 2014. Similar scenario as day before. We went to the IFCE Maracanau campus in the morning. The students were again curious about IBM, about us and what we're doing in Brazil. In addition we went to the "tour"of Maracanau campus and discovered that physical space for the business incubator is already prepared. And we had a chance to talk to teachers in the campus. Visit of Maracanau campus today and Caucaia yesterday was really helpful to us to widen our incubator expansion model considering local specifics of the campuses. In the afternoon we went to the Fortaleza campus where we were invited to support the incubator advisor on the call with company performing benchmark of incubators. We also discovered another part of the incubator where at least one incubated company resides.

Announcement for students

Some technical difficulties

Each Thursday there is a crab's day in Fortaleza. You can eat crabs anywhere, in restaurants, beach bars. We tried finally. Difficult to eat but the crab was really good.

Crab eating

April 4, 2014. Today early in the morning we went again to the Alda Façanha School. We bought the small present for them and as a small satisfaction for all the hospitality we received first time we went there. Hopefully the present will help during their studies in the school.

At Alda Façanha school with students

Than few of us went back to the hotel and we were working till 5PM. At least me :) We're still waiting for the review if the proposal by client. However, we already know more about IFCE campuses and requirements of incubated companies, therefore we're able to expand our work a bit more. Finally there is a weekend :)

Campus Caucaia

Some time ago, we proposed to the IFCE the presentation for the students. Presentation about us, about IBM, about the our culture. And we finally did it. In another campus called Caucaia. It is a small IFCE campus near Fortaleza, actually in the metropolitan area. Campus is now small but everything is only 2-3 years old there. They want to expand a little bit more. Currently the next building is under construction. The campus wants to accommodate the students from Fortaleza. Public transport for students is covered by major of the city.

Students were really interested. There was not enough time to answer so many questions but we did our best. Tomorrow we go to the Maracanau campus and to Fortaleza campus also talk to the students. Our proposal of Business incubator expansion model is still not reviewed by IFCE but we hope it will be done soon and we will be able to adjust the document according to the IFCE needs.

After the Caucaia campus visit we went for lunch to Combuco beach, considering to stay in Brazil for longer than just one month assignment. Maybe forever :) Btw, it was a business lunch of course. Fish and shrimps, all fresh. And yesterday it was rodizio. I cannot determine what's was better :)

In the afternoon we went back to the hotel, staring to improve our evaluation report of Fortaleza Business incubator for IFCE. Than the daily team meat at 7:30PM and after that, one beer on the beach made my day.

#ibmcsc brazil

Reitoria

Our new location

Today and yesterday were another work days at the client's location. Business incubator expansion model is "under translation" to Portuguese and we're waiting for the review of the customer. Therefore we had time to prepare our presentation for students which we will deliver tomorrow and on Thursday. In the afternoon we had a meeting with two former student which have company registered in the Fortaleza incubator. After the 2 hours meeting we realized that the evaluation of the incubator done by us was right. Several recommendations delivered to IFCE will help to improve the incubation process in Fortaleza campus as well as those should be used as "lessons learned" before the expansion model will be implemented.

Today's team meeting again showed us that each sub-team is preforming well. Really successful CSC crowd :)

PS: today we went through 1k pageviews. Thanks for your interest.

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Office building

Weekend in Guaramiranga, rain forest

Weekend spent in Guaramiranga rain forest. Unfortunately, it was seriously rainy during the weekend therefore all the activities were limited. At least the temperature was lower comparing to Fortaleza, only about 20°C in the evening. On the other hand there is almost nothing to do except the visit of two churches, centre of the village and light hiking which was not possible because of the rain. Also there is a nice waterfall 10km far from the village. But the nature here is fascinating around this remote village 120km from Fortaleza city.

Guaramiranga

Guaramiranga church

Panorama of Guaramiranga

Guaramiranga church

Guaramiranga's palms

Jaca (jackfruit)

Waterfall near Guaramiranga

#ibmcsc brazil

At the new location

Starting today, we're working from another location. Far from the incubator but close to the decision makers. we're moving to another half of the period of our assignment. Till now we have been able to review the business incubator in Fortaleza city, identify the pain points and prepare a several suggestions for improvement. We were also able to clarify our scope of work and prepare the draft of the business incubator implementation model in another campuses across the Ceara state. For me it was a challenge, but I understand that Christine is pretty familiar with this kind of elaboration. Another new experience for me. But today we did the final review of the document and forwarded to our translator Anderson. After the translation to Portuguese it will be sent to our client for review. We expect the review will take place on Monday and Tuesday. On Monday we plan to prepare the presentation for students in IFCE. They are curious about IBM, our jobs, what we're doing in Brazil and also something about our cultural identity. We're also supported by IFCE finally. We're really looking forward.

We went for lunch with our pro-rector of post gradual and innovation, Azuir Ripardo. After that, he took us to the tour of Fortaleza, showing us places where we have never been before. It was really interesting for us to see the real life of in Brazil, not the one in the tourist area where our hotel is located. There are many poor areas and of course the bottom of the poverty in Brazil - favela - but fancy one, with electricity.

For me this tour was a highlight of the day and great end of the working week. But week is not over yet. Some people from our group decided to go to Rio. I'll go there after my assignment so plan is to go to the Guaramiranga. Leaving Fortaleza on Saturday, 11:00AM.

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Seems like last day in the IFCE Fortaleza campus

In he morning we continued with development of the document describing the expansion of the incubators network. Document is almost ready for review of IFCE. We agreed that we will provide it for the review till the end of this week.

In the afternoon we were visited by Ripardo, pro-rector in IFCE and we went to a small tour of IFCE Fortaleza campus. He showed us the facilities we've newer seen before. Laboratories where students may perform practical exercises on top of their theoretical studies. It was very impressive how many ideas students have, unfortunately the resources are limited.

We were interviewed by local journalist in the IFCE and interview will be publicized soon :)

For next two weeks we will be moved to another location starting tomorrow. We're open for new challenges.

Several photos from the labs:

Just another working day

Yesterday was a free day but in the morning we started to define the structure of our work. Than Christine did a lot of the work and I finally managed to book my flights to Iguazu falls. So right after the assignment I go to Rio de Janeiro and another day to Igauazu. I'm really looking forward. I go with Mohammed and Anne. In the evening there was a weekly status meeting where we share the progress of our work.

Today we spent another day in the incubator. There was nobody from the 12 incubated companies at work, usually there is at least one person, Vinicius. On the other side we had again a very productive meeting with our client. We went through the prepared structure of the document which they want us to create. I think they were really satisfied. We agreed to finish the document on Friday this week so it will be a challenge for me. Christine is doing this regularly as her primary job so she is really good in what we're doing now.

Yesterday the team agreed to have regular status meetings every day at 7:30PM. Just 5-10 minutes to share what we did that day and what is the plan for next day. Today it was a first time and after that, almost everybody went out to have a dinner. I went to the market and bought the postcards. It is really difficult to find postcards in Fortaleza. But I did finally. There is also a plenty of cashew nuts at the market. It is a good snack when you're writing your blog. Ceara is the cashew nut country. You can find cashew everywhere. As well as Havaianas.

Havaianas

Cinquenta Sabores - famous Brazilian ice-cream. I prefer "Obama" flavour but if you don't like it, there are still 49 left.

Cinquenta Sabores - fake :)

#ibmcsc brazil

2nd working week just started

Today is Monday, 11:35 PM. I'm still not tired. The weekend in Canoa Quebrada really helped me. But my skin is burning.

"The coast southeast of Fortaleza) has many fine beaches, a lot of them backed by dunes, but is increasingly developed and built up. It's not until you reach the environs of Canoa Quebrada, 140km from the city, that the coast starts to regain its natural majesty. Once a tiny village cut off from the world by its huge, pink sand dunes and beloved of early hippie travelers, Canoa Quebrada today has shifted towards a more family-oriented beach spot, and it's a favorite destination of daily van tours from Fortaleza. But the craggy, eroding sand cliffs and the large dune expanses still lend Canoa that elemental, otherworldly feel for which it's famous. With numerous good pousadas and restaurants, and varied outdoor activities easily available, it's an enjoyable spot to relax for a few days." (Lonely Planet - Brazil, 2013).

On Sunday, usually Brazilian families are on the beach. All together. So why not to adapt to the local traditions? We did and it was a wonderful weekend full of fun. We're also a kind of a family now :) The Canoa Quebrada is amazing. Hippies found a really nice place for living. The place where you can see activists fighting against drugs and after twenty meters a guy selling jewelry and enjoying his joint right in the street, the one of three streets in Canoa Quebrada. The place where the beach bars are open from 1AM! Yes, that's the time when the night life really starts. The place where you can buy Havaianas in the each shop. And a place where you can meet Wandoo, beach bar manager, visiting Czechoslovakia for last ten years.

But, the second week of our assignment already started and we had to go to the work. In the morning we prepared additional questions to the customer. I'm glad I'm in the team with Christine, IBM consultant. She deals with external clients on daily basis. We were finally able to clarify our scope of work in the afternoon. This was the goal for today crucial to define next steps on our way of developing business incubator. We also offered to the IFCE the presentation of IBM, our countries similar to the one we delivered to the high school on last Friday. This would be more mature because the IFCE's students are little bit older. We met several students today in the IFCE campus and they're really curious about IBM. Hopefully, the IFCE will be able to arrange a meeting with students. We also offered a meeting to the incubated companies. We may gain more knowledge about incubation process and they may have a connection and  further contact with IBM, so both sides may benefit. It was a productive day at work again.

Most of us finished the day at the fish market, fresh fish grilled together with cassava fries and after that, with and ice cream at famous 50 Sabores.

Tomorrow is a free day again but in the morning we will prepare the structure of the SOW to be able to present it to the customer on Wednesday.

Business Incubator

IFCE's phone "helmets"



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Community service at Alda Façanha State Professional School

Alda Façanha State Professional School in the municipality of Aquirazis is a school preparing the students in age about 14-19 for their first job. 3 years education gives them the basics needed to apply for a work. Today, on top of our CSC Scope of Work, we were at this school telling them about our countries and job in IBM. Just a several slides with a pictures some explanation and that's it. This is how it was communicated to us before we went there. Pretty simple but...

Have you ever went over the red carpet? I think it was the first time in my life today. I know that Shakira is coming to Fortaleza soon but the carpet was not for her. It was for us. I have to say that students did a lot of effort to prepare everything to welcome us. They prepared some local food, decoration and also some exhibitions for us. We were welcomed really like a stars. Students were waiting for us full of joyfulness. They were also curious of course, but I have never seen so much happiness in the eyes of children.

We're 12 consultants. Students were split to the 12 classes, around 45 students each. We switched than after one our with one of my colleagues to meet also the other class. Unfortunately almost nobody speaks English therefore the translators were ready for each of us. My translator was Juliana, student from another school nearby. After the short excursion of the school facilities we introduced ourselves and and students prepared a small exhibition in the school hall.
Finally, when I met my colleagues they were also full of emotions, I would say, same as me. Again, it's difficult to explain the atmosphere by words. But it was another great experience for us to visit such a cool school.


Than we moved to the classrooms. When I entered the room one young boy asked to hug me. As soon as I agreed he run through the whole big classroom to hug me! He was so honest, happy and open. All of them were honest, happy and open. It was the same in another classroom. At the beginning there was also a small exhibition, they introduced their country, showed me some cakes told me something about the culture they were singing and dancing. Full of emotions. They were also curious about us, our countries, what we do in IBM. Wen I was talking, I've seen all the interest and hungry for knowledge. I'm sure, if the students will keep going this way, they will be really successful in their life. I thing we brought them something, but we also get something. It is difficult to explain by words, and I'm not going to try. You have to experience it. I'll never forget!

#ibmcsc brazil