IBM首席技术官十问

    《财富》杂志的年度技术头脑风暴大会（Brainstorm Tech conference）汇聚了最优秀、最聪明的科技创新精英。《财富》定期把聚光灯投向不同的与会者，了解他们对商业、科技和企业家精神的看法，以飨读者。

    凯瑟琳•弗雷斯博士2013年3月份被任命为IBM首席技术官（CTO）。除了培育新兴技术之外，她还负责制定IBM的技术策略，同时确定诸项发展领域。我们向她提出了10个问题，其中包括：她是否认为企业家必需念过商学院，她愿意选择的超能力是什么，以及她有何业余爱好。请大家接着往下读，看看弗雷斯对科技、商业和错失的机会以及她对音乐的偏好。

1. 哪个科技行业最让你感到兴奋？

我觉得大数据（数据规模非常庞大，需要额外的处理能力，比如交通或地理定位数据）以及分析领域最令人兴奋，也就是数据无处不在的观念，以及人类将这些数据转化为深刻认识的能力。它让我们能够腾出时间和精力，来做出更好的决策。大数据并不只是把传感器安设在所有地方。

2. 企业家必须念过商学院吗？

我不认为企业家必须念过完商学院，但我认为，他们应该选修一些传统的商业课程。商业就像是一项体育运动，你得知道比赛是如何得分的。会计、金融、监管问题——这是商界对自身行业的比赛进行记分的方式，而这对于企业家而言同样是很重要。

3. 你曾经得到过的最佳建议是什么？

我的博士课程导师曾经告诉我，从事于有益的科学非常重要，但能够清晰地揭示它更为重要。

4. 如果你没有从事自己目前的本职工作的话，你会做什么事情？

唱歌。

5. 你最大的成就是什么？

我想，我的遗产就是我多年来在IBM内部指导和培养的领导者。

6. 你最大的失败是什么？

十五年前，我曾经有机会向一个经营策略团队作报告，而我做得很糟糕，因为我不明白那些高级管理人员思考问题的方式。我在报告中设计了一个策略和一套答案，它们很适合和我级别相同的观众，但并不适合于那些负责运营一家公司的高级管理人员。那种情境意识至关重要——了解观众，同时提出恰当的问题，提供你的观众完成任务所需要的、适合的信息。

    Fortune's annual Brainstorm Tech conference brings together the best and brightest minds in tech innovation. Fortune periodically turns the spotlight on a different conference attendee to offer their personal insight into business, tech, and entrepreneurship.

    Dr. Katharine Frase was appointed chief technology officer of IBM (IBM) in March 2013. She sets IBM's technical strategy and defines areas of growth in addition to cultivating emerging technologies. We asked her 10 questions including whether she thinks business school is necessary for entrepreneurs, her superpower of choice, and what she does for fun. Read on for Frase's thoughts on tech, business, and missed opportunities as well as her inclination toward a musical hobby.

1. What technology sector excites you most?

I find the big data [data so large that they require extra processing power, like traffic or geolocation data] and analytics space the most exciting, the notion of data everywhere and the new ability for humans to turn that data into insight. This frees us up to make better decisions. It's not just about putting sensors everywhere.

2. Is business school necessary for entrepreneurs?

I don't know that it is necessary for entrepreneurs to finish business school, but I think they should take some traditional business courses. Business is like a sport; you always need to know how the game is going to get scored. Accounting, finance, regulatory concerns -- this is how the business world scores its game, and that's important for entrepreneurs too.

3. What is the best advice you ever received?

My Ph.D. advisor told me it is very important to do good science, but it is even more important to be able to communicate it.

4. What would you do if you weren't working at your current job?

I would sing.

5. What is your greatest achievement?

I think that my legacy is the leaders within IBM that I have mentored and coached over the years.

6. What has been your biggest failure?

Fifteen years ago, I had an opportunity to present to a business strategy team, and I did a terrible job because I didn't understand how those senior executives think. I created a strategy and set of answers that were right for an audience of my peers, but not the right strategy and answers for people running a company. That kind of situational awareness is critical -- knowing your audience and asking the right questions and providing the right information your audience needs to get things done.