Accenture Technology Labs 
Interested in technology from an early age, his first memorable experience in Information Technology (IT) was when he was given an Apple computer at the age of 12. "A friend and I immediately started hacking into the system to tweak whatever we could and then began building low-resolution copies of video games," Charles recollects.
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, he majored in electrical engineering and computer science at Northwestern University, Illinois. Here, he was also able to develop his passion for business by working with one of the professors from the Kellogg School of Management during school. He spent his summers back in Cincinnati designing and testing electronic controls for jet engines.
Charles joined Accenture following his graduation in 1991, starting his career as an IT architect implementing large-scale imaging systems. In 1993, he became an early advocate of applying Internet technologies to business processes and led some of Accenture's first client and research projects in this field.
Much of his career has focused on the research and implementation of Internet-centric collaboration processes and technologies. "This area uses emerging technologies to change how people communicate and work with each other," he explains, "for example, enabling people to transfer their vital knowledge and experience to someone halfway across the world by embedding collaboration technologies into their day-to-day work processes.”
Charles describes the role of the Labs as creating "concept cars" for businesses and governments as well as the industry teams within Accenture. "Clients can leverage us to help them probe the future—explore it, build it, pilot it and then collaborate with Accenture to roll it out," he says.
He finds working for the Labs enormously stimulating. "We have some brilliant people with the vision to do great things—people who want to create things. We also have a unique point of view on the future. Anyone can say that technology is getting cheaper and smaller, but what is compelling is the ‘so what' behind that—the consequences for business."
Although a number of different features impact the likely success of a new technology, Charles believes one of the key success factors is ease of use, citing the low acceptance of Web-meeting technologies in the mid 1990s. "They were just too difficult," he says. “It doesn't matter how cheap technology is, it has to pass the usability barrier, or it will just sit dormant."
His interest in technology is driven by its capacity to have such a dramatic impact on the world and Charles believes that his own specialist field of workforce performance offers the biggest untapped area in the future. "Exploring how technology can enhance, augment and automate people's activities, and allow them to communicate seamlessly around the globe is extremely powerful. We haven’t yet exploited it beyond the basics," he says.
Outside Accenture, Charles is a family man and enjoys coaching local soccer and baseball teams. He also enjoys racket games, particularly squash, racquetball and tennis.
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