You said "Today, Cisco’s software journey is well under way."

What do I think? I'm guessing that you would agree, when most people think of Cisco, software isn't going to be top of mind. That said, you have an epic Commercial Storyteller opportunity that's limited only by your own imagination.

I have a suggestion, for your consideration. It would be very beneficial, for most Cisco internal and external stakeholders, if you created a Story-World Map for your journey.

What points-of-interest would you place upon the story-world map? Specifically, tell the story across the three phases of event chronology for the Cisco Software timeline -- where we've been (hindsight), where we are today (insight) and where we're going (foresight).

Also, are you willing to share some of the backstories for your journey? It would surely aid you in achieving full comprehension of the software transformation that you envision.

What's a backstory? It’s the *context* that explains why Cisco arrived at a new juncture – it’s often the untold part of the journey, not just the destination outcomes. How did Cisco decide upon its chosen solution to a given scenario? What were the options that were considered? Which options were not suitable, and why? When did Cisco select the best-fit solution and how was it a transformational experience?

Anyway, I look forward to learning more about your quest.