Technology alone is not the key

20 July 2016

It seems we’re in a phase in the information revolution where technology is catching its breath yet we are both excited and scared in anticipation of whatever the “next big thing” might be.

The Pokemon Go craze that burst into prominence within the last few weeks proves that packaging known technology as a product that feeds the insatiable hunger for new entertainment is a way for gaming companies to get rich quick.

On a more serious theme, the report that Microsoft had turned around a $2 billion quarterly loss into a $3 billion profit, was proof that cloud computing is making big inroads into traditional ways of managing and storing data. Security fear-mongers have lost the battle – for now anyway.

I don’t know about you, but it seems a long while ago since Steve Jobs and Apple launched the smart-phone and tablet revolution and not only made many computing functions available to us all but made them mobile.

Yet, ten years or so on I still get frustrated with Microsoft and Apple’s basic applications. When I step outside of the most basic of document functionality or image handling, I soon get stuck in a mire of time consuming “help” how-to-dos that are as intuitive as a set of flat-pack assembly instructions.

It’s years ago that Bill Gates said that most of us massively over-estimate change over the next two years and under-estimate change over the next ten years.

Those of us working in communications need to constantly work with organisations to frame up content that engages and tells a story but does not embellish or make promises that stretch credibility. It takes courage to convey the views of the end-user and it takes skill to tell a story that appeals to audiences over saturated in information on a daily basis.

The reactions of electorates in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia underscore the dilemma that the world now faces – technology shows what is possible but leaders have neither the resources to deliver nor the creativity to overcome the new reality that technology needs a smaller workforce to accomplish a myriad of tasks that used to provide gainful employment and income to men and women.

Instead of searching for messianic political leaders the answers will come from us all acting on the wisdom of proven subject-matter leaders. So to finish, here’s another salutary quote from Bill Gates.

“In this business, by the time you realise you’re in trouble, it’s too late to save yourself. Unless you’re running scared all the time, you’re gone.”