Emerging Technologies

Based on a recent series of conversations, the theory, concepts, and technological development of ubiquitous connectivity is not widely known or understood.  It is a system of systems approach that seamlessly integrates the various modalities of communications and computing so that as you travel from location to location as well as device to system your connectivity, applications and data go with you. Some may think this is not that big of a deal.  However, done right it is.

Consider this ‘brain storming’ example that was recently crafted. You are driving home and your boss contacts you.  She has a question about some figured you published in your PowerPoint presentation. She has the presentation up on her laptop and its shared with you.  As your vehicle drives, the presentation is displayed on the screen in it. You pull into your garage and grab your communications device (next step beyond smartphones) and exit the vehicle.  The screen on the device is where you left off in the vehicle and your discussion continues.  You request detail and the spreadsheet used to calculate the data appears on the screens of both you and your boss.  As you walk into your home workspace, the desktop system activates and the communications and PowerPoint, and at this point Excel spreadsheet seamlessly transitions to it.  She requests a slight change - you make it and all versions of that document are automatically updated. She sees the updated version on her screen.

Consider the increased effectiveness and efficiency of such a system.  Not to mention the productivity value as well as the benefits of making sure everyone has the latest data/version! 

This is the integration of multiple emerging technologies at work!  I can't wait!!!

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic.  Given that action, you may be required to work at home given the continued spread of the coronavirus-19.  There is little doubt that is putting remote work to the biggest stress-test ever.  Clearly it is taking place at unprecedented scale.  It has been in the news night after night and not likely to change anytime soon.  Google, Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft have been all taking part and the list continues to grow. Based on the latest briefings and news reports, this trend will grow for weeks if not months.  A few surveys of employees that work at home feel they are just as productive as they were when they went into the office.  Some actually feel they should work more given they do not have commute time and expense.

Here are a few recommendations based on 5 years of practical experience.

1.       Dedicate a specific space and computer for work use.

2.       Talk to your company’s IT department about updating your operating system with the latest version and patches that they are ok with. Also ask them about a VPN - virtual private network

3.       Make sure your security software (malware/anti-virus) is up to date.

4.       Maintain Regular Hours. Set a schedule, and stick to it...most (95%) of the time.  

5.       Set and communicate the ground rules with the people that will have access to you in your work at home workspace.

6.       Set your schedule and use a morning routine as close to what you did at work as you can.  That includes establishing breaks and take them in their entirety. I have 1 break in the morning then lunch and one in the afternoon.

7.       It is a good idea to get outside of your home office – some go out to lunch just as they do at the office.

8.       It is a good idea to get up and walk around as you should be doing at the office already.

9.       REMEMBER – once you give out your home phone or your personal cellphone number you can’t get it back and the calls usually do not stop. That is the case even when you go back to the office and your normal working.

10.   Check in with co-workers and your boss regularly – try to keep it as close to what you do when you are at the office. 

Many organizations already have flexible work programs that have been in place before this virus.  Some are of the opinion that this virus-related work at home experience of employers and employees will influence the future of work forever. 

Today, multiple segments have developed and continue to evolve around the application of intelligence in specific settings.  We have moved from smartwatches, to smart glasses to smart appliances to smart clothing and beyond in a very short period of time. We have smart cities (including urban areas as well), smart buildings, smart homes, smart roadways (at a broader level it’s called smart infrastructure) and we have seen the entry of smart services.  All of that and more are evolving into what some are calling the SMART movement. Very little analysis is being conducted at this high, meta level about the overall smart movement.  That being said, examining each individual segment, each segments’ projected value, the estimated overall SMART movement market value comes out to be between $2.5 trillion USD (pessimistic) and $3.0 trillion (optimistic) by 2025. Given the continued Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and its global economic implications, those figures would certainly have to be reduced.  How much of a reduction is anyone’s guess at this point!

Large amounts of technology will be a part of each individual segment and when you add all of the individual segments up the amount of technology leveraged in the SMART movement will be massive. This will be far greater than the Internet era of the mid to late 90s.Much of this technology is new and we all know the challenges of dealing with new/immature technologies.  The last thing any program or project manager wants is to have to deal with the ‘BETA’ version. Add to that, there is only limited program and project management experience delivering any of these smart initiatives with all of this new and emerging technologies.

In today's world, strategy is far more important than we have ever seen throughout history. At this time, strategy must look beyond today and tomorrow and examine what is on the horizon. This gives organizations a narrow window of time to put in place their strategic plan of action to capture emerging opportunities and prepare for the disruption about to be delivered by breakthroughs in science and technology. This is not an easy task by any measure, but essential for organizations of nearly every size and within every industry.

There are a number of strategic implications when it comes to the emerging technologies that are on the horizon. Unlike other periods of time where a single technology drove disruptive change, this time multiple technologies, some working with others will have a cumulative effect where their combined impact will truly be highly-disruptive when it comes to our existing business models and many of our mental models as well.

High Level Approach

1. Identify and embrace the change that is on the horizon.
2. Investigate, analyze and understand the drivers of disruption that is likely to impact you and your organization.
3. Strategize to identify and challenge, current and potential roadblocks and internal resistance to addressing the disruption you have identified.
4. Create and or change the way you or your organization delivers strategic value to current and potential customers that may not even exist today.
5. Prepare yourself and your organization through continuous learning to rapidly respond to disruptive change being brought by emerging technologies.

Many organizations are likely to find themselves faced with sudden, violent disruptions that may threaten their existence. Reacting to these disruptive forces may not be enough. Therefore, anticipating and preparing for the numerous implications that are on the horizon is required and no small task.  It will undoubtably include; new educational requirements, changes to financial models, enhanced competitive differentiation as well as new product and service offerings worldwide.  Examining the implications of emerging technologies and disruptive forces that are on the horizon is essential.  It is the foundation when it comes to guiding where organizations should head.

Some of you may be wondering what confrontation and emerging technologies have to do with one another.  The answer is a fair amount when you put it in the context of change. Emerging technologies are likely to bring with them change. Some people fear losing their jobs, losing power, losing money and losing influence that may accompany change.  Others may just fear their ability to adapt. Regardless of what drives them, some people take action to delay the change or derail what is driving the change.

Opposition or resistance to change, modifications or transformations that alter the current operational models is becoming much more common these days.  Arguably the increase frequency is due to technologies that are emerging.  Resistance to change is not uncommon and most if not all of us have dealt with this issue in our role as a program or project manager. What is allot less likely that many of us have seen this taken to the next level.  Some people choose to confront the change directly.  We have begun to see their opposition taken to the next level and that is efforts to sabotage a program or project.

Some people try to discredit the initiative and claim it will not provide the estimated value.  A few others take it to a much greater level.  One recent event provides a great example of an effort to sabotage and initiative. One individual purposely failed to file the required paperwork to maintain an exclusive license for an essential piece of technology and that agreement restricted the vendor from selling to a key competitor. The task was identified as complete and the document was identified as being sent to legal and in the project repository. Nothing had been done! Luckily, this was uncovered 5 days before the grace period that was in the contract was due to end.

Countering project sabotage efforts is not easy.  When sabotage activities take place, the perpetrators must be confronted. This is something you should not do alone! The question we all need to think about is if we are truly prepared for confrontation that may accompany an emerging technology program or project that brings with it disruption or change?