Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
Much like the wealth gap where less and less people control more and more of the available wealth, are we seeing the same thing in technology? The technical masters are the only ones who understand and can manipulate the technologies while the masses use the technology but have no understanding of its power. During the industrial revolution even the uneducated could see the machinery and how it performed their functions - there was no need to understand physics or thermodynamics or even electrical circuitry to see and understand the results. Now everything is in a very small box (iphone) and communications is invisible. The millennials can text to beat the band but have no interest how the words get from their box to their friend's box across the globe. Sports are now virtual players on screens and there is no sensation of mussel strain or stressed joints (maybe thumbs). Is the gap widening and, if so, should we be concerned?
We are in the world of "haves" and "have-nots". Are we entering into the age of "Techs" and "consumers-of-tech"? Saving Changes...
Anton OosthuizenSenior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self EmployedPretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
I do not believe that to be the case. If we take a step back to the start of personal computers some of you will remember that we only had command-line tools available. Even to edit text was a mission using Edlin. Today 99.9% of computer users have no idea how what they do on their PC or laptop happens because they just click icons, buttons and options. Norton File Commander was THE tool! You could not drag and drop but it had a GUI where you could select a file to copy or rename, our first step away from the command line. Back in the 80's going online required skill and when you were online there wasn't a lot to do. Today we open a browser and have no concern about how we are connected. I believe that different skills just move around as and as they more new and different skills take their place. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
People do not need to understand the technology. What people need to understand is companies are pushing them to live into "The Matrix". Saving Changes...
Do you understand how an MRI works when you need to get one? No - you trust that your physician has made the right decision to ask you to get one and the MRI technician will use it appropriate and interpret the results accurately.
I'm less concerned about not understanding "how" something works and more about the lack of understanding on the full implications of using something.
Generally, safe/appropriate usage of technology has always lagged behind its introduction, and with the ever increasing pace of innovation, this lag is increasing with greater impacts.
Our reliance on technology that we don't fully understand has also increased greatly, hence my support for Sergio's view that this ignorance could be exploited by "the powers that be".
Kiron Saving Changes...
Alexandre CostaScrum Master| Integer Consulting - Pictet technologiesLoures, Portugal
Peter,
Technical gap is a concern only by those that need to understand the technology, how it works in order to apply because they need to have this knowledge in their skills.
In my point of view you are mixing concepts, technical gap with information gap, the consumers or general people should become well informed of the implications of the use off several technologies, the pros and the cons, the risks and advantages, safety problems as well from the provenience of the technologies to make informed choices.
Alexandre Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
There has always been a gap between the leading wave of technology and general understanding. But I think if you plot the advances versus the general understanding the gap is getting wider and wider faster and faster with fewer and fewer people being able to keep up. Control and manipulation of technology rests with less and less people and with control comes power.
As Kiron wrote, you trust the physician and technologists - you put your life in their hands. You trust they are operating in your best interest. Two questions: 1) do they know what's in your best interest? and 2) are you sure they are not operating in their best interest? Scenario - The practice invested millions of dollars in certain equipment, the only way to get return on investment is to use and charge for it.
I agree with Alexandre that generally "...the gap is a concern only by those that need to understand..." But should if be so? Technology should be questioned by all who are affected and today that means pretty well everybody.
I believe that the wealth gap, the technical gap and the information gap are all inter-related.
Exploitation is my underlying concern. Saving Changes...
I agree with your point that due to Moore's law and miniaturization, the technology that powers are devices is hidden from sight and from people's understanding.
Technology as a service is one reason for this as many organizations do not need any in house technical expert but can instead buy IT services from the cloud that could be hosted in far away countries around the world.
As a result, people are less inquisitive and instead of getting a brain drain by technically skilled people move to were the jobs are you are getting templates in skills were people are focusing one on specific area to the detriment of other areas.
I would not see this as a technical gap but more a conscientious decision to focus in a specific area while using the resources provided by another sector.
Daire Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
I'm thinking in terms of general knowledge explosion - the technological geometric growth curve.is much steeper than the ability for humans to absorb and understand that technology. I agree that through specialization someone understands a little piece of it but there are very few generalists that understand all of it. (maybe there never was). I do not believe this is controllable, nor should it be, but we need to be aware.
What it means project-wise is that you need more and more specialist (subject matter experts) at the table to ensure all factors are being considered.
From a corporate perspective one cannot expect in-house staff to keep up with all the latest developments thus you rely on external support.
This narrows the number of people that control the technology/information thus widening the gap. Ultimately control is with fewer and fewer people who have very specific expertise.
Decisions are made based on what they perceive to be appropriate but their understanding of a given situation, and possible solution, is severely limited. Alternatively, and possibly worse, people that think they know everything make the decisions and significant factors are left out of the equation.
I guess what I'm getting at there is that as a project manager (or anyone else making decisions for that matter) have to have access to the right people (and listen) in order ti improve the possibility of making the right decisions (know where you are on the knowledge curve).
Staying a bit from my initial question and commentary but is somewhat related. Saving Changes...
George FreemanThought Leader | Author | Architect| Florida, United States
Peter,
Yes, we need subject matter experts (i.e., the right people), but a project manager, in my strong opinion, should have an awareness of the domains they are interacting with on a given project. It’s what I call “architectural awareness,” and it allows a PM to navigate those domains or bridge the gaps between the domains, thus enhancing their ability to make the right decisions, among other things.
It does us no good to seek advice from business or technical SME’s, if we are unable to take the information they give us and put it into the correct end-to-end context of our project. Please recognize that I’m not saying that a PM needs to be an expert, but to mitigate “decision risks,” a PM should have high-level architectural knowledge of the domains they are engaging in. If you check my profile, you will see an article I recently put together on this subject.
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1 reply by Peter Rapin
Mar 21, 2020 6:35 PM
Peter Rapin
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I generally agree however projects are getting more complex, the management of project is getting more complex and there are more complex projects than there are fully competent project managers. There was a time when a strong project manager was the key to successful project delivery. By strong project manager I mean someone not only with project management skills but also passable knowledge of the relevant domains.
Going forward I think the key to project success is the team and team structure. The traditional pyramid organization approach with PM at the top and everyone else subordinate doesn't do it. The SMEs don't provide advice or even recommendations, they have to make decisions related to their domain while in discussion with SMEs of other domains.
This has been a bit of an evolution for me as my training and experience was with the traditional approach - the PM was the boss, made the decisions. The PM is now the leader of the Project management team.The team makes decisions.
Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
Mar 21, 2020 6:01 PM
Replying to George Freeman
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Peter,
Yes, we need subject matter experts (i.e., the right people), but a project manager, in my strong opinion, should have an awareness of the domains they are interacting with on a given project. It’s what I call “architectural awareness,” and it allows a PM to navigate those domains or bridge the gaps between the domains, thus enhancing their ability to make the right decisions, among other things.
It does us no good to seek advice from business or technical SME’s, if we are unable to take the information they give us and put it into the correct end-to-end context of our project. Please recognize that I’m not saying that a PM needs to be an expert, but to mitigate “decision risks,” a PM should have high-level architectural knowledge of the domains they are engaging in. If you check my profile, you will see an article I recently put together on this subject.
I generally agree however projects are getting more complex, the management of project is getting more complex and there are more complex projects than there are fully competent project managers. There was a time when a strong project manager was the key to successful project delivery. By strong project manager I mean someone not only with project management skills but also passable knowledge of the relevant domains.
Going forward I think the key to project success is the team and team structure. The traditional pyramid organization approach with PM at the top and everyone else subordinate doesn't do it. The SMEs don't provide advice or even recommendations, they have to make decisions related to their domain while in discussion with SMEs of other domains.
This has been a bit of an evolution for me as my training and experience was with the traditional approach - the PM was the boss, made the decisions. The PM is now the leader of the Project management team.The team makes decisions. Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Agree that these technology gaps makes the role of the project manager as integrator, team lead and also as story teller more important. Stories provide mental scenarios we need to become more secure about the future.
SMEs will be replaced by AI over time, as factories are automated, bots answer questions, computers develop antivirus medication.
Maybe at some point a project does not need humans on the team, is it still a project then? I think it is as long as there is a human beneficiary, someone who perceives an outcome to be of value. The project manager will act more as a concierge then, helping to compile the appropriate resources for a problem.
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1 reply by Peter Rapin
Mar 22, 2020 9:53 AM
Peter Rapin
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Brings up a very important question: What do we do with the people? There are a number of futuristic movies about this, none of which are very appealing.
