I was reading an article recently about framing emerging technologies, and I came across an interesting statement with regard to convergence between technologies: “It’s very rare that a mono–technology product (or even one built on just two or three technologies) does well, apart from perhaps at early stages of the manufacturing chain.”
Collaboration has taken on more complexity and intensity in recent years thanks to advances in technology and globalization. Instead of having face-to-face, short-sleeved teams surrounding a worktable talking through plan, the collaborators may come together virtually from several different countries and need to deal with a variety of languages, cultures, and time zones. They may have never met face-to-face, might be employed by different organizations, and may drop in and out of projects, depending upon the demands for their skills. It’s more likely nowadays that they will deal with complexity, in terms of data available, skills required, conflicting needs of stakeholders, and the regulations.
Can technology help us to work more effectively together? Certainly, it has had a major impact in enabling the exchange of messages, images, and data (through basic communications). And recent years have seen the problems of virtual teaming reduced by improving sequencing (e.g., through shared calendars) and providing richer environments (e.g., moving from email and phone conversations to shared virtual worlds and videoconferencing).
As prices have gone down, we’ve seen a wide variety of clever uses of additive or 3D printing. Fashion accessories, casts for broken limbs, and houses are just some of the applications that have hit the news.
Often new technologies lead to new communications media. Greater facility in drawing pictures can lead to an alphabet and writing. A printing press can lead to pamphlets and newspapers. The Web makes blogging possible. Smart phones beget Twitter
The principles of Frugal Innovation were created in developing companies. Firms like Husk Power Systems were established to operate, in part, to serve communities with few resources. In developed countries, examples like ACX within Amazon.com illustrate how an unconventional approach like Frugal Innovation can be adapted to create opportunities and encourage innovation for clients and vendors who, though operating in rich nations, lack funding and capital. (Amazon.com itself is backstopping this work with its established company and, it appears, primarily is looking to open up a new profit stream, not to lift up impoverished writers and actors.)
Technology becomes invisible to us in benign and less than benign ways. The biggest consequence is the bases for important choices also become invisible.
