a. how they can be improved now with Web 2.0 stuff; and
b. what the future brings.
A fun session as:
i. 'twas a good class - not too big - enough loud-mouths tho' to make it interesting and have a bit of an argument; and
ii. it's an interesting subject. 'The Future'.
So perhaps that's what I'd like to be when I grow up - a 'Futurist'. There are a couple of videos on Youtube which I can highly recommend - in particular: 'Shift Happens':
... but... big question here... how do you become a Futurist? It must be the ideal job - dream about what might happen and never be proved wrong as the future never comes...
Anyway - the big problem with the class was, ironically and most irritatingly, technology not working. So one can lead an organisation to the trough of technological innovation, but if you can't show them how the stuff works there and then; they are just as likely to dismiss the idea out of hand and never try again.
And this wasn't 'amazing' technology - just a simple private Wiki that they had already been playing with - but which we were hoping to continue on during the session. So, in the end, we had to 'fire up the flipcharts' and use the ancient technology of pen and paper... a shame... but it is more reliable and works first time around (well... as long as the pens have ink and there's enough paper).
So my dilemma for today... or if you prefer it... my challenge to you dear reader:
How can we teach technological innovations and encourage people to use said technology through the medium of technology?
If we can get them online to do these sessions in Virtual Worlds or WebEx or any other collaborative system, surely the battle is over? They know what the technology is, and they know how to use it.
So it comes back to the same-old same-old... we need to have a pre-Internet; pre-computer technology session in real-time with real people in a real classroom, to teach those real people about new technology, how to use it, what the business benefits are and why they need to get on board.
One more question that does keep coming around though is whether any research has been done thus far on when is the best time for a company or organisation to jump on board the new technology bandwagon?
Answers, as always, on a postcard to the usual address please. Correct entries will be pulled at random and be given the prize of ephemeral fame.
Anyway - the big problem with the class was, ironically and most irritatingly, technology not working. So one can lead an organisation to the trough of technological innovation, but if you can't show them how the stuff works there and then; they are just as likely to dismiss the idea out of hand and never try again.
And this wasn't 'amazing' technology - just a simple private Wiki that they had already been playing with - but which we were hoping to continue on during the session. So, in the end, we had to 'fire up the flipcharts' and use the ancient technology of pen and paper... a shame... but it is more reliable and works first time around (well... as long as the pens have ink and there's enough paper).
So my dilemma for today... or if you prefer it... my challenge to you dear reader:
How can we teach technological innovations and encourage people to use said technology through the medium of technology?
If we can get them online to do these sessions in Virtual Worlds or WebEx or any other collaborative system, surely the battle is over? They know what the technology is, and they know how to use it.
So it comes back to the same-old same-old... we need to have a pre-Internet; pre-computer technology session in real-time with real people in a real classroom, to teach those real people about new technology, how to use it, what the business benefits are and why they need to get on board.
One more question that does keep coming around though is whether any research has been done thus far on when is the best time for a company or organisation to jump on board the new technology bandwagon?
Answers, as always, on a postcard to the usual address please. Correct entries will be pulled at random and be given the prize of ephemeral fame.
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