How to Talk About Emerging Technologies for More Productive Conversation

December 18, 2017

Talking about emerging technologies tends to be a muddled way to approach a conversation about the disruption happening in companies. While the term often comes up, it glosses over the many more specific ways to talk about the changes that are impacting every sector of every industry.
Options in the cloud and digital transformation are happening now, but emerging technologies may include conversations surrounding topics like artificial intelligence and blockchain. The problem is that what’s considered an emerging technology in one line of business may be standard issue in another area of an enterprise.
What’s more helpful is to talk about the specific business goals of the enterprise or the line of business manager. When you talk to a CIO, for instance, it’s rare that they’re going to use the term emerging technologies when they describe their objectives for the next few years. Instead, they’re working with the vision of other leaders in the company and looking at technological solutions that help in meeting those goals.
Here are three ways to talk about emerging technologies:
A range of new technologies: This is often what people are referring to when they casually use the term emerging technologies, but it includes such a disparate set of developing tools that it’s difficult to talk about coherently. It’s not focused on a single technology, and because advances can roll out so quickly, it changes over time. While the future of technology will always be a topic, it’s difficult to get very specific when having a conversation with this use of the term.
The expected benefits of new technologies: This is a more focused discussion that centers around business goals tied to the adoption of specific technology. A CIO may discuss improvements in efficiency, visibility, end-user experience, improved collaboration, or cost savings, which are achieved through software applications that deliver these end benefits.
Digital transformation: Some conversations around emerging technologies are focused on digital transformation, often a years-long process that can change as new options are presented in the market. For instance, cloud options have evolved, and there are segments of an enterprise that could now be cloud-based that couldn’t have been even five years ago.
When you want to have a conversation about emerging technologies and their impact on a particular industry, be sure to include Access Tech in the discussion. Rather than squeezing clients into a one-size-fits-all telecom solution, we have a unique approach where we discover, design, and deploy a customized solution that cuts costs and improves productivity and performance. Make an appointment to tell us about your business needs.

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