Myplanet Digital: Better organizations through technology.

Everybody has their own way of taking a much needed break from their work once in a while.  Some go to the gym, some hang out with friends, some drink.  I, on the other hand, read.  I tend to migrate towards fantasy novels with wizards and magic as my interest in identifying with a character is much more pronounced.  The opportunity to escape and live the life of a hero (even if only for a while) is comforting; lets you temporarily trivialize and forget your own problems.

One of my favourite series is called “The Sword of Truth” by Terry Goodkind.  It chronicles the life of a wizard who is the first in thousands of years to really question how and why magic works the way it does.  As magic had been understood by many generations before him, one conducts a series of steps according to the pre-defined construct of magic that when executed properly, results in the creation of a magical effect.  One would not question how magic worked - just that if they do as the spell dictated, the desired effect would occur.  It was like reading a how-to manual.  There was no reason to think beyond what conventional magic offered since it was more than the abilities of a mere human being anyway.

This character was the first in 3000 years to choose rather to look at magic as more of an art form - to look beyond the limits of what his forefathers taught him.  It was an opportunity to express himself in ways conventional magic could not allow, an opportunity to form the constructs of magic to his own devices rather than simply accept the limitations of the magic available to him.  He created his own solutions rather than simply executing ones that just anyone could think up.

This got me to thinking that technology is much the same. 

We are immersed in an industry where we utilize the frameworks set out by visionaries of the past, present and future to mould solutions for ourselves and for our clients.  There are thousands of web development companies who use technology much like a wizard might cast a spell - simply using what is available and never really thinking about anything more  because their clients wouldn't think to ask for it either.  This premature acceptance of technological limitations really stifles the potential for true creativity once you are able to realize and overcome this hurdle.  Only a select few envision and create the very fabric of technology.   These “wizards” of our time are best known when the fruits of their labour make their way to the public sector whether it be through the release of a new product like the iPad or through the advent of an online platform that takes the world by storm; like Google or Facebook.

Either way, thinking beyond the confines of what we’re trained to think about is how we’re going to be disruptive and make a substantial difference.  It’s time for us to stand up and do that.  Our team here has the capacity, aspiration and determination to do it.  As popular science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke said, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”.  So let’s make some magic, shall we?