Here's how you can strategically incorporate new technology into your career.

Industry always want the best result at the earliest and hence they seeks professionals who can leverage the benefits of latest technologies to improve their productivity. CI/CD was a new technique some years back but now it is an industry standard. In order to stay ahead, First of all, You need to analyze the tech advancements that boosts productivity in your domain. Do a quick research on the potential and alternatives of each. You might end up finding tools/stacks that lowers your effort and time for the same output. Ask in the community or go through tutorials to get yourself started with it. Keep yourself updated with the latest trends & techs in the IT domain as even the new technologies you find today might get obsolete tomorrow.

Find out where new technology could make things easier, boost productivity, or fix problems. For instance, if you spend a lot of time on repetitive tasks, automation tools could be very helpful. By knowing the specific challenges you face, you can choose technologies that will give you the most benefits, making sure you adopt new tech wisely.

To keep up with new technology, set aside time each week to explore emerging trends and tools. Use online courses, webinars, and tutorials for learning. You don't need to become an expert overnight, but having a basic understanding of new technologies relevant to your career will help you make informed decisions about which ones to adopt and when.

- Commit to Lifelong Learning: The IT field demands continuous education. - Schedule Learning Time: Dedicate a few weekly hours to stay updated on new trends and tools. - Utilize Online Resources: Engage in online courses, webinars, and tutorials to expand your knowledge. - Stay Informed, Not Expert: Aim to understand emerging technologies well enough to make informed decisions. - Apply Knowledge: Use what you learn to evaluate and incorporate relevant technologies into your career strategically.

In the rapidly evolving world of IT, it is crucial to develop a habit of continuous learning. With new technologies emerging at an unprecedented pace, staying informed is vital. Organizations must also optimize their existing IT investments by leveraging new features and capabilities. This approach enables them to stay competitive and make the most of their investments.

In my opinion, there are few pointers which can help: Enroll in Online Courses: Utilize platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning to take courses on the latest technologies and trends. Attend Webinars and Conferences: Participate in industry webinars and tech conferences to gain insights from experts and stay updated on innovations. Read Industry Publications: Subscribe to tech magazines, journals, and blogs to keep abreast of new developments and best practices. Join Professional Communities: Engage with online forums and professional networks such as GitHub, Stack Overflow, and LinkedIn groups to discuss and learn about emerging technologies. Certifications: Obtain certifications in new technologies.

Connect with peers, join groups, and join tech forums to learn about new technologies from those using them. This helps you see their real-life impact and find new opportunities.

The importance of experimenting with new technology in a sandbox environment cannot be overstated. It provides a risk-free space to explore and understand the technology's nuances, ensuring you can learn through trial and error without jeopardizing existing projects. This practical experience is crucial for grasping how the technology can be applied in real-world scenarios, ultimately enhancing your ability to make informed decisions and implement new solutions effectively.

I love testing and tweaking new tools and features. In some cases, you can start exploring without much impact. But for all my testing with Microsoft Intune, for example, I use a dedicated tenant where I know I'm not impacting any users or systems. That way, I can create, delete, roll back, and implement changes without approval or risk.

Once a feature, tool, or simply an update is well tested in a dedicated environment, I start rolling it out to a small group of test users. From there I generally expand the rollout to more users/devices depending on the size of the organization or scope. Most of the time I'm able to divide the rollout into 3-5 rings like: (Pilot, Test), First, Fast, Broad.