Post 1 - Technology and Force Multiplication

The world of technology is in constant flux, with new advancements emerging at an unprecedented rate. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). AI is rapidly transforming industries, automating tasks, and reshaping the very nature of work. For technology professionals, this presents both exciting opportunities and daunting challenges. Each of us faces the challenge of staying relevant while leading ourselves, our peers and our organization through the relentless tsunami of disruption.

A Harbor in the Tempest

As technology professionals we may oftentimes feel like we are drowning in a sea of changing technology, being pounded and pummeled by the wind and waves of rapid innovation. Early on in my career, this feeling of vulnerability drove me to develop a solid, unshakable, fundamental foundation that could act as an anchor to keep me from being swept away, as well as a north star to guide me forward.

This fundamental foundation evolved and took shape over time as a set of timeless principles applicable across contexts and domains, that provide a stable framework for navigating the complexities of technological transformation.

I define PRINCIPLES as:

• guidelines or strategies
• that hold true across different situations, cultures, and time periods,
• providing a reliable foundation
• for decision-making and taking-action.

Foundational Principle

Over the decades, these principles naturally arranged themselves into hierarchical levels, which each level building upon the next. This first principle is the Foundational Principle that all of the other principles are built upon. This foundational principle consists of two distinct but related elements:

1. Technology is a force multiplier of human ingenuity.
2. Architectural robustness is a force multiplier of technology

Technology is a force multiplier of human ingenuity

The first element grew out of one of the biggest surprises of my career: that technology and people are directly related and inextricably connected.?

A force multiplier is something that significantly amplifies the impact and results of a person, group, or system, allowing them to produce a substantially greater outcome, well beyond what would be possible without the force multiplier.

Human ingenuity consists of the creativity, innovative imagination, unique talent and raw effort that people CAN bring to the party when they are fully engaged. Of course, people can also be disengaged, distracted and unwilling to contribute their best based on many factors.

Unleashing Human Ingenuity

When technology operates on large amounts of human ingenuity, the force multiplier effect generates massively positive outcomes. When human ingenuity is lacking in any way, the outcomes can be greatly minimized, and in the worst cases, outcomes can turn negative, despite the perceived positive aspects of the technology being employed.

Over my career, the application of this foundational element gave birth to many other principles related to developing, nurturing, amplifying and leveraging human ingenuity. I will share each of these principles in subsequent posts.

In the simplest terms, these principles, when practiced effectively, can be used to unleash the full potential of the unique and talented people we work with, maximizing human ingenuity, which in turn gets further amplified by the force multiplier of the particular particular technology/technologies being employed.

Prioritizing Architectural Robustness

Technology is a force multiplier of? human effort. Having a reliable means of amplifying technology would add another force multiplier to the overall equation. Time and time again over my career, I found, observed and demonstrated that architectural robustness is a force multiplier of technology.?

I have a bachelors and graduate degree in Electrical Engineering which developed in me a deep understanding of the principles of systems engineering. Systems engineering concerns itself with evaluating and optimizing the effectiveness, efficiency, robustness and scalability of systems of every kind.

This optimization can occur, reactively, after the fact, through manipulation of the original implementation, or it can happen intentionally and proactively, during the architecture and design phases of the system development.?

Of course, the proactive approach through architecture and design is much more effective in terms of time, money and effort. In other words, the ROI of robust architecture and design is significantly higher than reactively refactoring the post-architectural/design implementation.

Over my career, the application of this foundational element gave birth to many other principles related to developing robust architectures and designs of technology systems. I will share each of these principles in subsequent posts.

In the simplest terms, these principles, when practiced effectively, can significantly increase the robustness of the architecture and design of any technology system, resulting in robust implementations that become force multipliers of the particular technology/technologies being employed.

Train Tracks: Rails and Ties

Over the course of several posts, I wish to share all of the principles I have discovered and developed in my career. These principles will fall into one of three categories: baseline, architectural or human factors.?

We can think of baseline principles like the railroad ties that anchor the two rails of the train track to the ground and hold them together. One of the two rails represents the principles directly related to architectural principles of technological transformation and the other rail represents the human factors principles. These three elements together form a solid foundation for the train to run on. The more solid the tracks, the faster and safer the train can travel, and the more resources it can transport.

Nature and Nurture

Typically, technology professionals are hard-wired primarily for one of the two “rails”, either the architectural rail or the human factors rail. I was genetically gifted for architecture. I was born-to-be an engineer. On the nurture side, I grew up in a dysfunctional home environment where loving intentions were often filtered through mental illness, emotional brokenness and destructive habits. As a result, I was severely lacking in the people-skills department.

I believed that a career in technology would limit the need for human interaction. I was initially dragged kicking and screaming into the human factors aspect of technological transformation, but over time, through a great deal of soul-searching and investment, I have become so much more proficient in unleashing human ingenuity.

Where does your hard-wiring lean? Does the architecture come easier to you or the human factors? How do you balance the needs of simultaneously shoring up your weaknesses and leaning into your strengths??

In my next post, I will share the next baseline principle: The Learn, Apply, Share Principle.

Between now and then, please be thinking about principles of technological transformation that you may have developed, either intentionally or maybe even unintentionally, without realizing it until recently. Please feel welcome and encouraged to share your principles with me, either privately or as comments. I would love to hear from you.