Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

The Technology Imperative states that if a new technology exists, we need it. Logic and business school lessons don’t matter.

It happened again this week. I was visiting someone at their office in another building. The man I was visiting was slouched over in his chair with a face that asked, “Why did I come to work this morning?”

He was talking to a co-worker whose smile read, “Please Uncle Charlie, can we get some ice cream?”

The co-worker wanted my friend, who has purchasing power in their office, to buy a few iPads for the office. They take attendance at frequent, large, group meetings (don’t ask why they take attendance, it is actually important in their case). They currently pass a clipboard, attendees place a check next to their name, and someone in the office later enters the checks into a database. Maybe they could use iPads instead of clipboards and…well, you get the picture.

About 20 years ago I worked in a signal processing lab. We had all the latest computers and computer-related gadgets. We, however, never seemed to have enough computers and computer-related gadgets. We always needed to buy more. I knew because I was involved in the purchasing, installation, and maintenance of all these new things. I was also involved in the disposal of all the one-year-old things that were absolutely necessary only 12 months before. This is the technological imperative at work in both of these two examples.

A piece of technology exists; we need it.

Notice that I didn’t write that we want it, we would like it, or we might be able to use it. I wrote that we N-E-E-D it. That is why it is called the Technology Imperative. Some definitions of “imperative” include: Not to be avoided or evaded; obligatory; binding; compulsory; as, an imperative duty or order.

Pleading, “Tell me what you are going to do with this? What is the requirement? What is it we cannot do without this? If it is so important, how have we survived without it? What is the cost-benefit analysis?” does you no good. The technology imperative overrules all logic and business sense.

There is only one thing that stops the technology imperative: a lack of money.

When business is bad, businesses cut to the bone and logic holds the day.

At all other times, the technology imperative triumphs.

Try to relax. There are worse things a business can do with its money. After all, the imperative technology that you are buying provides jobs for engineers in other places.