Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

We try to relearn this again: people have to use technology in some “smart” way.

Money goes to big data projects, but not much comes back.

Where have I heard this before? Oh yes, it was with fill-in-the-blank-with-one-of-those-new-technologies-that-was-going-to-change-the-world-by-itself. People use technology. Well, sometimes we use it, and sometimes we use it in clever, well-thought-out ways. And then there are all those other times.

Big data is just like all other technologies in that it won’t save my world all by itself. I have to do something. I must have an idea or a purpose or a goal or something other than a desire to put a technology on my resume.

Here is a rule of thumb:

If someone does not show the before and after of their technology use, they proceeded without thought.

Proceeding without thought can be dangerous.