Impact vs. Complexity: my answer to engineers eager to have a social impact
A lot of people, knowing my background as a Staff Software Engineer at Google and my current work at Bayes Impact, come to me asking “Where can I apply my knowledge in (insert randomly super complex things like deep learning or quantum computer) to make the world a better place? »
I usually don’t have any quick answer to this question. It is a hard time to know what is the best path for an engineer to work for the common good and have social impact.
Some would argue that donating 10% of your income to “effective charities” might be a great way to achieve that. However others, having in mind the power of the theories learned at school and the will of helping people less fortunate than themselves, are inclined to redirect their science background to tackle the world’s current biggest issues.
Well, my friend, this article is your answer to your big question. Buckle up!
From time to time, brilliant engineers wake up in their Star Trek bedding set screaming “I am suuuuuuure that people whose jobs are having direct social impact don’t know about this complex algorithm I used at work last week. I’m certain there’s some way we can use it to help people for real now.” These folks kinda looks like me back in the ol’ days. But, to me, starting your mission by complexity is like saying “I want to find a way to use string theory to water my plant”. It has little chance to be the most effective way of doing.
The fact is that in a lot of areas of non-profit, using basic tech is already a great and challenging start. Social impact is still at an early stage of digitalization, so even using excel formula can sometimes save a huge chunk of time (and change lives).
Look at Getaround (not a real social impact initiative though). It has an impact on pollution as it allows a simple car sharing system. But their technology is pretty basic compared to quantum computing right?
Or maybe Getaround was using quantum computing all this time… 🤔
Still not convinced? Oh, I see. You also think complexity could be a great communication gimmick to raise awareness on your product. But are you more interested in interviews or in solving world challenging social issues? At the end of the road, communication is a great booster (especially to raise public awareness and philanthropic money) but it will not solve the problem.
An other email I tend to receive often is: “Hey Pascal, you are such a great guy (hum, maybe this part is a bit exaggerated) and I love what you are doing with Bayes Impact. I happen to have developed this awesome algo which I use for my dogs dating app. I really want to use it to solve (insert social issue)”.
As an engineer, you should learn and keep in mind many different solutions and many technologies (from simple to complex ones). But please, don’t get stuck on the one you prefer, especially if they are the hardest to implement. Cheesecakes are great, but why not just fruits?
That being said, I do not think you should erase previous experiences from your memories (we are not in Men in Black here). Instead of sticking to your solution, explore skills (and especially soft-skills) you have learned through your previous occupations.
Social impact needs more great ideas than great algorithms
In a nutshell, here is what I usually end up suggesting to the passionate engineers that contact me:
- Stop spending time polishing your technical skills.
- Explore existing projects, meet people from the social impact sector. For instance If you’re in Paris, I suggest you attend some meetups organized at Liberté Living Lab, MakeSense or 21 Accelerator. And in France in general, try to contact someone from FEST, who know there might be a project waiting for you.
- Start digging topics that you know about. You think you are a tech expert, but you’re probably also a domain expert and there might be a way to have social impact in that domain (sustainable banking, green energy, health, …). Social impact needs more great ideas than great algorithms.
- Prepare yourself to work in a less stable environment: tech social impact projects are, today, quite innovative and as such more rocky than large Data Science teams in large companies.
In the end, it’s all about love. If you are looking for impact, especially regarding social issues, you should be in love with the problem. It’s already quite a popular motto in the startups’ world, and it’s also the case for social impact. That love should push you to find an appropriate solution, any kind of them. And hell, some of them might even not be tech ones!
If your loved one’s first name is Complex and last name Ity, maybe you, dear Complex Ity lover, should stay in the research field or in the industries that are quite mature in using tech and are actually always looking for smart people.
Again, it’s all about choices. But with choosing between Apple or Android, Star Trek or Star Wars, cheese or dessert, you are starting to be used to it right? I have made my choice and I have picked Impact.
