Our house is on fire, and flying to the Moon with your iPhone: What was 2019 all about? (A subjective view)
2019 was quite a ride — first-ever images of a black hole, ice sheets melting at unprecedented rates, summits and protests — all came in one. It was a year of change or rather a scream for change. Living in interesting times — challenging, but still hopeful.
For me, 2019 was also the year of the book — the 9 Diamond Framework book. Together with Jef Cavens, Floris Schoenmakers and Mark Dijksman, we were putting on paper some thoughts about corporate innovation and the new hands-on approach to it. Twelve months later the beta-version of the book saw the light of a day. 238 pages of which, hopefully, not only the cover worth checking out. We’ll take it from here — listen to our beta-readers, learn, and improve the book for the first grown-up edition in 2020.
I have a lot of hopes for both the book and the upcoming year. ‘May you live in a time of change’ — not a curse anymore, rather an opportunity.
In one of the versions of the book’s Preface, we had a story that we decided not to include in the final beta-edition. As well-known among the tech crowd as it may be, I think it’s still a good one to share at the end of this year.
2019 was the year that marked the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing. In July 1969, when Apollo 11 took astronauts to the Moon, this achievement represented the pinnacle of technological possibility. Yet, only 50 years later, the computer that enabled this major accomplishment is clearly lightyears behind modern devices. In fact, Apollo’s Guidance Computer, the brains behind this “giant leap for mankind” was so inferior to today’s most basic smartphones, it’s remarkable that it was possible at all. For example, most contemporary smartphones have at least 4GB of RAM; Apollo’s Guidance Computer had about 4KB — that’s more than one million times less memory. And Apollo’s processor ran at 0.043 MHz, while current phones run at about 2,490 MHz — meaning your phone has over 100,000 times the processing power of the computer got people to the Moon (Read more here: Apollo 11 anniversary: Could an iPhone fly me to the moon? by Independer).
Apollo’s Guidance Computer, the brains behind this “giant leap for mankind” was so inferior to today’s most basic smartphones, it’s remarkable that it was possible at all.
Numbers like these offer an amazing perspective on what the device you casually carry in your pocket is actually capable of. Nowadays, advanced technologies are no longer the privilege of corporations and governments with unlimited budgets. Cutting-edge hardware and software is increasingly affordable and accessible to a wider range of people, and adoption rates are skyrocketing. This phenomenon is often referred to as the “democratization of technology.” At the same time, we’re facing a related “knowledge democratization” phenomenon, enabled by… that’s right, the internet. Terabytes of information are now available to nearly anyone with a simple search query. And while this “democratization” is not yet universal and many people still face barriers to accessing technology and information, as a whole, the trend is only increasing.
Nowadays, advanced technologies are no longer the privilege of corporations and governments with unlimited budgets.
These dual levels of democratization have been really transformative for the business world. Take a moment to consider all of the organizations and brands that have “disrupted” the market in recent years. I bet most of the names that spring to mind are somewhat newcomers — tech startups. Corporations have no choice, but to follow the trend.
I am a technology optimist. This dual democratization is one of the things that gives hope. We have the power to drive change and do good for the world. Let’s not waste this opportunity. Especially when the stake is so high. Have a great, empowering 2020 everyone! Let the changes be positive, and innovations impactful.
If you are interested in the 9 Diamond Framework book, make sure to subscribe to the pre-orders list on the book’s page.
