Thinking About Technology

on Oct 21 by Barry Rabkin
Tags: Alan Kay, Societal expectations, technology
Comments: 2 Comments »

Alan Kay defined technology some years ago as that which wasn’t around when you were born. Of course, he said it much better than that but the point stands. When you arrive in the world and become cognizant of your surroundings – including the technology that your parents use, you use, your friends use – you just think of all that ‘magic’ as normal.

Of course, we can project ourselves at many miles per hour or talk to family and friends across the globe; or see our favorite projected sights whenever we want (whether on television or YouTube or embedded in our social networking media); or text a message and expect an answer back instantaneously. We breathe, don’t we?

Those technologies are just part and parcel of our environment. They inform a baseline experience.

That baseline experience gets enhanced when the existing technologies are used in new and varied ways. That baseline experience gets enhanced when new technologies alter how we go about our daily life whether at work, play, or shopping.

Specifically the baseline moves up a notch or two or more when the application of current and emerging technologies alters  our interactions with other people, with how we conduct or affairs and, as importantly, with other technologies.

No company is an island onto itself. But you could be excused if you thought so because many companies behave as if they were impenetrable and highly fortified castles in their own right. You feel that when you ask yourself “how come I can do (fill in the blank) with that company but not with this company?”

The new baseline redefines your experience. The new baseline defines a new floor of your expectations. Companies that don’t meet those (new) expectations are competing on precarious ground.

What technologies or applications of technologies have heightened your baseline experience?

Brushing Back The Tide

on Aug 30 by Barry Rabkin
Tags: change, technology
Comments: No Comments »

Back in 1996/1997, I delivered a presentation as a META Group analyst to a room full of insurance business and IT people.  The occasion was META’s annual conference – Metamorphosis (you’ve got to love the name) – and the theme of my presentation was the current and impending impact of the Internet on the insurance industry.

During the Q & A, one of the attendees from the insurance industry asked me ‘if there were any ways we could we stop it?’ I asked ’stop what?’ He replied ’stop the Internet from impacting the insurance industry.’ I was taken aback for a few seconds… and then replied ” well yes, but first we need to get some brooms and stop the ocean from hitting the beach.”

Why is our industry so afraid of change? Why can’t we see that we need to leverage current and emerging technologies to build or strengthen our competitive advantage?

Meeting Technology Head-On: Insurance Implications

on Jul 26 by Barry Rabkin
Tags: risk landscape, technology, value-chain
Comments: No Comments »

Insurance is an information-driven legal product with a risk-driven financial wrap. As the business of insurance collides head-on with changing technology (whether information or telecommunications technologies), the insurance industry must understand and know how to react to how technology:

• Alters the landscape of risk
• Impacts the set of activity / value chains that comprise the business of insurance
• Improves costs by eliminating or streamlining business processes [why don't insurance executives first ask if the process they are streamlining should be done at all?!]
• Reshapes the nature of communication and collaboration (whether within the boundaries of the insurance company; across its walls to the field force and distribution channels; or amongst all customers, prospects and other key stakeholders)