What opportunities does the snow offer?

It has been a cold weekend here in London. My team managed to plan around the snowfall successfully. Adapting to things we have little control over is one of my mantras and you will have gathered from a couple of posts last week, that my challenge is often to continually adapt, improve and grow. I have sympathy for those forced to use roads that have become blocked or treacherous. The public transport system has many challenges when it snows and whilst these are great frustrations to many, one has to consider that here in Britain we really don’t have enough “adverse weather conditions” to make the significant investment to cope a little better with the 2% of working time that is threatened. Frankly the resources could be used more effectively elsewhere. However, the snow does provide an opportunity to reflect on working patterns and the way we live our day-to-day lives.

Technology – touch screen is so last year

Perhaps you have been contemplating the alternatives to commuting to an office each day, by use of some clever technology that doesn’t (mainly) rely on good weather. Certainly when life becomes more difficult, we tend to reach for alternatives. Technology can offer some solutions, however the main disadvantage of technology is that it constantly evolves. If you have a smart-phone, an ipad or tablet…well, you will be familiar with a touch screen and recognise that perhaps you don’t always need a mouse and keyboard. Sadly this is now rather old hat. Touch screen is so last year. Make way for motion detection. Those with a games console from the last few years will understand this a little better. Have a look at the video below. This is the next thing that your home or office technology will demand. The knock on effects are yet to be understood, but I imagine web designers will need to be considering the impact as will anyone involved in using a computer to engage or interact, which will be most of us, but particularly those running a business.

Limited by a lack of imagination?

Now clearly you cannot motion every task – certainly the act of shovelling snow is unlikely to be directed from your computer with the wave of a hand…but then again, perhaps I’m not being imaginative enough – we are about to get an influx of remote control devices, primarily used for CCTV purposes – perhaps we could have a fleet of remote control helicopters to grit our roads and streets too. The NASA Rover explored Mars, yet we have a road network of potholes. I’m sure someone can put these devices together. The successful businesses of the future (and therefore investments) are those that identify problems and provide solutions using technology to its full advantage.