Innovations are increasing, devices are fragmenting, platforms are becoming prevalent, and we are never unplugged.
That, and the fact that 90% of the world’s data has been created in the last two years alone, means that we have opportunities to do great things every day in business and our personal lives
At the Asia Pacific Communication Summit Nikolas Badminton will explore the evolution of communication technologies, big data, platforms, artificial intelligence, and how society is changing because of them. He spoke to Communication Director about how we can manage the future, today.
What kind of personal qualities does it take to be a futurist?
The primary quality for any futurists is that of curiosity. And, that should be the main quality for those wanting to innovate.
Every day I research a number of subjects and publish articles and insights I find on my blog. In addition, I write presentations, am working on my second book, speak with journalists, and appear on TV and the radio. I have never learnt enough because my curiosity burns inside of me. It's also why my career has followed the path it has.
I have created conferences, podcasts, and meetups because so many other people have questions and want to discuss how the world is changing.
Nikolas is part of the speaker line up at the 2016 Asia-Pacific Communication Summit, taking place on October 27/28 in Singapore. To hear more great insights from leading communicators, make sure to register.
We live in a world of exponential technological change: what’s your role as a futurist to help organisations navigate these changes?
Every day a new development in technology appears. From autonomous vehicles to gene editing to the sharing economy and beyond. Organisations come to me to gain some clarity on the impact of these technologies on their organisations, clients, and society. This gives them the edge over their competition.
Recently the Vancouver Airport Authority asked me to envisage how travel and the airport experience would be in 2037. We looked at trends in technology and society and I weaved together some design fiction stories with human feelings at the centre to make the vision come alive. It's gone viral and that is because people are inspired by how we, as humans, can be helped by technology, not replaced.
What’s the first step in-house corporate communicators should take to get to grips with the kind of technology-driven societal changes that impact the space in which his/her organisation works?
The main thing to realise is that change will come regardless of what they do as organisations. There will be macro and micro effects that hit their organisation. Look at the communications functions and ask three questions:
1. How are our customer adopting and using new technologies? As new technologies come in the context of your product and service will evolve so think about how that rides the wave of change.
2. What can we do better to communicate as technologies change? Think about platforms to use, what content can be used to tell human stories of how you solve their problems and meet their needs.
3. What technologies can we adopt to make us better? Reducing costs, increasing engagement, and deepening relationships should be at the core of the motivations for bringing in new technologies. Also, don't wait and wonder how things will change. Experiment and try things out. That will create competitive advantage.
Image: Suzanne Rushton, Feeling Photography
