Wandering the technology desert….

Throughout the last few years, I have wandered some technology deserts. I consider technology just like the world around me. If you look for example at the Ocean, there are parts of the ocean that flourish with life. There are parts of the ocean where life adapts to the reality, and the two don’t work well or for that even at all tougher. The surface of the Ocean teeming with Plankton is life rich. The depths of the ocean has creatures that have adapted to the pressure and cold.  Each functions exceptionally well in the area where it is designed to work but not as effective if at all in the other areas. That said both are teeming with life of the type and nature that is effective in the location.

Deserts and in particular technology deserts are where the technology works, but there aren’t other technologies around. IT operates in an area where it is unique. In the incredible book, Blue Ocean Strategy, the author talks about the creation of a blue ocean. The red ocean being the competitive reality of the ocean. The blue ocean has less competition for a time to gain an advantage. I postulate that there are also technology deserts. That represents an area with little or no competition, but also little or no market. People like me, looking over the horizon for what lies beyond the art of the possible. I find that at times I wonder the technology desert.

For a time, I lived in the smartphone desert when the majority of people did not have smartphones. I would be in the airplane as it taxied to the concourse reading my emails. It was for a time a desert. Now it is the surface layer of the ocean. Teeming with thousands upon thousands of people on eh plane reading their email once the bell rings and the flight attendant says “it is now safe to turn on your cell phones.” Sometimes deserts do move and become part of the ocean. Sometimes, they desert forever.

My parting thought today is, have you ever wandered a desert? Not the actual share or death valley. A personal technological, interpersonal or just plain food preparation desert? (my mother used to eat Liver. Not me that is a food desert)!