4 Ways to Use Technology to Amplify Your Business and Power Your Career  

As a leader at an innovation and design studio, I am aware that learning what is on the digital horizon is key: from new apps to virtual reality, plus all the new products and conveniences that could soon be mainstream, keeping up with what’s on the market is key to strengthening your business practices.

The underlying strategy of using the right tool at the right time for the right reason is universal, and including the full suite of technology solutions in your professional arsenal is the best way to engage for personal and organizational success.  Here are some ways to do that:

1. Evaluate the Business Efficacy 
With new technology, it is easy to be enticed by shiny gadgets. But avoid immediately jumping on the bandwagon and take a deep dive into how, exactly, a new software or hardware fits into your business roadmap.  At ICRAVE, we’ve been experimenting more with VR technology and how we can better communicate conceptual ideas with clients. The understanding and clarity of our vision through VR saves us time, a loop of emails back and forth, and rounds of review. This ultimately streamlines our internal processes, which contributes to our bottom line.

Tech Takeaway: Before investing dollars and labor into new technology, assess how it can bolster and help you achieve your business goals.

2. Become Tech-Literate
I use the term “literacy” as an attention-grabber, but it’s an accurate view of how you’re able to interact with, and understand, the devices and information that are now staples for daily life. Learning how to read and write doesn’t mean choosing to be a novelist, any more than learning the basics of coding and digital design means becoming a developer.

Tech Takeaway: Learn the basics. Lynda, Codecademy, and even YouTube hold countless resources for learning at any skill level. From web development languages like HTML or CSS to 3D modeling programs like SketchUp, a little bit of knowledge goes a long way.

3. Use Tools, not Tricks
When a technology is adopted for its own sake, it can quickly go from a useful tool to a misused gimmick. Remember the “There’s an App for That” campaign? Since the slogan came out seven years ago, it’s actually come true. Unfortunately, the average user maxes out at 27 apps on their phone, while the app marketplace holds over 1.5 million options. That’s pretty stiff competition for attention.

At a tech event this year, I heard countless pitches that began with “We’re the Uber for…,” “We’re the Google maps for…” and onward.  The point is, if your company’s potential app isn’t vital enough to replace something else, or isn’t for everyday use, it won’t make the cut.

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are the next wave of this phenomenon. The potential they hold for everything from gaming to education will leave a mark across industries. The drawback is that these technologies are only as good as their content and ease of use, both of which are currently in their early stages.

Tech Takeaway: When looking to introduce a new tech solution into your business, first discern what problem you are truly trying to solve. By beginning with the need and then delving into the best tool for the solution, you’ll create something useful for your business – rather than a boondoggle that squanders budget.

4. Turn Your Focus from Screens to Connections
Sometimes the best tools aren’t really about tech at all – really, connection is at the heart of successful technology. New interfaces like Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri remove the visual interface altogether, mimicking a conversation and highlighting our desire for a more natural experience.

Tech Takeaway: Sometimes it’s not about innovation, but about finding the right connection point to share and connect, along with a story.

Using the new arsenal of digital tools when they’re right for your business can be a pathway to success in your industry, and a way for you to outshine your competition. All that’s required is a willingness to learn, try, fail, and try again.

Written by: Elizabeth Von Lehe, Managing Director – Strategy and Brand Architecture, ICRAVE