Gartner Symposium/ITxpo: Top 5 Takeaways

Gartner Symposium is, without a doubt, information overload. But in a good way: Just looking at the schedule can make your head spin. That said, it’s a goldmine of things to ponder as I make my trek home—not just about the technology facing us today but what we have to look forward to.

Here, then, are the top five things I’m taking from Gartner Symposium:

The digital business era is upon us: On the surface, this seems like a quick grasp of the obvious. But take it deeper and the idea has numerous implications. Developers must create their applications to provide a consistent experience across any platform and any device (including wearables). Also, we now live in an era in which computers work the way we live rather than the other way around. Tablets are a prime example – it offers computing power wherever we are, even by the pool or waiting in line at the DMV.

We are moving to a more human-centric technological age: Technology innovation is great, but at what point does the advancement of technology override our personal freedom or right to privacy? The term “slippery slope” was used a few times, as was the idea that technologists should develop technology with humans in mind, putting people at the forefront of technology decision-making: How will this impact people? In other words, incorporate both a machinist and a humanist approach to technology.

Companies must become a bimodal organization: Apple changed people’s expectations of technology when it opened its AppStore, giving way to the concept of agile development. For companies to be successful, they must move to a model whereby development is focused on speed and operations is focused on stability. “Create an environment where you can have both,” said Gartner Resarch VP David Cappuccio.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is here: However, technology guru Peter Thiel is skeptical of anything that can be described as a trend, and IoT definitely fits that description. “It’s too poorly differentiated and people are not thinking about it clearly,” he said during his keynote discussion. “What is underestimated are companies that don’t fit into some overarching narrative.” The moral: Do your homework and find innovation—that’s where success lies.

Let’s be excellent to each other: In his keynote discussion, Steve Wozniak actually said, “Be nice,” but I tend to favor the advice of Bill S. Preston, Esquire, and Ted “Theodore” Logan, also known as Bill & Ted.  “Don’t hate someone else’s technology because it’s not yours,” Wozniak said. “There’s a place for everything.”

Food for thought as we forge ahead.