Daily Post 1518
FORCED DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Though we shouted from the rooftops about the transformative nature of digital technology that was engulfing us before the onset of COVID-19 yet it was only with onset of pandemic that we realised the full might of it. Life now by default is digital and physical only when permitted by the circumstances and authorities. If you just try to visualise the transformation that overtook us in last 9 months, it might be more than what happened in last 50 years or so. No new technology has been invented of late but all that was available and dormant came to life. What was flaunted as a techie stuff has become a rigmarole of life.
A health app telling you the people infected by a disease and their movement and how far or close you were to them, was a science fantasy, till we were forced to create and use it for our existential threat. Telemedicine was flaunted as a tech marvel, used once in a while by our medical professionals has become the order of the day. Anybody who does not need to go to the hospital purely based medical emergency status, need not go. Doctors and patients have been able to manage well with this new format. Necessity is the mother of technology adoption can be new adage.
Unfortunately, robust tech systems are not being created on it. This is must, as ease, effectiveness and cost would decide its future. It’s utility has been proven beyond doubt. Does the mind still waiver towards the psychical mode, even where it is not necessary or unwarranted? Have we developed a digital mindset or do we treat digital as a simple replication of the physical mode? Nothing can be farther away from the truth. Digital is different world of value add, comfort, only necessary travel, all connected information on fingertips, analysis, world class documentation and data driven life. Objectivity becomes the order of the day and for sure all these add to your quality of life.
Time, lack of drudgery and money save can be used in the creative, fruitful and sporty arenas of life. Think of the official world of meetings, conferences, seminars and workshops and the ecosystem that had supported it. There was a whole industry which generally did everything but for academic, technical and business growth. The education world has declared a war, so to say, on digital transformation. They are convinced that education on this mode can only be truncated even without giving it a sincere shot. Leave free tools for free education. Develop domain specific digital tools. Hybrid education tilting towards online is the future. Will we create a robust digital ecosystem for the post COVID-19 world is a trillion dollar question? Only future can tell.
FORCED DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION HAS TO BE TRANSFORMED TO FULLY ROBUST ONE. THAT IS THE FUTURE OF HUMAN EXISTENCE.
Sanjay Sahay