In the technology world, things change rapidly. New trends emerge consistently, so keeping aligned with them is a chore that is easy to dawdle.
Fortunately, you can try a few simple hacks to keep connected with this shifting rhythm. For example, follow new trendsetters or discover innovative and technology-related research at ACS. Here are some easy ways to help you stay aligned with the latest tech trends.
Check tech news, research reports, and social media
It sounds time-consuming, but is an easy and upfront way to stay informed about the latest industry trends. Subscribe to news websites or apps like TechCrunch, Wired, Panda, Pocket, etc. Visit social media profiles of popular niche businesses and industries. If something caught your attention like specific news popping up multiple times then you can Google for that technology’s digital resource.
Tech meetups & conferences
Today, the majority of the latest technologies are launched at events and meetings. There are a variety of tech meet-ups organized, where you can meet, connect, and find out about upcoming technologies from like-minded participants. Peer-to-peer connection is crucial to stay current and streamline tech/vendor choice and avoid costly errors.
News aggregation websites
Many news sites are available but a few aggregate top stories. Thus, the task of looking around different sites to consume daily information is eliminated. Curation sites like Reddit and Techmeme are fascinating as they have hot news aggregated in a single place.
Encourage team collaboration & discussion
Before making any changes update your team. Get IT staff and engineers to discuss your brand and tech development. It allows brands to audit their existing technology portfolio against the latest trends and proactively take steps in making changes or upgrading.
Stay updated with online training
Many people prefer practical experience with particular tech instead of listening or reading. The best way is to invest in training sessions online and stay updated. Keeping up with tech learning you can regularly meet with the project team at every level and gain an insight into their perspective and ideas. Innovation is created by people close to technology, so there is a need to understand, nurture and encourage this culture.
Leverage your peers, partners, and team
Many CIOs, CDOs, or CEOs hardly have time to research and read things. They can set Google alerts on specific topics, which help to keep them informed about happenings. The topics are skimmed and discussed with partners and peers to gain proper insight and their perceptions.
It also offers an amalgamation of opinions that saves hours of individual research. If the topic is worth pursuing then discuss it with the on-premise IT team and do some research then share the learning with a large team in the organization.
Watch trendsetters and competitors
Read engineering blogs to find what tech is used by startup founders, staff engineers, and incubator directors to push boundaries for scaling. Even keep an eye on your competitors to gain familiarity with their failure of success associated with the new tech they implemented. It helps to design a plan to implement the same tech they failed effectively.
Always be open to tech changes and adaptation!
