Following my own advice, I keep written records of things as I advocated in Blog #344 (May 11th). So, in preparation for my vacation next week, I pulled out the list of things-to-pack to ensure that I had everything on hand and did not need to go shopping.
I was struck by how dated the list had become in only a few years:
> camera — not needed; I have the iPhone
> film — what is that?!
> extra camera battery — nope
> clean SIM card for camera — won’t come near capacity on the phone
> MapQuest directions to hotel — GPS included on phone
> look up locations/directions/hours of favorite stores and attractions in advance — ask Siri instead!
> alarm clock — got it covered with the Clock app
> road map from AAA — not necessary
> calculator for money conversion if out of the country — there’s an app for that too
> boarding pass — electronic version on phone
> weather forecast — up to the minute radar available with a swipe
> Sudoku book for plane — electronic version loaded
As I looked at the list, I also realized that what was included on the iPhone wasn’t necessarily brand new; instead it combined in an easy-to-use way things that already existed. Maybe you can’t come up with the next invention that sells 318 million units*, but can you add value to your organization (and glee to your customers) by re-packaging things that currently are disparate? Can everything you need for college enrollment be all in one place (preferably on a user-friendly app that is available 24/7)? Is it possible to integrate all the decisions you need to make in building a home into one device or app? Could you pull together all the tourist information needed by city/by age/by luxury level for the major cities instead of asking your colleague for insider advice?
Marcel Proust wrote: “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” How can your eyes re-imagine new ways to pull things together?
— beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com
*Source: iPhone sales at wikimedia commons, updated 4-18-13