You’re a business innovation professional. How do you keep up with the latest technology?

Innovation is not about adopting tendencies. It is up to consumers. Innovation is about understanding tendencies and building them up. It is desirable to be updated about the technologies to understand your target public behaviour, but it is crazy to imagine that you will implement each new technology (even managing ones).

In the first step, it is important to follow the innovations in your own environment/business. For me, tracking innovations beyond your own industry is the second step and much more time-consuming. You need a team and experts for the various specialist areas. If you have your own R&D department, make it as heterogeneous as possible in terms of expertise from a wide range of specialist areas. For me, in addition to networks, conferences, specialist books, the Internet, exchanges with colleagues and customers, standardization committees, patent research, partnerships with universities and institutes, participation in research projects, the most important thing is general curiosity.

Signing up for too many newsletters can clog your inbox. I like Google Alerts, which curate all your desired topics into a daily or weekly email digest. You can then dig into the most relevant stories and do further research. Half the battle is staying aware of trends and news so this tactic gives you an edge, particularly when exploring a new topic or field.

Keeping up with news and trends is crucial, yet it's equally vital to discern which innovations align best with your needs. Presently, there's a surge of discussions around AI, machine learning, and SaaS. Identifying which of these technologies is most relevant requires careful consideration. Consulting credible sources like the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, or Harvard Business Review can offer insightful perspectives. Additionally, social media platforms host specialized pages that provide timely updates on the technological advancements in business. This dual approach ensures a well-rounded understanding of the evolving tech landscape.

I use various sources such as LinkedIn posts, read various newspapers such as MIT Technology, MIT Sloan and HBR. I also have a few saved links from various websites that give new updates. Another good source of information are podcasts such as Azeem Azhar's or related newsletters.

Newsletters are a great way to track specific industries or topics or markets. Seeing just the headlines of articles gives you a sense of what's happening, and then by clicking to read the full article, often you will see there more related content to expand on the topic. And you control when you read the newsletters so it is not intrusive.

To stay updated on the latest technology, I regularly read industry publications, attend conferences, participate in webinars, and engage with online communities. Networking with peers and continuous learning through online courses or workshops also help me remain current in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Para mantenerme actualizado sobre la última tecnología recurro a los perfiles de LinkedIn especializados como McKinsey & Company, Harvard Business Review, Forbes Technology Council, TechCrunch, entre otros; los cuales ofrecen acceso a contenido exclusivo, artículos destacados y actualizaciones sobre innovación y tecnología.

Apart from joining new tech related events, attending events where your competitors gather can quickly help you to gauge your market standing. It can also help to decide which features needs to be prioritized to bring your software product to feature parity. I once had large takeaway from a government organized software event for SMEs 2 years ago. There were several of my competitors who attended. Our team were not just able to make friends with our competition, we knew we had some gaps to go to be competitive and doubled down on the features where we knew would help us to stand out. The prioritization post that session helped us to rebuild our software on the key features that our customers wanted using new technologies!

Absolutely. I got to attend the GTC conference by NVIDIA last week and it was very useful for me as follows: 1. Key note by their CEO: Helped me get a first hand view into what NVIDIA is doing in regard to Gen AI for now and their roadmap for the future 2. Sessions by Industry veterans: Deep dive on how they are leveraging Gen AI, Benefits realized and Plans for Scaling made lot of sense 3. Demos by various practioners and thought leaders: Very effective demos around NVIDIA software suite were very effective and detailed 4. Networking: Getting to interact with creme de la creme from NVIDIA and various thought leaders helps in terms of the pipeline as well :)

My most valuable connections have been forged at in-person events for sure. While online gatherings provide swift and accessible means to stay informed, it's the tangible, real-world interactions that I find most rewarding. The opportunity to share space, engage in face-to-face conversations, and experience the collective energy of like-minded individuals has unmatched value. These moments of connection go beyond exchanging business cards; they're about building relationships that inspire, challenge, and spur creativity. In the rapidly evolving tech landscape, such human connections not only enrich my professional journey but also remind me of the power of personal interaction in driving meaningful collaborations.

Very good points Mr Ranganathan. I will add to couple of more points on what Mr Ranganathan has said. (1) Regularly read (at least half an hour everyday, ideally I would say an hour) few good blogs in the area of of your interest (2) Regular interaction with domain SMEs withing or outside your organization. We leverage technology to help business hence the domain SMEs really have good view on the latest technology which are really helping business. Even tech people would have this knowledge but possibly not as deep as Domain SMEs

Attending events is fine. But it is critical to: 1) Connect 1-1 with select few industry experts. Ask many questions to go deep, rather than superficial wide networking 2) Take notes and follow-up with the people you met. 3) Review progress and outcomes achieved from past events before attending the next one.

Attending events and webinars is a vital part of staying updated on tech advancements. Such engagements offer firsthand exposure to new ideas and best practices. Networking with peers and competitors is also essential, as it provides a barometer for your market position and helps prioritize product features. To make the most of these events, it's not enough to just show up; it requires active participation, asking insightful questions to industry experts, deep networking, and diligent follow-ups. This approach leads to meaningful connections and actionable insights that can influence innovation strategy and product development.

Being a networking event expert and organizing business and investment events for over a decade, I can say that the events are better for building new and fostering old connections than just to learn about trends. Of course you can go there to meet with the experts and learn from them, but only YouTube can teach you so much more than any single event.

Webinars and events, from broad overviews to niche topics, often indicate that the technology being discussed has already entered the mainstream, having passed initial validation stages—this includes the time needed to organize such events. While these are sufficient for most to stay informed and keep their companies up to date, for those at the forefront of technology, webinars and events might serve merely as lagging indicators of "innovation". Ultimately, I believe the true value of webinars and events lies in the opportunity they provide for establishing a selective network, where the side discussions and behind-the-scenes conversations can be as enriching as the content of the events themselves.

This should be starting point in innovation journey. First you should have basic knowledge before you start conversation with industry peers and frame use case for your organisation.

Taking courses and certifications is a cornerstone for gaining deep knowledge in specific technologies. It's a starting point in an innovation journey, providing foundational knowledge. However, real mastery comes from hands-on application—rolling up your sleeves, coding, troubleshooting, and creating real-world solutions. Such practical engagement is where the magic happens, turning theory into expertise and solidifying your skills. This path is not just about collecting certificates; it’s about applying what you learn to innovate and solve problems effectively.

Certainly, courses and certifications are essential for professional development. However, I don't believe they keep you up-to-date with the latest technologies since formal courses and certifications generally don't keep pace with technological innovations. Regarding Business Innovation, it's crucial to discern your company's role in the market: whether it is a first-mover or a fast-follower/defender. If your company is a fast-follower or defender, there's no doubt that courses and certifications will be the main way to acquire new technology and knowledge.

With a bit of a curious mind and daring you are able to at least understand the basic of an issue just by attending free, short and enlightening courses that you can access from whatever you desire on the most convenient moment according to our running lives.

Experimentation and prototyping are pivotal in the tech arena. By rapidly iterating, engaging with real-world feedback, and being willing to fail and learn swiftly, innovators can stay ahead. It’s through this hands-on trial and testing that ideas evolve from concept to product, ensuring solutions are not just imagined but truly meet market demands. Whether it’s the simplicity of a customer call or the complexity of a new feature, blending intuition with data leads to products that resonate with needs and shape the future.

In the B2B world, testing the market could be as simple as picking up the phone, and calling a prospective or existing customer. How do you validate demand? I think it is 30% Intuition, 70% Data. When we build products that solve our enterprise customer's problems, it might be costly to experiment, but costs next to nothing to do a simple poll or to study your competitors who have done something similar. Especially applying new technology to your existing products, the costs can be fairly significant. A simple 2 X 2 metric, with one axis of experimental cost - where technical considerations and manpower is required to potential customer value can help to quickly decide which features to prototype first on new technology.

With Gen AI being the talk of the town we are at an important phase where companies are moving from Exploration to Implementation phase. Across many Fortune 500 companies the following is the understanding: 1. Don't start with a large Implementation. First start with a small pilot. 2. Keep the budget light, complete Implementation soon and show incremental ROI. 3. Allow sufficient time for Privacy and Security audits to be completed for the Gen AI solution. Especially when it comes to Gen AI, Experiment, prototype, show incremental ROI -> Plan for Crawl, Walk, Run Approach is the need of the hour.

I believe that experimentation is at the heart of innovation, you have to roll up the sleeves and get your hands dirty quite often. I tend to enjoy this both during my professional journey; i.e. working together with great colleagues for hacking industrial machinery and putting up minimum viable plants for scale-testing novel production processes, and also on my leisure time, experimenting with emerging tech like mixed reality hardware/software and additive manufacturing solutions.

No hay nada mejor que poder materializar el conocimiento en práctica y que mejor que poder hacer pruebas, pilotos y experimentos ágilmente. Hoy contamos con muchas herramientas que nos permiten poder poner en el mercado iniciativas conectadas con las diferentes tecnologías para capturar insights y feedback para mejorar y validar cómo podría funcionar las hipótesis q estemos tratando de corroborar. Esto debe de ser un hábito desde cada líder de innovación. El estar experimentando y “jugando” con iniciativas sistemáticamente, desde la experimentación.

Experimenting and prototyping are the bread-and-butter of any innovation. While depending on your role it may be easier or more difficult to find time to try out new tools and solutions, one can often find a way to integrate the two. Baking innovation and experiments into your daily tasks can bring you the balance you need to get things done while also having some fun trying out new things and discovering new approaches to solve problems.

Experimentation and prototyping: keys to staying ahead in tech. Rapid learning, innovation catalyst, risk mitigation, agility, stakeholder engagement, market validation. #TechInnovation

Adopt an Open Mindset. Learn from others and be ready to be part of the experiment. Be inquisitive. Ask questions how things are done rather than shying away from things we do not know. Be Honest. See the future trends. Be ready to drop existing norms and to co-create better versions of ourselves.

The best way to keep yourself up to date with new technology is to join the myriad of private slack communities that are prevalent in a number of different disciplines. As an example partnership leaders is a private slack community full of the best minds in partnership, offering insight into business practices and new tech. Similarly support driven offers something similar for customer support. There is no better way to discover what’s going on in your industry than learning from practitioners who are in market, using new tools and tech.

How to choose a community to join? - Ask colleagues and friends who might be interested in the same topic for some recommendations - Join some free (or low cost) public community events, or as if can join one closed, paid or members-only, one as free trial - Is the mission of the community something that you can strongly relate to, or your feel passionate and excited about just thinking of it - Try it and give it a bit of time, but if it doesn't click, move along and keep searching for you new tribe. You will find it!

Participar de comunidades é muito enriquecedor, um excelente grupo é o @clubeborafazer. Lá são discutidos diversos assuntos atuais e o network é de qualidade.

I keep up with the latest technology by joining communities and networks. I find both online and offline communities and networks that connect me with like-minded people, mentors, or experts. I also participate in discussions, challenges, or projects that challenge me, inspire me, or help me grow.

I believe that before considering the adoption of new technology, consulting your community about the technology you wish to implement is a good practice. This can provide valuable insights, best practices, success stories, warnings about potential failures, and already filtered references. Of course, there's a risk of bias and falling into groupthink, but it's up to you to discern the responses received. This strategy can significantly save time and resources. Regarding using the community to stay updated on the latest technologies, asking about a specific technology can serve as a thermometer to assess whether it has reached the mainstream or is still being adopted only by early adopters.

We often set our own boundaries by putting constraints to our own vision and thinking things like- there's no budget/time for that, it won't get approved, no one will use it, I don't know how to build it, etc. Letting go of what we perceive as potential blockers and working on an 'what if this could be achieved' mindset can drastically shift the outcome. Allow yourself to worry about the details later and focus on the bigger picture first. You can always find a solution or someone with the needed expertise to figure out the details later. Keep your focus on your end goal and remember Rome wasn't built in one day. :)

Study the human being. Innovation is about to improve the way to solve the people needs, to create new value for solving the same faster, cheaper, or different, but from people experience, then go to see if there is a technogoly to apply, not instead!

#Workingbackwards is a very important aspect when it comes to applying new technologies to solving existing customer problems. When we think about applying the new technologies, as part of product management, we need to ask if what we are doing moves the needle to solve the underlying customer need as first principles. We need to actively avoid doing this for vanity. For example: Does the new technology help my customer receive goods faster? Does it make it cheaper for my customer? Does it give my customer more selection? If the answer is uncertain, it may be better to hold it off until the whole team is clear on the ideas presented for testing.

Procuro sempre na minha rede alguma referência de tecnologias ja implantadas e assim aprendo com erros e acertos de quem ja fez…também gosto de dividir experiências quando implanto algo novo. Sem esquecer que o planejamento estratégico e a cultura da empresa costumam ter pistas poderosas sobre qual tecnologia implantar com prioridade.

Besides keeping up, it's essential to explore the driving forces of change behind the latest technology. Viewing new technology as a single thread within a complex web of forces allows a more accurately assessment of its potential impact, associated risks, and the pace of change. By engaging in foresight practices, we can move above the long list of new technology trends and have a much richer understanding of the opportunities and risks associated with new technology, and anticipate them more effectively.

In my opinion Innovation is not only about a new product or techbo but really about finding a new untapped way to solve a known problem. It doesn’t need to be driven by innovation departments, but by every employee in a company with a mindset for change and constant improvement

I like to follow and experiment with promising new AI based tools like HowSpace. The ability to summarize a large number of platform facilitated discussions in a meaningful way can speed up large transformations in unprecedented ways

In my business innovation journey - I have followed 5 subtle principles that have led to eventual success - (a) question the merit, incremental value, material and non-material benefit to the stakeholders direct or indirectly impacted to the business, (b) make sure the benefits are representative sample of a target operating market segment and creating sufficient economic value and return to sustain, (c) create the solution leveraging people, process, technology, channel strategy, (d) prototype and test the impact and abort early if it does not meet expected standards, (e) rinse and repeat to finally hit the business innovation theme. Never jump on concluding the problem, the target segment, or jump to implement high end fancy technology.

Other ways to keep up with latest technologies could be: 1. Create a hub for tech entrepreneurs to come and work. Make it free of charge for them, and facilitate exchange sessions with you and your team.

Innovation calls for hands-on creation. It's about molding the now into the next, where experimentation meets execution. Merge intuition with data, embrace the art of failing fast and learning faster. Let's not just ride the wave of technology; let's be the tide itself, crafting not just progress, but purpose and passion into every solution we pioneer. Forge ahead, make your mark—turn today's potential into tomorrow's reality.