Author: Frank Diana

Jobs will be very different in 10 years

Frank Diana Education, Future Scenarios , , , , ,

As many focus on the future of work, various different perspectives are presented. A common theme is emerging: Jobs will be there, but they will be very different within the next decade. This recent Article draws three conclusions:

  • In 10 years time, 50% of jobs will be changed by automation – but only 5% eliminated.
  • 9 out of 10 jobs will require digital skills.
  • Young, low-skilled and vulnerable people – all need help with up-skilling.

Several critical points are made by the World Economic Forum article:

Continue reading →

Looking at Possible Futures

Frank Diana Future Scenarios, Our Emerging Future, Trends and Predictions , , , , , ,

Many Future Scenarios are spawned by convergence across multiple domains. The most obvious Convergence is occurring between science and technology. I have been posting links to numerous articles that explore possible futures. These futures are important for us to understand, as they usher in a very Pivotal Decade. Here is another set of articles that help us envision the future.

Continue reading →

Shifting Platform and Ecosystem Dynamics

Frank Diana Ecosystems , , ,

As platform business models increasingly gain board-level attention, the ecosystem conversation intensifies. David Kish – a TCS colleague – recently worked with the broader team (Kevin Mulcahy, Rose Rodriguez, Bill Quinn, Bill Bosak)  to author an article focused on shifting platform and ecosystem dynamics. I am sharing Dave’s article via this guest post.

Since the advent of the internet, the combinatorial effect of innovation in science and digital technologies has rapidly driven the world toward a platform economy where software, apps and APIs enable every human activity and radically change how people interact and create value. Companies like Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Alibaba and Tencent, which represent seven of the top ten valued companies by market capitalization, are leading this transformation and have created an imperative for all companies: develop platform capabilities and adapt your strategy to survive and succeed in the platform economy.

Continue reading →

Can History Point to Possible Futures?

Frank Diana Humanity, Our Emerging Future , ,

A view into history helps us better understand the future. A recent Article describes this phenomenon in detail, exploring how to apply historical reasoning to the future. I have invested considerable time in understanding the Cycles of History and how they help us better understand the future. As Future Thinking becomes an increasingly bigger part of a leaders agenda, a historical perspective provides valuable input. As described in the article, the goal is to reason well, using an understanding of history to think more clearly about a range of possible futures and how probable a given outcome might be.

Continue reading →

Learning and Education in the 2020s

Frank Diana Education, Future Scenarios , ,

How we handle learning and education in the coming decade will play a major role in determining societal outcomes. Will people gain the skills required by the jobs that scientific and technological advancement spawn? Will education enable us to operate in a future environment that requires collaboration, system leadership, resilience,  a learning mindset and entrepreneurial drive? Will we unlearn the shareholder value focus and broaden our focus to consider the full stakeholder community? How we educate future leaders and a society of life-long learners will provide answers to these questions.

A new Article via the World Economic Forum delves into the topic, as the authors explore the university of the future and how it must adapt to train future leaders. The article states that universities must evolve in four ways to meet the demands of future leadership needs:

  1. Embrace technology
  2. Create more action-based learning models
  3. Understand the expanded role of business in society
  4. Support life-long learning

Education and learning remains a critical issue for me, as it lies at the heart of how society emerges from the transformative pressures of the coming decade. My recent posts share several thoughts on the topic.

The Education Ecosystem

The Shifting Winds of Education and Artificial Intelligence

Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

MBA Education and Short Term Thinking

Next Generation Education

Future Hiring: Skills-Based or Credentials-Based?

The Five most Important Job Skills of the Future

The Highest Skilled Workers Reside in Switzerland – Why?

Meet the Jetsons in the 2020s

Frank Diana Ecosystems, Future Scenarios, Mobility , , , , , ,

Uber and Hyundai have teamed up to deliver on the Jetsons flying car future. One of several flying car initiatives likely to be realized by the end of the decade. Air taxis represent a further evolution of the Mobility Ecosystem. People point to the flying car as an example of future predictions that did not pan out. Well, much like everything else in this era of exponential progression – get ready. Uber Air is one example of services emerging in this space.

Continue reading →