Opportunities and Challenges of An Interconnected World
By Simone Webber, Marketing Manager of Numata Business IT
The coronavirus pandemic has shifted our world so quickly that it’s sometimes hard to remember what life was like before, even though it’s only been about 18 months since COVID-19 first swept the globe. Many of the changes it has wrought have been extremely tough – people have lost loved ones and entire industries and economies have suffered. On the positive side, challenges always foster innovation and we’re seeing that in action as people and businesses rise to the occasion and develop new ways of communicating, working, and solving problems.
For many people who are able to leverage the power of connectivity, work has been able to continue, and although it’s not the same, socialising can take place in some format via online avenues like Zoom, WhatsApp and other chat or video platforms. While we all miss the days of family and friends gathering together, and we hope they will return soon, at least we are able to check up on one another.
It has brought home for me how terrifying it must have been to face something like this in 1918 when the Spanish Flu hit (a pandemic that shook the world in a similar way to COVID-19) when many of the forms of communication available – such as letters and physically printed and distributed newspapers – did not allow for quickly issuing important information. The enormity of the fact that we are able to track important health data, create models to aid in planning responses and communicate response efforts instantaneously has really hit home for me.
As I, like many people, have changed the way I work, shop, and interact with people, as well as the things I do for fun, I’ve realised again just how much we rely on technology and how digital impact is only just beginning to be felt. The opportunities here are enormous, and we’ve seen them in our own business as our clients have called on us to help them take their companies into the digital future.
However, while I’m grateful for the way that Numata is managing this “corona coaster” and that I’m able to stay in touch with loved ones and enjoy having my online orders couriered to my door, I’m also aware of the risks technology inevitably brings too.
Cyber-attacks are on the rise (including insidious and “under the radar” forms like business email compromise), data privacy is becoming an ever-more-pressing issue, and we’re dealing with the “human” side of the tech issues too, as people struggle with new ideas of work/life balance when work and life are both taking place at home.
At Numata, we’re working to help clients to both maximise the opportunities of this interconnected, digital world and to minimise the risks. While we’re excited to see the connectivity opportunities that 5G, IoT, data analytics and AI will bring, we’re also making sure we work to keep ahead of cybercriminals and policy changes.
This month we’re looking at some practical ways to help you on both of those fronts. Please follow our LinkedIn page for our latest tips, advice, and insights, and get in touch if you’d like to find out how we can partner with your business to help achieve your goals.