 I have an Apple Watch that I rarely use beyond fitness tracking or as a remote control for other devices. The watch versions of the apps I've downloaded simply do not provide enough benefit for me to use my watch over my phone. I would like to get more out of my watch, but just haven't discovered the killer apps that make using my watch more convenient than my phone.
The mobile phone is a germ magnet and a potential health risk during the pandemic if not regularly sanitized. I started to think of watch apps that may convince me to leave my phone in my pocket while navigating the challenges of social distancing. Caveat: I have no idea if or how these apps are technically possible and they would need to be implemented with security and privacy as a priority. These are simply ideas that interest me and may spark ideas for others. Don't Stand So Close to Me Objective: Create awareness around what a 6 ft bubble really looks like and how difficult it is to maintain. Concept: Create a virtual barrier 6 ft in radius around the user. When the barrier is broken vibrate the watch and display a directional indicator pointing to the intrusion with the current distance. Settings could be included to configure the distance radius, set alert exceptions (ie. I'm with others), and mute notifications. There could be a gamification element to the app where you find out at the end of the day how well you maintained social distancing such as did you avoid the zombies or other genre. Where's the Party? Objective: Identify areas, such as parks or beaches, where there is already a high density of people and provide alternate destinations. Concept: Identify nearby POI that have a current population density that would make it difficult to maintain social distancing. Presentation could be as simple as applying a stoplight filter to a list or as complex as applying a heatmap layer to an interactive map. Basic calculations for density could be the number of people detected for every 6 sqft. Recalculating Route Objective: Identify activity routes that have a current population density that would make it difficult to maintain social distancing. Concept: Integrate with common activity tracking apps such as MapMyRide, RunWithGPS, Garmin, etc., that provide route mapping and planning features. Create an overlay along routes, similar to traffic maps, highlighting segments with high traffic. Offer route-recalculation on the fly to avoid busy segments, or a warning to mask up if approaching a dense area. In neighborhoods, it may be a challenge to differentiate between people in their homes vs on the sidewalk or street depending on gps accuracy. If anyone would like to collaborate on these or other ideas, contact me via the button below.
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 How often have you been asked to create a POC and reflexively cringed? Your reaction is most likely due to lack of clarity around the desired result. Proof of concept and prototype are often used interchangeably, but have different implications on the scope of work. proof of con·cept A proof of concept is focused on proving the viability of a principle idea in the context of a larger system. Technical knowledge is the primary outcome, while user interaction and design elements are typically out of scope or limited. As the product progresses, learnings from a proof of concept may be applied to a prototype. pro·to·type /ˈprōdəˌtīp/ A prototype is an working set of features intended to demonstrate how a consumer would interact with a product, gather feedback and generate interest. Prototypes can be low fidelity, but they present an end-to-end concept of a user goal including design and navigation. The outcome of a prototype may be used to refine the product or feature.
The key difference between a proof of concept and a prototype is a proof of concept demonstrates a concept is possible while a prototype demonstrates how it may be executed. Both are important tools to inform product decisions while using development resources efficiently.  The words "Digital Transformation" are popping up a lot in the articles I've read lately, but what exactly is it? According to Wikipedia, Digital Transformation (DT or DX) is the use of new, fast and frequently changing digital technology to solve problems. What does that mean? The intent behind digital transformation is to leverage technology to change how companies deliver value to their customers. This can mean anything from moving all services to the cloud, integrating AI into automated workflows, or simply offering digital payments. There is no one-size-fits-all model for digital transformation. Why should I care? Digital transformation helps mitigate disruption from newcomers to the space. Companies must evolve to remain relevant or they will be left behind. As society continues to undergo its own digital transformation, businesses must change as well to meet new customer expectations. "Customer expectations are far exceeding what you can really do," says George Westerman, MIT principal research scientist and author of Leading Digital: Turning Technology Into Business Transformation. “That means a fundamental rethinking about what we do with technology in organizations." I'm ready, now what?
There are a lot of resources out there with step-by-step guides on how to undergo your own digital transformation. Each company's roadmap will look different but here are some common themes.
Most businesses can agree that change is imperative; successful change is deliberate and iterative. When you undertake your digital transformation, ensure the business strategy and customer expectations drive the technology solution and not the other way around. Resources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_transformation https://hbr.org/2019/03/digital-transformation-is-not-about-technology https://www.cio.com/article/3211428/what-is-digital-transformation-a-necessary-disruption.html https://enterprisersproject.com/what-is-digital-transformation |