Updated January 26, 2023
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Old School or Just Broken?
Recently I saw this toddler & iPad video. Prepared for a yet another dose of YouTube cuteness, it actually surprised me. What struck me was this child’s cognitive development and hand-eye coordination; it’s been forever impacted by leaps in recent technology where books are interactive and magazines are perplexing. Perhaps we’re finally in the age where technology will rise to meet us mere humans rather than the other way around.
It’s A Brave, VUCA World
Futurist and author Bob Johansen mused about what new leadership skills are required for this evolving technology-driven world. As part of Silicon Valley’s Institute for the Future, he predicts that leaders must be able to navigate in a world with Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity, or VUCA.
For those business leaders who are frustrated with and by new technology, Bob suggests reverse mentoring – the practice of gaining a younger perspective. Alan Webber, co-founder of Fast Company, described reverse mentoring as “It’s a situation where the old fogies in an organization realize that by the time you’re in your forties and fifties, you’re not in touch with the future the same way the young twenty-somethings. They come with fresh eyes, open minds, and instant links to the technology of the future.”
Even if your business product or service is aimed at the over 40 set, designing your website’s user experience requires rigor. It takes fresh eyes and viewpoint not jaded by ingrained processes. Not convinced? The proof is your website’s conversion rate.
Keeping Up With the Kids
Website design is an important balance between having the most advanced site available, as well as making something that is usable for as many visitors as possible. Site accessibility is an integral part of the design and should not be forgotten. Like the toddler with the iPad, working out how to navigate a website should be a natural thing to do. Flow from page to page.
So you need to find a balance with embracing technology, while also not forgetting those who might not be as tech savvy as you. Sound’s easy right?
