Career Thoughts on the Post-PC/CorpTechPocalypse Era

Yesterday I discussed that I felt the decline of the PC was related strongly to the decline of Corporate IT.  But what does it mean for your career, my fellow progeek?  I figured I'd collect my random thoughts to see if it gave you ideas, or caused panic.  Or something.


 

For Developers:

  • Your applications are going to have to be on multiple platforms and that means multiple deals and distributions.
  • Anyone who can simplify multiple distributions can make a lot of money.
  • You're going to inevitably need to know multiple languages in this environment – or one language that you can port.
  • Simplicity, usability, and ease of updates are paramount.
  • I see a future of web applications, but they'll need to have parallel apps.
  • I expect more and more "appization" to happen to web apps, with possible changes as HTML 5 perpetuates.
  • You're delivering product.  Keep that in mind.
  • With the ability to get apps out so easy, I see having some "project" in the wild becoming not a requirement for a job, but let us just say a very, very good idea that might as well be one.

For Tech Support:

  • People are going to expect your tech support to be as good as anything else out there.
  • Automating and speeding up tech support is paramount.
  • People are going to be less patient.
  • Being able to drop off something and go – and get a replacement or get it back fast – is important.
  • People are going to expect more "human" relations.
  • With changes to tech support, there may be an opportunity for people who can orchestrate it to fit the current trends. 

For Hardware:

  • Ease of use and endurance are going to have to go hand-in hand.
  • People will want something that can be easily repaired or traded in.
  • For that matter, make it easier to fix, swap parts out, or replace for engineers.
  • I see e-recycling is going to get bigger and bigger (and in time may shift demographics of manufacturing).  This might be a viable career area.

For Training:

  • If you train, in theory your job will get easier.
  • In reality, training now means having to encompass several choices and options.
  • Training can be baked into apps and devices if done right – and that will probably be expected.
  • As ease-of-use of devices becomes paramount, training will need to shift.  "Startup" won't be as important as optimizing, maximizing, and being aware. 

For Users of Any Kind:

  • You're going to have a lot of options.
  • You probably have more power than you realize at your fingertips.
  • Being able to know your options and show wise choices and usage may be good in your career.

For Corporate IT:

  • Move into a role of approving and managing choices, services, and standards.

Any more thoughts?

Steven Savage