The hard truth of the information technology world is that it doesn’t exist for its own sake. In the years and years I’ve built technology platforms, it’s always been about solving a specific problem. If there isn’t one, expanding a technological footprint is pointless, expensive, and just dumb.
Tech salespeople will tell folks that their platform will solve word peace. They will tell you that you have a problem and that their tool will fix it. More unscrupulous companies will even go so far as to sell themselves as the ONLY solution to your problem. When non-tech savvy folks hear the pitch, more often than not, they become anxious and may even commit to purchasing the “solution.” Dumb.
There’s a whole bunch of terms thrown around these days, especially with the growth of crypto-currency. One such term is, “blockchain” and its use within the crypto-currency domain. Simply put, blockchain is a type of database that uses distributed blocks to store ledger-type data. It’s a very cool concept, yet one that is new, not easily understood, and very processing intensive.
Is it ready for primetime? Probably not yet. However, there are predatory companies out there selling the concept to unwary consumers. It’s a scam, really. But then again, almost all technology salespeople use social engineering concepts to hook people into buying tools that no can really use, yet. Companies that sell block-chain tech aren’t really any different than any other company peddling their wares.
It’s just that for me, applying tech solutions always comes down to two (2) basic things: 1) solving a problem requires a clear understanding of the problem being solved; and, 2) there has to be enough data regarding the problem such that a solution can be tested against that data. But the truth is that tech companies sell solutions without a clear problem.
Technology, of any kind, can’t solve problems on its own. While the right tools solve the right problems, tools without a problem to solve aren’t useful. Therefore, next time a tech salesperson tells you that you have a problem that their tool can solve, ask yourself, “Is this my problem or is the salesperson trying to make his Lexus payment?”
