There’s a certain fascination with looking into the crystal ball trying to figure out what the future looks like. During interviews, companies ask candidates where they see themselves in five years as if they actually had put some thought into it. When we look at business plans, we review forecasts and prognostications in hopes of landing funding from angel investors. Now that social media has hit mainstream (discussed on TV, radio, and most other media), I can’t help but wonder what the future holds.
It won’t be called social media, it’ll just be business
So many of us get caught up using catch phrases and jargon when we could easily just say what’s on our minds. It’s easier to dump the word transparency into the laps of our readers without giving context to what it means in a particular situation. New words will emerge to replace old ones. As a society, we like to label everything as to make it fit into a neat little box.
In time, someone much smarter than me will rename the phrase ‘social media’ but we’ll all know it as ‘doing business’. Most everyone will be online connecting with others as if we’ve always done it that way. Just like mobile phones, there will come a time when we can’t remember life without social media. As I’ve written before, we’ll have a harder time remembering when we first met and how long we’ve known each other. Time blurs history.
Technology will continue to advance beyond our current comprehension
Who could have predicted ten years ago that augmented reality would exist? For those not familiar, as described by Wikipedia it’s a live direct or indirect view of a physical real-world environment whose elements are augmented by virtual computer-generated imagery. Below is a short video demonstrating GE’s augmented reality coming to life.
There is so much money for those creating mobile, iPad, and similar device applications that we’ll be blown away by what the hordes of developers produce. In time, most everyone will be conducting video chats on their phones replacing audio-only functionality. Many will spend more time on their pocket devices than their PC’s and laptops which for some is already happening.
Having a strong network will mean everything
This is no great revelation, we’ve been learning for quite some time how important networking is in our lives. Whether we’re looking for a job, developing business partners, or getting questions answered, we’ll rely even more on our trusted networks as time goes on. Those that fail to develop a strong group around them will struggle to compete. The saying, ‘It’s not what you know but who you know’ will continue to rule the day on levels we can’t comprehend. Some of your friends today will become extremely successful with access to events, planes, and people that will greatly impact your lifestyle.
With so many entrepreneurs starting their own business, the shift of the industrial workforce will be greatly impacted as Seth Godin often points out. Web developers will partner with graphic designers, marketers will partner with PR folks, and consultants will partner with anyone who can complement their service offerings. While this is already beginning to happen, over the next 5-10 years this trend will most likely explode creating smaller organizations who can handle complex projects in-house.
Predicting the future is alway challenging no matter what the subject matter is. It’s hard to stretch our minds beyond what we’ve already seen and experienced yet everyday someone gets a little closer to the next greatest invention or discovery. Social media evangelists are working hard to integrate products and services with fundamental strategies in hopes of producing noteworthy results. As the old saying goes, “We’re only as limited as our imagination”.
So what will will the future look like in ten years?
