The Digital World Is Constantly Changing. Keep Up!
Discover powerful insights into the rich tapestry of tools and terms that make up the world of technology. Leverage this learning as you revise, reshape, or upgrade your department, organization, or industry. These technology pieces cover a range of ideas, perspectives, and topics that are relevant for many modern organizations. Wide-reaching literature recommendations, like these, will give you plenty of room to think, grow, gain and give.
1. User Friendly: How The Hidden Rules Of Design Are Changing The Way We Live, Work And Play, By Cliff Kuang And Robert Fabricant
In this quirky piece, the authors present the paradigm that now prevails throughout our world; the idea that machines should be able to anticipate needs. In examining more than 100 years of history, User Friendly explores how design principles came to rule our lives, both in business and elsewhere. By reading this book, you’ll walk away with an understanding of why and how we’ve turned to design to spur development and innovation. And as you read, you might be able to connect the dots within your own organization and improve on existing designs.
2. Ahead In The Cloud: Best Practices For Navigating The Future Of Enterprise IT, By Stephen Orban
Digitally transforming an organization can lead to growth and innovation. Transformation of this kind means adjusting workflows, processes, organizational culture, and more. The ultimate goals include increased productivity, improved resource management, a better Customer Experience (even if your “customers” are students and parents), and more budget to plow back into the organization. Digital transformation is one of the defining characteristics of modern businesses, but many are reluctant to transform. Ahead in the Cloud explains and explores the massive opportunities available for enterprises that pursue cloud computing. If you or your organization have been slow to seize on digital opportunities, this book might be exactly what you need.
3. Social Engineering: The Science Of Human Hacking, By Christopher Hadnagy
Human behavior presents a wide variety of obstacles in the workplace, from obnoxious over-achievers to the “too timid to talk” types. Regardless of personality, any person can fall for a social engineering or phishing threat. It’s not just hype—these types of scams can decimate your enterprise overnight. Research shows that roughly 22% of data breaches involve phishing. This book highlights how enterprises can stay ahead of conniving social engineers and corresponding phishing threats. You’ll walk away with a strong understanding of how to prepare for attacks and what to do if your organization encounters one.
4. The Wires Of War: Technology And The Global Struggle For Power, By Jacob Helberg
This book offers compelling insights into the intersection of technology, geopolitics, social media, and cyber warfare. The author previously worked for Google and delves into complex questions, such as “Were nation-state backed actors using the Google platform to pursue their own goals?” The idea of a contemporary cyberwar feels bone-chilling, but we may well be in the midst of one. The spoils of a cyber conflagration wouldn’t appear in the form of prisoners of war or new territories conquered, but rather through consciousness conquered through the subtle internet-based messages that we’re exposed to every day. The Wires of War will help you make sense of the news, help you safeguard your intellectual property, protect the six inches between your ears, and prepare you for the digital future ahead.
5. This Is How They Tell Me The World Ends: The Cyberweapons Arms Race, By Nicole Perlroth
Nicole Perlroth captures the dark and mysterious elements of the cyber underworld in this visceral, thrilling, and masterfully composed work. As the story takes form, readers come to understand the true danger involved in deeply delving into international digital affairs: zero-day exploit uses, rogue citizens, and journalists like herself hiding in closets to avoid super spies. “It is the story of our vast digital vulnerability, of how and why it exists…”, says Perlroth in regards to this work.
6. Reality Check: How Immersive Technologies Can Transform Your Business, By Jeremy Dalton
Did your children or students catch the Pokemon GO bug? While Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are still new technologies, they’ve been used in massively successful games, lesson plans, marketing endeavors, events, and more. Any organization can potentially put these technologies to work for them, leading to improved cost-efficiency and engagement. The author walks readers through a series of practical use cases pertaining to AR and VR, highlighting how brands as big as IKEA have benefitted from the tech. Can AR or VR advance your organization’s objectives?
7. Rise Of The Robots: Technology And The Threat Of A Jobless Future, By Martin Ford
In a bold and provocative new book, author Martin Ford lays out the case for how automation may undermine employment opportunities and exacerbate global inequalities. He asserts that tried and true solutions to digital disruption cannot contend with the new reality that is automation. As you read this book, you will draw new conclusions about what automation could mean for you, your children, and the planet.
Here’s to learning, innovation, and growth. Happy reading!
