Technology is evolving – fast. For that reason, it is imperative that companies focus not just on the changes happening today but also on emerging technological trends that are shaping the future of organizations and industries. The more anticipatory a company can be with regard to technology, the more creatively it can use that knowledge and planning to gain competitive advantage.

Just-in-time training

Thanks to cloud-based technology, the world is on the brink of a revolution in just-in-time training. This will enable people to use their laptops, cell phones, and tablet computers as a tool to receive training precisely when they need it. In the current training model used by many organizations, people often receive training before they actually need the expertise, a practice that takes them away from their jobs and costs the company money.

With just-in-time training, companies can keep people in the field until they need specific training. When a person needs a certain skill set to complete a job or do a task, he or she can receive training in real time via cloud-based technology.

For example, suppose a service company has new drilling equipment that its technicians have to install and operate in a manner different from what has been done in the past. Rather than taking people out of work and putting them in a multiday training course, the company keeps them in the field. When it is time to install and use the equipment, they can receive the training on how to do so in real time via their mobile devices.

Suppose a technician has used the training module but is still confused about a certain aspect of the machinery. He touches the “help” icon on his screen, and it immediately connects him to a master trainer live on the screen. The technician can put on a headband that has a camera on the front, much like the headbands with lights that people use for camping or car repair. By wearing this digital, high-resolution camera that interfaces with the mobile device, the field operator can show the master trainer exactly what the issue is. The master trainer can lead the field operator through the issue as if he were standing right there. This approach promises dramatic savings and increases in efficiency.

Using cloud-based technology for just-in-time services goes far beyond installation or repair. It can be used to train people on new software, product upgrades, and on new policies and procedures, etc. And it is different and better than a standard tutorial because the training can be accessed via any device anywhere and at any time, and it offers an option for live help. In reality, the applications for cloud-based, just-in-time services are virtually limitless.

Embracing cloud computing can aid in training.

Processing power on demand

The increased bandwidth mobile devices now receive enables people to connect to cloud-based technologies easier and faster than ever before. And bandwidth will continue to increase. Because of this, another emerging trend is processing power on demand or virtualized processing power.

So many things already have been virtualized. Data can be stored on a cloud-based network. Many companies choose this option for data safety and ease of backup as well as for the ability to access the data via any device. Desktops have been virtualized to be seen on anyone else’s machine.

It only makes sense, then, that processing power will be virtualized too. In other words, a mobile device only has a certain amount of processing power. But by tapping into additional processing power via cloud-based technology, users can turn their mobile devices into super computers to perform advanced simulations and crunch different data streams together to get real-time analytics. Suddenly the handheld device is as powerful and advanced as a desktop. If employees had the capability to do complex work that required advanced processing power while they were on the road, armed with nothing more than their mobile device, the increases in productivity would be enormous.

Creative application of technology

For these trends and others to fully emerge, business leaders have to consider what their people would do with the technology. It is no longer enough to deploy technology; companies have to consider how people can creatively apply the technology to gain competitive advantage.

To find the answer to this question, they need to ask their internal customers (the people using the technology in the enterprise) what they want technologically. The next step is to give them what they ask for with the understanding that most of them will “under-ask” because they do not know what is technically possible. What employees are not asking for is bigger and better capabilities – the things they do not even know exist.

The key is to go to the next level and give people the ability to do what they currently cannot do but would want to do if they knew they could. After all, people really did not ask for an iPhone or a Blackberry. The hidden need was the ability to access email and the Internet without being tied to a desktop or laptop.

Desktops can be virtualized to be seen on any machine.

The goal is to put existing technologies together and use them in a creative way. For example, there are literally thousands of features in Microsoft Word that users can select, but most people are using only seven to 10 features. And competitors are using the same features, which means companies are not getting any true competitive advantage.

Managers need to ask questions such as, “What features would be great for our sales group (or HR, or accounting department, or logistics people, etc.) to use – features that are so buried in the software that no one knows they exist?” Most IT departments will not ask those questions because they are too busy making sure everything is connected, working well, and safe. And if they are not asking, who is? Chances are the answer is “no one.” As such, it is safe to say that all tools are underutilized.

Companies need to implement a communication vehicle that engages the different groups served in the enterprise – sales, logistics, purchasing, accounting, HR, etc. – and help them understand the power of the tools to which they have access.

One suggestion is to automatically show them a “feature of the day” and how it can make their lives easier. This approach provides information in short, fun, engaging ways rather than in a hundred-page document (which no one will read anyway) that details all of the features.

Creating a company’s future

Many business leaders will say they are too busy to address any of these trends. But if they do not address them, who will?

Ultimately, whoever drives these trends within an organization will be seen as a significant contributor to the enterprise. That “someone” can drive results to the bottom line and be a key contributor to the organization’s success.