Technology As Innovator

Happy 12th Birthday

FCG Vietnam - Paragon Solutions Vietnam

It’s been 1 year 2 months 21 days I’m with you.
You have always been there in my vision and passion.

“Sometimes it happens that a man’s circle of horizon
becomes smaller and smaller,
and as the radius approaches zero
it concentrates on one point.
And then that becomes his point of view.”
David Hilbert

I seek to understand and establish my view towards the contemporary world.

To have a comprehensive perception, I look at matters from 4 views, in that order

1. Scientific View. As my background is Information and Communication Technology, my scientific view will be from Computer Science
2. Business View. This requires business analysis
3. Social View. This view requires analysis on societies, culture and human behavior during emergence of globalization
4. optional Spiritual View

It was early 2003, half a year from my university entrance exam, when I sat in a pensive state, imaging my vision for my career. I had chosen IT for 6 years at that time, and had never thought twice ever since. My university application was filled with preferences for IT; I always declared my direction with anybody who asked.

But something was missing. People, who never ever worked in the IT industry, always commented that IT was dry and IT people were rigid. I knew it was not true; in fact, I felt so.

I liked art and literature, composed poem, wrote reflections of music and developed a sympathetic character.

And suddenly, this motto flashed through my mind: “To bring humanity to IT”.

I wanted to prove that IT existed to serve humanities, not to become a self-contained world itself. I wanted to become a bridge between IT and those who didn’t understand it clearly.

I had a vision. It was my very first vision.

***

During my undergraduate education, I developed some products, some games. I joined some debates on the IT career and challenged the “Computer Science for Computer Science” thoughts. I discussed with geeks who value the efficiency of algorithms over designed patterns, who are obsessed about command lines, who were demented to the “Art of computing” stuffs, and so on.

Throughout much argument, I was enlightened that what these computer scientists were pursuing, though they never admit it, would eventually benefit the communities of non-experts, if and only if a bridge existed between the technical clusters beneath and the users on the surface.

I knew I could be that connecting layer.

***

Now I am a business analyst, who looks at and defines the system from the user’s point of view. I am having more discussion with system analysts, who look at the system from the technical point of view, on wiki(usability) and efficiency, value of functionalities to users and to the architecture.

I am writing some articles on Web 2.0 wiki(usability) and giving feedbacks to Web 2.0 system development teams. I am attracted to how well Web 2.0 serves normal, ordinary users.

I just realized that I am doing exactly what I wrote in my vision: I am now really a bridge between IT and end-users.

My plan that lasted for one decade came true and my first vision is here so touchable. I’m looking forward to my second twelve-year vision: my parents’ retirement plan.