New technologies are affecting all fields of knowledge in society thanks to their applications in very diverse fields. So much so that, from medicine to crop treatment, they can now be carried out with some improvements that go hand in hand with custom software development services.
This development towards a more digital world is what is called digital transformation, generating a space of shared knowledge that is updated in increasingly shorter periods. That is precisely what can be interpreted as innovation.
Technological innovation, therefore, can be considered as the introduction of methods, tools, and other types of technological products that generate substantial changes within the established status. In this context, it is easy to understand that, with effective technological advances, digital transformation must continue to advance in all entities.
Introduction to Technological Innovation
Since approximately 1970 and the first quarter of the 21st century, we have seen a technological escalation that is very difficult to predict. Although in some cases it is far below what was expected, the 2010s have taken technology to very high levels.
In less than 50 years we have gone from writing letters and waiting days or even weeks for a response to talking across distances of thousands of kilometers in real time. It is only a graphic example, but human beings have had to adapt to technological changes in record time. What a year ago was the latest, we now see it as an obsolete product.
Technology is growing by leaps and bounds and we must focus on technological innovation to embark on the path towards the 360º digital transformation of technology.
Types of Technological Innovation
In this way, technological innovation covers those elements and actions that are carried out to achieve the digital transformation of the business sector. We can distinguish three types of technological innovation taking into account the specific change that is committed:
- Radical: are those that, in the business world, allow us to reach new markets. It may be because we have created a new product or service that opens the doors to other sectors.
- Incremental: when we improve the technological processes that we already have implemented in our company.
- Paradigm: when we create a new technological process that involves a substantial change in production.
Characteristics of Technological Innovation
Without a doubt, any business that wants to introduce innovation and embark on the path toward digital transformation must have three fundamental characteristics: efficiency, competence, and quality.
Renew or die is the premise that must be applied in any business sector. Therefore, we must be able to create or renew our products, services, and even their production processes. All this to adapt to the growing needs of the consumer and end client.
However, technological advances should not only focus on ‘what we sell’ but also on the organizational structure of our company. Have professionals with qualities for innovation and also train our staff. Even having external companies that can guarantee the incorporation of new business models adapted to the technological revolution that we are experiencing.
In short, carry out a general transformation where digitalization is the highlight of our company. From the management of our personnel, through the structure of our processes to the changes by technology. But, above all, our goal must be to meet the increasingly changing needs of our clients.
Achieve a global approach that leads us to the digital transformation of every one of our departments. To do this we must apply the latest technological revolutions that are going strong. This is the case of Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, or the Internet of Things (IoT).
Phases of Technological Innovation
Betting on technological innovation must be one of the priorities of the business sector. It is a long road, but it is a line of the future that guarantees business continuity. There are several phases of technological innovation:
- Ideas → collection, evaluation, and release of ideas related to technological innovation.
- Concept → Analysis of the solution, implementation, and commercialization of those ideas.
- Solution → idea development and testing of finished product solutions.
- Market → launch in which the product’s characteristics that can cover new needs detected for the client are praised.
There must be a transversal incorporation of all software development services. That is, our R&D department can begin the development of a new product or service. It can be done satisfactorily after analyzing all the data collected through our CRM with which we can know the behavior of our client and their changes. Surely, this idea that arises from good data analytics will have a much greater chance of success.
In conclusion, technological innovation is the first step towards digital transformation. The long path towards digitalization involves other factors to ensure that our company is adapted and can face the technological revolution 100%.
