By MDS – C19 staff , December 6 2020
Technological changes in every field of our life: here is the draft of a portrait of the future that we will inherit from the pandemic.
A McKinsey study indicated that 75% of people used digital channels for the first time during Covid-19: online shopping, digital health and televisions, online ecclesiastical services, Zoom and so on. We have just witnessed one of the most massive changes ever seen in the human approach to technology.
More of the trends that we expected would arise in the next 10 years have been compressed in a much, much faster period of time. Companies have had to implement technological changes, and do it now. Simply because they needed it. Obstacles to the implementation of some technologies have also disappeared out of pure necessity. The alibis that held us back have been put aside.
The center of our future universe has moved a little further
The viability, like other sectors, is redesigned around users
Everywhere, people and organizations have learned something new about key concepts of our tomorrow: speed, simplicity, lightness (health would have a whole separate discussion).
The relationship with transport, cars as a service and no longer as a product. Compressed workspaces, virtualized or secured. Remote consultation, including health follow-ups. Delivery robot, for the accueil, for the sanitization of places. Transaction digitization. Distance learning. There is no social or industrial matter that has not undergone technological changes.
Technological changes: public and private
In the future health too drive-in plexuses, even after Covid.
Another thing that came out dramatically after the first year of Covid-19 was the tremendous need for service transformation. Both social (public transport, health, information and social security) and private, corporate ones.
In terms of public services, needless to underline the enormous efforts to align or transform public transport, health systems, registry services (with good performance for Italy, with the launch of a great app). Not to mention the universal minimum income work, cleared through customs and even chased by one European popular initiative.
In terms of private services, the huge change is of paradigm. Not only city e schools of the future designed with health first. In general, companies will no longer be "followed", but "followers": they will literally work to build user experiences that are comfortable for users. Any company knows that it is no longer in competition with one of its competitors in the same sector. It is now competing with companies capable of INVADING every sector. Amazon, Netflix, Disney, Apple, Google, Facebook are adding services to services and are now preparing to attack the insurance, banking and food sectors.
This is why we end up with products that are no longer bought, only enjoyed. And possibly they recycle. And with services calibrated not only on the basis of a price, but of a benefit (even psychological) for the customer. From spazzolini, Abit, shoes, soaps by subscription to cars like the next Citroen Ami which is used as a streaming service (with almost similar costs).
In summary
Digital transformation, to begin with, is no longer an option: it's survival. Electrification it is no longer an option. The race at renewable is no longer an option. More than inefficiencies, more than climate change, more than the energy crisis could a microscopic virus. Our drive for life, for technological and social changes and for the future is called Covid-19.
Let's break it down and then keep the technological changes (the good ones).
Gianluca Riccio
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