Will Your Job be Replaced by a Machine?

Yes! It will happen. However, you can pivot and thrive in this disruptive time by becoming a Citizen Developer!



By Martin Perry, Senior Data Professional @ Microsoft

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Designed by macrovector / Freepik

 

Yes! It will happen. However, you can pivot and thrive in this disruptive time by becoming a Citizen Developer!

These are times of massive disruptive digital transformation. The supply of data is increasing exponentially year on year – driven by the digitization all around us, from interactions among people, and between people and machines. All these iterations are captured & digitized with billions of sensors, screens, and devices.

This data is consumed by the insatiable demand from machines – algorithms driving virtual & physical bots. Running these bots is virtually free: processing power, connectivity and data storage is pervasive and abundant.

Your future career will be digitized! Jobs are being reduced to data. Once reduced to data, they are performed better by a machine, as a machine delivers with:

  1. Cost savings CHEAPER
  2. Increased speed FASTER
  3. Greater quality and accuracy BETTER

Innovative/higher-value work (such as business insight, customer engagement, design) is not as easily digitized. Humans will continue to excel over machines in this creative and higher-value work. You must shift your focus.

How we work in the knowledge economy has changed - the era of information discovery using a browser and search engine is no more. Now there is an expectation that data is instantly delivered to end user devices as information. No longer will search be conducted in an ocean of unprocessed data, a delivery of a clear stream of consumable information on end user devices is expected. Apps are fantastic at this.

This has led to an explosion in App Demand. Apps are expected to grow at a rate five times greater than Global IT's capacity to deliver -an excess of 500 million apps in four years. Professional Development in IT functions cannot cope. You can pivot to fill this gap, self-serve and remain relevant in the future. Citizen Development tools are available to fulfill app production and business process automation.

This time of massive disruptive digital transformation will demand your participation. Sitting back lets machines automate your current role and do it better. Pivot and create your future. Design the workflows and processes in which machine are productive. Thrive on the benefits of the exponential increase in productivity. Focus on higher value work.

Machines will take at least part of your job; but you can pivot, stay, and grow.

Become a Citizen Developer!

 
Bio: Martin Perry completed a Ph.D. in Highway Engineering, and spent 5 years in Project Management roles in the Building Materials Industry. In 2000 he moved into the Software Industry, undertaking Finance, Strategy and Senior Leadership roles with IBM and Microsoft. His current leadership role is Senior Data Professional. He operates on a growth mindset and is constantly looking for opportunities to learn and grow in order to maintain relevant skills in the modern workplace. He recently completed the EDX.org hosted Microsoft Professional Program - Data Science, was accredited as Certified Data Scientist by the Analytics Institute of Ireland, and became a Microsoft Certified Trainer.

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