Forever the Ebusiness Wizard

Forever the Ebusiness Wizard

Perhaps you have noticed that my Twitter handle is @theebizwizard. You may have even noticed that my Skype handle is as well. It occurred to me that I’ve never told the story about that handle. I’d say it’s about time.

Ebusiness, as we gray-haired geezers are happy to relate, is a hype term from the dot.com crazy period of the late 1990s. The e prefix stands for electronic, as in e-mail. Well, if we can electronic-ify our mail into email, and we can electronic-ify our commerce into ecommerce, let’s take the next step and do the same thing with our entire business!

The core idea made perfect sense. Even as long ago as the 20th century, many businesses became increasingly dependent on their IT, and in some cases, we could even say that their business was IT. Take banking, for example. Money was no longer cash in a drawer, it was bits on a wire. Everything a bank does touches its technology.

But then two things happened to this essentially good idea. First, the pundits and vendors took the term and hype-ified it, essentially turning ebusiness into dot.com insanity, the enterprise version. Ebusiness rode the wave up to the top and predictably crashed along with the rest of the dot.com nonsense.

The second thing that happened to ebusiness, however, is more important. We finally realized that even ebusinesses aren’t made up entirely of technology. In reality, businesses are made up of people, just as they have been since the dawn of commerce back in the stone ages. Technology only gives us tools – increasingly powerful tools, but tools nevertheless.

What about Wizard?

There’s more to the theebizwizard story, however – the word wizard. This story begins in 1996, when my first wife and I were thinking about buying a mansion in Pittsburgh and turning it into a bed and breakfast. We never ended up buying the mansion, but I did buy the domain name rhodes.com, as a fellow named Rhodes originally owned the mansion.

It may be hard to believe now, but in those days it was bad form to own domain names you weren’t using, so I turned rhodes.com into my personal web site. For my email address I concocted [email protected] – to indicate I could have selected any email address, not to indicate any kind of magical ability on my part.

For the next eleven years my personal email was [email protected] and my personal web site was at www.rhodes.com, where I hosted my JavaScript and Java games. People would periodically ask to buy the domain or flame me for owning it, but I resisted, setting what I thought was an outrageously high price.

But to my surprise, in 2006 someone agreed to my price — $50,000. For a domain name! It seemed the dot.com craziness hadn’t entirely gone away after all. (The buyer put up a tourist site promoting Rhodes, Greece, until they went out of business. To this day www.rhodes.com is still on the market.)

So, to make a long story, well, even longer, when it came time to create a Twitter handle, I put together ebusiness and wizard – not to indicate I was a wizard at ebusiness (although thank you for thinking that!) but rather as a reminder of the two sides of hype. Yes, ebusiness as a term came and went, but the fact I was able to sell a domain name for more than I made in two years as a high school teacher shows the true power of hype if you know how to use it (or if you just get lucky).

Now It’s Digital

In the 2000s, I successfully rode the SOA hype term up and then down. Today I’m doing the same thing with digital transformation. I’m the first to admit this new term – especially the word digital – has its flaws, but it represents a set of very powerful and important ideas nevertheless.

In fact, we’ve come full circle with this story, as digital business more or less means the same thing as ebusiness. Admittedly, today digital technologies include mobile and social media, where ebusiness focused primarily on the web, so the technology story today is noisier and more confusing. But the fundamental principles still remain: in particular, the fact that digital is about people.

Today, the fundamental driving force behind digital transformation is the shifting preferences and behaviors of users – either consumers or employees, who after all, are also consumers. Consumers demand multiple technology touchpoints, and it is for that reason (and only that reason) that digital is about technology at all.

Nevertheless, people are missing this fundamental point, just as they did with ebusiness back in the day. It seems that every day I spot yet another digital consultant or digital analyst hanging out their shingle, promising to help companies with their digital strategies. And what do those strategies consist of? Mobile strategies. Twitter strategies. Even web strategies. The list goes on and on. In other words, technology strategies.

What about customer strategies? Not sexy enough. Businesses have needed customers since the dawn of time, after all. What’s new or exciting about that? Today, people are confused about mobile and social media and don’t even get me started about the Internet of Things. Those are the hot topics! And hot topics are where the money is!

Well, yes and no. Yes, there’s money in hype – that’s the lesson [email protected] taught me, after all. But never forget that people are – and will always be – at the center of business. Even ebusiness, or now, digital business.

Avoid Shiny Things

The reason it’s so easy to miss this fundamental principle is due to what I like to call the shiny things problem. People like shiny things, after all. Why? Because they’re shiny. The shinier the better. And if something is really shiny, you’ll forget all about what problem you’re trying to solve.

Techies frequently fall for shiny things. It seems that every new programming language or open source product is the next shiny thing. Ooh, Haskell! We gotta program in Haskell! Docker! We gotta use Docker! Etc. Etc. Believe it or not, SOA was a shiny thing in its day. I spent half a day in my SOA class trying to convince a roomful of architects that if something ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Don’t do SOA because it’s shiny!

Now digital transformation is the next shiny thing. People want it because, well, because it’s shiny! My advice: don’t fall for the shininess trap. Sometimes you do really need shiny things, and then by all means, go for it. But start with the problem you’re trying to solve. In the case of digital transformation, that starting point always centers on the customer, not the technology.

devx-admin

devx-admin

Share the Post:
USA Companies

Top Software Development Companies in USA

Navigating the tech landscape to find the right partner is crucial yet challenging. This article offers a comparative glimpse into the top software development companies

Software Development

Top Software Development Companies

Looking for the best in software development? Our list of Top Software Development Companies is your gateway to finding the right tech partner. Dive in

India Web Development

Top Web Development Companies in India

In the digital race, the right web development partner is your winning edge. Dive into our curated list of top web development companies in India,

USA Web Development

Top Web Development Companies in USA

Looking for the best web development companies in the USA? We’ve got you covered! Check out our top 10 picks to find the right partner

Clean Energy Adoption

Inside Michigan’s Clean Energy Revolution

Democratic state legislators in Michigan continue to discuss and debate clean energy legislation in the hopes of establishing a comprehensive clean energy strategy for the

Chips Act Revolution

European Chips Act: What is it?

In response to the intensifying worldwide technology competition, Europe has unveiled the long-awaited European Chips Act. This daring legislative proposal aims to fortify Europe’s semiconductor

USA Companies

Top Software Development Companies in USA

Navigating the tech landscape to find the right partner is crucial yet challenging. This article offers a comparative glimpse into the top software development companies in the USA. Through a

Software Development

Top Software Development Companies

Looking for the best in software development? Our list of Top Software Development Companies is your gateway to finding the right tech partner. Dive in and explore the leaders in

India Web Development

Top Web Development Companies in India

In the digital race, the right web development partner is your winning edge. Dive into our curated list of top web development companies in India, and kickstart your journey to

USA Web Development

Top Web Development Companies in USA

Looking for the best web development companies in the USA? We’ve got you covered! Check out our top 10 picks to find the right partner for your online project. Your

Clean Energy Adoption

Inside Michigan’s Clean Energy Revolution

Democratic state legislators in Michigan continue to discuss and debate clean energy legislation in the hopes of establishing a comprehensive clean energy strategy for the state. A Senate committee meeting

Chips Act Revolution

European Chips Act: What is it?

In response to the intensifying worldwide technology competition, Europe has unveiled the long-awaited European Chips Act. This daring legislative proposal aims to fortify Europe’s semiconductor supply chain and enhance its

Revolutionized Low-Code

You Should Use Low-Code Platforms for Apps

As the demand for rapid software development increases, low-code platforms have emerged as a popular choice among developers for their ability to build applications with minimal coding. These platforms not

Cybersecurity Strategy

Five Powerful Strategies to Bolster Your Cybersecurity

In today’s increasingly digital landscape, businesses of all sizes must prioritize cyber security measures to defend against potential dangers. Cyber security professionals suggest five simple technological strategies to help companies

Global Layoffs

Tech Layoffs Are Getting Worse Globally

Since the start of 2023, the global technology sector has experienced a significant rise in layoffs, with over 236,000 workers being let go by 1,019 tech firms, as per data

Huawei Electric Dazzle

Huawei Dazzles with Electric Vehicles and Wireless Earbuds

During a prominent unveiling event, Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications powerhouse, kept quiet about its enigmatic new 5G phone and alleged cutting-edge chip development. Instead, Huawei astounded the audience by presenting

Cybersecurity Banking Revolution

Digital Banking Needs Cybersecurity

The banking, financial, and insurance (BFSI) sectors are pioneers in digital transformation, using web applications and application programming interfaces (APIs) to provide seamless services to customers around the world. Rising

FinTech Leadership

Terry Clune’s Fintech Empire

Over the past 30 years, Terry Clune has built a remarkable business empire, with CluneTech at the helm. The CEO and Founder has successfully created eight fintech firms, attracting renowned

The Role Of AI Within A Web Design Agency?

In the digital age, the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in web design is rapidly evolving, transitioning from a futuristic concept to practical tools used in design, coding, content writing

Generative AI Revolution

Is Generative AI the Next Internet?

The increasing demand for Generative AI models has led to a surge in its adoption across diverse sectors, with healthcare, automotive, and financial services being among the top beneficiaries. These

Microsoft Laptop

The New Surface Laptop Studio 2 Is Nuts

The Surface Laptop Studio 2 is a dynamic and robust all-in-one laptop designed for creators and professionals alike. It features a 14.4″ touchscreen and a cutting-edge design that is over

5G Innovations

GPU-Accelerated 5G in Japan

NTT DOCOMO, a global telecommunications giant, is set to break new ground in the industry as it prepares to launch a GPU-accelerated 5G network in Japan. This innovative approach will

AI Ethics

AI Journalism: Balancing Integrity and Innovation

An op-ed, produced using Microsoft’s Bing Chat AI software, recently appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, discussing the potential concerns surrounding the employment of artificial intelligence (AI) in journalism. These

Savings Extravaganza

Big Deal Days Extravaganza

The highly awaited Big Deal Days event for October 2023 is nearly here, scheduled for the 10th and 11th. Similar to the previous year, this autumn sale has already created

Cisco Splunk Deal

Cisco Splunk Deal Sparks Tech Acquisition Frenzy

Cisco’s recent massive purchase of Splunk, an AI-powered cybersecurity firm, for $28 billion signals a potential boost in tech deals after a year of subdued mergers and acquisitions in the

Iran Drone Expansion

Iran’s Jet-Propelled Drone Reshapes Power Balance

Iran has recently unveiled a jet-propelled variant of its Shahed series drone, marking a significant advancement in the nation’s drone technology. The new drone is poised to reshape the regional

Solar Geoengineering

Did the Overshoot Commission Shoot Down Geoengineering?

The Overshoot Commission has recently released a comprehensive report that discusses the controversial topic of Solar Geoengineering, also known as Solar Radiation Modification (SRM). The Commission’s primary objective is to

Remote Learning

Revolutionizing Remote Learning for Success

School districts are preparing to reveal a substantial technological upgrade designed to significantly improve remote learning experiences for both educators and students amid the ongoing pandemic. This major investment, which

Revolutionary SABERS Transforming

SABERS Batteries Transforming Industries

Scientists John Connell and Yi Lin from NASA’s Solid-state Architecture Batteries for Enhanced Rechargeability and Safety (SABERS) project are working on experimental solid-state battery packs that could dramatically change the

Build a Website

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Website?

Are you wondering how much it costs to build a website? The approximated cost is based on several factors, including which add-ons and platforms you choose. For example, a self-hosted