Why Does Tech Forget The Past?

I work with an amazing group of senior practitioners in Senior to Leader helping them prepare and move into leadership positions. We do two tutorials a month and group coaching once a month.

During group coaching a couple of months ago, one member of the group asked for examples of design systems. The team provided a number of them and I talked about the first CMS based system. we created at the BBC (before GEL). I put up the presentation from 2003, and was quietly dissed!

These are incredibly polite and lovely people, but the example of the work we did SO long ago, did not seem relevant to them.

I get people saying that the work I did in 2013/14 is out of date, not even considering the rest of my hands-on work from 2005-6. And then I talk about WAP from 1997.

The tools have changed (thank God I don’t have to care about Axure anymore), but the processes, structure, thinking, stakeholder management and working with your peers – doesn’t change. We may focus on responsive design, and do fewer burn-down lists and more Kanban boards, but essentially the design work I’ve been doing for 25 years hasn’t changed much.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be talking about the concept of being an elder in design or tech, focusing on what we can offer to companies, to the next generations, and how we centre ourselves on being sure of who and what we are.

On Tuesday/Wednesday 13-14 October, I’ll be running two sessions on Being an Elder in Tech. It will be gender-neutral - applicable to anyone with 20-30 years in tech.

To join me, go to my events page and choose the best time for you.