What a Seamless Day
San Francisco surprises me, everyday. It only takes little effort for you to reveal a world of complexities and diversity as you walk through the streets of the city. Take your AirPods off, put your phone on your pocket, and just observe. You might bump into a passionate kid reciting poetry in the MUNI station, a homeless person shooting heroine in plain daylight, an almost-naked guy walking around the Castro, and more. Much, much more.
This city is just full of different people, and that amazes me. San Francisco is a city that has constantly defied the status quo and mainstream society. The beat generation, the hippie movement, the counterculture of the 60´s, the sex revolution, the gay rights movement, and many other political/ ideological movements have brought together many different people to the city. Everyone here has a different background, sexual orientation, job, story, intentions, dreams. Although this is true everywhere, here is more apparent.
Or maybe here I am just more aware.
It is no surprise though, that the innovation capital of the world has found an opportunity in this complexity and diversity. An unpredictable variety of customers’ wants and needs represents an obstacle for rapid business growth. There is a need to make the business process more productive, effective, efficient, and seamless.
For instance, let me tell you about a normal day in San Francisco today:
This city is just full of different people, and that amazes me. San Francisco is a city that has constantly defied the status quo and mainstream society. The beat generation, the hippie movement, the counterculture of the 60´s, the sex revolution, the gay rights movement, and many other political/ ideological movements have brought together many different people to the city. Everyone here has a different background, sexual orientation, job, story, intentions, dreams. Although this is true everywhere, here is more apparent.
Or maybe here I am just more aware.
It is no surprise though, that the innovation capital of the world has found an opportunity in this complexity and diversity. An unpredictable variety of customers’ wants and needs represents an obstacle for rapid business growth. There is a need to make the business process more productive, effective, efficient, and seamless.
For instance, let me tell you about a normal day in San Francisco today:
- You wake up and open your Headspace app, to have a guided meditation session by the recording of a yogi.
- As you finish your morning routine and are about to leave from home, you go to your Starbucks app, to order your first coffee of the day. Now you just go to the location you chose and pick your drink without waiting in line or talking to anyone.
- As you get to work, you might have meetings in google hangouts or skype as all of your team is in different offices around the world.
- For lunch, you go to your phone and open the app Eatsa: “better, faster food”. With it, you chose the bowl you want, and then go and pick it up from your personalized cubby. This is extremely helpful for you as you are in control of your time: no wait, no lines, and no slow waiters to order from.
- You go back to work. But soon after, you need an energy boost. So you go to CafeX, a robot barista that makes your coffee fast and does not misspell your name on your order.
- Later on, just because you deserve it, you order an Uber to go to the movies. You know how much it will cost, the name of the driver, the plate number, and the car model. You can also put your own music before entering the car, so don’t bother asking the driver for music. No need to talk.
- Then, with the AMC app, to buy a movie ticket. No lines, no interaction, just open the app as you get there to scan your QR code and enjoy the movie.
- As you get home, you open Seamless food delivery app. Choose your food and eat at the comfort of your home.
- Finally, you talk to Alexa. Not your girl or friend, but Amazon Echo’s Alexa. She has a sexy voice, and sometimes is even more interesting than that friend you were thinking about.
That is great isn’t it? You are in control of your time, you don’t need to engage with slow or stupid humans, you avoid awkward conversations, and you get what you want as you want it when you want it. Period. Today, you can have a normal day without the need to talk to anyone –except to Alexa. Problem solved.
Problem solved?
This worries me.
Are we actually solving people’s problems or are just alienating people from those problems? There is a huge difference in that. I am no one to judge what a “real problem” is and is not, but I am sure that there is a bigger issue in allowing ourselves to have seamless days. Life is about embracing complexity; it is part of our learning, part of our growth, part of who we are. You don’t improve your emotional intelligence through an app.
Indeed it is the ability to effectively empathize and communicate with a strangers which makes us, us.
I am worried because I think that we are not aware of how much of our lives we are automating. We are scared of the human complexity, and we are afraid of dealing with people especially if they think different form us. We are terrified to be wrong, and to "waste time." We are fleeing from those problems through cool new apps. What is the underlying psychological and social impact that this is causing?
Innovation is going forward and at a faster pace than ever before. And this rate of change is only going to accelerate. Don’t get me wrong, the world of opportunities lying ahead is very promising and inspiring. Yet we need to rethink what we see as innovative. Perhaps, instead of innovating to have more seamless, faster, more productive experiences, we should strive to employ technology to enhance the human experience. And not to avoid it.