Today, information technology is universally perceived as a crucial tool in contributing to the good standard of living in modern society. There is an important consensus that information technology impacts both positively and negatively on the modern society. But these effects are only felt if the use of information technology is extensive in the society. More and more innovations are being done in the field of IT in a bid develop a competitive edge by organizations. However, some of these innovations are made without due consideration of the impact they may have in the society. An innovation that uses existing technological advancements is more likely to be received well that a technological innovation that has no previous usage. According to Workman (2008), young people are identifying the communication technology as one of the major factors that affect their social development.
One such application that can immensely transform the lives of people has been proposed in Canada. This new technological innovation, branded ‘FEEL’, will enable users to interact with different environments on a real-time basis. One of the most appealing aspects of this application is its ability to integrate existing technology to its core functionality. This is because the application incorporates social media to bring people together and at the same time, it uses GPS feature for real-time mapping. For example, a person who wishes to go on an outing can get real-time data about a restaurant in terms of availability of parking space, whether or not the restaurant serves his favorite meal, or if the restaurant space is fully sold-out. Therefore this application might be a future tool of convenience, hence this study seeks to determine the viability ‘Feel’, is weaknesses and strengths, and its two dimensions of relationships.
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Background
Over the years, people have been caught up in a time warp in which they appear to have no time to do anything beyond what they do on a daily basis in their offices (Lin, 2010). This state of affairs means that people do not have the time to check simple information that would make their lives more convenient. Consequently, they end up using more resources to get such resources and, and they may get incorrect information or too late to use the information. The challenge of obtaining the right information and in a timely manner has given rise to numerous technological innovations that seek to bridge this information gap (Selwyn, 2008).
Additionally, there is an urgent need to have a system that provides a wide range of information, as opposed to information that is only one dimensional. To this end, four innovators have proposed a system that will likely transform the way people get information concerning entertainment spots, not only in Canada where the idea has been mooted but also in the entire world in the coming years.
This is a mobile-based application that will ride on existing social and technological platforms. The technology will integrate social media tools such as twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube, and music applications to provide the people with a wide range of information that will inform their decision and enable them to make informed decisions. This software is easily accessible to people who own smartphones, therefore it is likely to have a very wide reach. All one will need to get it is to download it from apple store for apple smartphones owners or play store for android and windows phone users. Customers will be required to open the ‘Feel’ account to enable them to use the services. Basically, this application will serve as a link between the clients and the owners of entertainments and their patrons. Additionally, clients would be able to access other services such as taxis transport services and security. The effects of the new application are two-dimensions:
Peer to Peer dimension
The peer to peer relationship will work on the assumption of playing the link between individuals with a service to offer and others who could use that service. The innovators of FEEL will provide the platforms, rules, and regulations, which will govern the usage of the application. Hence they will be liable in event of system malfeasance. Most importantly, this aspect of peer to peer relationship will be a significant feature of the Company because first, individual users will constitute the biggest market of the application.
Additionally, individuals may be unwilling to use the application if they feel that it compromises on their privacy. This situation applies especially in regards to individuals who are not receptive to social media. Second, individual users may be influenced by culture, hence affecting the level of peer to peer relationship. Cultural beliefs affect people’s view on technology, and this may impact greatly on the relationship.
Business to Peer Dimension
This application will be of interest to owners of entertainment establishments, not least because they will be eager to connect with their patrons and relay information about their services in real-time. Consequently, this will be a key relationship because of two reasons. First, the business owners must be convinced that the application will add value to their day to day operations. Much of the success of this application will be pegged on the attitude of the business owners. One scenario is when the businesses reject the application outright. This means that they will not upload data onto the platforms, which in turns means that customers will not have any information. on the other hand, if businesses embrace the application and consistently put up information on the domain, the clients will be able to log in and take advantage of the information to enable them to make informed choices.
Secondly, the target businesses may be skeptical about the new application, and may consequently be reluctant to use the application. Therefore, the innovators will need to be very persuasive and convincing in the way they propose the application to the businesses. The innovators must convince the owners of the business that the application will not compromise on the confidentiality of the business operations.
Strengths of the ‘Feel’
FEEL is a unique proposition in the sense that it is very easy to use because it is based on common social media platforms. Secondly, the application is easily obtainable and is compatible with most smartphones. This makes it easy to access for millions of people worldwide. Third, the system target market is wide because it targets mostly party goers who are mostly youths. This makes it easier to use and there will be fewer challenges on the part of the user. Fourth, it acts as a one-stop shop in the sense that a lot of information is contained in one application.
Critique of ‘Feel’
The system has various weaknesses which the innovators seemed to have overlooked. First, the system makes assumed that the business will be receptive to the new product. No prior study has been conducted to gauge the response of the businesses to the product. Secondly, the system may compromise privacy issues, seeing as it is that it uses a social media platform to work effectively. Third, businesses may find it too time-consuming by having to update minute-by-minute with data regarding their premises. Fourth, it may cause discontent on patrons since it relays information on conditions that are likely to change. For example, information about the type of music being played becomes irrelevant two hours later if the music system changes.
In conclusion, this is a noble system which needs to be encouraged and nurtured. It will bring a lot of convenience to people who have tight work schedules, or students who have no time to look for information. it is also a very good medium of connection between business owners and customers. Businesses should be in the forefront to support the system because they are the biggest beneficiaries. However, the innovators of the system need to do much more to ensure that privacy of users is safeguarded. Additionally, they should involve more stakeholders and launch a pilot launch to gauge the system acceptability by the people.
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- Schwalbe, K. (2006). Information technology project management (1st ed.). Boston, Mass.: Thomson Course Technology.
- Selwyn, A. (2008). Behaviour & Information Technology. Behaviour & Information Technology, 29(6). http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0144929x.2010.527096
- Workman, A. (2008). Innovation in information technology (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press.
