Connectivity the challenge for the future

As we seek to find increased the gains by factor times by interconnecting various components doing specialized work, the challenges we encounter in terms of two components talking to each other becomes non-trivial. Further, the complexity of interconnection increases as we move from connecting homogeneous components and further to heterogeneous components.
Increased connectivity is presenting a challenge across all sectors, whether this is in medical systems with issues of legacy interfaces and centralized patient records, the need to connect a camera to a personal computer via a home network or the high availability required of an integrated manufacturing network that may span the world.

Challenges of embedded software development

Embedded software design and development practices need to be as good as they can be, because the competitive playing field is often so even and so fiercely contested. Software bugs are now both the biggest and fastest growing source for claims against warranties, and costs are spiraling. Warranty claims also affect perceptions about brand quality that eventually leads to an erosion of profits and market share.

Is technical innovation as competence enhancing and / or competence destroying?

At the beginning of the s-curve, the technology is new and untried. As we progress in time and with application of effort the technology gains in performance at an increasing rate. At a certain point the curve starts to slow down, as the technology matures. Growth and innovation slows, and level-off as the curve reaches the performance limitations imposed by external factors.

The implications of s-curves are clear; continuing to ride on a technology wave when a new s-curve is starting will render obsolete the company’s technological foundations. Hence, the waves of technical innovation may deposit new possibilities to be combined into current and future products- or they may wash away the technical foundations of the company. Thus technical innovations are competence enhancing and / or competence-destroying.