Idealog.co.nz | The Transformation Issue
033
Q&A
Sarah Hindle,
general manager of
Tech Futures Lab
What technology platform/
app/programme/invention
do you love that has helped
make you a better human?
The Guardian News and Media App.
I discovered The Guardian through a
good friend before I left New Zealand
to live overseas. I love it because
knowledge is strength. This app gives
me instant access to the most critical
issues of our time; from the escalating
climate catastrophe to widespread
inequality to the influence of big tech
on our lives. It exposed me to a world
outside our insular Kiwi news media
and sparked my curious mind. When
I moved to London, it surprised me
to learn that it was regarded as a
left-leaning news outlet, and made me
think differently about the way our
news is constructed and presented in
New Zealand. It has a cool supporter
model which has just seen it break
even just three years after reporting a
£57 million loss. In a funny twist, both
my partner and I ended up working
for The Guardian as part of their
digital first strategy.
When has technology helped
you accomplish something
truly transformational?
This is a nod to ‘old’ tech: the plane.
Travel has been a formative feature of
my life. I’ve always taken big chunks
of time out between roles, and those
events have truly transformed my
thinking, my perspective, my future,
and my sense of place on this planet.
Travel has helped me be more
purposeful in what I do and taken me
outside of my comfort zone. There’s
something unique about immersing
yourself in a culture that’s unfamiliar
and a landscape that’s foreign for
months at a time, whether it’s Berlin
or Bolivia. Online carbon credits
have helped me feel less guilty about
jumping on a plane!
Davi d Thomason,
chief strategy officer at FCB
What technology platform/
app/programme/invention
do you love that has helped
make you a better human?
I recently made myself a better human
by breaking a long-term habit and
switching my phone off every night so
I can read more books. But, to better
answer the question, when I switch
off my phone I switch on Vodafone’s
DreamLab app. While I’m asleep my
phone’s computing power is being
used to help cancer researchers. It’s
strangely fulfilling to wake up to
the news that my phone made 2,402
calculations for Project Demystify in
just one night, even though I have no
idea what that really means.When has technology helped
you accomplish something
truly transformational?
Regular exercise makes me immensely
happier, but I was never very good at
doing it until I signed up to Strava.
That’s the cycling app that allows
you to measure and compare your
performance for every segment of any
ride. It turns the whole thing into a
game. Trying to beat my personal best
time for the Northwestern Cycleway
has become an obsession. When it’s
rainy or dark I jump on an exercycle
for an hour or more. Netflix, iPhone
and AirPods have transformed that
from something tedious to something
enjoyable. It’s like binge-cycling.Eleanor Da Fonseca,
technical lead at Rush Digital
What technology platform/
app/programme/invention
do you love that has helped
make you a better human?
Massive Open Online Courses
(MOOC) and platforms like YouTube
and Wikipedia have helped broaden
my knowledge on a wide range of
subjects. Whenever I want to learn
a new skill, YouTube videos are my
first stop, whether it is brewing my
own kombucha or understanding the
fundamentals of deep learning. Being
able to attend a Stanford University
course by a leading researcher in the
field from the comfort of my living
room would have been unimaginable
a decade ago. My commutes and
household chores are more productive
and enjoyable thanks to the numerous
podcasts I listen to. The ease of
access to this huge body of evolving
knowledge is empowering and enables
me to continuously learn, be better
informed and broaden my horizons.When has technology helped
you accomplish something
truly transformational?
I love travelling the world and
experiencing different cultures, often
in countries where I don’t speak the
language. Over the past few years,my smartphone has enabled me to
navigate and communicate effectively
during my travels. I travelled to Jordan
last year and needed to purchase some
necessities in Madaba, a small town
an hour outside of Amman. My Arabic
is limited to a few words and greetings
and the shopkeeper spoke no English,
however, I was able to use Google
Translate and DuoLingo to complete
the transaction with ease. This
interaction led to a beautiful meal at a
restaurant owned by the shopkeeper’s
aunt. When communication barriers
are broken down the entire world is
much more accessible and people are
happy to share a part of themselves,
something which is incredibly special!Eli Smit,
host of The Ground
Breaking Podcast
What technology platform/
app/programme/invention
do you love that has helped
make you a better human?
If you told me two years ago
that talking into a microphone
would make me a better person I
would be extremely confused. But
it’s true. I was 9 and a half years old
when I started interviewing people.
The only think I understood about
podcasting was that it was an audio
version of YouTube. My simple
microphone and the podcasting
platform however have enabled me
to be a way better speaker. I’m still
learning to speak and interview well,
but it has been fun being able to learn
to improvise. I’ve learned how to
interact with different people from
different backgrounds. I’ve become
more extroverted. I am now always
talking to an audience. You may not
directly see them, but they’re there.
I’ve become more creative, able
to make decisions quicker and to
challenge myself constantly.When has technology helped
you accomplish something
truly transformational?
Not sure I’ve done anything
transformational yet. But LinkedIn
has really helped me connect with
some amazing people in this world
who are inspiring me with the
transformational work they are
doing. They’ve inspired me to give
things a go, to not be afraid to ask
and to challenge myself. I’ve found a
community where I can talk about
things I’m passionate about. ■