The Non-Linear Thinker

People really need to reframe how they think about software entering this next phase of innovation. You can’t only think linearly and expect to succeed. You won’t survive.

The rate of change is increasing, which compresses technology cycles and creates consistent opportunities for disruption. This is an opportunity for the non-linear thinker, with quality insights and data, to excel in magnificent ways. 

This shift is primarily driven by:

• Tighter feedback loops

• Cheaper capital, although getting more expensive

• Lower barriers to entry

• Global collaboration

• Intense competition

Looking at patent analysis, you can get a sense of technology improvement rates. While most technologies improve slowly at less than 25% per year, software and algorithms can have improvement rates as high as 216% per year. This is bonkers. 

Charles Darwin’s quote on survival is more prescient than ever:

"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."

If you’re someone who struggles to think more non-linearly, I’d encourage you to be more deliberate in practicing the skill.

Embrace diversity of thoughts, encourage creativity on your teams, question assumptions, practice lateral thinking, study systems and analogical thinking, and most importantly, STAY CURIOUS!