The technology layer cake

When we talk about ‘building technology’ we are actually talking about three distinct activities which need to work together if the end result is going to be usable and effective.

When people used to talk about new technology projects, they were mostly talking about the developing ‘tools’ – new technologies to make new things possible. A few years on, there are so many tools out there that the challenge has become how to put what we have to good use. Yes, there are situations where you might need to build a new piece of software to do something that’s never been done before; but rebuilding tools that have already been built is a waste of valuable resources that you could be using to make good use of what’s around you, and provide a valuable, satisfying experience for your community.