Daily Tech Digest - October 14, 2023

What is tokenization?

Tokenization is the process of issuing a digital representation of an asset on a (typically private) blockchain. These assets can include physical assets like real estate or art, financial assets like equities or bonds, nontangible assets like intellectual property, or even identity and data. Tokenization can create several types of tokens. Stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency pegged to real-world money designed to be fungible, or replicable, are one example. Another type of token is an NFT—a nonfungible token, or a token that can’t be replicated—which is a digital proof of ownership people can buy and sell. Tokenization is potentially a big deal. Industry experts have forecast up to $5 trillion in tokenized digital-securities trade volume by 2030. There’s been hype around digital-asset tokenization for years, since its introduction back in 2017. But despite the big predictions, it hasn’t yet caught on in a meaningful way. We are seeing slow movement: US-based fintech infrastructure firm Broadridge now facilitates more than $1 trillion monthly on its distributed ledger platform.


MVP or TVP? Why Your Internal Developer Platform Needs Both

“TVP is about ‘thinness’ to try and avoid a massive platform. TVP is something that remains throughout an organizational evolution — it should always be the thinnest viable — whereas MVP is normally the first stage of something larger.” This shift toward investment in long-term thinness is extremely important. Gregor Hohpe calls this a “sinking platform” in his 2022 PlatformCon talk “The Magic of Platforms.” ... You can leave your platform the same because you invested all this kind of money, and we call this a sinking platform as the water level rises, right; it might be justified from investment, but you are kind of duplicating things that are now available in the base platform.” Hohpe goes on to describe how platform teams need to intentionally decide on their philosophy when it comes to supporting their platform: “Or you build a ‘floating platform’ where, when the base platform gains the capabilities you have built, you say ‘Oh, perfect! I don’t need my part anymore. I can let the base platform handle that, and I can innovate further on top. I build new things.'”


7 Blockchain Technology Mistakes You Should Watch Out For

The application of Blockchain for secure information exchange and storing records leads to many wrong beliefs. CIOs get confused between Data Base Management Systems (DBMS) and blockchain. The existing blockchain platforms cannot provide support for complex data models and do not provide assurance of high throughput or low latency. They were built to provide an immutable, authoritative, and trusted record of events among a dynamic assortment of unrelated stakeholders. ... Smart Contract is a code that automatically executes legally relevant events and actions that are part of the agreement. The main utility of Smart Contracts is to reduce the need for trusted intermediaries, prevent fraud and reduce arbitration costs. They are commonly associated with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and are fundamental building blocks of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) applications. Although, at present Smart Contracts are not necessarily an agreement that has been approved by law, with some countries being an exception.


Practicing Good Green Governance Leads to Profits

Let’s begin by defining green governance. It refers to a set of principles and practices aimed at promoting environmental sustainability and responsible management of natural resources within a clear governance and decision-making framework. A green-minded corporation should integrate environmental considerations into policies, regulations, and actions throughout all divisions of its business. Green governance aims to balance economic and environmental practices to create a profitable and sustainable future. ... Practicing green governance requires a holistic approach that considers the interconnectedness of environmental, operational, and economic systems to balance human needs and the health of the planet with the company’s bottom line and valuation. That balance is what helps ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for all stakeholders. ... Many companies want to showcase their greenness in a credible and trustworthy way but find the current system of backward-looking, voluntary standards and the myriad of ESG metrics to be daunting, arduous, and costly.


The Future is Now: IoT and the Evolution of Business Computing

The proliferation of IoT devices and sensors is generating massive amounts of data that provides invaluable insights for business decision-making. However, organizations need talent to properly analyze and derive meaning from these huge IoT datasets. A business management and accounting online degree is valuable in helping to develop the analytics skills needed to fully capitalize on IoT capabilities. These programs prepare the next generation of data-driven business leaders who will drive transformative change through IoT adoption. With access to real-time data from across the enterprise, managers can gain unprecedented visibility into operations. Marketers can analyze IoT data to understand customer behavior patterns and rapidly adjust campaigns. Supply chain personnel can identify and resolve bottlenecks as they occur. Executives can track core business metrics in real time to guide strategic decisions. The sheer volume of IoT data brings a paradigm shift in business computing where decisions are proactive, not reactive.


Psychological safety at the workplace

People show up at work with different states of mental well-being. So, empathy is absolutely non-negotiable. A meaningful way to be empathetic is to be mindful of our language and its impact on the other person. For instance, instead of the confrontational approach where one might say, “Your code is quite bad and not what I expected” say, “I know that you are capable of writing great code. Let’s figure out what happened this time.” This manner of checking in with each other on their state of mind and creating a space for team members to discuss their mental health without fear of judgment is a move in the right direction. ... Welcome different perspectives, and when people offer them, disagree with respect. People tend to cushion their ideas when they fear judgment. For instance, they might say, “this is probably a silly idea,” or “this may be a dumb question.” Reassure them that all ideas are welcome. Watch out for groupthink — the tendency of the minority to stay silent in order not to upset the majority. Invite opinions from everyone. 


The future of augmented reality is AI

Whenever we in the tech media or tech industry think or talk about AR, we tend to focus on what kind of holographic imagery we might see superimposed on the real world through our AR glasses. We imagine hands-free Pokémon Go, or radically better versions of Google Glass. But since the generative AI/LLM-based chatbot revolution struck late last year, it has become increasingly clear that of all the pieces that make up an AR experience, holographic digital virtual objects is the least important. The glasses are necessary. Android phones and iPhones have had “augmented reality” capabilities for years, and nobody cares because looking at your phone doesn’t compare to just seeing the world hands-free through glasses. The cameras and other sensors are necessary. It’s impossible to augment reality if your device has no way to perceive reality. The AI is necessary. We need AI to interpret and make sense of arbitrary people, objects, and activity in our fields of view.


How to maintain a harmonious workplace atmosphere in multigenerational firms

Ensuring the well-being of a multigenerational workforce is crucial for any organisation. HR can play a key role in this by implementing policies and programs that cater to the unique needs and preferences of different generations. For instance, offering flexible work arrangements, mentoring programs, and personalised professional development opportunities can help employees of all ages feel valued and supported. Additionally, providing access to resources and benefits that address specific health and wellness concerns can help ensure that employees stay healthy and productive throughout their careers. “By prioritising the well-being of all employees, regardless of age or background, organisations can create a more inclusive and supportive workplace environment that promotes work-life balance. Creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace is essential for fostering a positive and productive work environment. 


Oh No, the Software Consultants Are Coming!

Sadly, consultants are still used to back up a decision that has already been made by management. So a sudden presence of consultants is often viewed as positively as the arrival of sharks around a stalled boat. But in most cases, consultants are just hired to see why an area is not performing in some way. It is perfectly common for them to tell management that they are the problem. That might shorten the engagement, but you can do that sort of thing when you are not an employee. More realistically, consultants might need to explain to staff why systematic changes will improve the company’s prospects, which still leaves the unspoken threat about what happens if things don’t change. And yet, many developers do fall into ruts and moving on may truly be the best thing to do. And of course, escaping a death march project is not always the worst thing that can happen. By the way, if you are staff, always ask consultants for career advice. Not only is it free, but it won’t be biased by your background or colored by employer motives.


CBDC and stablecoins: Early coexistence on an uncertain road

It is too early to confidently forecast the trajectory and endgame for CBDCs and stablecoins, given the multitude of unresolved design factors still in play. For instance, will central banks focus first on retail or wholesale use cases, and emphasize domestic or cross-border applications? And how rapidly will national agencies pursue regulation of stablecoins prior to issuing their own CBDCs? To begin to understand some of the potential scenarios, we need to appreciate the variety and applications of CBDCs and stablecoins. There is no single CBDC issuance model, but rather a continuum of approaches being piloted in various countries. ... At the opposite end of the spectrum, China’s CBDC pilot relies on private-sector banks to distribute and maintain eCNY (digital yuan) accounts for their customers. The ECB approach under consideration involves licensed financial institutions each operating a permissioned node of the blockchain network as a conduit for distribution of a digital euro.



Quote for the day:

"Anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you." -- Misty Copeland

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