Chris Dancy is known far and wide for being "the most connected human on earth", but how exactly does he do it? It's much easier than some people think. He takes advantage of the numerous technologies and systems available, and they all work together to track his every move. Why would he want to do this? It's not for bragging rights, as some might say - rather, it is all about a "quantified life existence." To find out what this means, we got a chance to interview Chris about his tech journey.
Chris travels the world in order to share his knowledge with the masses, and has been featured in printed publications such as Wired Magazine and TechCrunch, as well as TV programs on BBC and FOX News. However, Chris is far more than the average gadget-toting expert. He's a master of productivity who wants to share his knowledge with others, and he is assisting modern workers who need a helping hand in keeping up with the quantitative revolution - something that will help them stay relevant in their increasingly-competitive workplace.
Chris was quick to point out to Managed Net that there is a big difference between those who buy technology for the purpose of showing off, and people who use that technology in order to improve the quality of their lives. In regards to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), Chris says "some people are well-compensated and will bring their own 'toys' to work. We are now in the phase of 'Bring Your Own Existence' to work. When I'm with a company, I have my own private devices, services, accounting, even assistant. We are not seeing the consumerization of the enterprise, we are witnessing the corporation of the individual."
This message about the quantitative lifestyle from Chris is a personal one. Wired Magazine reports, "Dancy - who has worked for years managing the information technology help desks inside big companies - had an epiphany when his company was acquired and he was laid off. That made him start thinking about how the IT industry was changing. 'I didn't think I had a chance of being employable in 2015,' he says."
Technology has changed (and still is changing) in the workplace, and Chris saw the need for workers to make themselves unique by utilizing new technology to improve their work performance. Dancy predicts that it won't be long before companies measure employees not so much by their qualifications, but by how they utilize technology to improve their performance.
As Dancy has told Wired, the way that companies measure the value of employees must change with the times and technology. He says, "Enterprise needs new measurements of success for knowledge workers. Today's knowledge work is measured in really inappropriate ways." Chris urges the modern worker to use new, personal technology to gain the competitive edge and boost their performance in the office. In today's world, you need to use every advantage at your disposal to secure your job. If you don't keep track of your own factor of control (your work performance), someone else will, and they might not be so gracious with their analysis.
Chris Dancy currently uses his systems and technologies to ensure he can measure and quantify his life. When Managed Net asked for a precise number, he told us, "between IOT (Internet of Things), Apps, Wearables, Services, and Sensors, somewhere between 300-700, depending on the day or task." This looks like a lot more technology than it actually is. Chris explains that the average person uses far more technology than they initially think. "Most people utilize at least 200 if they added up all of their apps, programs, websites, and connected habits such as 'card clubs etc.'."
With so much technology at his disposal, Chris is sure to have some favorites. Which ones do you think they are, and how might an employee use such a quantitative lifestyle? Find out for yourself in Managed Net's next blog article as we continue our interview with Mr. Dancy, "the most connected human on Earth."
Learn more about Chris Dancy by checking out his website: http://www.chrisdancy.com/.
