This document discusses exploring emerging technologies. It provides information on discovering new technologies through peers, publications, experts, and online sources. The document outlines the ILI 2015 conference program and highlights some topics that may be relevant or surprising. It also describes the NMC Horizon Report, which is produced by an international community of experts and identifies important emerging technologies for libraries through a refined expert panel process. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of exploring emerging technologies through various approaches, but also understanding the wider context for implications and planning.

1. Preparing for the Future: Technological
Challenges and Beyond
B1: Exploring Emerging Technologies
Brian Kelly
Independent researcher/consultant at
UK Web Focus Ltd.
Tony Hirst
Senior lecturer at The Open University
Contact Details
Brian Kelly Tony Hirst
Email: ukwebfocus@gmail.com Email: tony.hirst@gmail.com
Twitter: @briankelly Twitter: @psychemedia
Blog: http://ukwebfocus.com/ Blog: http://blog.ouseful.info/
Slides and further information available at
http://ukwebfocus.com/events/ili-2015-preparing-for-the-future/
UK Web Focus Event hashtag: #ili2015fut

2. B: Exploring Emerging Technologies
About Innovation
Wikipedia provides the following summary:
Invention: the creation of the idea or method itself
Innovation: the use of a better and, as a result,
novel idea or method
Improvement: doing current activities better
All are important and may overlap, but we will focus on
innovation and improvements.
2
See Reflecting on Yesterday, Understanding Today,
Planning for Tomorrow, Kelly and Hollins, Umbrella 2013

3. B: Exploring Emerging Technologies
How Do You Discover New Technologies?
3
How do you discover new technologies?
GE

4. B: Exploring Emerging Technologies
Discovering New Technologies
4
Some ideas
One’s peers
Informal
Show and tell
Staff development
Mailing lists
Other
Friends and family
Researchers
Observations
…
Publications
Specialist publication
(e.g. NMC, Gartner, …)
Professional journals
Mass media
…
…
Experts
Authors
Speakers
Informal
…
Online
Blogs
RSS Feeds
Alerting services
…
Social media
Events
Conferences
Webinars
Twitter
…
HashtagsProfessional bodies
BK→AH

5. B: Exploring Emerging Technologies
How Do You Discover New Technologies?
5
What have you noticed?
GE AH

6. B: Exploring Emerging Technologies
Learning From Conferences: ILI 2015
At ILI 2015 you can learn from:
• Specific talks
• “Following” speakers & participants e.g. Twitter for
insights into content; links shared & profiles
• Conference strands on new areas
6
GE
Look at the ILI 2015 programme
What topics address areas:
• Which may describe improvements to your services
• Which are newish to you which you hope to learn from
• Which you don’t know about or are surprised to find

7. B: Exploring Emerging Technologies
ILI 2015 Programme
My observations from ILI 2015 programme:
• Video and gaming
• Talks from outside UK
7
Some questions:
• What are they
doing?
• Is it relevant to me?
• Am I missing out?!

8. B: Exploring Emerging Technologies
NMC Horizon Report: 2015 Library Edition
NMC (New Media Consortium):
• International community of experts in educational technology
Includes:
• Practitioners who work with new technologies every day
• Visionaries who are shaping the future of learning at think tanks, labs, research
centers
• Staff and board of directors
Produces reports including 2014 & 2015 Horizon Reports on Future of Libraries
8

9. B: Exploring Emerging Technologies
NMC Horizon Report: 2015 Library Edition
NMC Horizon Report,
2015: Library edition:
• Published in Aug
2015
• Based on ideas
from panel of
experts
• Ideas refined using
Delphi process
• Report available
under Creative
Commons licence
9
PDF

10. B: Exploring Emerging Technologies
Conclusions
10
Exploring emerging technologies:
• Various approaches to help identify emerging
technologies (expanded on later – slides C1)
• Need to explore implications
• But also need to understand wider context
Let’s explore the wide context for libraries
BK→AH