Designing products and technology solutions based on outcomes is a cornerstone of renowned global executive Bane Hunter‘s approach to creating sustainable commercial outcomes. The digital transformation specialist is widely known for his methodologies and processes, all of which are expertly tailored directly toward delivering massive value to clients and future-proofing their commercial models.
Hunter specializes in outcome-based technology design. A recent focus for the executive has centered around so-called health equity among others. Increasingly central to effective public health policy, it’s part of the wider surrounding technology sector enjoying a transformational revolution.
It’s a revolution led in no small part by the continued advent of artificial intelligence. According to Hunter, an array of AI-led digital technology is being increasingly harnessed to bridge disparities within healthcare and promote equity for all. What’s vital for those behind the scenes, he says, is to know that what you’re designing is for desired outcomes (be they near-term operational or long-term strategic), and not just input-output of technology and services.
How is artificial intelligence benefiting technology based on outcomes?
“AI’s benefit to outcome-based technology is perhaps most apparent but not exclusive to healthcare. The collection and analysis of healthcare data drive the identification of patterns and trends in the field. These patterns and trends range from disease prevalence to treatment outcomes. Among the many resulting and adjacent benefits is increased and faster access to care.
From an outcome-based technology standpoint, the healthcare sector and associated organizations are increasingly using AI—and existing data—to address disparities in access to and quality of all-important medical care. More to the point, increasingly devices are being built to incorporate AI interfaces as part of their operating parameters. I am currently for example evaluating and planning on incorporating an AI model into a remote diagnostic hardware solution. I believe that especially in resource-scarce situations, be they in the Civilian or Government sector, proper and timely deployment of hybrid systems is the way to go.
That’s because AI-powered solutions can almost instantly analyze data to improve, for example, diagnostic accuracy and facilitate more equitable healthcare systems for all. Elsewhere, the same technology is now being increasingly employed across countless other sectors to inform highly targeted decision-making processes, allocate resources, and more.
With all that said we also have to be very cognizant of the ethical, legal, and potential of harmful AI runaway solutions or products. To use an analogy, just because you can build a nuclear reactor, does not mean we should have one on every block in every neighbor’s house – guidelines and safety parameters that don’t stifle progress are equally important to what we as innovators do. ” Bane Hunter pointed out.
What’s a commonly overlooked piece of outcome-focused technology design?
“Telemedicine and remote healthcare monitoring are two primary examples of still widely overlooked pieces of outcome-focused technology design. Long touted as alternatives to traditional brick-and-mortar healthcare facilities, cutting-edge technology has made remote healthcare a more viable reality in recent years. There are a number of solutions I have seen and with which I am working that really make a quantum difference from a positive impact in the communities they serve. Prior to the deployment of these platforms, the communities in question were experiencing significant challenges. Being able to save a single life or improve the quality of life and medical care for example for our veterans makes it imperative for us to move forward in this direction. ” Hunter quietly but passionately stated.
The result is a fundamentally workable overarching healthcare system that addresses both geographic and economic barriers. Take those based in rural or underserved communities, for example, with specialized healthcare needs. These needs are now met in a previously impossible way, all thanks to outcome-based technology design.
The same technology has further benefited healthcare professionals’ abilities to monitor and track patients’ most important health metrics, medication adherence, and symptom progression in a way barely imaginable just a few short years ago.
What does the future of technology design based on outcome look like?
“ Designing a solution or product regardless of how good it may be, that will have a difficult adoption road, invalidates a large portion of the benefits and is guaranteed to increase costs substantially. Even more of a concern to any C-suite would be the loss of revenues and market timing dysfunction. For example, several mobile health applications and solutions have launched that by all rights should gain significant traction – yet they have not. That’s because the technology design based on market outcomes was not fully understood by the creators, or even in some instances the design and production process was too inflexible to allow for timely pivots. Too much time is sometimes spent justifying a process or feature as opposed to understanding the desired timely outcomes. My advice is don’t fall in love with what you envisioned so hard that it makes you inflexible, fall in love with what is or will be needed by your targeted audience “ Bane Hunter enthusiastically imparted.
With the ubiquity of smartphones and social media, ties between social media and product and services promotion are quite normal these days, and will likely see significant growth in the near future. Furthermore, by leveraging social media, in particular, and aided by technology, organizations can address their intended audiences like never before.
All told, cleverly designed digital technology has greater potential than ever to transform product and service delivery globally. Moreover, by leveraging the same approach to technology design, businesses, and other organizations are ideally positioned for short- and long-term success.
