‘Futurist’ explores new tech trends and how to use them
Bongani Sithole is the technical director at Black Beard, a tech solutions development company
Some might call me the company’s “futurist”, which stems from a love of research. I am known for constantly researching and exploring concepts and ideas, specifically around tech. Every fortnight, Black Beard holds innovations sessions that I head with the full team. I bring everyone up to speed with new technologies and trends and how we can implement them. I primarily look at where technology is moving and how we can implement it at Black Beard as test cases. This helps us ensure that we deliver the most current technology to our clients.
We look at the challenges a specific business faces and come up with a unique solution using the best technology available. We aim to get a “prototype” out using the minimum viable product (MVP) technique. An MVP is a development technique in which a new product is developed with sufficient features to satisfy early adopters. The final, complete set of features is only designed and developed after considering feedback from the product’s initial users.
How did you end up doing what you do today?
I have only ever been in the technology industry and worked my way up from the bottom. I started out as a programmer at a large consulting firm and moved onto digital agencies, and now find myself the partner of an exciting tech start-up.
For as long as I can remember, I have loved computers. This started around Grade 7 when I met two gentlemen at church who were programmers and in the IT space. I enjoyed chatting about what they were doing. My mom bought me a Pentium 3 after months of pleading. It was DOS based with 40mbs of hard drive, which really sealed the deal for me. I broke that apart and later upgraded it to Windows 95. A friend and I wrote our first program on that Pentium. It was an attempt to determine all the winning combinations for the lotto and how much money you would need to play all those combos. Needless to say, the programme ran all night and neither of us won the lotto. It was only natural that after school I studied computer science.
What do you find most meaningful about the work you do?
The tech environment is ever-changing; we are revolutionising the way business works. It is unconventional work, and we bring that thinking into our clients’ companies to help them flourish. On a personal level, I am never bored at Black Beard. I thoroughly enjoy the people I work with.
What part of your job would you like to change or not do at all?
I dislike admin, I prefer getting down to the core work.
Probably research. My interest in research comes from my love for reading. I read a minimum of 10 pages a day no matter how busy I am, and read on average three books a month. The books I read are nonfiction and often with regards to tech applied to the African market. I am passionate about Africa and wanting to make Africa better.