---
layout: post
title: Riding the Waves of Change
image: http://kinlane-productions2.s3.amazonaws.com/waves.jpg
author:
  name: kinlane
tags:
  - Change
  - Cloud
  - Semantics
  - Social
---
Change happens. With technology, change seems to be accelerating, or at least the waves of change seem to come more frequently.

I feel I've developed a certain rhythm fkinlane-productions2.s3.amazonaws.coms rhythm is a regular evaluation of where I stand, a sort of agile career methodology. I'm in one of those evaluation periods right now. ![](http://kinlane-productions.s3.amazonaws.com/waves.jpg) What wave is next?

In January 2007 I found myself jumping on the social media wave, in which I still ride to some degree.

In Spring of 2008 I found myself jumping on the cloud computing wave, in which I'm still totally drowning in.

What wave is next? Mobile? Big Data? Semantics?

There are many things I consider when evaluating what I will focus my attention on. I want to make sure I will be investing in learning that will benefit my professional development.

One thing I look for are constants within all the waves I ride. One constant I've seen between Social media and Cloud Computing are APIs. If you take a deeper look:

*   **Social Media** - YouTube API and Flickr API are at the heart of the social media movement.
*   **Social Networking** \- Facebook API Platform and the Twitter API play a big part in the growth and adoption of social networking.
*   **Cloud Computing** - The two undisputed kings of cloud computing, Amazon Web Services and Google both depend on API to deliver their services

APIs are playing a monumental role in delivering the Internet today. What is next?

*   **Mobile** - APIs make mobile applications possible and help drive innovation in the mobile space.
*   **Big Data** - APIs allow data to be gathered, shared, and available for visualizations and mashups.
*   **Semantics** - APIs will drive discovery and meaning around links, documents, and other objects.

Pick most any area of business today and you can see APIs either driving or emerging as a major player within that industry.

Change is upon me again, whatever the next wave is, I feel I'm secure in focusing on APIs.

I am leaving a position as a Director of Technology with a focus on cloud computing to a position as an API Evangelist and with a focus on the business of APIs.

This is where I feel future of cloud computing is, as well as many other sectors of our society, throughout business, education, government and much more.

Change is exciting. More to come.