What is the Kinastowski Principle?
Alright, gather ’round, knowledge seekers and corporate warriors!
In the thrilling inaugural episode of the Office Samurai Podcast, the one and only Andrzej Kinastowski, our Head of Delivery & Managing Partner, unveils his groundbreaking “Kinastowski Principle”.
Now, this isn’t your grandma’s dusty old business theory. Hell no. This is a razor-sharp tool for slicing through the tech hype and figuring out what’s actually useful for your business.
Usefulness vs. Coolness: the two axes of tech decisions
Picture this: two axes of decision-making doom! On one side, you’ve got Usefulness – you know, how much actual work this shiny new tech does and whether it’ll make the bean counters smile with a hefty ROI. On the other, the ever-elusive, yet undeniably powerful, Coolness Factor. Yes, “coolness.” Because sometimes technology’s ability to generate buzz and make your company look like it’s living in the 22nd century is half the battle in getting anyone to sign off on it. It’s like trying to convince a kid to eat vegetables – sometimes you gotta cut it into a dinosaur shape. But with an axe.
The four tech archetypes
According to this principle, technologies fall into 1 of 4 delightful (and sometimes slightly depressing) categories:
- Dust Collectors: These are the tech equivalents of that exercise bike currently serving as a laundry rack. Low usefulness, low coolness. Think blockchain for most of your business processes in, oh, let’s say, 2025. It’s there, it makes a whirring sound, but mostly, it just gathers dust.
- Showoffs: Ah, the peacocks of the tech world! High on the coolness scale, but when it comes to actually doing something useful for your day-to-day business processes? Not so much. We’re talking VR for your average spreadsheet jockey, or a 3D printer in every cubicle. It’s the tech you bring to parties, but wouldn’t introduce to your parents.
- Beige Workhorses: God bless ’em. High usefulness, but about as cool as a beige cardigan. These are the unsung heroes, the technologies slogging away in the background, keeping the lights on. Your RPAs, your ERP systems – they’re not sexy, they won’t get you on the cover of “Wired,” but try running your company without them. It’s like oxygen: vital, but rarely gets a thank you.
- Lifesavers: Now we’re talking! High usefulness AND high coolness! These are the game-changers, the problem-solvers, the technologies that tackle previously untanglable messes. And the best part? Their inherent “coolness” makes them an easier sell to the higher-ups. Think Process Intelligence, IDP, Communication Mining, and those dazzling GenAI Assistants and Agents. It’s like swapping your rusty old office tools for something designed by Q from James Bond – sleek, surprisingly powerful, and makes you look infinitely cooler.
Why lifesavers deserve your budget
The episode then wades through examples of each, essentially making the case that if you’re not betting on “Lifesavers” like Communication Mining or those shiny new GenAI Agents, you’re probably still trying to figure out how to unjam the photocopier. These champs, according to Andrzej, are where the smart money is, thanks to their potent cocktail of actually being useful and cool enough to get adopted without too much corporate whining.
Which may make you want to do a little dance.
Maybe even the Macarena.
We’re not judging.
