Technology evangelist

A technical or technology evangelist is a person who attempts to build a critical mass of support for a given technology in order to establish it as a technical standard in a market that is subject to network effects.Fact|date=December 2007 Professional technology evangelists are often employed by firms which seek to establish their proprietary technologies as "de facto" standards or to participate in setting non-proprietary open standards. Non-professional technology evangelists may act out of altruism or self-interest ("e.g.", to gain the benefits of early adoption or the network effect).

Technical evangelists may act, officially or unofficially, on behalf of a company or organisation, or on a personal basis, for instance "open source evangelism." An evangelist promotes the use of a particular product or technology through talks, articles, blogging, user demonstrations, recorded demonstrations, or the creation of sample projects. The word "evangelism" is taken from the context of religious evangelism because of the similar recruitment of converts and the spreading of the product information through the ideological or committed.

In the context of commercial enterprises which attempt to develop or foster a cult following and religious-like fanaticism, the term "evangelist" can become an unofficial, or occasionally official, role or title Fact|date=December 2007. The first specific technology evangelist was Mike Boich, who promoted the Macintosh computer for Apple Inc. The job is often closely related to both sales and training but has specific skills related to technology marketing and convincing a potential buyer or user to change from older methods to newer. Technology evangelism is sometimes associated with an internal employee assigned to encourage new ways of doing things within a large organization. The marketing aspect of the role was strongly influenced by Geoffrey Moore and his books concerning the Technology Adoption LifeCycle. Notable technology evangelistsFact|date=December 2007 in the commercial arena include Jeff Barr (Amazon.com), Don Box, Guy Kawasaki, Alex St. John, and Robert Scoble (in his previous position at Microsoft Corporation).

In November 2006, a professional organization named the Global Network of Technology Evangelists was formed by Technology Evangelists from Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, and Yahoo!.

ee also

* Technology Adoption Lifecycle
* Apple evangelist
* Diffusion of innovations
* Marketing
* Operating system advocacy
* Evangelism marketing
* Internet evangelist

References

* "Crossing the Chasm" by Geoffrey Moore
* "SPIN Selling" by Neil Rackham
* "Rules for Revolutionaries" by Guy Kawasaki
* "The Macintosh Way" by Guy Kawasaki

External links

* [http://www.devbuzz.com/content/zinc_dotnet_compact_framework_tech_evangelist_pg1.asp Interview with Microsoft's .NET Compact Framework Technical Evangelist]
* [http://www.activewin.com/interviews/microsoft/44.shtml Interview with Microsoft Windows Vista Technical Evangelist]
* [http://gnote.dreamhosters.com/index.php GNoTE - Global Network of Technology Evangelists]
* [http://www.hightechstrategies.com/10_reasons.html Top 10 Mistakes in High Tech Marketing]