How do we manage technology when technological change itself keeps accelerating? That question was at the heart of many conversations this week at IEEE TEMSCON Global 2026 in Montréal.
The conference brought together researchers, practitioners, industry leaders, educators and policymakers to discuss not only emerging technologies, but the management and leadership challenges that come with them: artificial intelligence, digital transformation, innovation, engineering management, supply chains and operations, sustainability, governance, smart manufacturing, entrepreneurship and technology policy.
What made the experience especially meaningful was the community behind the conference, the IEEE Technology and Engineering Management Society. Technology rarely creates value through technical capability alone. Organisations also need leadership, strategy, governance, innovation management, operational discipline, and people who can connect technological possibilities with organisational and societal needs.
This year also marks 75 years of TEMS, a fitting occasion to reflect on how the discipline has evolved and where it needs to go next. I was pleased to contribute as both a presenter and session chair, but some of the most valuable moments were the conversations between sessions, comparing perspectives across countries, disciplines and professional backgrounds.
Technology will continue to change. The challenge for our field is to make sure our ability to manage it evolves just as quickly.
First published on LinkedIn.