Softwire TechTalks

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Thomas Harris on navigating digital transformation: Insights from MasterCard's journey Feb 06, 2024

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In this episode of "The Digital Lighthouse," Zoe Cunningham welcomes Thomas Harris from MasterCard, delving into the transformative currents of digital innovation. Thomas shares the strategic intricacies of MasterCard's journey, and the broader impact on global markets, in a conversation that lights the way through the complex landscape of digital transformation, offering invaluable insights on navigating change with agility and foresight.

Herb Kim – Why you need to risk failure to become a great leader Jan 11, 2024

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Back in 2008, Herb Kim founded the Thinking Digital conference series. Little did he know that 15 years on, the event would still be going, having established itself as a popular fixture in the north-east tech calendar. Herb joins Zoe Cunningham to talk about the importance of events, both for networking, and as powerful and serendipitous learning and development opportunities for anyone in the sector. The discussion then moves on to tech leadership, with Herb explaining why he believes putting yourself at risk of genuine personal failure is one of the best ways to learn critical leadership traits.

Using generative AI to improve CX and meet regulatory requirements in insurance Dec 12, 2023

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Using generative AI to improve CX and meet regulatory requirements in insurance Insurance is a challenging market to be operating in these days. A perfect storm of the squeeze on household budgets, rising costs when handling claims, and new regulation, mean many insurers are struggling to stay afloat and remain competitive. Rashed Younas is the insurance practice lead at The Dot Collective, which helps organisations make smarter use of their data. During his chat with Zoe Cunningham, Rashed shares some of the ways he’s seeing forward-thinking insurers use their data intelligently, to navigate these choppy waters. From generative AI, to single view of the customer, he paints a (perhaps surprisingly) positive outlook for insurance companies.

Georgina Owens - How to lead a 300-strong technology team Nov 27, 2023

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Georgina Owens knows a thing or two about leading successful technology functions. Having held senior leadership roles in organisations across finance, telco and utilities, she now heads up the 300-person technology function at William Hill. In her chat with Zoe Cunningham, she reflects on how you can successfully oversee teams at this scale, while instilling a culture that fosters creativity and innovation. There’s also a revealing chat about many of the unseen jobs a CTO must do to succeed.

How to decide when you should (and shouldn’t) use microservices Nov 06, 2023

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If you’re not using microservices already, you’ve probably heard people raving about how amazing they are. If you’re tempted to dip your toes in the water, then this podcast with independent tech consultant, author, and former FT technical director for engineering enablement, Sarah Wells, is a must-listen. During her chat with Zoe Cunningham, she talks about what organisations need to consider before diving into the microservices world (spoiler alert, it’s not just about tech), and the things you need to have in place before you take the plunge. The discussion also covers situations where microservices may actually not be the most appropriate way of building software.

Getting it all done as a senior tech leader Sep 27, 2023

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In our latest episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Tom Riley, Delivery Principal at Softwire. Tom has overseen the successful delivery of numerous UK public sector digital projects, including the modernisation of the register to vote service, the cloud migration of the gender pay gap reporting service, and the replacement of the software underpinning the high-profile Feed-in-Tariff scheme. In this wide-ranging chat with Zoe, he shares insights on how to keep abreast of a diverse portfolio of projects, how to ensure teams stay up-to-speed with the latest GDS and industry best practices, and why he sometimes prefers old-fashioned pen-and-paper, and face-to-face communication, over their modern digital alternatives. Of course, no tech-related discussion at the moment would be complete without touching on artificial intelligence (AI), and Tom shares his thoughts on the opportunities and risks associated with AI in the unique context of government.

The things I didn't expect I would have to do as CTO Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

In our latest Digital Lighthouse episode, Sarah Hale, Senior Director of Engineering at Unity Technology joins Zoe Cunningham to talk gaming, career paths, and the importance of clarity when leading a team. Sarah reflects on how she’s needed to evolve as she’s worked her way up to an engineering leadership role, while still regularly drawing on the skills she learnt early in her career. This episode is a must-listen for anyone in a technical or engineering role thinking about where they’d like to go next in their careers, and for engineering leaders looking to learn from someone in a similar position.

Transforming NHS technology: Using insights from pharma to create new opportunities in healthcare Aug 23, 2023

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In our latest Digital Lighthouse episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Joanna Smith, Interim CIO at University Hospitals Sussex. We dive deep into the world of healthcare technology with Joanna, a seasoned professional who has worked across various organisations. She shares her insights into the differences between the pharmaceutical industry and the NHS, shedding light on the challenges they face and the opportunities technology presents. Discover why embracing technology in healthcare is essential for improving patient care and operational efficiency, and learn about the exciting developments and innovations in the healthcare technology landscape that are transforming the way we receive medical care. Read the full transcript at: https://www.softwire.com/insights/transforming-nhs-technology-using-insights-from-pharma-to-create-new-opportunities-in-healthcare/

Weather and arthritis: How digital health data is transforming healthcare research Jul 25, 2023

Show notes

In our latest Digital Lighthouse episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Will Dixon, Professor of Digital Epidemiology at the University of Manchester. Will discusses how digital health data sources create exciting opportunities, like using de-identified electronic health records to analyse large populations for medication safety and COVID risk factors during the pandemic. He also explores the risks and challenges of managing data from patients and the public via smartphones and wearable devices to gain a clearer understanding of health. Don't miss his 'Cloudy with a Chance of Pain' research, where Will investigated the link between weather and arthritis pain using smartphones to collect data from over 13,000 participants. He is optimistic that integrating patient-generated data into the healthcare system will improve clinical outcomes and address vital health inquiries. Learn more by listening to the podcast or reading the full transcript at: https://www.softwire.com/insights/weather-and-arthritis-how-digital-health-data-is-transforming-healthcare-research/(opens in a new tab)

Daniel Whitston, CTO: How I’ve embraced AI and large language models May 15, 2023

Show notes

In our latest Digital Lighthouse episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Daniel Whitston, CTO of AutogenAI. The adoption of AI tools is on the rise, with a large number of them utilising the large-scale language model, GPT-3. While these models can solve difficult problems, they tend to be trained on a large corpus of the entire internet and may not capture an individual company’s voice or values. Daniel discusses how CTOs can embrace and use AI large language models in their company, and shares how AutogenAI is bringing AI-generated outputs closer to company needs. Read the transcript at: www.softwire.com/insights/daniel-whitston-cto-how-ive-embraced-ai-and-large-language-models

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