The New Automation Mindset: AI + Automation + Integration

Latest Episodes:

iCIMS' CIO on Prioritizing Partnerships Over Processes Nov 20, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Keyur Ajmera discuss the evolution of integration platforms and their growing importance in today's business landscape. They dive into the shift from traditional systems to innovative solutions like Workato, highlighting their impact on operational efficiency, automation, and data integrity. Keyur highlights the benefits of empowering business partners through federated IT models and utilizing low-code platforms to accelerate time to value and minimize project risk. Keyur wraps up by offering strategic insights for CIOs on building strong business partnerships to drive organizational success.

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Start

03:30 Importance of integration in modern IT

08:15 Efficiency driven by automation

11:40 Evolution of integration platforms

18:45 Navigating federated IT

23:25 RPA vs. integration

28:25 Choosing Workato for iCIMS

36:35 Organizing for success

40:05 Future plans at iCIMS

Episode Key Takeaways

Empower your people: Find tech-savvy folks in your business who are eager to learn. By letting them manage their own integrations and automation within a clear framework, you boost efficiency and create a sense of ownership. This teamwork can speed up project timelines.
Leverage low-code platforms: Choose low-code platforms like Workato that let more team members, even those without coding skills, get involved in integration tasks. This makes integration easier and helps keep things moving smoothly.
Prioritize risk management: Integration often comes at the end of the critical path in projects and is inherently risky due to its complexity and timing. Prioritize tools that minimize this risk that help you deliver faster with fewer errors, ensuring you hit your project deadlines.
Take a collaborative approach: Be a helpful partner, not just a service provider. Keep communication open, empower your business leaders, and relinquish some control to foster a two-way trust. This approach can lead to better outcomes and help you secure a role in strategic decision-making.

Top Quote

“Empower and enable your business leaders to be successful. And the way you can do that, complete transparency, empowerment, not keeping control, but relinquishing it. Because then you become a trusted partner to them. And who would a business person bring to a conversation at the table? A trusted partner. That's who you want to be.”

Oxy's CIO on Cloud-Driven Efficiency Nov 13, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Yanni Charalambous explore the modern approach to factory automation through software-defined factories. Yanni shares insights on leveraging cloud technology, integrating digital twins for improved efficiency, and establishing their low-carbon ventures business unit. He highlights the challenges of cloud adoption, the significance of innovative technologies like carbon capture, and the vital role of strategic partnerships in driving innovation and modernization.

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Start

03:50 Yanni's work at Oxy

07:20 Innovative technologies and investments

09:55 Exploring software-defined plants and digital twins

16:30 Optimizing with a scale mindset

22:10 Cloud adoption journey at Oxy

28:20 Leveraging advanced technologies for future IT Innovations

32:25 Advice for successful cloud adoption

40:00 Economic impact of software-defined plant models

44:45 Future roadmap at Oxy

Episode Key Takeaways

Forge visionary partnerships: Collaborate with vendors and partners who align with and support your innovative vision. This alignment can streamline the adoption of new technologies and processes.
Pinpoint a transformational cloud project: Identify a high-impact project that can justify your move to the cloud. This project should enhance capabilities and agility, helping to build a solid business case for cloud adoption and drive organizational change.
Prioritize skill transformation: Focus on transforming your team’s skills to align with new technologies. Investing in their growth and development ensures faster, more efficient project execution and enhances their marketability.

Top Quote

“ Just the fact that you move to the cloud doesn't mean much to them unless you engage them from a data perspective. And show them how data now will unlock opportunities that otherwise are not there or they're extremely difficult to make happen.”

“I would advise anyone who hasn't yet embraced or engaged in this type of transformation to spend a lot of time engaging the people and making sure they understand the value proposition—what’s in it for them—in executing this. Along with finding that transformational project that inside the company that will really drive value and be visible as a value delivery.”

Lenovo's Global CIO on Overcoming Global IT Challenges Nov 06, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Arthur Hu discuss Lenovo’s transformation from a hardware giant to an IT services leader, driven by AI and hybrid cloud technologies. Arthur shares insights on managing global supply chains during COVID-19, balancing centralized and federated IT governance, and the crucial role of cultural integration. He also emphasizes the importance of a customer-first approach and adopting a process-driven mindset to foster innovation.

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Start

04:00 Balancing IT leadership and customer perspective

04:55 Lenovo powers Lenovo: Internal innovations

09:05 Exploring IT process innovations and AI opportunities

14:30 How removing barriers can empower your teams

20:50 Supply chain resilience during COVID-19

26:35 Centralized vs. decentralized vs. federated IT governance

31:20 Cultural integration in global IT operations

37:25 Lessons from providing IT services

Episode Key Takeaways

Embrace Customer-Centric IT: It’s crucial for IT organizations to operate with the same level of accountability and service quality as if they could lose their internal “customers”—the business units—to external competition. This mindset will sharpen focus on meeting SLAs and enhancing end-user satisfaction.
Leverage External Insights: Recognize that learning from external customers and other companies can provide invaluable insights. Embrace external benchmarks and customer feedback to continually improve and innovate within your IT operations.
Foster collaborative, cross-functional teams: Break down silos and encourage collaboration across roles. By focusing on the customer journey and integrating diverse expertise, you’ll drive better outcomes and a more cohesive team environment.
Cultivate and evolve your company culture: Invest regularly in nurturing your organizational culture. Establish clear norms and create opportunities for team bonding to enhance coordination and reduce friction, especially in diverse, global teams.

Top Quote

“The most powerful insight that we now apply, and I try to bring to my work and also with customers, is how do we take things that are automated perhaps very deeply, but not very broadly? And how do we use the process mindset to get out of those and actually think how do we have a better whole? An analogy that we use is everyone is trying to build some kind of a highway. But unless you have that integrative either journey or experience that you're targeting, then you end up with this mishmash, the off-ramps might not be connected, things don't actually work together very well. And so it's important to have an overall plan and as well as being able and willing to maintain that.”

Why Ciklum Makes People Part of the Solution Oct 30, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Enver Cetin explore the game-changing potential of GenAI and digital twins in transforming business processes. They discuss how these technologies are reshaping customer interactions, automating decision-making, and redefining job roles. Enver shares real-world insights from Ciklum's Workato automation projects, emphasizing the importance of clear process mapping and embracing innovation to stay competitive. Throughout the conversation, Enver highlights how these advancements are revolutionizing both customer and employee experiences.

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Start

02:20 Workato automation projects at Ciklum

05:35 GenAI client use cases

12:15 Challenges in business process management

20:40 Introducing Workato Agentic and its impact on process management

29:50 Future of AI agents in business processes

33:50 Overcoming client resistance to LLM integration

39:40 GenAI's impact in reshaping business systems

44:35 What's next in AI and automation?

Episode Key Takeaways

Build a solid process foundation: Start with clear and well-structured business processes. Involve all relevant teams in mapping out these processes and address inefficiencies early. This groundwork will make it easier to use automation and AI effectively.
Implement integration and automation tools: Leverage platforms like Workato to connect different systems and automate key tasks. Focus on improving data synchronization and streamlining activities such as HR onboarding or customer support to boost efficiency and accuracy.
Utilize GenAI for better customer interactions: Implement GenAI to enhance customer service and automate complex decision-making. Tools like AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants can improve customer interactions and help you gain valuable insights from your data.
Adopt Digital Twin Technologies: Consider using digital twins and agentic AI models to manage and optimize your processes. These technologies simulate decision-making and adapt in real time, creating more personalized, efficient, and responsive systems.

Top Quote

“No matter how advanced your tools, your technologies are, the effectiveness of any project hinges on a clear, well-structured process foundation. So one of the biggest lessons is that understanding the fine details of business processes allows us to automate and optimize them effectively.”

LiveView Technologies: Digital Orchestration in the Physical World Oct 23, 2024

Episode Summary

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Steve Lindsey dive into the evolution and future of physical security systems. Steve discusses LVT's cutting-edge D3 system, which integrates IoT, AI, and cloud technology for proactive security, setting it apart from traditional methods. They explore how event-driven architectures enable real-time threat detection and deterrence, the importance of cloud adoption, and how platforms like Workato are reshaping business and IT integration. Throughout this conversation, Steve shares key insights into how these innovations are revolutionizing physical security.

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Start

02:35 Understanding LVT's D3 System

11:00 LVT's Journey: Challenges and growth

19:10 Overcoming misconceptions about the cloud

24:50 Building an orchestration platform

37:40 Navigating integration challenges

48:45 Bridging IT and business with event-driven integration

53:55 Future of physical security

Episode Key Takeaways

Embrace event-driven architectures: Dive into event-driven architectures to make your services more agile and scalable. By using asynchronous workflows, you can simplify maintenance and avoid the headaches of traditional point-to-point integrations.
Adopt the cloud for flexibility: Explore the benefits of cloud-native services for your security and enterprise solutions, just like LVT’s D3 system. The cloud makes deployment faster, more cost-effective, and scalable, helping you manage systems across different locations without being tied to local IT setups.
Invest in orchestration platforms: Leveraging orchestration platforms can streamline your business processes. These tools help you separate business logic from connectivity, letting you tweak workflows quickly and adapt to changing needs with ease.
Align IT with business goals: Bringing IT and business operations together can make your solutions much more effective. By using event-driven architectures and orchestration platforms, you can ensure that your IT efforts directly support your business goals, leading to greater agility, smarter decisions, and smoother operations.

Top Quote

“We inherently were solving problems and innovating with a decentralized approach because of necessity. So, as we developed the solution for that, it became the enabler for scale for our business. And it was the only way that it was going to work.”

Roche's Federated Delivery Model Oct 16, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Suresh Jaganathan explore the power of a federated delivery model, sharing insights from Suresh’s transformative work at Unilever and Roche. They discuss the benefits of this approach, like scalability, flexibility, faster time to market, and improved compliance. They highlight the importance of a product mindset and the role of federated delivery in fostering innovation and business value in large enterprises.

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Start

03:20 Why a federated delivery model?

14:45 Federated delivery across industries

18:56 Integrating API-led and event driven architectures

22:20 Advice for starting federated delivery

29:08 The citizen integrator dilemma

32:35 Suresh's greatest achievements with federated delivery

37:23 Importance of a product mindset

Episode Key Takeaways

Adopt federated delivery for scalability: Enhance scalability and flexibility by decentralizing integration tasks. Train teams to handle integrations independently, while maintaining central oversight for governance.
Create a marketplace for reusable assets: Build a central marketplace with reusable APIs, templates, and tools. Encourage teams to share and utilize these resources, fostering collaboration and efficiency.
Embrace a product mindset for APIs and events: Shift to treating APIs and events as products. Assign owners to manage them with ongoing updates, customer feedback, and continuous improvement.
Empower teams through integration champions: Establish integration champions to support federated teams with training, ongoing support, and regular workshops, ensuring successful implementation and continuous learning.

Top Quote

“Enablement is not a one time fire and forget exercise. It is a continuous exercise. So you need to have integration champions in your integration center for enablement team so that integration champions continuously engage with all the federated teams. They are not like policemen. It is more like a customer success person. So they engage with that federated teams to continuously educate them.”

How Nasdaq Transforms Data Into Decisions Oct 09, 2024

Episode Summary

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Angela Stewart explore the future of AI-driven business transformation. Angela shares insights from her extensive career in CRM and digital transformation, along with her current leadership role at Nasdaq, where she drives strategic initiatives. They explore how tools like Workato are revolutionizing automation projects and offer practical advice on harnessing the power of GenAI. Angela wraps up with crucial advice on how to align new technologies with business goals to ensure impactful and successful implementation.

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Start

02:06 Understanding Nasdaq

03:55 Angela's background

10:00 Angela's responsibilities at Nasdaq

13:30 Implementing Workato at Nasdaq

19:30 Adopting AI and strategies for digital transformation

26:20 Aligning AI with business processes

32:00 Future of business technology

35:50 How to get started with GenAI

Episode Key Takeaways

Embed AI into your digital transformation: Integrate AI into your broader digital plans for greater impact. Focus on use cases that align with your goals and ensure ethical and legal standards are met.
Prep your data: Data is the lifeblood of AI so make sure your data is clean and complete. Remove duplicates and fix errors to ensure your AI delivers top results.
Build a cross-functional team: Create a team of tech and business experts. Include product owners who understand both areas and identify a decision-maker from the beginning to lead and maintain progress.
Empower your team with intuitive tools: Provide user-friendly automation and integration tools. Democratizing technology means everyone gets to play and win in the AI game. Your business will be more agile, responsive, and innovative.

Top Quote

“AI is not a stand-alone initiative, it should be a part of a digital transformation initiative. And so, ultimately, there's a roadmap, there's an evolution of whatever you're trying to do, and AI, automation, should be a piece of that. But the very first step would be to identify the use case. Who are we trying to do this thing for? Who is this going to benefit? Really kind of understand their day-to-day life, and put your arms around how this AI solution, use case, will benefit them.”

The CTO of Siemens on What Enterprise IT Can Learn from Factory Automation Oct 02, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Dirk Didascalou discuss the cutting-edge advancements and transformations in factory automation. They explore the evolution from traditional to integrated automation, the impact of the cloud, and the significance of data-driven automation. They also cover the importance of low-code solutions, the impact of AI, and the merging of physical and digital realms to revolutionize industry practices.

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Start

02:51 Defining automation in Siemens' context

04:45 Evolution of factory automation

10:45 From traditional automation to data-driven orchestration

16:30 Dirk's career journey and lessons learned

28:30 Debunking ‘enterprise grade’ myths

35:32 The rise of low-code solutions

43:41 AI's impact on manufacturing

Episode Key Takeaways

Leverage data-driven automation: Utilize data analytics tools to monitor real-time information and context. Train your team to interpret this data for informed, adaptive decisions in your automation processes.
Adpot low-code solutions for increased productivity: Empower your staff with low-code tools to create applications tailored to their workflow needs. This democratizes development and accelerates digital transformation.
Harness the speed of software: The core idea Dirk stresses is the need for industries to transition to digital and software-defined frameworks to operate at the speed of software. This shift optimizes processes, boosts productivity, reduces resource consumption, and enhances sustainability.
Embrace the cloud: Evaluate your current infrastructure and consider migrating legacy systems to cloud platforms. Leverage cloud-based AI and machine learning services for improved operational efficiency and innovation.

Top Quote

“Our vision is what if you can define industry by code? So it's all software, because software, of course, is much faster. So we want to get our customers to work at the speed of software and be data-driven. And that is the real revolution that will happen because that might change everything.”

Guest Bio

Dirk Didascalou is a distinguished technologist and business executive known for his leadership in mobile communications, Internet of Things (IoT, cloud computing, and industrial digitalization. As the Chief Technology Officer at Siemens Digital Industries, Dirk is responsible for shaping the technology and architecture strategy on a global scale.

Prior to joining Siemens, Didascalou held significant roles at AWS as Vice President for IoT and at Microsoft as Corporate Vice President of Technology following Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia's Mobile Phones division. His extensive experience in these positions has solidified his expertise in IoT solutions and cloud technologies, positioning him as a key player in the digital transformation landscape.

At Siemens, Didascalou oversees strategic industrial partnerships and initiatives, particularly in the automotive sector, while also contributing to the company's IoT board. His leadership is instrumental in merging digital and physical worlds, helping customers leverage advanced technologies to enhance operational efficiency and drive data-driven decision-making across industries.

Samsara's CIO on Transforming IT with Smart Architecture Sep 25, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Stephen Franchetti discuss the evolution of IT from traditional roles to innovative business technology practices. Stephen shares insights from his time at Workday, Slack, and Samsara, highlighting the importance of strong architecture, the shift to a product mindset, and the role of automation and AI in driving efficiency and growth. They also delve into the cultural changes needed to foster a growth mindset and the critical role of experimentation in embracing new technologies.

Timestamps

00:00 Episode Start

03:23 Stephen's career journey

09:55 Importance of architecture to scale IT

13:45 Overcoming traditional mindsets with your customers

15:00 Customer success stories at Samsara

18:35 Fostering a growth mindset for innovation

24:00 Strategies for scaling across business and IT

28:35 IT leaders and the shift to a business technology focus

31:30 Challenges with outsourcing

37:20 AI vs. automation

41:40 Embracing the AI revolution

Episode Key Takeaways

Embrace a product mindset: Transform your IT operations from rigid project-based work to a dynamic, product-oriented approach. This agility will sustain your growth and keep you ahead of the curve.
Harness the power of AI: Dive into AI-driven automation to eliminate repetitive tasks and uncover intelligent business insights. Start experimenting today to unlock your organization’s full potential.
Master your data: Invest in top-notch data management systems to ensure your AI initiatives are built on a solid foundation. Remember, quality data management is the key to meaningful, actionable insights.
Cultivate an Innovative Culture: Foster a growth mindset and an environment that encourages experimentation. By supporting innovation, you’ll pave the way for groundbreaking improvements and operational excellence.

Top Quote

To do AI well, you really have to have enterprise-grade data. And so you can think about it almost like a garbage in, garbage out problem. Whereas if you have crappy data, you don't have enterprise-grade data, you have quality issues, you don't have the ability to kind of integrate that full picture of your data and your business. You can expect to have crappy outcomes when it comes to AI as you're training these models. You can't expect to have high-quality outcomes as a result of this. So to me, data management and your data strategy and AI really go hand in hand for organizations.”

Guest Bio

Stephen is the CIO at Samsara. He oversees all aspects of the company’s Information Technology including, business applications, data & analytics, information security, IT service management, and all core IT services.

Before joining Samsara, Stephen was the CIO at Slack, and then previously the Vice President IT, Enterprise Applications at Workday. He also held positions at Cisco in a range of e-commerce, employee services and IT roles.

Stephen has a track record of creating best in class IT organizations that focus on automation engineering and enabling companies to scale and remain agile as they grow.

He earned his bachelor of science, with honors, in Computer Science from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Season 03 Trailer Sep 23, 2024

Before we launched The New Automation Mindset podcast last year, we really wondered how far would a podcast about Enterprise IT really go? After two seasons, 32 amazing guests, and 120,000 listeners, we're definitely not done yet.

In Season Three, we'll tackle really tough questions IT leaders are facing today. You'll hear all about business processes, organizing team members, change management, culture, Gen AI, agentic workflows, and more.

Supercharging Collaboration While Ensuring Data Integrity Jun 20, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Tembi Holmes explore the critical role of being data-driven in achieving sustainable and resilient global solutions. As a leader at Arup, Tembi discusses the importance of data integrity in real-time information exchange and the complexities of managing extensive data ecosystems. She shares her diverse background in financial services and tech, highlighting how these experiences influence her leadership. They delve into the challenges of standardizing processes across a global company and the impact of generative AI on productivity and efficiency in engineering and architecture. Tembi's insights underscore the future of data-driven practices and the value of hands-on experience for data leaders.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(04:50) Why Arup has embarked on their digital transformation journey

*(09:52) The winning focus on collaboration

*(11:40) Building guardrails around innovation

*(14:53) From big data to big processes

*(23:09) Maintaining data integrity across flows

*(29:20) Added complexities in the AEC space

*(32:14) Why Tembi has such a passion for data

*(37:52) The importance of getting your hands dirty

*(41:20) Practical use cases for Gen AI

*(48:28) Tembi's advice for others on the journey

Episode Key Takeaways

Data Integrity is crucial: Ensuring the integrity of data as it moves through various processes and systems is vital. It’s not just about transferring data; it needs to maintain its accuracy and quality at every stage.
Collaboration is key: Strong internal and external collaborations are necessary to tackle complex projects. Engaging with multiple stakeholders, from engineers to architects and clients, ensures a collective approach toward achieving goals.
Utilize custom applications and innovations: Invest in developing and leveraging custom applications that can support specific industry needs, such as parametric design for engineers or specialized simulation tools.
Start small with GenAI: Begin with manageable use cases of GenAI to understand the value it can bring to your company and identify any gaps in your data management strategies.

Top Quote

“We always ask, as data leaders, is how do we make sure that the business consumer who's not technical can leverage this technology? A lot of technology can be highly technical, the barrier to entry can be really onerous and complex. And that makes it really difficult, especially if you want to federate some of the data services that people need to be able to do by themselves. And so you need something that's at least visual, that has a process mind behind it because a lot of business consumers are thinking about the process and what they need to get to, not necessarily the technical complexity behind it. So, I agree with you that I think the visual component, the simplification is really powerful.”

Integrating Systems, People, and Processes in Massive Acquisitions Jun 12, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Stanley Toh discuss how Broadcom is leveraging automation and AI to stay ahead of the curve. Stanley shares his journey from teaching COBOL to leading major automation projects at Broadcom. They talk about Broadcom's dynamic growth through significant acquisitions, the power of simplifying processes, and the company's cloud-first strategy. Stanley reveals how automation has transformed processes like IT service provisioning and employee onboarding. They also delve into the exciting potential of generative AI and LLMs in enhancing automation. Stanley's insights highlight the importance of embracing future technologies and their transformative impact on business efficiency and scalability.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(02:05) Stanley's career journey

*(06:05) What is Broadcom?

*(10:58) How to leverage technology effectively

*(15:38) Importance of fast implementation with cloud-first technologies

*(18:30) Workato's impact at Broadcom

*(32:45) COBOL vs. Workato: Changes, constants, and advice

*(38:50) Areas of opportunity with Workato and the impact of GenAI

*(42:16) Impact of LLMs on automation

*(45:12) Leveraging Workato for cost-effective automation and integration

*(48:25) Stanley's takeaway from 'The New Automation Mindset' book

Episode Key Takeaways

Adopt a cloud-first strategy: Emphasize the adoption of cloud-first technologies to ensure quick and scalable solutions that can accommodate rapid growth and change. This approach will speed up how you roll out new ideas and scale them up.
The importance of a process mindset: Before diving into any automation or coding, take the time to map out your processes and workflows. This will not only clarify what needs to be done but also highlight areas for simplification and efficiency gains.
Embrace future technologies: Acknowledge the inevitability of change and keep an open mind to emerging technologies such as AI and automation tools. Consider how they can be integrated into your operations to enhance efficiency, scalability, and user experience.
Leverage automation and AI for efficiency: Use automation and AI to streamline repetitive tasks, scale operations effectively, and manage complex challenges with greater precision. Explore how these technologies can be applied to your specific challenges to drive substantial improvements.

Top Quote

“Embrace the future. You cannot stop technology. It's coming, no matter what you do. You have to embrace this, and this is the new way of operations. Times are changing. People are looking at speed and efficiency and scalability. And there's no way you can stop it, Markus. So, the idea of embracing this. And you can actually do extraordinary things with it if you embrace the technology.”

Leveraging Composition for a Noble Mission Jun 05, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Tristan Cox dive deep into the digital and regulatory landscape of aged care in Australia. Tristan shares insights into the formation and evolution of the Royal Commission, driven by significant events and the need for an integrated regulatory approach. He discusses the challenges and transformations within aged care, highlighting the importance of process mapping and technological adaptation in enhancing care quality. They also explore Tristan's remarkable career journey from studying archaeology to leading digital innovation in aged care, underscoring the invaluable role of a growth mindset in government IT leadership. Lastly, they delve into the future of aged care regulation, touching on Tristan's vision for leveraging technology to simplify government processes and make a lasting impact in the sector.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(02:23) Understanding the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety in Australia

*(05:16) Tristan's career journey

*(14:22) Challenges technology leaders face in aged care

*(23:30) Tristan's driving forces in his work

*(27:18) IT's role in simplifying government processes

*(35:50) Key takeaways from ‘The New Automation Mindset' book

*(41:22) Improving efficiency with Tristan's 'Operational Digital Toolkit'

Episode Key Takeaways

Optimize your workflow with process mapping: Begin by mapping out your workflows to thoroughly understand your processes and pinpoint areas for improvement. This fundamental step is crucial for enhancing efficiency and achieving operational clarity.
Boost agility with low-code platforms: Empower your team to adapt quickly with low-code platforms. These user-friendly tools enable rapid development and deployment of solutions, enhancing your organization's agility and responsiveness to change.
Future-proof your operations through composability: Design systems and processes to be flexible and adaptable. Embracing modularity ensures easy adjustments to evolving challenges, keeping your operations resilient and ready for the future.

Top Quote

“Decomposition is right at the center of our enterprise architecture. We want to use best in breed products and connect them together in a smooth transition, an easy connection, so that we can get the data transfer between systems. And actually the Workato product is what we landed on to do that. It has all of these attributes, it has an ability to be used in a very powerful and flexible way. Is it fast? Absolutely. We can develop stuff really quickly in there. Does it have flexibility? Yes. We can do all sorts of things with it that, in fact, we're discovering some things that weren't even in our original intent, but we're playing with those things just to understand the boundaries.” - Tristan Cox

From Big Data to Big Ops May 29, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Jim Williams discuss automation's impact on marketing operations, spotlighting Uptempo's innovative approach. They explore how Utempo uses Workato to streamline data flow between marketing and finance, setting new efficiency standards. They also touch on AI's potential in redefining marketing strategies. This episode offers a glimpse into the future of marketing, emphasizing integration, innovation, and insight.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(02:50) What is Uptempo?

*(04:47) Why automating the back end of marketing matters

*(08:34) Workato’s Impact at Uptempo

*(14:42) Role of integration in marketing strategies

*(17:24) 'The New Automation Mindset' and its impact on the CMO role

*(22:30) Turning big data into big marketing operations

*(28:29) AI revolution in marketing

*(35:50) How to scale through integration

Episode Key Takeaways

Automate the back end of marketing: Simplify your marketing processes by automating back-end tasks. Ditch the spreadsheets and embrace efficiency, saving time and reducing errors in planning, budgeting, and execution.
Merge your marketing and finance data: Unify marketing and financial data for deeper insights. This will enable your team to track spending, measure effectiveness, and adjust strategies confidently while empowering your CMO to make more informed decisions.
Embrace AI in your marketing: Harness AI to enhance marketing efforts. From content creation to campaign planning, AI boosts efficiency and provides valuable insights, keeping you ahead of the curve.

Top Quote

"Change management in any organization is difficult. But take a global organization that's got 5,000 marketers, and they're organized into different regional groups and each wants to go to market in their own unique way. So that whole idea of the automation mindset is, by integrating these systems and then applying smart automation, smart business practices, you can actually begin to pull this system together into something that gives you the agility you need."

The Integration Scaling Journey May 22, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn, Kerry Officer, and Al Smith discuss the future of business applications in HR, focusing on the shift from digitizing paper systems to creating outcome-driven user experiences. They explore iCIMS' journey through three generations of integration platforms, emphasizing low-code solutions, event-driven workflows, and the integration of AI and generative AI. You’ll learn how these advancements enhance recruitment processes and create efficient, customizable user applications. Moreover, they shed light on the principles of responsible AI, especially in sensitive data domains like HR and recruiting, ensuring fairness and transparency in automated systems.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(03:25) Business applications as a 'digitization of paper systems'

*(05:22) iCIMS's integration journey

*(12:15) How iCIMS is scaling adoption of integration

*(19:00) Workato's impact on iCIMS’ next-gen business applications

*(21:38 iCIMS’ AI and GenAI journey

*(31:55) Responsible AI in sensitive data

*(43:10) How to enhance business applications with low code integration, event-driven workflows, and AI

Episode Key Takeaways

Transition to outcome-driven applications: Evaluate your current business applications to identify areas where they simply digitize existing processes. Transform them into tools that actively achieve desired outcomes, leveraging tech for added value beyond digitization.
Leverage low-code platforms for better integration: Assess your integration challenges with low-code platforms. Start small to familiarize your team, then expand gradually. This approach can help streamline your business processes, making them more adaptable and efficient.
Adopt event-driven workflows: Identify business processes that could benefit from becoming more dynamic and responsive. Automate with event-driven architectures to enhance agility and reduce manual processing.
Implement responsible AI practices: Begin by auditing your current use of AI to ensure it aligns with ethical guidelines. Consider where generative AI can enhance your operations without introducing bias. Focus on transparency, allowing users to understand how AI decisions are made, and involve them in the process to ensure outcomes are fair and balanced.

Top Quotes

“When we look at scaling, it's not just ‘can we deploy more customers,’ right? It’s ‘can we load larger volume data? Can we put more customers on the platform without degradation? Can we scale globally? How do we just make smarter integrations so that it's faster to deploy same day? We get them up and running in an hour.’ So there's lots of facets in scaling that come to play in automation and integrations that we've really been looking at. As technology gets smarter, and these customers continue to want more automations, they're not settling with what they have. They're always pushing those boundaries.” - Kerry Officer

“I don't think anybody says, ‘Hey, I want to do the 10 steps that it takes for me to generate a job offer for Markus.’ But I'd like to generate a job offer for Markus. That's the outcome I want to get to and I may or may not be an expert user of the software to do that. And look, there are regulatory steps in there that I need to make sure get covered. But why can't the technology help me pre-populate, know what things need to be done, take me as if it was an expert to the outcome steps and let me handle the differential things that I need to be the value add, decision-maker on. That's what we're working on as kind of the next step with this technology.” - Al Smith

Customer-Obsessed Technology Leadership May 15, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Kamlesh Talreja explore the technology parallels between Workato and Capital One, highlighting the strategic significance of cloud computing. They explore how harnessing cloud-native capabilities has fueled innovation, enriched customer experiences, and optimized data utilization well beyond the simple migration of traditional platforms. Drawing from his extensive experience, including 15 years at Amazon, Kamlesh reveals how it shaped his perspective on innovation in the cloud. They further dive into the transformative power of APIs, the role of AI and data in enhancing customer experiences, and the cultural and operational shifts necessary for companies to thrive in a cloud-dominated landscape. This discussion uncovers key strategies and insights on leveraging cloud technology to drive business innovation and operational efficiency.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start
*(05:05) Kamlesh's 15-year journey at Amazon
*(16:18) Capital One vs. Amazon: Similarities and differences
*(20:10) Benefits of going cloud-native
*(25:42) Is on-prem more secure than the cloud?
*(30:50) Impact of Jeff Bezos' 'Build APIs or you will get fired' memo
*(38:16) Capital One's strategies around data and AI
*(41:45) Understanding Capital One's Auto Navigator
*(46:10) How the cloud transformed culture at Capital One

Episode Key Takeaways

Make the shift to the cloud: Transitioning to the cloud offers more than just cost efficiency. It unlocks agility, fosters innovation, and elevates customer satisfaction. By harnessing cloud technologies, you can catalyze business transformation and cultivate a culture of scalable innovation.
Adopt an API-first strategy: Follow industry leaders like Amazon. Embrace service-oriented architecture for swift and scalable development, laying down a robust digital infrastructure that empowers teams to innovate seamlessly and deliver transformative solutions.
Enhance your customer experience with data and AI: Transform data into stories and AI insights into personalized experiences. Anticipate customer needs to create intuitive products and services, ensuring every interaction reflects your commitment to customer value and fosters loyalty.
Foster a collaborative cross-functional culture: Break down silos and foster collaboration across departments. Model after successful examples like Capital One's cross-functional teams to spark innovation and align technology with business objectives. By cultivating a culture of collaboration, you can ensure transformative projects that prioritize customer-centric outcomes.

Top Quote

“The strong belief we have and what I've seen, cloud today is in fact way more secure than any on-prem infrastructure we might have. You have cloud services such as AWS and Azure and Google now powering many of the military and intelligence operations of many countries, including the US. So you can't have more security than those, many of those highly sensitive workloads. And, I know for a fact, AWS, it is applying that same way they build regional data centers for the military, the same way they build it for the intelligence services. That's the same way they're building any of the data centers.” – Kamlesh Talreja

Driving Transformation with Data at Amtrak May 08, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Judith Apshago explore the dynamic realm of IT leadership and the impact of technology on organizational transformation. Judith takes us on a journey through her illustrious career spanning industries from rail to biotech. Delving into the heart of process innovation, she reveals Amtrak's cutting-edge advancements in predictive maintenance, aimed at revolutionizing operational efficiency and elevating customer experience. She also unveils her unique approach to IT leadership, where business-IT collaboration, agility, and strategic integration of data and AI take center stage. From her groundbreaking work at U.S. Silica to her current role at Amtrak, Judith shares invaluable insights on leveraging technology for transformative impact across many industries.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start
*(03:15) Judith's career at Amtrak
*(10:15) Judith's process innovation at U.S. Silica
*(17:10) Advice on business process redesign (BPR)
*(21:10) Role of IT in solution design and business partnership
*(26:55) Identifying cross-industry experience for process improvement
*(32:22) Challenges and opportunities in AI-driven process improvements
*(36:06) How to lead organizational transformation
*(39:45) Judith's advice for IT professionals

Episode Key Takeaways

Start Small and Iterate: When implementing new technologies or processes, begin with a manageable scope. Test the waters, gather feedback, and refine your strategies accordingly to ensure they address pertinent business challenges effectively.
Leverage Data and AI: AI can help you extract valuable insights from your data, enhancing decision-making and operational effectiveness. Reimagine processes with innovative, data-driven approaches to drive fundamentally better solutions.
Align IT with business goals: Ensure seamless alignment between tech initiatives and overarching business goals. Get IT and business teams in sync, collaborating closely to make sure every tech move delivers real business value.
Foster curiosity and innovation: Cultivate a workplace culture that champions continuous learning and inventive problem-solving. Empower your team to explore emerging technologies and brainstorm solutions to address business challenges effectively, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Top Quote

“The people who are most valuable to me in the organization are the dot connectors who can see things in different places and say, ‘if that works over here, maybe we can leverage it over there.’ Back to that example I gave about the data that we're collecting from the trains and the tracks – we're doing that for a specific purpose to improve our maintenance processes, but that data is also valuable in other places in the business. So how can I connect dots and see where else might this information be valuable and what other information might be valuable to this process? So again, dot-connecting is a kind of key skill in this area.

Automation is Change Management May 01, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Michael Balarezo explore the transformative realm of automation and AI. Leveraging his experience leading Media.Monk’s Automation and AI strategy, Michael offers a wealth of invaluable insights on navigating digital transformation. They discuss the synergy of AI and automation, highlighted by Media.Monks’ revolutionary software, Monks.Flow. Michael also emphasizes the importance of fostering an automation-first culture and making AI tools accessible across the workforce. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or industry professional, Michael's expertise offers practical advice for leveraging automation and AI to drive organizational transformation.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start
*(03:52) Michael's thoughts on AI and automation
*(08:11) Media.Monks' Monks.Flow software
*(11:37) Michael's journey at Media.Monks
*(22:00) Automation culture at Media.Monks
*(29:16) Empowering people in automation
*(34:59) Experiences with AI integration in automation
*(39:59) AI as a tool for inspiration
*(45:12) Michael's advice on automation and AI

Episode Key Takeaways

Maximize the power of automation with AI: Look for ways to bring AI into your automation projects. AI can help make smarter decisions and supercharge your automation processes to work even better alongside humans.
Foster an automation-first culture: Make automation a part of your organization's DNA. Encourage everyone to get on board with automation, ensuring that its benefits and know-how are available to all.
Democratize access to technology: Ensure that everyone in your team has access to AI and automation tools and training. By giving everyone a chance to engage with these technologies, you're opening the door to new ideas and innovations.
Prioritize your budget for automation and AI: Get the money conversation going early. Make sure there's a dedicated budget for automation and AI projects by working closely with your financial decision-makers. With clear financial planning, you can speed up the adoption and growth of automation and AI in your organization.

Top Quote

"I've always said automation is change management. And there's this push and this pull in the automation journey. As you continue to scale out automation in your practice, you have to really identify what works and what doesn't work, for your business. But it's a team effort. If you don't have other folks around you supporting that and also beating the same drum, it makes it very difficult to kind of adopt that sort of mentality, that mindset, that culture." – Michael Balarezo

Data-Driven Operations: Composition, Orchestration, and Account-Based Marketing Apr 24, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Hillary Carpio delve into the dynamic world of Account Based Marketing (ABM). Leveraging her extensive experience, Hillary provides a peek into the strategies propelling Snowflake's market dominance. Drawing insights from her book 'Busting Silos', she illuminates the transformative power of automation, orchestration, and a profound understanding of human behaviors in modern marketing. Exploring Snowflake's unique ABM approach, they unravel the creation of their internal ABM platform and delve into the pivotal role of data and AI in shaping the future marketing landscape. Hillary shares her passionate advocacy for customer-centric methodologies, alongside invaluable advice for aspiring ABM leaders, unlocking the full potential of ABM in their endeavors.

Timestamps

*(03:13) Episode Start
*(05:38) Exploring Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and Hillary's book “Busting Silos”
*(09:37) Crafting a custom ABM tech stack
*(17:05) Snowflake's approach to ABM
*(20:37) Composable enterprise and data-driven orchestration solutions
*(24:10) Approach to activation flows and cross-departmental collaboration
*(26:33) Future of ABM with AI
*(26:26) Hillary's journey at Snowflake
*(30:22) Advice on building your own ABM tech stack
*(30:26) Evolution of scoring models and Snowflake's approach
*(33:50) Hillary's wishlist for future tech advancements

Episode Key Takeaways

Solve genuine problems: Transform existing processes by identifying authentic pain points. Dive deep to understand the intricacies, ensuring your solutions yield impactful outcomes.
Always put your customer first: Keep your customers front and center. Navigate through complexities while ensuring your solutions meet their practical needs, not just technical requirements.
The future of marketing lies in technology: Embrace the technological revolution in marketing. Explore the power of generative AI and other emerging technologies to streamline processes and personalize interactions, propelling your strategies into the future of innovation.
Flexibility is Key: Adapt and thrive in the ever-changing digital realm. Stay agile, iterate on your strategies, and embrace new data inputs to continuously improve and scale your efforts for success.

Top Quote

“You can create a great orchestrated product. But if sales isn't on board, if SDRs aren't on board, if the creative team isn't on board… Everybody has to be on board to believe in this vision that you're executing, you can't just execute against something that nobody wants to be a part of. So at the end of the day, it has to be business-focused. It has to be outcome-focused. And the tool or the platform just becomes a mechanism to help you get to that goal faster.” – Hillary Carpio

From Complexity to Clarity in Order to Cash Mastery Apr 17, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn, Jason Pikoos, and Stephen Attanasio explore the complex world of order to cash (O2C), covering everything from lead generation to cash collection. They emphasize early data capture, reliable data sources, and process flexibility for optimal efficiency. From process mapping to incremental development, they offer guidance to keep your processes resilient and adaptable. Additionally, they discuss the potential impact of generative AI on O2C and the importance of designing processes to evolve with business needs.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start
*(03:46) Introduction to order to cash
*(11:29) Exploring end processes from opportunity to renewal
*(15:05) Automating RMA processes for faster customer solutions
*(16:29) Advice for automating order to cash processes
*(24:18) Understanding maturity levels in order to cash
*(30:24) Strategies for exception handling
*(35:13) Role of Generative AI in exception handling
*(37:32) Optimizing data architecture in order to cash process
*(42:33) Agility through automated order generation
*(47:47) Jason and Stephen's advice

Episode Key Takeaways

Document and map your order to cash processes: Begin by thoroughly documenting your current O2C workflows and creating clear process maps. This proactive step helps identify inefficiencies and areas suitable for automation, laying the groundwork for effective implementation.
Design your order to cash process backward: Craft your process by starting with the end goal and working backward to ensure vital data capture and smooth information flow.
Implement automation incrementally: Start automation projects with small, achievable tasks to demonstrate immediate benefits and build momentum. Incremental automation allows for quick wins and enables adaptation to changing business needs and evolving processes.

Top Quotes

“You really want to crawl before you walk, and then you run. And that really is critically important. Starting with the basics, building a strong foundation for which you can further build upon. You can't get to the more bespoke and complex process automations and integrations until you really have that strong basis to build from. Not just from a technical perspective, but also from an organization perspective. You need to show the value first in integrations and automations. You need to show what you can do.” - Stephen Attanasio

“Order to cash is going to evolve. So don't bother trying to guess every possible outcome and automate every possible outcome that may or may not exist. Oftentimes the best thing to do is create some degree of flexibility, so don't hard code everything into the system. But also make sure you have technology that is flexible and easy to adapt. It's a reason why we've always enjoyed Workato, because it is a very easy product to evolve.” - Jason Pikoos

AI’s Role in the Future of Financial Services Apr 10, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Bill Genovese explore the financial services industry through the lens of automation. Drawing from Bill's extensive industry experience, they discuss the challenges and opportunities inherent in adopting new technologies within a complex and heavily regulated environment. They delve into the transformative potential of technology, emphasizing the crucial need to adapt strategies in response to shifting consumer demands and evolving industry trends. Bill's invaluable insights shed light on how automation is not only reshaping the financial services sector but also driving innovation to new heights.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start
*(03:20) Bill's insights on financial services
*(09:30) Process thinking in financial services
*(13:29) Role of open APIs in customer experience
*(17:15) Navigating friction between legacy technology and open APIs
*(21:54) Optimizing open APIs through integration
*(25:16) Most beneficial process enhancements with digital technology
*(31:39) Early tech adopters and trends in finance
*(36:19) Simplifying technology for organizational growth

Episode Key Takeaways

Culture trumps strategy: Foster a corporate culture that prioritizes adaptability and innovation over sticking strictly to traditional strategies. This shift enables companies to effectively navigate industry disruptions and swiftly respond to evolving challenges.
Adopt API monetization strategies: Align your API strategy with business objectives. Assess whether opening APIs enhances user base or generates revenue. Ensure regulatory compliance and adoption potential align with market expectations.
The need for a mobile-first strategy: Prioritizing mobile and internet-first service development will help you stay relevant. This meets the rising demand for mobile access and seamless user experiences in a competitive market.
Navigate legacy system challenges with partnerships: To overcome the friction between legacy systems and the need for open APIs, collaborate with technology partners. Look for solutions like code refactoring or API runbook conversions to bridge the gap between outdated mainframes and modern API requirements, facilitating smoother integration.

Top Quote

“There's a famous quote by Peter Drucker centered around culture. That quote is ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast.’ So I've kind of spun that on its heels a bit in the sense that if your industry strategy does not address culture, then all you're eating is breakfast. You're leaving out lunch and dinner as well. So that's very important in terms of mindset, automation, integration, and digital transformation. Especially in a heavily regulated industry such as financial services.”

Unifying People, Processes, and Technology Apr 03, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn, Sari Vuola-Vuorinen and Andrew Newson explore the intricate world of ICEYE, where business meets technology. Sari and Andrew share their experiences about transforming ICEYE's business processes, fostering collaboration and innovation, and optimizing their IT environment for agility. This dynamic duo, one steering business transformation and operations, and the other helming IT, open up about their unconventional approach to harnessing the power of diverse engineering domains within their teams. From discussing ICEYE's unique work culture and compelling journey to the importance of maintaining a balance between governance and democratization, their candid stories provide a captivating glimpse into the ICEYE experience.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start
*(03:22) What is ICEYE?
*(05:18) People and culture at ICEYE
*(11:47) Exploring the dynamics of fusion teams at ICEYE and its impact on growth
*(19:45) Comparing IT environments and the magic at ICEYE
*(21:25) How to implement a long-term vision using enterprise systems
*(23:49) Balancing democratization and governance for security and inclusivity
*(26:03) Uniting fusion teams, collaboration, and governance to drive innovation
*(28:53) Navigating innovation and agility in agile vs. static environments
*(32:11) Importance of end-to-end processes and ICEYE's strategic approach
*(38:47) Advice for emerging and established organizations

Episode Key Takeaways

Prioritize collaboration and fusion teams: Foster a culture of collaboration by uniting diverse talents and harnessing their curiosity. Establish clear objectives to channel contributions effectively. Embrace fusion teams to promote cross-functional collaboration, bolstering synergy and driving transformative outcomes.
Embrace end-to-end eusiness processes: Emphasize a comprehensive understanding and management of business processes, from inception to completion, to optimize efficiency and deliver value to stakeholders. Shift focus from isolated tasks to a holistic view, ensuring seamless operation throughout.
Implement loosely coupled architecture: Andrew advocates that this strategy helps pivot and provide a consistent method of transferring data and integrating systems without disrupting core architectures. Embrace this approach for enhanced agility, facilitating rapid adjustments and scalability within complex systems.
Cultivate innovation and agility by embracing change: Be open to new ideas and encourage your team to trial and error for continuous improvement. Be able to adapt to learnings quickly. Manage tooling demands proactively, aligning with the pace of business evolution for sustained growth and competitiveness.

Top Quotes

"Sari and I's approach here is to transform how the business operates. It's not just implementing a system, it's not just providing IT tools. It is fundamentally changing business processes, changing the way that we work with our partners and our customers. And that really is a differentiator for me to have the opportunity to influence the core workings of a reasonably mature and sizable business is probably the unique thing.” - Andrew Newson

“It's all about people and collaboration. And that's why I like the diversity in practice being also that we can, through collaboration, bring very different people around the table. And curious people are committed to making the change. If you just are clear with the aspiration, the direction, the vision, you then enable people to do their best, so miracles happen.” - Sari Vuola-Vuorinen

Human-In-The-Loop: Vital for AI Risk Mar 27, 2024

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Earl Newsome delve into Earl's impactful role at Cummins Inc., exploring how technology bolsters the company's multifaceted business landscape. Drawing insightful parallels between IT composability and the improvisational nature of jazz, Earl explores the criticality of agility and interoperability amidst the dynamic tech sector. Diving into the realm of AI, Earl advises a collaborative approach over a replacement model, envisioning technology users as empowered 'AI artists'. He passionately emphasizes the nexus between comprehending business processes and technology's pivotal role, advocating for an adoption-driven model to unleash the full potential of technological advancements.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start
*(02:12) Business processes and technology integration at Cummins
*(07:27) Evolution of the CIO role
*(12:22) Importance of a growth mindset in IT leaders
*(15:32) Earl's insights on AI
*(26:57) Composability as an IT tool
*(33:07) Significance of diversity in tech
*(39:22) Simplifying technology adoption and streamlining user experience

Episode Key Takeaways

Just ‘Add One’: Earl promotes the practice of adding one action to your normal routine that can make a difference. Whether it be reading a new book, engaging with people outside your usual network, or exploring different vendors - this 'Add One' strategy could have a multiplier effect if adopted widely.
Embrace the theory of the business: Mastering the core principle behind your business's revenue generation is indispensable. A profound understanding of your business theory enables you to align your technological endeavors to enhance performance, quality, and operational continuity.
Move from installation to realization: It's time to transcend mere technology installation and start realizing its full potential. The true value of technology emerges through widespread adoption and utilization. Embracing this shift toward realization can propel your business towards unparalleled levels of productivity and success.
Create technology anthropologists: Earl proposes the creation of a groundbreaking role - the "Technology Anthropologist." Individuals in this role would delve into how technology is used in the real world, paving the way for more user-friendly and accessible technology solutions. This innovative approach has the potential to accelerate technology adoption rates and optimize utilization efficiency.

Top Quote

“Software is eating the world today. And so you have to move from being a caretaker to actually being a harvester. You have to plant those seeds, and you've got to water those seeds, and then you've got to grow those seeds, and not only grow, right? You have to harvest [them] in order to get the full value of technology in your business. So how is software going to eat your industry? If you understand that, then you can understand what seeds you plant, where you need to plant those seeds, how you get those seeds to grow, and then how you harvest the benefit of that technology embedded in your in your business.”

Season 02 Trailer Mar 25, 2024

A few months after Workato's CEO Vijay Tella released the Wall Street Journal Bestselling Book, "The New Automation Mindset," we launched this companion podcast, and the response has been amazing. Thank you for the thousands of listeners who tuned in and to the incredible guests who joined us for Season One.

We learned from leaders at Nvidia, Nasdaq, Vodafone, Amazon Web Services, Bain, Ernst and Young, Kyndryl, and many more. Now, we are excited to announce Season Two. Over the next 13 episodes, we'll hear from another incredible roster of business leaders. Join Markus Zirn, Chief Strategy Officer at Workato, as we continue the journey to learn more about this new era of AI, Automation, and Integration.

Driving Transformation with Composable Architecture Mar 06, 2024

Episode Summary

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Rama Theekshidar dive deep into what’s driving digital transformation in the distribution industry. Rama delves into the transformative potential of AI, the benefits of adopting composable architecture, and the significance of cultivating a growth mindset. From discussing the vast scale of the distribution industry to the evolutionary impact of new technologies and AI, Rama offers visionary insights and practical advice for leaders embracing change and innovation. These compelling insights extend beyond distribution to anyone navigating the digital transformation journey in their industry.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(02:47) Understanding the distribution industry and Rama's background

*(08:56) Evolution in the distribution industry

*(15:00) Enabling digital transformation through composable architecture

*(22:50) Choosing the right technology partner - What to look for and what to avoid

*(28:52) AI's impact on the distribution industry

*(37:42) Rama's thoughts on the future of AI in business

*(46:01) How to be a rebel entrepreneur and Rama's advice for Technology leaders

Episode Key Takeaways

Embrace composable architecture: Integrate flexible and interchangeable services to enhance scalability and efficiency within your operations. By adopting this approach, you empower your organization to adapt swiftly to evolving needs.

Revolutionize your business with AI: Explore innovative applications of AI beyond task automation. Identify opportunities to leverage AI for creating new business models and enhancing existing ones, driving transformative change and competitive advantage.

Harness existing experience and knowledge: While AI and automation are reshaping industries, Rama talks about the importance of retaining and re-purposing experienced staff. By blending traditional wisdom with cutting-edge technologies, you can achieve more sophisticated outcomes and sustainable growth.

Commit to lifelong learning: As Rama quotes, "You only get smarter by playing a smarter opponent." Continuously seek knowledge from diverse sources to innovate and overcome challenges. Prioritize understanding human behaviors, business trends, and industry shifts alongside learning new technologies.

Top Quote

“Coming from an electrical industry, it's almost like we have to be like a transformer. A transformer's operating principle is mutual induction. And mutual induction is the power of a transformer to transfer power between a primary coil and a secondary coil and then magic happens, correct? That's mutual induction. What I mean by that in our world is how do we have business teams and technology teams acting as the primary and the secondary coil, and you create a mutual induction using a composable architecture where, we have made technology using composable architecture and large language models and AI where the business and tech teams are in it together, solving four problems together, not creating different solutions in silos. When we do that like a transformer, it is quite powerful, and then we will all win.”

Imagining the Impact of Optimization Feb 28, 2024

Episode Summary

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Luis Enriquez navigate the intricate world of technology leadership and business process optimization. Luis brings a wealth of experience in transforming IT and shares his insights from his roles at Grab and Zuellig Pharma. They dive into the benefits of focusing on process optimization and the importance of embracing discomfort as a significant catalyst for evolution. By scrutinizing buzzwords like AI and data, Luis stresses the importance of accessing their full potential beyond mere trends.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(03:45) Luis' career journey at Grab

*(16:35) Challenges of app overload and the importance of end-to-end process

*(25:35) Luis' experiences at Zuellig Pharma and the Impact of process design

*(36:30) Evolving role of technology in pharma distribution

*(42:12) Advice for aspiring and experienced CIOs

Episode Key Takeaways

Prioritize effective process design: Focus on essential tasks, remove unnecessary steps, and automate wherever possible to enhance productivity in large-scale operations. This was exemplified by Luis’ experience at Grab, where he streamlined process models to drive efficiency.

Don’t overlook the importance of data: All cutting-edge concepts such as AI substantially depend on data. Ensuring data is clean, ready, and in an environment conducive to AI applications is necessary for successful implementation.

Learn and educate yourself continuously: It's crucial to understand different disciplines, geopolitical situations, and historical contexts, as they impact technology landscapes. Effective leaders continuously expand their knowledge base through reading, and learning about society, history, and other areas that shape technology.

Embrace discomfort for innovation: It's through discomfort and challenging situations that new insights and improvements emerge. Consistently pushing oneself to new limits and stepping outside of your comfort zone is an excellent approach to becoming innovative and adaptable.

Top Quote

“To anybody starting on this journey - get into the details. Don't get caught in the buzzwords. AI is about data, it's as simple as that. Don't get caught in the sense of all these different companies coming: 'I will give you the X, the Y, the Z, and it will be implemented in no time, and tomorrow you will be a hundred points higher in your revenue.' No, it takes time to evolve. So get into the details, take the buzzwords out."

Live from the Nasdaq Center: The 2024 AI and Automation Trends Feb 21, 2024

Episode Summary

In this special episode, Markus Zirn is joined by a distinguished panel of AI and automation leaders: Harish Surendranath from Amazon Web Services, Jia Li from LiveX AI, and Jeff Thomas from NASDAQ. They delve deep into the transformational power of advanced AI technologies, exploring how generative AI is altering the landscape of business processes and workforce dynamics. From enhancing customer experiences to supercharging back-office operations, they shine a light on the myriad ways AI is redefining the enterprise world. Tune in to gain top insights into the AI revolution, the rise of generative AI, and how adopting an 'automation mindset' plays a crucial role in staying ahead of the curve.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(04:35) Diving into the growth mindset and the CES Convention

*(08:56) LiveX AI’s approach to GenAI

*(13:05) GenAI use cases at AWS

*(15:05) Future of Generative AI

*(15:43) GenAI at NASDAQ

*(20:29) Impact of the new AI transformation wave

*(26:56) Democratization of AI

*(30:42) AWS’s Approach to AI and its impact on customers

*(36:05) Importance of responsible AI and governance

*(38:41) Role of AI at NASDAQ

*(42:02) Workato's approach to GenAI and the growth mindset

*(48:50) Advice on GenAI governance across industries

*(56:10) Disruptiveness of AI and its impact on the workforce

Episode Key Takeaways

Generative AI’s potential to revolutionize multiple sectors: Harish hammers home the breadth of generative AI's influence. Reinventing customer experiences and enhancing employee productivity, AI's scope of application is radically diverse and impactful. He offers a glimpse into Amazon's responsible AI strategy and how the tech giant is using custom silicon to enhance the price-performance ratio for AI applications.

Generative AI democratizes innovation:Jia highlights the power of generative AI in lowering barriers to entry, and 'augmenting' human capabilities. She shares insights from her work in Google Cloud AI and her current endeavors at LiveX AI, particularly how AI is set to impact the myriad aspects of everyday life.

The power of AI in streamlining operations: Jeff underscores NASDAQ's strategic use of AI to augment productivity, foster product innovation, and streamline processes. Emphasizing the importance of staff training and robust governance mechanisms, he points out the key role these factors play in safeguarding trust and ensuring responsible implementation of AI.

Top Quotes

“We think about generative AI in two ways at Nasdaq. One, we think about how we can integrate it in our products. And then the second area is how we can use it on our business. And so, when we think about generative AI in the products, it's how can we change the user experience? How can we change the productivity gains that our customers get out of our products and solutions?” - Jeff Thomas

“Right now, given the low barrier to entry for generative AI products. Think of, there is a mom-and-pop shop who are serving their customers and they really want to focus on their business. And in the past, they probably need to spend a lot of time on customer support and sales efforts, et cetera, et cetera. But now, generative AI can actually automate much of this experience so that the repetitive aspects can be reduced and the business owners, or the small team, can serve their customers much better. And it's essentially AI for everyone.” - Jia Li

“We are going to see augmentation of productivity and the workforce being more productive thanks to AI. There will be higher value tasks and even higher value than what we are doing today for humans to do and for our AI sort of assistants or co-pilots to kind of help us along the way. So I'm an optimist.” - Harish Surendranath

Empowerment with Automation and AI Feb 14, 2024

Episode Summary

In this episode, Markus Zirn sits down with Carter Busse to discuss the transformative power of automation, AI, and integration in the business landscape. They explore the shift from a traditional mindset to a forward-thinking, growth mindset, essential for harnessing the full potential of automation and AI. Carter underscores the significance of employee happiness and efficient business processes, backed by compelling examples illustrating automation's profound impact on business processes. He also shares insight into the role of AI in automation, and his optimistic vision for the future.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(02:16) Carter's thoughts on The New Automation Mindset

*(05:00) Carter's automation strategy

*(07:39) The evolving CIO’s perspective on automation

*(10:05) AI’s influence on business processes

*(11:59) Real-world automation use cases

*(20:00) Challenges with Integration

*(21:45) AI's impact on automation at Workato

*(26:05) Balancing the human element in tech

*(28:42) Solutions for future-proof strategies

*(30:22) Carter's insights for the future

*(33:10) Today’s Takeaway

Episode Key Takeaways

Importance of a growth mindset: Executives need to break free from limitations imposed by a fixed mindset. In this rapidly evolving environment, it’s critical to pivot and change your thinking from task-based to growth and process-based.

Adopt an incremental approach to automation: When you begin adopting automation, start small and control what you can. But embrace a fast-paced, fail-fast approach to show possibilities to other business users.

Automation empowers people: Automation is key to helping people do great things. Empowering users with technology tools fosters innovation and enhances overall employee happiness.

The value of the people, process, technology framework (PPT): PPT emphasizes prioritizing people and processes over technology when making decisions. Use this framework to navigate your business journey, ensuring a holistic and user-centric approach to technology implementation.

Top Quote

“People, process, technology is what every CIO thinks about. And it's actually run my team meetings. People, process, technology. We talked about technology last. We talk about the people first, talk about process, and we talk about technology last. That's the way we're always thinking about it here.”

How to Strengthen Your Client Relationships by Leveraging Automation Feb 07, 2024

Episode Summary

In today’s episode, Markus sits down with Mikael Yayon, partner at Ernst & Young, to discuss Mikael's transformative journey of revolutionizing traditional audit processes through cutting-edge automation tools. They explore how Mikael's team leveraged Workato to amplify process efficiency, eliminating manual data collection and promoting direct client interactions. Mikael advocates for team-wide adoption of technology tools like Workato, recognizing the synergy between his team's professional expertise and the tool's functionality. In his final advice, Mikael shares insights on future-proofing processes by embracing new tech advancements, such as generative AI.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Intro

*(01:56) Inside Mikael's day-to-day at EY

*(05:31) EY's automation Journey pre-Workato

*(10:29) Workato use case at EY

*(14:30) How Workato revolutionized client interactions at EY

*(20:30) Automation as a market differentiator

*(25:20) EY's approach to scaling automation and efficiency with Workato

*(30:56) EY's evaluation process for Workato

*(35:34) Future of auditing and Audit 3.0

Episode Key Takeaways

Revolutionize your business with automation: Elevate your operational efficiency and accuracy by leveraging automation tools like Workato to automate manual tasks seamlessly. This translates into a tangible reduction in labor and time spent on manual data collection.

Foster direct client interactions with automation: Opt for technological solutions that facilitate direct client interactions, eliminating the ‘middleman’. You will streamline communication, simplify procedures, and create a more client-friendly process by embracing automation tools.

Empower your team with widespread tech adoption: Ensure that your entire team is proficient in the technology tools you employ. Maximize usage, boost efficiency, and empower your team to synergize their expertise with the functionalities of the tools you've integrated.

Embrace the tech evolution: Strategically incorporate innovative technologies into your processes for future-proofing. In the age of AI, explore the possibilities of integrating a generative AI layer to amplify your business processes. Lay the groundwork now for the future transformation of your industry or processes.

Top Quote

“Every company, everyone, needs to transform. We need to make that transformation, to evolve, and to integrate all of the new processes and all of those new technologies that are part of the transformation process. I think also it means trusting your employees. You need to trust them. You need to trust the person you're working with. Sometimes it can be challenging. Changes are always challenging for people, but you need to do that in a way where they feel comfortable. Where they have the appropriate support internally, and they feel comfortable using a tool that they're familiar with. We're all together and the clients definitely see the added value on that."

Your AI Is Only as Good as Your Data Jan 31, 2024

Episode Summary

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Pietro Casella, Managing Director and Chief Architect at EQT, emphasize the pivotal role of meticulous data management as the cornerstone for successful automation. Pietro stresses the necessity of treating data as a vital trigger for automation, establishing it as non-negotiable on the journey to success. He advises on the democratization of automation, as a way to break down silos and empower team members for innovation and efficiency. Finally, Pietro shares the importance of challenging traditional practices, urging a reconsideration of these methods in the face of AI's transformative impact.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(01:42) Pietro's background

*(02:50) EQT's digital transformation journey

*(05:06) Impact of automation on EQT

*(07:25) Alignment EQT's digital leadership and The New Automation Mindset concepts

*(15:20) Power of AI as a catalyst for democratization

*(18:00) EQT's data-centric approach, Motherbrain and Pietro's thoughts on the future data

*(26:15) Killer apps of Generative AI and exploring AI's impact

*(35:56) The role of AI in transforming business rules engines

Episode Key Takeaways

Data as an enabler of automation: The foundation of successful automation lies in meticulous data management. Treating data as a crucial trigger for automation is not just a choice—it's an essential element for a successful automation journey.

Start every project with a question: Initiate projects with a focused question, aligning efforts to gather essential data. This targeted approach cultivates purposeful action, leading to more streamlined and valuable outcomes.

Democratize automation within your IT department: Break down IT silos and empower every team member with a holistic view of systems. Providing the right tools and authority encourages innovation and efficiency, uncovering simpler solutions to the same problems.

Reconsider traditional practices with AI: Challenge traditional methods, such as relying on business rules engines, by embracing the transformative power of AI. Reflect on established practices and explore more efficient alternatives to stay ahead in the evolving landscape.

Top Quote

“There's this other dimension of democratization. I think usually this word is used to describe the process of empowering your employees, the functional people. And I think that's kind of the goal. But, very few people speak about the democratization inside your technology department. And so if you have, let's say the CRM team, and you only allow them to work in the CRM, and they don't know that it's possible to do a lot of magic tricks outside of the CRM, right? They don't know they have permission to touch the database, right? Or to do automation. So they tend to build this spaghetti ball inside your CRM without realizing that if they step outside, it's quite remote controllable. So if you think about Salesforce, when we rolled out to the automation platform and the data platform, we left, we said, 'everybody has the keys to it, everybody can use it inside the technology department.' And that led to people finding much simpler ways from an architecture perspective to solve the same problem.”

Thinking End-to-End and Redefining the Modern CIO Jan 24, 2024

Episode Summary

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Kim Huffman dive into invigorating topics of the power of automation, the transformative potential of AI, and the most effective strategies for enterprise transformation. Drawing from her diverse background at companies like Elastic, Navan, and Workiva, Kim shares valuable insights, emphasizing the evolving role of the CIO as a 'business technology leader.' The discussion delves into the shift towards understanding business processes, moving away from traditional tech-centric approaches. They also explore the relevance of business architecture, with Kim recommending a gradual, progressive implementation approach.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(02:46) Automation and integration throughout Kim's career

*(08:22) Transformation of the traditional CIO

*(13:20) Successes and challenges for the new-age CIO

*(19:53) Navigating the paradox of increased business systems yet more organizational disconnection

*(24:26) Significance of understanding end-to-end business processes

*(28:07) Importance of agility in scaling and streamlining processes

*(31:07) Business architecture's impact on organizational transformation

*(35:33) Generative AI's effect on the role of the CIO

*(39:10) Today's Takeaway

Episode Key Takeaways

CIO as a business technology leader: The role of technology leaders is evolving. Whether it's the CIO, Chief Digital Officer, or Chief Transformation Officer, they are now orchestrators within an organization. Beyond tech solutions, they delve into understanding business processes to drive transformation. This shift signifies a move from traditional IT roles to becoming pivotal business enablers.

Business architecture as a strategic tool: The development of business architecture is key, focusing on core business processes unique to your company. It serves as the roadmap for identifying process gaps, enhancing efficiency, and recognizing untapped opportunities for business value and growth.

Revolutionizing automation with AI: Leveraging AI in automation revolutionizes business processes. Beyond task automation, AI provides supportive assistance in decision-making, augmenting human roles for overall efficiency. Leaders should actively seek ways to integrate these technologies for optimal business performance.

Necessity in understanding of end-to-end processes: Understanding end-to-end business processes is crucial for tech professionals. It empowers them to identify efficiency improvements, contribute strategically, and drive innovation. This, coupled with the right technology tools, enables organizations to enhance value, customer experiences, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Top Quote

“At the end of the day, if we all step back and we think about the way that our roles have changed as a result of technology. The concept of a technology organization focused only on technology and a business organization focused only on business is a limiting view. And I think because the technology has come to a point is that the CIO of today or the Chief Digital Officer is uniquely positioned to understand enough about technology, that if they have a real passion for the business change and the business process, it actually isn't an IT function, it's a business function. And it's a business function that is enabled and transforming that business through technology.”

Redefining Business Workflows and Orchestration in Manufacturing Jan 17, 2024

Episode Summary

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Kerrie Jordan expertly navigate the latest breakthroughs in business automation and AI. Kerrie shares invaluable insights into innovative business solutions, the role of user-friendly tools like Epicor's Automation Studio, and the potential impact of generative AI. Emphasizing the importance of industry-specific solutions, Kerrie reveals the benefits of democratizing access to automation across organizations. Kerrie advises on developing industry-specific AI applications that go beyond generic automation, focusing on delivering tailored solutions that add significant value to each unique industry.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(02:04) What is Epicor?

*(06:13) Automation's impact on manufacturing and common challenges

*(09:51) Workato's impact and alternatives in Epicor's Automation Studio

*(13:48) Balancing customization and user-friendly integration

*(17:01) Evolution of inclusive integration and democratization of automation

*(21:08) Importance of automation in the manufacturing

*(24:47) Seamless integration and orchestration of end-to-end data processes

*(26:31) Consultants' perspectives on new automation possibilities in the Epicor world

*(31:06) Generative AI and its impact at Epicor

*(40:26) Untapped potential of Generative AI

*(44:18) Today's Takeaway

Episode Key Takeaways

The importance of user-friendly automation tools: In the hustle of today’s business world, having user-friendly automation tools is a game-changer as a company undergoes digital transformation. They simplify tasks, keep operations running smoothly, and supercharge efficiency.

The disruptive potential of Generative AI: Generative AI can completely revolutionize the way we work. With endless possibilities, it could lead to substantial increases in productivity across organizations.

Tailored automation for your industry: Forget one-size-fits-all automation. It should be about crafting solutions that fit your industry like a glove. We're talking about value-driven solutions created through collaboration with customers—because who knows your industry better than you?

Fostering 'citizen integrators' for agile operations: Meet the 'citizen integrator'— Kerrie defines them as anyone in the office, regardless of their role, who can step up and build integrations. It's all about letting everyone pitch in to create automated workflows, making the whole business run smoother and faster.

Guest Quote

“We've come to call our users citizen integrators. And that's because it's really open to anybody…So, by enabling our citizen integrators, we're enabling the entire organization, the business leaders, not just IT, to be able to build those integrations, to manage the flow of data, to create really strong and compelling competitive advantages that they might not otherwise have had the opportunity to do so. So, when we enable those citizen integrators, those that really have a keen understanding for how data is leveraged across the organization and how, better yet, it could be leveraged. Then, we're really taking our solutions to the next level for these industries.”

Epic Scale Enterprise Transformation with Low Code Jan 10, 2024

Episode Summary

In today’s episode, Markus sits down with Vishwas Chouhan, Enterprise Architect at Kyndryl, the world’s largest provider of IT infrastructure services. Vishwas unravels key insights for businesses undertaking digital transformations, emphasizing the necessity of a 'growth mindset', encouraging out-of-the-box thinking and a proactive attitude towards change. A critical part of this change, he advises, involves simplifying technology footprints and streamlining processes. You’ll hear as he underscores the power of utilizing low-code platforms such as Workato to create more value and agility while closing the gap between technology and business. Lastly, he emphasizes clear governance to maintain balance, especially when scaling digital transformations.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Intro

*(02:34) Background on Vishwas and Kyndryl

*(08:11) What to look for when rebuilding legacy architecture from scratch

*(10:54) Leveraging automation to enable your teams to focus on what matters

*(14:20) Flipping the tech pyramid to bring more value to your business

*(18:26) How to get buy-in from your entire team

*(22:10) Why siloes need to be broken down between departments

*(24:46) Delivering marketing at the speed of business

*(31:07) Changing the mindsets of developers

*(37:45) The future combination of business and engineering

*(41:07) Democratizing access to automation while still maintaining governance

*(42:50) Today's Takeaway

Episode Key Takeaways

Invert the Technological Pyramid: By flipping the traditional pyramid of infrastructure and reducing your tech footprint, Vishwas explains how you can catalyze business transformation and increase the value output.

Bring down the walls that silo your teams: Fostering a collaborative mindset focusing on end-to-end processes facilitates better alignment across departments, technology, and business.

Low code is a shared language across teams regardless of skill: No-code / low-code platforms enable more stakeholders to work together and democratize development. They foster better communication, and make non-technical folks into engineers, and engineers into business people.

Evolve governance as you evolve technology: A proper governance framework is critical in scaling operations while maintaining stability and preventing chaos. Vishwas highlights that your governance does not need to be set in stone and should change alongside your business and technology needs.

Top quotes

“When I came across Workato, it straight away out of the box fit the bill for me. When I saw that the platform was ready when it came to compliance, security, and was able to provide us observability end to end…that was what I was looking for.”

“Technology does not drive by itself. We're not there yet. We can talk about how AI is enabling that for us in the future. But for now, we still have technology and people together as partners. And when you're trying to drive that, you need to look at what the teams are trying to do and does it really help marketeers? As mentioned in the book, you need to always reimagine how can this be done better? So the low code, no code platform becomes a common language for both business and technology to speak because there used to be this constant shake between business and developers.”

“When I see a platform like low code, no code, it removes that friction, you can speak the same language. So you’re converting your developers to business and you're converting your business to engineers. And when you can get that aligned, there's no stopping it.”

“So my process was evolving and my technology footprint was really broad. And when I started to layer this requirement and start to break this up around people, process and technology…I said that, technology is what needs to give for me, because that will help me reduce the cost. It will also help me simplify. What would it look like if I flip this pyramid where my technology footprint is balanced with proper governance around it? And then you layer all your integrations and automations and you bring value which is right now, at the top, and you're flipping that and you're expanding and you're giving more value to the business.”

Driving Organizational Growth by Thinking in 10X Terms Jan 03, 2024

Episode Summary

In this episode, Markus Zirn and Sridevi Pasumarthi discuss the transformative power of automation on business challenges and the pivotal role of AI in its enhancement. Drawing insights from her experience at prominent companies like Slack, Arlo, Checkr, and Gusto, she illustrates how automation can be a game-changer when positioned aptly. They talk about the evolution from the traditional CIO role to innovation-driven business technology positions, exploring the shifting expectations for modern technology leaders. Sridevi advises on the importance of developing a ‘10X mindset’, urging companies to always consider scalability and envision solutions that effortlessly handle ten times their current scale.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(01:13) Sridevi's automation philosophy

*(03:47) Maximizing efficiency through automation and integration platforms

*(07:54) Evolution from traditional IT roles to business technology roles

*(12:25) Impacts of merging AI and automation

*(17:07) Sridevi’s automation journey with Workato and notable use cases

*(24:43) Sridevi's automation advice

*(28:22) Today's Takeaway

Episode Key Takeaways

AI’s impactful role in automation: The combination of AI and automation is powerful. Sridevi shares how AI serves as a tool for recognizing patterns, offering insights, and facilitating informed decision-making.

CIO's evolution toward business technology roles: The traditional CIO role is changing. CIOs must shift focus from system maintenance to strategic partnership in steering business technology.

Embrace a ‘10X mindset’: Always consider scalability—envision your solution handling 10 times its current load. Start big, focusing on future growth. Automation isn't just for now; it's about preparing for the future.

Automation's wide-reaching impact on business processes: Drawing from experiences from Slack to Gusto, Sridevi illustrates how automation effectively addresses unique business challenges.

Competition Will Fuel AI Transformation Dec 20, 2023

Episode Summary

In this episode, Ted Shelton and Markus Zirn discuss insights into how businesses can leverage automation and AI to improve processes. They delve into real-world applications, use cases, and challenges in implementing these technologies. Ted explains the necessity of adopting a growth mindset to fully embrace and make the most of AI and automation tools. Ted shares his top 5 strategies for how businesses can foster the acceptance and appropriate use of these new technologies among employees.

Timestamps:

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(03:26) How AI and Automation are connected

*(08:00) The new era of disruption and AI transformations

*(13:46) Early applications and use cases in operationalizing AI and automation

*(20:02) What Generative AI can impact when it comes to customer experience

*(28:28) Revolutionizing customer interactions with AI's declarative process shift

*(31:28) Challenges in adopting AI and breaking old mindsets

*(36:01) Democratizing AI and low-code philosophy

*(38:10) Ted's 5 pieces of advice for adopting AI

*(41:08) Today's Takeaway

*(42:40) Technological transformations and its impact on the workplace

Episode Key Takeaways

AI and automation are interconnected: As you begin to adopt AI into your business, understanding the intrinsic link with automation is paramount. Automation organizes data for AI models and applies those insights to your processes.

The real driver of AI-driven transformation is your competition: the ease of access to AI now means competitors have access to the same technology - which is driving a new type of urgency with executive teams.

The winners and losers in AI will be decided in three domains. How quickly and successfully companies can harness AI to improve efficiency, experiences, and innovation will decide whether they come out ahead or fall behind in this new era.

Generative AI will make companies more proactive with their customers: Cost economics of interacting with customers and proactive customer support are changing, which will ultimately create more value for customers.

The process mindset is key in the AI era: Integrating AI into business processes is key, and keeping a process mindset (systems thinking) is even more important. Although interactions with AI mimic human interactions, there must be a practical approach for effective deployment and utilization, mirroring how we collaborate with human colleagues.

‘Dynamic and disposable code’ is the future: Ted highlights the emerging concept of ‘dynamic and disposable code’, which breaks away from traditional coding methods. It relies on machines generating code in real-time based on described outcomes, revolutionizing the way humans and machines work together.

Accelerate Business Velocity by Decentralizing AI and Automation Dec 13, 2023

Episode Summary

In this episode, Markus Zirn sits down with Gabriel Enright to explore the dynamic intersection of automation and AI in the telecom industry. Gabriel shares his philosophy and Vodafone’s strategic approaches, delving into the integration of different systems, the goal of streamlining processes, and the evolving role of AI within the business. He discusses how business complexities can be handled through automation and how an early adoption of AI can be a game-changing strategic advantage. Gabriel advises listeners on the 'shift left' approach, highlighting the pivotal move towards decentralizing automation tools to empower non-technical teams and citizen automators, all while maintaining centralized governance.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(00:46) Gabe's automation strategy

*(02:41) Automation vs. integration

*(04:00) Challenges with automation and integration

*(06:00) Scaling automation and integration globally

*(08:02) Gabe's thoughts on AI

*(14:02) Vodafone's automation use cases

*(16:29) Automation as a solution to complexity

*(18:27) Gabe's automation challenges

*(22:40) Vodafone's automation journey

*(30:57) Gabe's advice on automation and AI

*(35:26) Benefits of decentralizing automation

*(38:59) Today’s Takeaway

Episode Key Takeaways

Scalability through automation and AI: Embracing automation and AI opens new horizons for business scalability. However, unlocking this potential demands the collective creativity of our employees to redefine how we use automation.

AI as a collaborator, not just an application: Considering AI another person within the organization can transform our approach to its use. This can lead to a clearer understanding of the outcomes achievable through automation and integration with AI.

Handling complexity with automation: Automation is a powerful tool for managing inherent complexity in business operations. Leveraging automation allows organizations to effectively navigate intricate business processes, ultimately enhancing both employee and customer experiences.

The importance of organizations to ‘shift left’: In this rapidly changing landscape, organizations must adapt. This inclusive strategy aims to decentralize automation, allowing individuals beyond the technical team to participate in integration and automation.

Top quotes

“So in abstracting away the complexity from the user, we can put the complexity into the automation, so that can deal with the different permutations based on the scenarios or circumstances of the sale or the operation of the service. So it's a very, very good tool to abstract away the complexity from the customer. But the nature of the business is complex, so at some tier, you need complexity and the automation tier is a great place to handle that.”

“AI is not an application. If you think of it like that, it's going to be very difficult to understand what outcomes you'll get with AI.”

“Decentralize the tool and centralize the governance because governance works across everything. Everyone should be on the same playing field. But what we do need to do is decentralize the effort to produce the services and also decentralize the execution.”

“The goal is to get the business and the citizen automators more involved in the work and doing the work. Put the accountability and the responsibility out to them.”

Technology Strategy Is Business Strategy in the AI Squared Enterprise Dec 05, 2023

Episode Summary

In this episode, Darryl Maraj and Markus Zirn discuss the evolution and future of AI and automation. They emphasize the critical role the CIO will play as the world enters the new AI era. Darryl shares his experiences in implementing advanced technologies in GA Telesis, elaborating on their path to operational excellence, customer intimacy, product leadership, and security. They explore how IT can become a crucial part of the business strategy, fostering alignment across organizations.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(01:37) Darryl’s Background

*(03:36) Darryl’s innovation with AI and business systems

*(09:17) How AI helped with 36,000 emails and enterprise SLAs

*(10:58) Why you need to get on board with AI Transformation

*(14:45) The impact of democratization and AI

*(18:57) How you should be reframing your mindset

*(22:26) The endless use cases for AI & Automation

*(26:33) Ways the CIO role is evolving

*(29:25) Why IT/Business alignment is outdated

*(33:25) The future of "fusion teams"

*(40:37) Why it's sometimes better to map your processes with sticky notes

*(42:32) Today's Takeaway

Episode Key Takeaways

Technology strategy is business strategy: Technology shouldn't be an afterthought - which is why IT/business alignment is outdated. Technology needs a seat at the strategy table. It should be seen as a partnership. This shift in mindset can lead to better collaboration, innovation, and overall success in achieving goals.

AI as a watershed moment for business processes: With the democratization of AI, it is no longer in the hands of the gatekeepers. Everyone has access to it and it should be used as an interpreter to accelerate business processes.

The need to rethink business process innovation: Rethink your approach to business processes–they are more than just operations. Treat your business processes as products to continually iterate and improve.

The importance of implementing an agile approach to delivery: We all need to adopt an agile mindset, specifically when it comes to delivering advanced technology tools. This can provide significant value to end users, ensuring a sustained competitive edge in an ever-evolving market.

The Importance of Adaptability and Rethinking Every Process in the New Era of AI Nov 28, 2023

Episode Summary

In this episode, Rama Akkiraju and Markus Zirn discuss how generative AI is changing business processes, and uncover dozens of use cases. They consider its impact on democratization, organizations, and specific roles. Rama explains why unstructured data is the new gold mine, and they discuss why governance and guardrails are key for containing the superpowers granted by AI. Rama advises listeners to re-evaluate their processes in this new world. In her final advice, she suggests that adaptability is key, and flexible architectures are becoming more important than ever.

Timestamps

*(00:00) Intro

*(02:14) Interview Start

*(03:46) The evolution of AI and its impact on Rama's work

*(05:53) Democratization & citizen development with AI

*(09:49) Impact of AI on business processes

*(15:05) Expanding efficiency and accessibility with LLMs

*(18:05) The rise of “BigOps” and maximizing data

*(19:54) How generative AI will deliver better insights from process data

*(25:44) Security and IT operations use cases for generative AI

*(29:54) Knowledge management and enterprise search

*(32:10) The new importance of governance and guardrails

*(36:20) Rama's AI and automation advice

*(42:00) Key Takeaway from Today

Episode Key Takeaways

Generative AI opens the floodgates for democratization and citizen development: The rapid state of advancement of AI means that citizen development is here to stay, and democratization will move much farther ahead than ever before.
Endless use cases are emerging with generative AI: Rama and Markus list dozens of use cases, from IT operations to security, knowledge management, change management, and more.
The need for governance and guardrails is more crucial than ever: With great power comes great responsibility.As generative AI has the potential to expose new data that was previously inaccessible, we need to make sure we are disciplined in how we protect our teams and unstructured data.
The heightened need for agility and flexibility: In the new rapidly changing environment, the need for flexible systems and organizations is greater than ever. Flexible architectures, nimble teams, and adaptability are paramount.

Top quotes

“Have an open mind. Go with the idea that everything could potentially be transformed. You have to rethink all the business processes, and everything that's been done before.”

“The technology is changing so fast, you have to have flexible architectures that will allow you to adapt and change.”

“When you harness them responsibly and strategically with the proper guardrails, AI and automation technologies can empower organizations to achieve their business goals with high levels of efficiency, productivity, and more.”

Introducing The New Automation Mindset Nov 16, 2023

For the last 30 years, companies have worked to create value with better processes. We've seen all kinds of approaches, from process re-engineering to robotic process automation. But this new era of AI– it's turning 30 years of business process theory on its head. It will change the way we all work forever.

In this new podcast, we'll go on a journey behind the scenes with leaders bringing this new era to life. Together, we'll uncover the secrets behind their success, the strategies that propelled them forward, and the challenges they conquered along the way.

The New Automation Mindset is your leadership blueprint, your guide to success in a world where change is constant and innovation is everything.

The New Automation Mindset, where AI, automation, and integration come together.

Hosted by Markus Zirn and brought to you by Workato.

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The New Automation Mindset: AI + Automation + Integration

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