Nate Berent-Spillson, VP of Engineering at NTT DATA, explores the transformative potential of platform thinking in large enterprises. He delves into the challenges organizations face, such as legacy systems and structural frictions, that hinder innovation. Berent-Spillson advocates for adopting a platform mentality, emphasizing efficiency and collaboration. By using historical examples like the railroad expansion, he illustrates the need for standardization and how overcoming these hurdles can drive meaningful change in today’s tech landscape.
Organizations often face challenges like legacy systems and structural friction, which inhibit progress and stifle innovation.
Adopting platform thinking and a 'fail small' mentality can enhance operational efficiency and foster a culture of measured experimentation.
Deep dives
Challenges Facing Technology Leaders
Dissatisfaction among technology leaders often stems from several critical issues, particularly structural friction and legacy systems. These leaders grapple with organizational muscle memory that creates resistance to change and hampers momentum within their teams. Additionally, accumulating technical debt from outdated systems further complicates efforts to modernize operations and align with the rapid pace of industry evolution. The combination of these factors results in a challenging environment where achieving progress becomes increasingly difficult, stifling innovation and growth.
Platform Thinking as a Key to Success
Viewing an organization through the lens of platform thinking can significantly enhance its operational efficiency, regardless of its industry. This perspective encourages leaders to recognize their organization as a platform that can maximize resource allocation and optimize functionality. By considering operational and software delivery platforms as a foundation, companies can reduce redundant development efforts and leverage existing assets to create interconnected solutions. This approach enables organizations to innovate more rapidly and respond to market demands without starting from scratch each time.
The Importance of Small Failures over Big Bets
In a business context, adopting a 'fail small' mentality can be more advantageous than pursuing a 'fail fast' approach, especially for established enterprises. As organizations grow, the stakes involved in failure become significantly higher, emphasizing the need for measured experimentation with minimal risk. Smaller, incremental initiatives allow teams to learn and iterate without jeopardizing existing operations or customer relationships. By embracing this philosophy, businesses can foster a culture of innovation while protecting their core offerings from disruptive failures.
Standardization and Its Role in Efficiency
The historical shift towards standardized time zones illustrates the profound impact of uniformity on operational efficiency. Standardization became critical as advancements in transportation revealed significant inefficiencies in coordinating schedules and activities across vast territories. By moving towards a unified system, organizations could streamline processes, reduce errors, and enhance communication. This principle remains relevant today; as businesses evolve with technology, continuous standardization across operations remains vital to maintaining speed and alignment in an increasingly complex landscape.
Nate Berent-Spillson on the power of platform thinking
In the enterprise world, there are three main reasons for why an organization may be struggling to gain momentum: organizational muscle memory, structural friction, and legacy technical debt. In this archived episode Clinton is joined by Nate Berent-Spillson, NTT DATA’s VP of Engineering, to discuss how large enterprises can harness disruptive shifts to create real change.