Simplifying IT for a Better Digital Transformation with Brian Shield, SVP & CTO at Boston Red Sox and Fenway Sports Management, and David Vidoni, VP of IT at Pegasystems

Jun 1, 2022

Join Brian Shield, SVP & CTO at Boston Red Sox, with over 20 years in IT, and David Vidoni, VP of IT at Pegasystems, a B2B software expert, as they dive into the intricacies of digital transformation. They discuss how simplifying IT can enhance agility and user experience. Hear their insights on the importance of data governance, flexible tech investments, and the collaboration needed to innovate in the sports tech space. Plus, discover how to foster a productive IT team culture and retain top talent.

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ANECDOTE

Technology Roles at Red Sox and Pegasystems

Brian Shield shared complexities of managing technology at the Boston Red Sox, including fan data, player data, and ballpark operations.
David Vidoni described Pegasystems' focus on enterprise systems and AI-powered decisioning for complex business problems.

ADVICE

Start Digital Transformation with Data

Build digital transformation from strong data foundations and good processes.
Avoid starting with insights until data quality and ownership issues are resolved first.

INSIGHT

Data Janitors Are Vital Initially

Effective data use demands excellent infrastructure and governance first.
Organizations often start in the middle, causing data scientist roles to be mostly cleanup work.

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The constantly shifting demands of digital users are forcing IT leaders to anticipate the next curveball -- that’s why we talked to Brian Shield, SVP & CTO, Boston Red Sox and Fenway Sports Management, and David Vidoni, VP of IT at Pegasystems, about simplifying their IT departments in order to remain agile. In this episode, Brian & David reveal their secrets to providing a world-class experience that's constantly changing with consumer preferences, plus how they’ve accelerated the digital transformation journey, and much more.

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Quotes

“The key thing for any organization, or any CIO, is that you have to get rid of a lot of your legacy. If you're so overwhelmed with legacy technologies, systems, and processes, it's very difficult to think strategically. When you do implement technologies, you need to implement ones that, if not future-proofed, at least give you a long runway so that you feel like you're not going to have to revisit these on a very regular basis.” - Brian Shield, SVP & CTO at Boston Red Sox and Fenway Sports Management

“It all comes down to going back to basics. The simple things – do you have applications that create data with a high degree of quality upfront? Do you have people responsible for those systems that will maintain that data? Then behind the scenes, is the plumbing to bring that data from point A to point B simplified and straightforward?... When you get to the point where you need to do reporting or other analysis, a lot of the headaches and problems have already been dealt with.” - David Vidoni, VP of IT at Pegasystems

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Time Stamps:

* (1:47) Brian & David share more about their respective roles

* (5:15) Projects on the horizon for the Boston Red Sox and Pegasystems

* (7:22) Simplifying the digital transformation journey

* (12:35) Data literacy at the board level

* (20:17) Making bets on new technologies

* (23:16) Finding the right outside partnerships

* (25:52) Secrets more CIOs should know

* (31:59) Brian and David ask each other questions

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Sponsor

This podcast is brought to you by Asana. Asana is a leading work management platform that empowers teams to orchestrate their work — from daily tasks to big strategic initiatives — all in one place. By enabling the world’s teams to work together effortlessly, Asana helps organizations of all sizes and industries achieve their goals, faster. Learn more at Asana.com.

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Links

Connect with Brian on LinkedIn
Connect with David on LinkedIn
Learn more about Boston Red Sox and Fenway Sports Management
Learn more about the Pegasystems

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