Enterprise Digital - the podcast

In this episode, Barclay and Ian are joined by for Gartner analyst, Keith Andes from EasyVista. The conversation explores findings from Keith’s recent global survey into how SMB organisations are approaching ITSM, endpoint and asset management, integration, and AI readiness.Keith talks through the realities of SMB IT operations, including fragmented tooling, manual processes, skills shortages, budget constraints, and the growing demand for faster time-to-value.He also highlights the gap between the desire for AI and automation, and the foundational ITSM practices that need strengthening before either can deliver meaningful results.The discussion includes market movement, the return of the Magic Quadrant, the risks of uncontrolled home-built automation, and the difference between AI embedded in tools versus DIY approaches.This week’s trivia is based on an internet-connected bed stuck online during the AWS outage.

In this episode, Barclay and Ian are joined by long-time industry figure Martin McKenna to reflect on four decades of service management. From the early days of handwritten call logs to today’s AI-powered tools, Martin shares how the industry has changed and what has stayed the same.The conversation covers his journey from building help desks to founding conferences, the impact of the pandemic on live events, and his latest project using AI to help organisations find the right ITSM tools in minutes. There are also lighter moments involving naked mole rats, Scrabble, and why some things in ITSM never really change.

As conference season kicks off across Europe, Barclay and Ian share stories from recent events in Utrecht and Copenhagen, and discuss what’s coming up on the calendar: from Service North and itSMF UK to Service Management World in the US, reflecting on the trends shaping the conversations this year, from AI risk to human-centered IT. Plus, in true Enterprise Digital fashion, the episode also starts with a slice of trivia: the UK’s record-breaking giant pumpkin.  

In this episode, Barclay Rae and Ian Aitchison are joined by Roman Jouravlev and Kaimar Karu to discuss the brand-new ITIL publication How to Implement – or, more accurately, how to make transformation work.They explore what’s behind the new book, why “implementation” isn’t about installing ITIL, and how its flexible model helps organisations choose the right approach for their own environment. From governance patterns and practical tools to cooking analogies, failed transformations, and even the return of the dodo (yes, really, in this week’s trivia), this is an engaging conversation about evolving ITIL for a VUCA and AI-ready world.

Barclay Rae and Ian Aitchison take a closer look at Gartner’s new Magic Quadrant for AI in ITSM: what it really measures, which vendors stand out, and why adoption matters more than flashy features. They discuss virtual agents, guided triage, and the move toward agentic AI that fixes problems instead of just chatting about them.And in this week’s trivia, we head to Telford Exotic Zoo, where eight baby iguanas were born without any male involvement.

Ian and Barclay discuss the big announcement that Salesforce is moving into ITSM, bringing serious capability and its huge Slack customer base. How will they gain credibility and position themselves? And what does this mean for the rest of the market?They dig into risks, costs, architecture, culture, and organizational change, showing why this is more than just a financial option. Disruption is always fascinating, and it will be interesting to see how Salesforce plays it.There’s also news of fresh financial models already emerging, for example from Halo. This week’s trivia is all about the value of dozing… zzzz.

Barclay and Ian pick up the conversation on Vibe Coding, exploring new insights and opinions that have surfaced. They review a recent MIT report on AI failure and what lessons can be drawn from it. The discussion also touches on the Enterprise Digital app game at enterprisedigitalmousevibe.replit.app, where mice, cockroaches, and drinks make an appearance. The real value here is showing how quickly usable prototypes can be created without technical skills, though initially outside governance controls. One key research finding highlights that real success often comes from existing tools with AI built in, rather than starting with AI itself.And the other scary things? Radioactive wasps, of course.

This week we dive into VIBE Coding – what it is, why it matters, and where it could take us. Barclay confuses it with the Bee Gees, while Ian explains the concept with real examples and possibilities. Imagine completing an entire set of activities simply through AI... the potential is huge.Of course, there are challenges too. Barclay raises practical concerns about security, governance, and the risk of “Vibe hacking,” while Ian emphasises the positive use cases. We explore both the opportunities and the risks, from duplication and business impact to broader issues such as the cost of AI on the environment, the state of democracy, and even the future of humanity.And this week’s trivia? Data storage via birds. Yes, really. BS = Bird Storage.

What do we really mean by ‘end to end’ processes and value streams – and why do they matter?Ian and Barclay break this down at a practical level, exploring what’s needed to ensure people work together rather than as disconnected, self-serving units. They highlight the importance of transparency, communication, and visualisation – particularly for engagement, service catalogues, and TOM.There’s also a call to stay curious and avoid unchallenged assumptions. Plus, some strong points about why trying to do everything with a single tool usually isn’t the answer.

In this short but packed episode, Ian Aitchison and Barclay Rae start with a surprising bit of orthodontic trivia (grow your own teeth!?) before diving into the serious business of how organizations gather, manage, and act on feedback and improvement ideas.They explore the overlaps between experience management, product management, and service management, discussing what it takes to turn good intentions into meaningful innovation. Along the way, there are a few questionable analogies, but the conversation flows with plenty of practical insights.