Pragmatism in Practice

Tiankai Feng, a global director of AI and data strategy and author of Humanizing AI Strategy, shares insights on navigating the human elements of AI adoption. He introduces the five Cs—competence, collaboration, communication, creativity, and conscience—and discusses their relevance in AI applications. Tiankai emphasizes the importance of human oversight in AI projects, utilizing an Ikigai model to align AI purpose with ethics and business goals. He also explores the balance between optimism and skepticism in AI, highlighting the need for critical engagement and targeted solutions.

Chris Westerhold, Global Practice Director at ThoughtWorks, and Abhi Noda, CEO and co-founder of DX, dive into the complexities of measuring AI's impact on developer productivity. They discuss the challenges of evaluating knowledge-worker outputs and the importance of balancing leading and lagging metrics. The duo debates the quality trade-offs of AI-generated code and emphasizes prioritizing people and processes over tools in engineering. Finally, they outline practical steps for effective metric adoption and the anticipated insights from the upcoming DORA report.

Rachel Laycock, the CTO at ThoughtWorks, brings her expertise in AI-first software delivery to the conversation. She dives into the transformative potential of AI in the software development lifecycle, emphasizing how it can tackle modernization challenges and reshape team dynamics. Laycock discusses the importance of adopting an AI-first mindset, navigating technical debt, and balancing speed with quality in development. She also advocates for flexibility in strategies and prioritizing essential projects to thrive in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Jessie Xia, Global Chief Information Officer at ThoughtWorks, and Sara Michelazzo, Head of Innovation and Strategy, discuss their transformative AI journey. They detail early experiments using Google Gemini, running hackathons, and building cross-functional teams for safe AI adoption. Jessie and Sara emphasize balancing experimentation with measurable outcomes, highlighting 80% automation in IT support. They also explore Notebook LM use cases and the need for mindset shifts to achieve full AI integration, all while focusing on impactful business workflows.

Shawn Mandel, Chief Digital & Data Officer at Parkland, brings 25 years of experience in media and energy to the discussion. He explores what defines a great change agent and how to secure buy-in for transformation initiatives. Shawn emphasizes the necessity of curiosity and respect in leadership, sharing strategies for relationship-building during digital changes. He also discusses the importance of measuring value and fostering a culture that embraces continuous improvement, making it essential listening for business leaders.

In this engaging discussion, Tiankai Feng, Head of Data Strategy & Governance at Thoughtworks Europe, and Emily Gorcenski, VP of Data and AI Service Line, dive deep into the ethics of data management. They address the urgent need for responsible data practices that balance innovation with sustainability. The conversation explores the impact of data on communities, the importance of diverse perspectives in decision-making, and how to foster a supportive culture for data-driven strategies. Their insights are a must for anyone in the field looking to navigate ethical challenges.

Tiankai Feng, Head of Data Strategy & Governance at Thoughtworks and author on data strategy, joins Sebastian Kaus, Head of Data Governance at Vattenfall, focused on net-zero emissions. They discuss the importance of humanizing data through storytelling, empathy, and creativity. Gamifying data governance is a key topic, showcasing how playful approaches can boost employee engagement. They also explore the evolution of data governance, emphasizing context and collaboration to enhance decision-making and ethical practices in data usage.

Tiankai Feng, Head of Data Strategy & Governance at Thoughtworks and author of "Humanizing Data Strategy," teams up with Asmaa Hechenberger, a Data Engineering Lead at WWK Lebensversicherung. They delve into the critical elements of a successful data strategy, emphasizing the five Cs: competence, collaboration, communication, creativity, and conscience. The conversation highlights the importance of teamwork, addressing organizational pain points, and fostering communities to bridge the gap between business and tech. Personal connections and understanding cultural dynamics are essential for effective collaboration.

The European Health Data Space launches this year, promising huge opportunities, as well as challenges, for healthcare organizations. This podcast episode is essential listening for healthcare tech leaders, researchers and policymakers not just in Europe, but globally, who want to understand how to effectively leverage data to build resilient health systems, and foster long-term competitiveness and innovation. Host: Kimberly Boyd Guests Alexandra Lovin, Technical Director for Healthcare & Life Sciences at Thoughtworks Khrystyna Shlyakhtovska, Data Ecosystems Program Manager at AWS

Even when product builders have a groundbreaking vision, it can often be thwarted by organizational roadblocks. In this episode, we explore how Air Canada successfully navigated some of these challenges to reimagine its customer experience and its ways of working. If you're a product leader wanting to do the same, this podcast will give you all the insights you need to get started. Host: Kimberly Boyd Guests: Ivana Ciric - Director of Product, Practice at Thoughtworks Jose Platero - Director of Product & Design at Air Canada