In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Makoto Kern of IIIMPACT, about bridging business goals with cutting-edge technology and creating user-centric solutions in high-stakes environments.

How do you balance speed, user experience, and AI adoption when launching new digital products? -Get the insights in this SEE BEYOND #54 episode!

Key Takeaways:

From Robotics to UX Leadership – Makoto shared his journey from engineering and lean manufacturing to building a consultancy that accelerates enterprise software delivery.

The Triple Pillar Approach – Success in digital transformation requires alignment across business, users, and development.

AI Adoption & The “Competence Mirage” – AI is a powerful force multiplier, but it won’t replace experienced teams. Companies must avoid the illusion that AI alone solves everything.

Enterprise UX Revolution – Many organizations still build software like houses without asking what users want. Makoto’s “cheat codes” emphasize early alignment, rapid prototyping, and continuous feedback.

Future Outlook – Expect faster innovation cycles, AI-driven tools, and even physical robots reshaping industries. Education must adapt to teach critical thinking and AI fluency.

Makoto’s advice for leaders: “Speed and direction matter. If you stop innovating or ignore user experience, you’ll be left behind.”

/Mika Tienhaara, See Beyond host and producer

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikatienhaara.substack.com

What about lean and leadership - and where do you start when to develop your people and teams, what about yourself?

Here is an insightful discussion with coach George, who has been evolving to where he is now with developing individuals and teams to achieve breakthrough results.

Go to his website:

https://georgetrachilis.com/

to learn more and access the downloads.

And thank you George for this vivid and fun discussion!

/Mika

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikatienhaara.substack.com

In this episode we move to the Silicon Valley, to listen to the co-founder and CEO of the robot orchestration scale-up InOrbit. What is moving in the world of making robots work efficiently together - this episode, which will also be made into a visual separately, gives some exciting insights and thoughts into the industrial applications and physical AI with the insights of Florian. In addition, InOrbit has more news, in terms of just having closed a funding round!

/Mika

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikatienhaara.substack.com

It was very interesting to get the insights and views of Peter concerning the automotive industry, around the ongoing three storms. How do we manage the industrial challenges in Scandinavia and Europe, how do we make ourselves attractive and competitive?

/Mika

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikatienhaara.substack.com

A great discussion with Robert Widell, sharing his own personal opinions on the transformation and development happening in the heavy transport sector, in terms of powertrains and energy carriers - are we heading towards hydrogen, battery-electric, or does diesel still have a role to play? And what are the regional differences, how is the global competition field looking like? What type of companies will most likely be the future winners?

The “Easter Egg”, for those interested, is a part II, where we discuss our music influences and our own creativity and creation of electronic music, which can be found on my “Im Rhythmus Bleiben” substack forum…

Thank you Robert for joining and sharing your insights!

/Mika Tienhaara

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikatienhaara.substack.com

Yet, another inspiring encounter with the great Sandy Munro, of Munro & Associates, and with their activities in product design, engineering and manufacturing solutions, that has revolutionized industries over decades.

In this episode, we hear Sandy Munro emphasizing the importance of manufacturing, and the profound knowledge it carries, and in a geo-political context of United States, Europe and China in particular. And the wisdoms shared are not few - remarkable to hear about the story with Toyoda-san on “where there is arrogance, there is opportunity” - and much more!

I can recall since the early days of my industrial experiences, as a student doing internships, and working in final assembly of car manufacturing. I learnt so much, and manufacturing and fabrication has been a backbone since then. There were times when arrogance of management, did not allow me to harvest the profound knowledge from manufacturing.

These days, the sentiments are to have a stronger inhouse control of the vertical value chain, it is back to the origins of what Mr. Ford once set up, and mimicked by many founders, CEOs and companies to various success.

A big thank you to Sandy, a giant in the product engineering and manufacturing space, and ready to share own knowledge with others…

/Mika

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikatienhaara.substack.com

Time passes by at close to warp speed, or at least quickly enough…a few years back Matt was a guest in the podcast, and now he is back - as a British GT Champion!

Obviously with a lot more experience under his belt, we talked about racing, and the similarities with entrepreneurship. He actually is both - a true racing driver, but also an entrepreneur. So how do we get past the next bend, and as quickly as possible?

Matt is still pursuing his dream goal… listen to the podcast to learn more and to go fast!

/Mika

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikatienhaara.substack.com

I always enjoy the very engaging and insightful discussions with Eric, a passionate entrepreneur in the carbon capture space. And this podcast interview is no exception! Thank you Eric, for such enjoyable time to discuss how we can accelerate and scale-up carbon capture, both for small and large emitters.

/Mika

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikatienhaara.substack.com

I’ve had the great opportunity to meet and talk with Kenneth Juul many times over the past years, as we are involved in their first carbon capture project Rakkestad here in Norway.

Carbon capture has been a focus on the larger point emitters to lead the way, but is there a path forward for the small emitters to find solutions to decarbonize their operations?

Here at least, is a good example. And what can we do to scale it up - listen to the podcast to learn more.

And thank you Kenneth for the engaging discussion!

/Mika

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikatienhaara.substack.com

…and we continue with Houston, where we left off last time: the 2nd stage is on!

/Mika

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikatienhaara.substack.com