In this Advocate-only special, Lauren is joined by fellow team members, Earl Duque and Laszlo Balla, to dive deep into the big, upcoming month-long event: HACKTOBERFEST! From the history of ServiceNow's involvement to what participants can expect this year, they covered everything in detail in hopes that you will take to your keyboard and join in on the fun.

⏱️ Timestamps 

• 00:00 Introduction
• 00:59 What is Hacktoberfest?
• 03:06 What is the advantage of developing open source applications?
• 06:12 What is ServiceNow's history with Hacktoberfest?
• 09:52 What can Hacktoberfest participants expect?
• 14:07 What should Hacktoberfest participants learn beforehand?
• 17:52 What projects can participants collaborate on this year?
• 23:59 Can someone start participating after October 1st?
• 25:33 What dictates "completing" Hacktoberfest?
• 27:28 What are the rewards for completing Hacktoberfest 2025? 
• 29:36 What are common mistakes for beginners to avoid?
• 35:48 What are 3 steps to take prior to starting Hacktoberfest?
• 36:56 How can participants stay connected with one another?
• 38:22 Conclusion

🔗 Links

• ServiceNow Hacktoberfest 2025 Blog
• ServiceNow Hacktoberfest 2024 Retrospective Blog
• Digital Ocean Hacktoberfest Home
• The ServiceNow World Forums
• The ServiceNow Developer Site
• The Developer Advocate Blog

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Dr. Alaina Beaver, ServiceNow's Global Head of Accessibility, is our guest on the podcast to discuss the latest developments in accessibility. Dr. Beaver explains that the world of accessibility is constantly evolving, and it's not a one-time task, but rather an ongoing process. She highlights that ServiceNow has made significant progress in accessibility, particularly with regards to conformance standards.

Publicly, ServiceNow has committed to aligning with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA, the most stringent guidelines globally for accessibility conformance. This is an upgrade from the previous standard, WCAG 2.1 AA, which is still adhered to by many legislations worldwide. Dr. Beaver notes that the new standard, WCAG 2.2 AA, was released recently, and it will take time for legislation to catch up.

More about accessibility at ServiceNow –
https://www.servicenow.com/accessibility-statement.html

To see ServiceNow’s Accessibility Tools in action -
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCOmiTb5WX3q5qCG_QqYip2IZrvao7Bwp

Guest – Dr. Alaina Beaver, Global Head of Accessibility at ServiceNow

Host – Bobby Brill

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:21 Understanding the Importance of Accessibility
00:55 What's New in Accessibility Standards
02:16 ServiceNow's Commitment to WCAG 2.2
04:11 Navigating the Transition to WCAG 2.2
09:12 Legislation and Global Standards
13:13 AI and Voice Input for Accessibility
16:01 Text Adjust: Enhancing Readability
19:31 AI Model Accessibility Checker
22:15 Wrap Up

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Welcome to Break Point: the ServiceNow Developer Podcast! Join host, Lauren McManamon, and guest, Hardit Singh, as they dive into ServiceNow’s Rising Star program - how it supports new contributors, builds community, and opens doors to future MVP recognition. Hardit shares his journey from early content creation to becoming a Rising Star, along with practical advice for anyone looking to give back and grow their career. With the 2025 class of Rising Stars officially announced, this episode is the best way to prepare yourself for next year's application cycle if that has become a goal.

⏱️ Timestamps

• 00:00 Introduction
• 06:53 What IS ServiceNow's Rising Star Program?
• 08:56 Where Was Hardit In His Career When He Made Rising Star?
• 10:13 What Are the Privileges of the Rising Star Program?
• 13:23 What Kind Being a Rising Star Done For Hardit's Career Trajectory? 
• 15:15 Has the Proximity to Internal ServiceNow Resources Helped Being a Better Community Member? 
• 16:39 What Are the Social Benefits to Being a Rising Star?
• 18:37 Have There Been Mentorship Opportunity As a Rising Star?
• 19:53 How Can One Prepare For the 2026 Rising Star Application Cycle? 
• 25:05 Advice For Those Hesitant to Put Themselves Out There
• 27:55 Advice For Dealing With Valid Negative Feedback and Trolls
• 34:07 Final Words of Wisdom / Challenges For Potential Applicants
• 41:19 Closing

🔗 Links

• Hardit's YouTube Channel
• 2025 Rising Star Class
• ServiceNow World Forums
• ServiceNow Developer Site
• Developer Advocate Blog

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the real difference between innovation and transformation—and why do so many leaders get it wrong? 🤔

In this episode, Kat and Pete break it down with simple analogies (including The Wizard of Oz 👠), real-world examples like Kodak, Netflix, and Uber, and a few laughs about gym memberships and ruby slippers along the way.

Key insights you’ll learn:

💡 Why innovation = new ways of doing things (products, services, customer experience) 
💡 Why transformation = the cultural, process, and technology shifts that make innovation stick
💡 The dangers of “innovation without transformation” (and vice versa) 
💡 Practical tips for executives: how to measure success, empower people, and balance both for sustainable growth

Whether you’re a CEO, business leader, or transformation strategist, this conversation will help you rethink how to drive change, embrace AI, and build future-ready organizations.

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Hosted by ServiceNow's human agents: Peter McDonnell, Chief Transformation Officer and Katrina Read, Director of Transformation APJ

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Exploring UXR at ServiceNow: Enhancing AI Control and ServiceNow University

In this episode, we delve into the realm of User Experience Research (UXR) at ServiceNow with guests Jesse Livingston, Eric Liu, and Tori Morrison. Eric Liu discusses the advancements and challenges in AI governance and the development of AI Control Tower to help companies manage their AI assets responsibly. Tori Morrison introduces ServiceNow University and its focused approach on enabling users to develop specific skills through personalized learning pathways and innovative tools like conversational AI chat. The episode highlights ServiceNow's commitment to integrating customer feedback into product development and providing robust learning resources to enhance user experiences.

For more information, please read Anand Tharanathan's Article: https://www.servicenow.com/community/in-other-news/how-customer-insights-shaped-servicenow-university-and-ai/ba-p/3317295

And to check out the Product Lab: https://servicenowproductlab.com/

On this episode -

Eric Liu: Sr. Staff UX Researcher, AI/ML
Tori Morrison: Senior UX Researcher
Jesse Livingston: Research Communication Manager
Bobby Brill: Host

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests

00:27 Understanding User Experience Research (UXR)

02:32 Introducing Eric Leo and AI Control Tower

06:44 Challenges and Solutions in AI Governance

12:23 ServiceNow University: Empowering Users

17:40 Personalization and Gamification in Learning

22:42 Conclusion and Further Resources

 

ServiceNow Training and Certification: http://www.servicenow.com/services/training-and-certification.html

ServiceNow Community: https://community.servicenow.com/community

For general information about ServiceNow, visit: http://www.servicenow.com

 

 

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In this solo episode, Lauren shares a practical crash course on getting started with content creation as a ServiceNow developer. From choosing your audience and generating ideas to scripting, recording, editing, and promotion, she breaks down simple, low-cost strategies to help you create engaging, consistent content. 

⏱️ Timestamps

• 00:00 Introduction
• 03:27 Part 1 - Ideation
• 09:44 Part 2 - Construction
• 16:12 Part 3 - Recording
• 21:39 Part 4 - Editing
• 33:41 Part 5 - Promotion
• 37:14 Conclusion

🔗 Links 

• World Forums Registration 
• The ServiceNow Developer Site
• The Developer Advocate Blog

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we think about digital transformation, most people picture engineers, coders, or the CIO. But the real heroes often sit outside of IT - people like Becky in Finance, HR leaders, procurement teams, and legal advisors.

In this episode, Kat and Pete dive into why transformation only sticks when organisations empower these unsung heroes. From employee experience to automation, self-service, and AI, we explore how everyday change agents are driving sustainable innovation.

👉 What you’ll learn:

• Why transformation is enterprise-wide - not just IT’s job

• How HR and finance are shaping employee experience and business outcomes

• The power of self-service and AI to unlock capacity for teams

• How to measure impact and sustain change beyond phase one

• Why recognising and empowering your “Beckys” is critical to success

Whether you’re in finance, HR, legal, or IT, this conversation shows how transformation is about people first, technology second.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Governing AI – Welcome to AI Control Tower
Episode Overview 

Governance accelerates AI success. Control enables innovation. In this premiere episode, we explore how ServiceNow governs AI at scale through AI Control Tower, a groundbreaking solution that transforms how enterprises manage their artificial intelligence landscape. 

Host Bobby Brill brings together three visionary leaders. They reveal the hidden AI sprawl within enterprises. They expose the risks. And they illuminate a path forward - one where governance and innovation dance in perfect harmony, where control mechanisms become the very foundation of sustainable AI transformation. 

The Conversation
AI is everywhere. Sometimes visible, often hidden, always expanding. Our experts navigate the complex terrain of enterprise AI governance, from shadow AI implementations that operate beyond IT oversight to the regulatory frameworks demanding immediate attention. Ravi Krishnamurthy, Vice President of Product Management for AI Platform and Responsible AI, unveils AI Control Tower—a solution that brings clarity to chaos. Sampada Chavan, Senior Principal Product Manager, demonstrates how regulatory compliance becomes achievable through systematic governance. Peter Weigt, Sr. Director of Inbound Product Management for Responsible AI, challenges conventional thinking about the innovation paradox and reveals governance as the strategic enabler organizations desperately need. 

Discovery meets responsibility. Compliance meets creativity. Control meets capability. 

 

Expert Panel 

Ravi Krishnamurthy | Vice President of Product Management, AI Platform and Responsible AI 

Sampada Chavan | Senior Principal Product Manager, AI Control Tower 

Peter Weigt | Sr. Director, Inbound Product Management, Responsible AI 

Host: Bobby Brill 

 

00:00 Introduction to Governing AI at Scale 

00:31 Meet the Experts 

00:54 Hidden AI in Your Enterprise 

02:56 Discovery and Responsible AI Practices 

11:28 The Innovation Paradox 

14:59 AI Control Tower and Governance 

19:42 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 

 

Links to AICT deep-dive blogs: 

https://www.servicenow.com/community/now-assist-articles/part-0-our-journey-to-the-ai-control-tower-nbsp/ta-p/3280295 

https://www.servicenow.com/community/now-assist-articles/part-1-the-gathering-storm-ai-s-rising-tension-nbsp/ta-p/3280309 

https://www.servicenow.com/community/now-assist-articles/part-2-the-architecture-of-control-building-the-ai-control-tower/ta-p/3344257 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Kat and Pete take to the Melbourne office golf course to discuss four game-changing shifts in how organisations are thinking about the role of technology - because nothing says “serious business” like holding a putter while talking about AI.

In between questionable golf swings and champagne references, they share real stories from the field, ideas that might just blow up your old playbook, and a few jokes that should probably have been left in the clubhouse.

⛳️ If you’re still playing by the old rules, this is your official intervention.

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In this episode, get introduced to ServiceNow's latest offering, Horizon, the source of truth for experience design at ServiceNow, empowering creators to design better enterprise experiences. Joining the conversation are Brian Zaik and AJ Siegel from ServiceNow, who share their insights and experiences with this innovative design system. They discuss Horizon's role as a central resource for designing experiences on the ServiceNow AI platform, making it easier for both seasoned designers and those new to the field.

Brian elaborates on the significance of Horizon as a single destination for all things related to UX design within the ServiceNow ecosystem. He explains how Horizon simplifies the process of creating workflows and applications by offering detailed documentation and interactive examples. AJ adds to the discussion by emphasizing the platform's capacity to enhance user experience and productivity, reflecting on his decade-long journey at ServiceNow and the evolution in UX priorities.

The episode also covers how Horizon integrates AI capabilities into design strategies, providing a resource that remains updated with the latest trends and best practices. Brian and AJ discuss the expected future developments and additional resources that will be added to Horizon, ensuring it stays at the cutting edge of design and technology. Whether you're a developer, designer, or ServiceNow partner, this episode offers valuable insights into leveraging Horizon to create impactful and user-friendly solutions.

Find out more about Horizon - https://horizon.servicenow.com/
Watch on YouTube 

Guests:
Brian Zaik - Principal Inbound Product Manager, Design System
AJ Siegel - Director, Design Enablement Strategy

Host: Bobby Brill

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introductions
01:37 What is Horizon?
04:07 The Importance of UX in ServiceNow
06:02 Design Systems and Their Impact
12:37 AI Integration in Horizon
22:29 Future Developments and Roadmap
26:58 Wrap up

 

 

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