Welcome back to The Visionary’s Guide to the Digital Future, which features Paul Lima interviewing Kirk Materne, Senior Managing Director of Software Equity Research at Evercore. The conversation revolves around the evolving role of data, innovation in software, and the challenges organizations face in adopting new technologies such as generative AI (Gen AI).

Key Takeaways

1. Evercore's Role:

- Evercore specializes in mergers and acquisitions and equity research. Materne leads software research, covering major tech firms like Salesforce, Adobe, and Microsoft.

- They focus on providing strategic insights by analyzing both quantitative financial data and qualitative elements like earnings call transcripts.

2. The Role of Data:

- Data is seen as a strategic asset driving business decisions. Organizations need to leverage first-party data to improve customer engagement, efficiency, and innovation.

- The increasing availability and analysis of data have changed the pace of decision-making, with financial markets demanding near-instant insights post-earnings reports.

3. Gen AI and Business Transformation:

- Companies are in the early stages of integrating generative AI into operations. The key challenges are balancing innovation with data security, privacy, and clear ROI.

- There’s a need for scalable, industry-specific Gen AI solutions, with broader adoption expected by 2025-2026.

4. Software Industry Trends:

- Larger companies are well-positioned to capitalize on trends like Gen AI due to their scale, resources, and ability to invest heavily. But opportunities for smaller companies are readily available and may lead to more innovation.

- Consolidation is increasing, with companies seeking fewer but more comprehensive vendor solutions.

5. Innovation vs. Operational Excellence:

- Organizations face a tension between optimizing current processes and pursuing transformative business model innovation. Materne highlights the importance of empowering teams while maintaining compliance and governance.

6. Emerging Business Models:

- Many industries, including traditional ones like manufacturing, are adopting software-like recurring revenue models, showcasing how data and digital tools are reshaping business strategies.

The discussion emphasizes the interplay between data, software, and hardware innovations, as well as the leadership required to navigate these changes effectively. Materne concludes with insights on the importance of curiosity and the evolving landscape of enterprise software.

Quotes

20:13 "The democratization of data and the insights it provides enables smaller businesses to compete with larger players, leveling the playing field in customer engagement."

36:42 "The companies that succeed are the ones empowering their employees with tools that let them better understand and serve customers, leveraging data to drive these improvements."

45:40 "The importance of first-party data is pretty apparent to most companies at this point in time. Understanding what your customers want and need is critical for better interactions and outcomes."

48:02 "A small business could ask, 'Who are the 10 customers I should send an email to with a 10% discount?' That’s an example of how data can drive personalized engagement and business growth."

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Welcome back to The Visionary’s Guide to the Digital Future, where today we explore the innovative world of Decision Intelligence (DI).

DI has long been recognized as a leading technology trend, with reports indicating that over a third of large organizations have embraced it. Some experts even consider DI as the next evolutionary phase of AI.

Numerous software vendors now offer DI solutions, enabling organizations to implement evidence-based and data-driven decision strategies. However, practical guidance on formalizing decision-making and integrating decisions with data has been limited until now.

In our podcast, we have the pleasure of hosting Lorien Pratt, Ph.D., the inventor of decision intelligence and author of The Decision Intelligence Handbook, set to release in August. 

This comprehensive guide presents a step-by-step method for integrating new technologies into decision-making and bridging the connected series of decisions with desired outcomes. 

Lorien is the esteemed author of Link, a groundbreaking book that illuminates the profound connections between data, actions, and outcomes with a vision for a better world.

With four decades of experience in developing machine learning models, Lorien's expertise has been instrumental in major applications, including ChatGPT. Her insights have been featured in two TED talks, and she is a sought-after speaker for national radio and television appearances, keynotes, webinars, and videos. What truly sets Lorien apart is her remarkable talent for simplifying complex concepts. 

Discover how decision-makers can leverage data to achieve specific business outcomes, inform policy decisions, and even address societal issues like diseases by mapping the cause-and-effect relationships within data.

Tune in to see Lorien unveil the magic of decision intelligence.

Key Takeaways:

• Who is Lorien Pratt (00:00)
• Lorien’s experience with the Human Genome Project (05:18)
• Digital transformation and the role of machine learning (07:45)
• What is Decision Intelligence? (14:13)
• What is a causal decision diagram? (20:43)
• The process of creating a causal diagram (26:52)
• The first thing senior executives should do to leverage tech (32:46)
• How to engage with Lorien to take advantage of decision intelligence (44:41)
• Top-of-mind episode wrap-up - Lorien’s 5 immediate thoughts (45:45)

Quotes:

“Decision intelligence is about taking this giant tech stack and fitting it into your business outcomes in your business actions.” - Lorien Pratt (16:27 - 17:00)

“If we think of design thinking as starting with the end user in mind, and understanding their reality and their context, then decision intelligence is design thinking methodology and technology that allows you to work better with data and AI.” - Lorien Pratt (18:00 - 18:33)

“If you're a data person or technologist or a consultant, you need to meet people where they are. Through years of interviews and experience, I've discovered that senior executives are driven by outcomes and incentives. By understanding their strategic goals and speaking their language, we can empathize and connect with them in a meaningful way.” - Lorien Pratt (29:34 - 30:15)

“People make like 10,000 decisions a day, and only a tiny fraction of them will ever be informed by tech or informed by decision intelligence. So simply having a crisp and clear alignment of where you're aiming for is so foundational… And in my world, so rarely done.” - Lorien Pratt (29:34 - 30:15)

Additional resources:

Check out Lorien‘s books:

👉 The Decision Intelligence Handbook 

👉 Link | How Decision Intelligence Connects Data, Actions, and Outcomes for a Better World 

👉 Sign up for Lorien‘s course 

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Welcome back to The Visionary's Guide to the Digital Future, where we delve into the most recent insights on data leveraging, emerging technologies, and predictions for the digital future. 

In this episode's three segments, we explore the realm of generative models such as ChatGPT, discuss how to utilize the potential of data, break down the data maturity model, and offer real-life examples to assist senior leaders in harnessing its value.

ChatGPT and other generative models have revolutionized the way we access information from vast libraries of data, but determining the source of information and its accuracy is becoming a pressing issue.

While some debate who should be allowed to use these tools, the more important question is how we can trust the information generated by them.

In our Quick Hit segment, we dive deep into the data maturity model and its five stages. We explore how organizations can progress through the continuum of data maturity to unlock the power and potential of their data.

Finally, in our Decision Makers' Advantage part, we'll be exploring a case study on how one company monetized the data readiness maturity model to create winning customer experiences. 

During the journey of a fictitious company called Tech X, you’ll see how investing in digital fitness can advance the customer experience at scale.

Join us for this insightful and informative episode. Don't miss out on the opportunity to stay up-to-date with the latest digital strategy trends and gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Key Takeaways:

• Intro (00:00)
• The Digital Pulse: Why ChatGPT is turning digital future upside down - vital stats (01:21)
• What GPT stands for (03:56)
• The digital card catalog model vs. a tool that provides THE answer (08:06)
• The ability to ask a question - more important than ever (13:12)
• What is the next stage of maturity for machine learning? (15:41)
• How can educators use ChatGPT and apply countermeasures? (22:26)
• The Quick Hit: The five stages of the data maturity model (31:22)
• #1 The descriptive stage (33:13)
• #2 The diagnostic stage (37:37)
• #3 The predictive stage (42:22)
• #4 The prescriptive (50:42)
• #5 The cognitive (54:36)
• The Decision-Makers Advantage: Digital maturity - a real-life example (01:00:04)
• A comedy of errors that could have been avoided (01:01:42)
• When a company doesn’t understand the value of its data (01:08:17)
• CRM solution - the power of digital transformation (01:10:25)
• Marketing’s contribution to sales (01:16:00)
• Data powers decisions - summary (01:19:43)

Quotes:

“The superpower that educators should teach, innovators should aspire to, and leaders should inspire is encouraging us to ask better questions.” - Paul Lima (13:37 - 14:21)

“Innovation doesn't mean the same thing as invention ... It's essentially the difference between creation and application. A similar analogy could be set of knowledge and wisdom - to know and to do.” - Paul Lima (16:59 - 17:24)

“The next phase of maturity will happen when the machine intelligence begins to develop answers and research questions that have yet to be asked by us.” - Paul Lima (17:25 - 18:19)

“Generative models are here to stay - everybody will be using them soon. However, just as in the craft of espionage, the question is how receivers of the information can determine its source and whether they can trust what it says.” - Paul Lima (25:02-26:00)

“We shouldn't be modeling behavior that we fear innovation (such as ChatGPT and other AI tools). To make a better digital future, we shouldn't arrest change. … The change is happening anyway, so let's make sure that we're not on the wrong side of history on this one.” - Paul Lima (30:19 - 31:24)

“Data has to be processed to give it context. And with that context, it's no longer a raw commodity. It becomes something more valuable - information.” - Paul Lima (44:03 - 44:13)

“The most powerful weapon on an Abrams tank isn't the 120-millimeter smoothbore cannon. It's the engine. And it's the same thing with data - it's not about all the features in these tools. It's about the data that goes into it. That's the secret sauce of all these programmatic tools.” - Paul Lima (52:26 - 52:44)

“Data maturity isn't just dashboards and analytics. It powers winning customer experiences.” - Paul Lima (01:20:15 - 01:21:11)

Additional resources:

➡️ Check out Ray Kurzweil's 1965 appearance on “I’ve Got a Secret”

➡️ Share the market capitalization infographic

➡️ Check out our website 

🎧 Follow our podcast 

Share your feedback with us and follow us on social media:

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👉 Twitter 

👉 LinkedIn 

👉 Facebook 

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Welcome to The Visionary’s Guide to the Digital Future podcast, hosted by Paul Lima, the Managing Partner at Lima Consulting Group.

This podcast is for the visionaries of today who are charged with creating the digital experiences of tomorrow. It’s an indispensable resource for digital transformation leaders and offers insights on the latest industry news and practical strategies that will help you create winning customer experiences.

Each episode features three segments:

Digital Pulse - provides leadership perspectives and insider insights on industry news

Quick Hit - provides practical training to help keep you fresh and current with the strategies and techniques needed to lead your staff and create winning customer experiences.

Decision-Makers Advantage - discusses topics with industry veterans to unlock professional judgment and help accelerate business objectives.

Our first season is all about data.

On Digital Pulse, we explore the Adobe acquisition of Figma and why it will take decades to return on the investment for investors.

On The Quick Hit, we explore the impact that data is having in our society, our companies, and even in our 401 Ks.

In The Decision Makers Advantage segment, we're talking about transitions of power from oil to data.

Around 2016, big oil lost its crown to companies whose underlying value is measured in the size of their database. The powerful analogy between oil and data helps Paul illustrate the power of data in the digital revolution, how organizations can leverage data to improve decision-making, and the refining process of data governance.

He also shares a cautionary tale that is a recurring theme about investing in innovations and the roadblocks innovators encounter, using the shocking example of JP Morgan's own father the night that electricity was first installed in a private residence. It’s a shocking story (pun intended)!

Join us for practical insights and expert perspectives on using data. Let’s pave the way to the digital future together!

Key Takeaways:

• Who we are (00:00)
• Introducing the 3 Segments of our Show (00:30)
• The Digital Pulse: The Adobe acquisition of Figma - vital stats (02:31)
• Why did Adobe overpay? (04:10)
• The Quick Hit: Data impact (07:06)
• The oil industry and the transition of power (08:41)
• An shift in market cap from oil to data (09:25)
• How the value of the data should be treated (11:14)
• The Decision-Makers Advantage: Transitions of power from oil to data (13:05)
• A recurring tale about investing in innovations (13:54)
• How the industrial tycoons protected their monopolies (16:11)
• How data fuels decision-making (19:26)
• Creating value from data in the future (21:31)
• The definition of data (22:11)
• The ethics related to data (22:25)
• Why every industry is now in Information Science (22:55)
• The ways your organization can use data to add value (23:10)
• The cautionary tale for digital visionaries (24:42)

Quotes:

“Data is greater in value than all but one asset. And it's always more valuable than cash.” - Paul Lima (11:32 - 12:06)

“Data should be treated as the valuable asset that it is. Indeed, it's the core asset for why the new titans of industry dethroned Big Oil.” - Paul Lima (12:40 - 12:53)

“John D. Rockefeller, considered by most as the wealthiest person in history, was about twice as rich as Elon Musk. But in terms of the maturity cycle of data, we are still in the early innings. This means there is significant potential for growth in companies that monetize data.” - Paul Lima (13:23 - 13:46)

“If Junius Spencer Morgan, who was JPS's own father, couldn't recognize the value of electricity, why do you think your board of directors will value your digital transformation initiative?” - Paul Lima (14:51 - 15:10)

“Oil powers machines. It powered the first three industrial revolutions. And data powers decisions - it powers the digital revolution.” - Paul Lima (19:30 - 19:58)

“In order to power a machine, oil is refined. Similarly, in order to power a decision, data needs to be refined.” - Paul Lima (21:09 - 21:30)

Contributors:

Paul Lima - host

Hunter Speakman - Research Assistant

Lazaro Cabanas - Social Media Manager

Yolanda Salgado - Project Manager

Mariana Uribe - Graphic Design

Nic Musolino - Graphic Design

Lorena Lima - Video and Pre-Production Engineer

Virginia Lima - Editor

Mariana Mina - Podcast Producer

Bill Good - Executive Producer

Araceli Guenther - Advisor

Additional resources:

➡️ Check out our website: https://www.limaconsulting.com/

🎧 Follow our podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/TheVisionarysGuide  

Share your feedback with us and follow us on social media:

👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LimaConsultingGroup 

👉 Twitter: https://twitter.com/LimaConsulting 

👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/limaconsulting 

👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LimaConsulting 

📧 Email me at [email protected] 

If the best way to predict the future is to invent it, then let's get you ready to do just that.

Welcome to the podcast! My name is Paul Lima, and I'll be your host.

I'm so happy that you're here with us.

This podcast is created for the visionaries of today, who are charged with creating the digital experiences of tomorrow.

Join me as I break down the leading trends of the digital world, as well as share intricate insights on strategy, data science, business intelligence, digital marketing, and technology to help you lead the digital transformation of your organization.

Hope to see you soon!