In their latest book, All Hands on Tech, Babson College Professor Tom Davenport and automation pioneer Ian Barkin explore how citizen development is transforming the workplace. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High interviews Tom and Ian about the core concepts of their book, covering the rise of citizen developers, the role of governance frameworks, and real-world case studies that demonstrate the impact of democratizing technology.

Highlights include:

• Citizen Development: Tom and Ian define citizen development as the democratization of IT, allowing non-technical employees to create applications and automations, empowering them to drive meaningful change within their organizations.
• Digital Transformation: They explain why citizen development is a critical ingredient in digital transformation, providing organizations with the agility to respond faster and innovate continuously.
• 4G Framework for Governance: The 4G Framework—Genesis, Governance, Guidance, Guardrails—offers a structure for responsibly supporting citizen development, ensuring scalability and mitigating technical debt.
• Amtrak and Shell Case Studies: The authors share insights from Amtrak’s individual-led development and Shell’s structured DIY movement as examples of successful grassroots innovation.
• Generative AI & Low-Code Tools: Tools like Microsoft’s Power Platform and generative AI enable non-technical users to develop software and solutions, fostering a culture of innovation from all levels within an organization.

Future of Work and Citizen Development: Tom and Ian discuss the future of work, where employees with domain expertise play an increasing role in technology initiatives, bridging gaps between IT and business for collaborative innovation.

922: Artificial intelligence has enabled software developers to significantly boost productivity by automating tedious tasks and improving code quality across complex projects. In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High speaks with Scott Dietzen, CEO of Augment, about how Augment’s AI platform is changing how software teams collaborate, making it easier for developers to work efficiently and creatively. Scott shares how Augment’s AI sets itself apart by deeply understanding the codebase and architecture of each team, providing tailored support beyond coding tools from the tech giants.

Highlights include:

• Codebase Intelligence and Team Collaboration: Scott explains how Augment’s AI goes beyond generating code; it learns from your team’s specific codebase and workflows, fostering enhanced collaboration and efficiency.
• Competing with Microsoft: The discussion dives into Augment’s strategy for taking on Microsoft Copilot, emphasizing specialized AI that deeply understands complex code repositories, enabling faster problem-solving and greater project continuity.
• Productivity Gains and ROI: Scott shares examples of customers who have doubled their productivity and reduced their software backlogs, demonstrating the strong ROI and value Augment delivers to enterprises.
• Human-AI Collaboration: Scott reflects on the future of software engineering, highlighting how Augment’s approach is about augmenting human capabilities rather than replacing them, giving developers more freedom to focus on creative problem-solving.
• The Future of AI in Software Development: Scott offers insights into the potential for AI to reshape the software development landscape, emphasizing the importance of continued innovation and specialization to stay ahead of industry giants.

921: Picking up a rental car is often the final step in a traveler’s journey, making it a pivotal moment where technology can transform the customer’s overall experience. In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High interviews Ravi Simhambhatla, Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at Avis Budget Group, about his approach to driving digital transformation and customer-centric innovation within a global car rental company. Ravi shares how he and his team are enhancing every touchpoint of the customer journey through AI-driven self-service tools, dynamic pricing, and real-time personalization.

Highlights include:

• Customer-Centric Digital Transformation: Ravi discusses the modernization efforts underway at Avis Budget Group, including a focus on cloud migration and the integration of AI to create frictionless customer experiences.
• Dynamic Pricing and Personalization: Using data-driven insights, Avis Budget Group tailors offers to individual customer profiles, aiming to maximize satisfaction and optimize revenue through strategic dynamic pricing.
• Generative AI in Operations: Ravi describes how AI-based damage detection and chatbots for customer support improve efficiency and transparency, reducing customer disputes and response times.
• Autonomous Vehicles and Future Innovation: Ravi shares his vision for autonomous vehicles in car rentals, detailing a future where customers can seamlessly locate and receive their vehicles upon arrival at airports, further enhancing convenience.
• Employee Enablement: Emphasizing the value of frontline employees, Ravi highlights efforts to equip staff with tools that enhance their ability to serve customers efficiently, ensuring customer satisfaction from arrival to vehicle return.

Ulta Beauty has positioned itself as an industry leader by merging in-store and digital experiences for a seamless, personalized customer experience. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High speaks with Ulta Beauty’s Chief Technology and Information Officer Mike Maresca on the company’s digital transformation, cloud expansion, and omni-centric strategy. Mike shares insights on how Ulta’s GlamLab enables virtual try-ons and how data and AI drive hyper-personalization for Ulta’s 44 million loyalty members.

Highlights include:

• Digital Transformation and Omni-Centric Strategy: Mike shares how Ulta Beauty is investing in multi-cloud infrastructure and agile development to build a connected experience across online and in-store channels.
• Hyper-Personalization Through Data and AI: Ulta’s approach to creating personalized customer experiences leverages a modern data platform, enabling customized product recommendations, loyalty rewards, and shopping experiences.
• GlamLab and Virtual Try-Ons: Using augmented reality, Ulta’s GlamLab allows customers to try on products virtually, blending digital convenience with a tactile shopping experience.
• Talent and Agile Innovation: Mike emphasizes the importance of fostering a learning culture through Ulta University and empowering fusion teams that bring business, product, and IT closer together.
• Expansion into Mexico: Announcing Ulta Beauty’s international expansion into Mexico in 2025, Mike provides a glimpse into the company’s future growth strategy.
• Automation and Supply Chain Efficiency: Through robotic automation in distribution centers, Ulta is optimizing fulfillment accuracy and scaling to meet seasonal demand, enhancing overall operational efficiency.

919: NYU Stern Professor Aswath Damodaran explains in his latest book, The Corporate Life Cycle, that companies must adapt their strategies and leadership styles to match their stage in the corporate life cycle, whether it’s embracing visionary leaders to drive growth during startup phases or appointing pragmatic managers to steer the company through periods of decline. In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High interviews Aswath about the core concepts of his book, exploring how companies experience growth, maturity, and decline just like humans. He offers insights on aligning leadership styles to different stages of a company’s life cycle and shares examples of companies like Microsoft and Apple that have successfully rejuvenated their growth.

Highlights include:

• The Corporate Life Cycle: Aswath breaks down the stages of business aging, comparing them to human life and outlining the strategic adjustments companies need at each phase to stay competitive.
• Leadership Evolution: The discussion covers the importance of adapting leadership styles according to the company’s life cycle stage—visionaries for startups, business builders for expansion, and pragmatic leaders for firms facing decline.
• Reincarnation of Companies: Rare cases like Microsoft and Apple illustrate how some companies reverse aging through leadership changes, organic growth, and strategic acceptance rather than relying on acquisitions.
• Valuation and Storytelling: Aswath emphasizes the need to integrate financial modeling with a compelling narrative to give deeper meaning to valuation metrics.
• Scaling Challenges in Modern Business: The conversation highlights the rapid rise and fall of companies like Yahoo and Uber, showcasing the difficulties of scaling quickly without establishing a sustainable business model.
• Active vs. Passive Investing: Aswath discusses why active investing yields diminishing returns in today’s data-rich environment, as passive investing gains popularity and market share.
• AI’s Role in Business: The episode explores Microsoft’s strategic investment in OpenAI, underscoring the mix of strategy and luck that fuels success in the AI-driven economy.

To create stronger alignment between technology and business objectives, farm-to-fork cooperative Land O’Lakes is embracing Fusion Teams, which combine deep technical expertise with business insights to anticipate needs, innovate faster, and deliver more tailored solutions. In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High interviews Land O’Lakes CTO Teddy Bekele about the critical role technology plays in driving both innovation and operational alignment within the company’s cooperative model. Teddy shares how Land O’Lakes is transforming its operations through Agile practices, Fusion Teams, and AI-driven decision-making, all while fostering sustainability and growth across its diverse business units, including smarter farming and enhanced supply chain management.

In his newest book, This is Strategy, renowned author and marketing thought leader Seth Godin provides a detailed framework for developing an effective strategy and challenges the way strategy is approached across industries. In this episode, Peter High sits down with Seth to explore the critical difference between strategy and tactics, offering practical insights into how individuals and organizations can craft strategies that stand the test of time. Seth emphasizes the importance of simplicity, demonstrating how profound strategies can be communicated in clear, memorable terms. Seth also dives into the growing role of AI in strategic thinking, sharing his experience with tools like Claude to challenge assumptions and refine strategies. Additionally, he discusses the necessity of empathy in leadership and the importance of embracing change and constraints to fuel innovation. Whether you’re a business leader, entrepreneur, or simply curious about the future of strategy in an AI-driven world, this episode offers actionable insights to help you navigate the complexities of modern leadership.

The ways customers interact with retailers and other organizations have vastly changed in recent years, and the pet care industry is no different, leveraging technology to deliver personalized, efficient experiences for pet parents. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High interviews Greg Fancher, Executive Vice President of IT and Chief Information Technology Officer of PetSmart. Greg discusses PetSmart’s ongoing digital transformation, which has included a shift from a distribution center-focused model to store-based e-commerce fulfillment, improving speed and efficiency for customers. He also shares insights into re-platforming PetSmart’s systems to use microservices, enabling faster innovation, and the company’s strategic use of AI for optimizing operations like pick path efficiency and personalized marketing. Greg provides an inside look at the company’s efforts to enhance its omnichannel retail strategy, including cloud-based booking for pet services and real-time inventory visibility. Lastly, Greg highlights the importance of leadership restructuring and portfolio management in aligning technology investments with business goals and discusses his excitement for future technologies like quantum computing and their potential impact on security.

915: Consumer insights are the lifeblood of any company, enabling them to optimize product availability, personalize marketing, and enhance customer experiences through direct-to-consumer channels and loyalty programs. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High interviews John Gigerich, Chief Information Officer of Keurig Dr Pepper. John shares insights into the 2018 merger between Keurig and Dr Pepper, which created a beverage powerhouse, and discusses his role in integrating the companies’ IT systems while ensuring cybersecurity. He elaborates on Keurig Dr Pepper’s digital transformation journey, covering cloud migration, intelligent automation tools like RPA and AI, and the company’s data-driven approach to consumer insights that optimize product offerings and marketing strategies. John also provides a fascinating look into the company’s supply chain optimization initiatives and the role of the digital value chain. Finally, he highlights the importance of ROI in IT investments and shares his excitement for AI and data-driven innovation at KDP.

914: The shift towards cloud computing has accelerated with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), and venture capital firms like Bessemer Venture Partners have taken notice. In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High interviews Mary D’Onofrio, partner at Bessemer, who leads investments in cloud software and emerging technologies. Mary discusses her journey into venture capital, Bessemer’s Cloud Index, and the State of the Cloud reports, while highlighting how AI is transforming the cloud landscape. She also shares insights into the “five Cs of cloud finance” and the importance of customer feedback in shaping investment decisions. 

913: In this episode of Technovation, host Peter High interviews Aaron Gwinner, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Reynolds American. Aaron discusses the company’s ambitious goal to reduce the health impact of its products by transitioning customers away from traditional cigarettes to lower-risk alternatives like vaping. He explains how technology plays a critical role in this transformation, including a significant cloud migration effort aimed at centralizing data and improving operational efficiency. Aaron also shares insights on the evolving challenges of cybersecurity and the potential of generative AI to improve employee productivity and supply chain management. Drawing on over two decades of experience at The Coca-Cola Company, Aaron reflects on how his international career has informed his approach to leadership at Reynolds American. Tune in to hear more about Reynolds American’s digital transformation, its mission to build a better tomorrow, and the key role of IT in achieving this vision.