Innovation Heroes

How Design Thinking Drives Innovation

Design-led companies such as Apple, Starbucks, and Airbnb outperform the S&P 500 index by 219%. The question is why?

Today’s guest Paul Stonick -- VP of SCADpro, the Savannah College of Art and Design’s in-house design studio -- says he has the answer.

Paul says this human-centered approach to problem solving unleashes creativity in any organization. Design can solve everything, says Stonick. On the episode, he dives into how to create real change within an organization by developing a culture of test and learn. He outlines the five steps of design thinking and stresses the importance of mapping design back to investment strategies, this being the best way to break through corporate obstructionism.

 

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This episode is brought to you by We Got Your Mac, a new podcast from SHI, exploring the benefits and challenges of large-scale Mac adoption across the enterprise. Check out We Got Your Mac wherever you get podcasts or go to wegotyourmac.com for all the episodes, plus free bonus resources and content.

Innovation Heroes is an SHI podcast. New episodes are now available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Visit https://blog.shi.com/podcasts/.

Bonus Episode: Want to innovate? Listen to We Got Your Mac

We’re taking December off – but don't worry, we’ll be back in January with all new episodes of Innovation Heroes. Happy holidays!

On today’s bonus episode: Ed chats with Victoria Barber, Senior Director of Strategic Insights at SHI, about her new podcast We Got Your Mac – and why it’s time business leaders take a closer look at Mac.

To put it simply: If you want to innovate, you need to give your people choice. It doesn't hurt that Mac comes with tons of business benefits, including boosting efficiency and your employer value proposition.

For business leaders facing “the Mac question,” this podcast is for you. Discover new episodes every two weeks, now streaming at WeGotYourMac.com – or wherever you get your podcasts.

 

We Got Your Mac:

Listen now to full episodes: https://link.chtbl.com/WGYM_IHbonusep

Get bonus resources and more information: wegotyourmac.com https://experience.shi.com/wegotyourmac

Addicted to Your Health: How Video Game Techniques Built Digital Personalities

Charles “Chuck” Rinker wants people to be as addicted to their own health as some are to video games. He should know – he was the director behind EA Sports’ NCAA/Madden series. Now, as CEO and Founder of PRSONAS by nuMedia Innovations Inc, he’s bringing digital personalities to industries, such as the healthcare sector.  

Rinker discusses his career trajectory, starting out in cattle farming and then going on to Black Ops military simulation work. But his career pivoted after he and his wife battled three bouts of cancer between them. 

PRSONAS’s digital assistants can do tasks such as wayfinding, answering questions, and taking surveys, freeing up the time of healthcare workers and aiding in clinical trial recruitment. Rinker discusses how the technology was developed, with early advice from a Disney Imagineering SVP on avoiding the uncanny valley effect. Rinker outlines how they use GenAI, as well as the roles of UX and CX, and how the technology is being used now in an array of sectors, including airports, banks, and commercial markets.  

This episode is brought to you by We Got Your Mac, a new podcast from SHI, exploring the benefits and challenges of large-scale Mac adoption across the enterprise. Find We Got Your Mac wherever you get podcasts or go to wegotyourmac.com for all the episodes, plus free bonus resources and content.  

Innovation Heroes is an SHI podcast. New episodes are now available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Visit https://blog.shi.com/podcasts/.  

 

 

The Barcode Creator on Changing Our Supply Chain Forever

It was fairly recent history when supermarket food items had to be manually restamped each time the price increased, with clerks running up and down the aisles to do inventory. Paul McEnroe, creator of the barcode, remembers searching for cans with lower price tags from the back of the shelf when shopping for his mother.  

Now, barcodes are all around us, scanned ten billion times a day. On today’s episode, we dive into the fascinating story of its creation and the decades of innovation that changed retail and manufacturing around the world.  

In the 1960s, McEnroe hired seven engineers considered “harder to manage" for a start-up-like project at IBM to tackle applications at the periphery of computers. The team created the first commercial application of laser technology, the barcode scanner, and the magnetic code for Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) marking. McEnroe outlines how this technology vastly increased supermarket efficiency, despite initial pushback including picket lines at stores and new state laws. He also discusses the QR code, which he sees as an extension of the barcode.  

This episode is brought to you by SHI’s new generative AI briefings. 

Uncover your road map to innovation with a series of briefings and workshops designed by our technology experts. Contact your Account Executive or visit shi.com to learn more.  

Innovation Heroes is an SHI podcast. New episodes are now available on Youtube and all major podcast platforms. Visit https://blog.shi.com/podcasts/

Granny’s Brand No More: Kenmore CEO Revitalizes 100-Year-Old Company

You may think of Kenmore as your grandmother's brand. It’s true – the name first appeared on sewing machines in 1913. But the brand has been revitalized by their current CEO Sri Solur. In just 18 months, he’s doubled licensing revenue and scaled to thousands of new locations and online. This week, he talks about how he's brought innovation to this 100-year old company by using software development principles and agile business methods, from his background in wearable technology and robotics.

Kenmore previously sold everyday appliances, such as fridges, washing machines, and vacuums, exclusively at Sears department stores, but went through a tipping point when Sears declared bankruptcy. Just 18 months ago, it was nearly impossible to find Kenmore products on shelves. Now they’re in more than 5200 locations, including Target.

Solur shares the techniques he brought from the technical world to Kenmore, including leaning in on quality and speed of operations. He also talks about his advice to other legacy companies for appealing to younger generations, including through energy security and decarbonization initiatives.

Innovation Heroes is an SHI podcast. New episodes are now available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Visit https://blog.shi.com/podcasts/.

Cyber Warriors: From the Dark Web to the Frontlines

They’re protecting the US energy grid, monitoring the dark web, and even getting shot at in Ukraine. Threat intelligence agencies are taking down bad actors daily in the world of cybersecurity. This week, Ed talks to Joe Marshall, Senior Security Strategist at Cisco Talos Intelligence Group, one of the largest of its kind in the world.

History-making cybersecurity events are happening in Ukraine and Marshall has been on the ground there twice, maintaining critical infrastructure. He discusses the potential for threats against critical US infrastructure, the evolution of cybersecurity, and emerging trends to be aware of. 

 

This episode is brought to you by Cisco. Anticipate, act, and simplify with the Cisco Secure Firewall. To learn more, call your SHI Account Executive or go to shiciscosecurity.com

 

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Innovation Heroes is an SHI podcast. New episodes are now available on Youtube and all major podcast platforms. Visit https://blog.shi.com/podcasts/ 

GenAI in the Enterprise: Myths, Mistakes and Methods for Success

The buzz around Generative AI is growing louder. But what's the reality behind the hype?

It can be difficult to know when and how to start – and what the consequences might be. In this episode, we are bringing you real-world advice for AI implementation. Ed is joined by John Byron Hanby IV, Founder & CEO of Iternal Technologies, and Allen Clingerman, Chief Technology Strategist at Dell, to discuss practical methodologies for launching GenAI in the business. We'll cover the benefits of doing it right, as well as common misconceptions and mistakes. 

This episode is brought to you by Dell Generative AI Solutions.

Generate higher quality results and faster time-to-value with a powerful, full-stack solution from Dell Technologies and NVIDIA.

Visit Dell.com/AI to get started.

Unsung Heroes: Celebrating the Public Sector CIO

Public sector IT heroes support more than 3000 county governments across the USA. Without them, we wouldn’t have daily necessities like public utilities, roadways, law enforcement, or secure elections. But these small and mighty teams are up against budget restrictions, unfunded government mandates, cyber-attacks, talent shortages... the list goes on.

 

On today’s episode, Ed talks with Micah Hassinger, Director of IT in Passaic County, NJ, about how he is leading efforts to modernize the county's IT systems and infrastructure, while making the most fiscally responsible decisions. There are no taxpayer dollars set aside for failure, says Hassinger. And he says it’s difficult to attract top talent in government roles, with a lot of the skills never used in public sector IT.

How does this unsung hero make it all work? Listen to find out.

 

Innovation Heroes is a SHI podcast. New episodes are now available on Youtube and all major podcast platforms. Visit https://blog.shi.com/podcasts/

The GenAI Security Dilemma: Friend or Foe?

With the proliferation of generative AI, new forms of threats have been unleashed, presenting novel challenges for cybersecurity experts. However, amidst this uncertainty, there is a glimmer of hope. Can AI itself be the key to fortifying our defences and shaping the future of cybersecurity strategies? 

On today's episode, host Ed McNamara meets with Michael Wilcox, Vice President of the Office of the CISO at Stratascale. Wilcox sheds light on the fascinating convergence of AI and cybersecurity, uncovering the potential challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in this rapidly evolving domain. Together, they explore how intelligent systems can be safeguarded, identify the menacing threats posed by generative AI, and investigate whether AI itself can be instrumental in shaping robust cybersecurity strategies.

Innovation Heroes is a production of SHI. Find out how we can help your business Solve what’s next with our stress-free, scalable solutions that you – and your people – will love. Visit shi.com/solvewhatsnext to learn more.

How to Defeat the Data Capacity Crisis

The thing humanity consumes the most is water. The second is data, and that’s growing at an alarming rate, says Tom Frazier, CEO of Redivider. On today’s episode, Ed talks with Frazier about how Redivider is shifting how data centers are built and operated as data needs continue to explode. 

Traditionally, it can take up to three years and a quarter of a billion dollars to build mega data centers. Redivider is creating data centers using prefabricated modular parts that can go live in 30 days. On the show, Frazier talks about opportunity zones, such as using the heat generated to create community greenhouses. To combat noise pollution, immersion cooling technology can be built into the facility. Centers can also run on hydrogen, a green energy source, he says. Additionally, Frazier talks about the lack of construction workforce, how data centers impact water usage, and other concerns for the future of sustainable data storage.

Innovation Heroes is an SHI podcast. New episodes are now available on Youtube and all major podcast platforms. Visit https://blog.shi.com/podcasts/