Strategic advice to leverage new technologies

Here in Part II of this Executive Report series on the rise of cognitive computing, we dive into the commercial cognitive products, including cognitive development platforms, domain- and industry-specific cognitive platforms, and cognitive-powered solutions

Here in Part II of this Executive Report series on the rise of cognitive computing, we dive into the commercial cognitive products, including cognitive development platforms, domain- and industry-specific cognitive platforms, and cognitive-powered solutions

Enterprise solutions providers now offer cloud-based platforms and services to help organizations with their customer experience (CX) management efforts. These platforms can support various CX scenarios, including omni-channel customer engagement, customer behavioral analysis, personalization, social video and messaging (for engaging with customers on social media platforms), customer loyalty, customer satisfaction assessment and measurement, customer intent/journey analysis and visualization, and visual search, among others. In our ongoing survey covering the adoption of CX practices and technologies, we ask organizations about their plans for using cloud CX platforms and services.

Many technologies exist today that have the potential to change the manner in which we get work done. Currently, the software developer job is heavily labor-intensive. Yes, we use software tools to perform many of the repetitive tasks; however, for the most part, the programming job is performed by highly talented individuals who specify, design, code, and test complex pieces of code and make them work. We have attempted to automate such tasks, but we can best characterize current efforts as assistance (helping workers by providing guidance and information) rather than automation (replacing humans with machines). In this Advisor, we identify 20 technologies that have the potential to alter this picture in both the near and long term. Some present opportunities, while others will disrupt our environments. And some will fall on both sides of that equation.

As we are making improvements in human-computer interfaces, we are subtly nudged into realizing that these interfaces are there only because the two worlds — human and computer — exist separately. Computers do what computers do, and humans do what humans do. Yes, computing has bled into the interface between the two, making the line in between a bit easier to traverse. And yes, we will continue to see improvements in this area as we move forward. However, none of these “advances” has accomplished any fundamental change in the division of roles and responsibilities across man and machine; they have not shifted the line between them. Arguably, what we have done over the past couple of decades is merely spread computing’s ability to automate specifiable rules across larger swaths of people. It may not be helpful to think of computer-based systems as tools — as human augmentation — anymore. We may need to rethink how we think about the computing landscape, and consider rejigging our tools of thinking, notably architecture. This Advisor suggests stretching in that direction so that we are positioned more effectively to meet a qualitatively different future as it charges rapidly toward, and at us.

Robotic process automation (RPA) has emerged as a popular technique to automate routine and repetitive human-system interactions across functional domains such as finance, marketing, human resources (HR), and other transaction-processing areas. Adopting such intelligent automation techniques allows businesses to enable efficiencies without major system transformations. Business leaders may find it compelling to invest in RPA tools and resources but should be aware of the foundational work required before rolling out the initial robots. This Advisor surveys the RPA vendor landscape, highlighting intelligent automation adoption across industries with a few user stories.

In this on-demand webinar, Cutter Consortium Senior Consultant Jon Ward, describes how an Agile team was able to cut time-to-market in half and reduce the cost to deliver by 60%. He addresses how AI could have been used to even further enhance the team's productivity, where AI might inhibit it, and he outlines where AI can be used to improve your productivity.

We are increasingly hearing about the rise of the “Chief Customer Officer” (CCO), who has the position and the authority to ensure that the organization provides a unified and seamless customer journey/experience (CX) across all customer channels. But just how standard is the role of the CCO among organizations? According to preliminary findings from our ongoing CX management survey, current use of CCOs — or someone with an equivalent title formally charged with overseeing the adoption of CX practices into the organization — is relatively popular, with approximately 27% of the organizations we have surveyed indicating that they have made such an appointment.