Hyperautomation is quickly changing how we work – all while the barrier of entry into the tech is slowly lowering. Combined, this all allows more people to take advantage of opportunities in the tech world, while also shaping its future. Hear from Rizel Scarlett, a director at G-Code House who’s helping women and non-binary individuals start their careers in tech, and Spotify’s Global Intelligent Automation Leader Sidney Madison Prescott. Both touch on their tech origin stories, how the nature of work is evolving, the role hyper-automation is playing through it all, and more.

Key Takeaways:

[3:40] Sidney shares how being an outsider in the industry has actually been an advantage in her work with Spotify. She came in with less preconceived notions about the process of hyper automation, and a fresh idea of what it could really mean to hyper automate the process of work.

[5:11] The language of the tech world can seem daunting to try and understand. At G{Code} House, Rizel is helping to pave a smoother path for women in tech and nonbinary individuals of color. She helps them rise above imposter syndrome and step into their highest potential.

[6:46] Sidney explains exactly what hyper automation is and how it works as an enablement tool. She talks about how it shapes our idea of what it means to be a human in the workforce.

[10:27] The pandemic has shifted the nature of how we work, and Botany is an app that uses automation to increase engagement between engineers. Rizel appreciates it for not only increasing the visibility of a person, but seamlessly gathering important information.

[14:25] If we can get past the fear of change and our innate trepidation towards disruption, hyper automation can help us be better at our jobs. Sidney speaks to how Spotify is introducing this change to their workflow.

[16:57] We can use hyper automation tools, but it isn’t a stand-in for the human connections that foster authenticity in the workplace.

[18:27] There is power in the vulnerability of saying “I don’t know”. Rizel encourages her team to never be embarrassed of staying curious, and admitting when they don’t know something.

[21:03] New technologies may make some jobs obsolete, but it can also mean new and emerging opportunities. Sidney has her eye on new experiences, and things hyperautomation can help us reimagine the way we work.

[22:42] The next era of true innovation and hyperautomation is going to be how we can take what humans can do today and enable us to do it in an augmented fashion.

[25:05] Can we rethink what it means to do work and experience the world? Yes, but we have to be willing to question everything. If we want a wider perspective, we have the responsibility to make our workplaces accessible, authentic, and inquisitive.

Quotes:

[3:40] “Being an outsider helped me to come in with less preconceived notions about what it meant to look at an existing workflow, optimize that workflow through some sort of automation design.” - Sidney

[8:02] “How do we rethink what it means to be a human in the workforce?” - Sidney

[12:37] “Automating the little stuff helps, so you can focus on the actual human element of helping that person.” - Rizel

[18:05] “We can’t always have the answer. And that’s more than ok. It’s brilliant. The power of saying I don’t know comes with the potential to learn and embrace new ideas, in new ways.” - Jo

[18:46] “There is a distinct and wonderful culture at Spotify where we are encouraged to bring our authentic selves and uniqueness to the forefront of the work that we do.” - Sidney

[19:22] “I see future generations playing a very big role in this, because that disruptive nature and spirit is what's going to enable us to think in these very creative ways about disrupting the business phase.” - Sidney

[20:13] “If innovation is what we want, we need to foster a workforce with diverse perspectives. That starts with the hiring process.” - Jo

[22:36] “If we want the wider, more encompassing perspective that greater diversity offers-- from more women, from more nonbinary people, more people of color-- we have the responsibility to make our workplaces accessible, authentic, and inquisitive.” - Jo

Continue on your journey:

pega.com/podcast

Mentioned:

• Resilient Coders
• G{Code} House
• Botany
• Rizel Scarlett
• GitHub
• Sidney Madison Prescott