Why people are at the heart of technology gains (podcast)

In the current digital age, you might be tempted to think that successful businesses excel at using the right technology. But that’s not quite how it works. Nart Wielard talks to Paul Heijmans, Director Software development Open source at Ordina, and Daan Decat, Brussels Airport Head of Data, about it in this podcast.

Heijmans makes a case for how Ordina supports clients in their technology transformations during their talk. In his opinion, success is also contingent on people who really get the inherent opportunities of that technology and understand how companies should respond. “Technology doesn’t generate transformation: people are the real drivers of that change.”

Changemakers front and center

Changemakers are the stars of this podcast series, i.e., the people who facilitate change and unlock digital technology’s potential. And Decat and Heijmans have a fascinating exchange about exactly that in the first episode, which tackles technology in a fast-paced world.

Technology doesn’t generate transformation: people are the real drivers

One thing was crystal clear: businesses need to avoid technological tunnel vision. Instead, they need to keep making decisions primarily based on the technology’s relevance. That’s a tall order in a world obsessed with trend-hopping.

Enhancing the experience

For Brussels Airport, it’s clear that relevance is about enhancing the passenger experience. Their non-negotiable is predictability and hassle-free travel. “Ease the mind. Move the heart.” That’s the mantra and mission of the operation to make data passenger centric. Decat is proud of what the business has accomplished. Although when asked, he did admit that he can’t guarantee we’ll never see long lines like the ones we’ve seen at Schiphol Airport. Since the future doesn’t come with guarantees, that only makes sense. But there is one guarantee: the airport still has a way to go, and the sky’s the limit on their ambitions. “What’s fantastic is that once people start believing in data, it sparks incredibly powerful change – with tons of great ideas.”

Easier by the day

Decat couldn’t help but agree with Heijmans. It’s about the right people, having Changemakers on board in your business. And that includes recruiting new people with the right profiles and partnering with companies that understand your final destination.

During the podcast, Heijmans also describes a world in which programming gets easier by the day –due in part to AI’s rapid rise. What’s more, he explains how a smart take on the available technology can help you make life easier on yourself. “In a world brimming with cloud technology, tons of great basic products are up for grabs. Things that were a tough nut to crack in the past are now relatively easy to accomplish, for instance, just by using applications that have proven useful elsewhere.”