The purpose of this look back is to revisit the key topics from that day and see how those insights hold up in 2025.
The Human Pace of Digital Change
A summary of Igor Matich, Dynamo6
My presentation focused on the human side of change. As a father, I saw how comfortably my children navigated a world of mobile technology and digital learning. It was clear this would have huge implications for the workplace, as the consumer experience began to dramatically outpace the employee experience.
The Foundation: Cloud, APIs, and People
While new business models from companies like Uber and Airbnb seemed revolutionary, the blueprint was accessible to any business. The key was having the cloud as a foundation and using APIs as the "digital glue" to connect modern software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions. But the most important point was that no technology, whether it was IoT or AI, would deliver value without first focusing on your people and your culture.
2025 Perspective: This principle is now the bedrock of our Digital Consultancy services. A successful transformation isn't just about technology; it's about building a clear strategy that puts your people and your customers at the centre.
From Data Puddles to Strategic Value
A summary of Cyrus Facciano, PwC
Cyrus framed analytics perfectly: it is the measurement of movement towards business goals. He outlined the four types of analytics that form a maturity model for any organisation.
The Four Questions Analytics Can Answer
Descriptive: What happened?
Diagnostic: Why did it happen?
Predictive: What is likely to happen?
Prescriptive: What is the best action to take?
He noted that while few had reached the "prescriptive" stage in 2017, the desire for a more adventurous, data-driven approach was growing.
The "Start Small" Doctrine
The most important advice from Cyrus was to resist being overwhelmed by "big data." The best approach is to start small. Identify a limited, high-impact use case, analyse the data you have (and find the data you need), and iterate on the lessons learned.
2025 Perspective: The "start small" doctrine remains the single best piece of advice for any business beginning its data journey. It’s the core of how we approach building data platforms and analytics solutions for our clients today.
Diving into the Data Lake
A summary of Andrew Nimick, NZME
Andrew used the powerful analogy of needing "data lakes, not data puddles" to do effective analysis. At NZME, they had enormous volumes of mixed data, but they didn't always know what questions to ask. The solution? Get your hands dirty and immerse yourself in the data.
From Spam to Relevancy
A practical example was GrabOne's email campaigns. By simply blasting all offers to everyone, their emails were being ignored. By diving into the data, building a relevancy engine, and personalising their communications based on user behaviour, they transformed their results.
Sniffing for Truffles
Andrew’s second analogy was of a pig hunting for truffles. You have to be able to sniff, snort, and burrow—to experiment, follow hunches, and prove or disprove them—until you find those golden truffles of useful information that can deliver real value.
2025 Perspective: This "get your hands dirty" approach is the spirit behind our Software Development and Cloud services. Building a custom relevancy engine or a modern data platform on AWS or GCP is exactly how businesses find those valuable "truffles" today.
What Was Once the Future: AI in Practice
A summary of Justin Flitter, NewZealand.AI
Justin’s session focused on making AI accessible. He outlined the core types of AI and stressed that it was no longer a futuristic concept but a tangible tool businesses could adopt.
The Building Blocks of AI
The six types of AI he outlined are still the fundamental categories we work with today:
He highlighted that to succeed, businesses needed an AI strategy, strong leadership, and a cloud-first data strategy.
2025 Perspective: Justin's advice was prescient. The principles he outlined in 2017 are precisely what separates successful AI adopters from the rest in the era of generative AI. An AI strategy isn't a "nice-to-have"; it's an essential part of any modern Digital Transformation.
The Lessons Endure
Looking back, the themes from our 2017 event were not just a sign of the times; they were a clear indication of the future. The need for a people-centric strategy, the power of starting small with data, the necessity of hands-on experimentation, and the strategic adoption of AI are more relevant now than ever.
These principles are woven into the services we provide today. If these ideas sparked some inspiration on how you can better leverage technology in your own business, let's talk.
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