SAP and Enterprise Trends Podcasts from Jon Reed (@jonerp) of diginomica.com (Jon Reed)

Next up on the Enterprise hits and misses video show, we'll countdown top IoT project misconceptions and project lessons with Mrinal Wadhwa, CTO and Head of Product, Ockam.io. You'll be able to pepper Mrinal with questions as we go, as many of you know he is always bringing new ideas and important takes. (This is the audio replay of the show, you can see the video replay at youtube.com/jonathanwreed). 

In this now-infamous reunion shoot, the five dudes/miscreants/wayward travelers are reunited for a rehash of the events of Sapphire Now Orlando 2016. Harald, Jon, Den, Vijay and John all have new gigs or roles since the were last together, but the goal remains the same - a frank breakdown of what they've learned and heard. The guys review the keynotes, discuss the viability of S/4HANA at this juncture, and evaluate SAP's customer-first intentions. Digital moves such as Digital Customer Insight also get the rundown. This audio is pulled from a video shoot - you can read extensive Sapphire Now/ASUG 2016 coverage on diginomica.com.  

In the final hours of Workday Rising 2024, Jon sat down with analyst Pete Tiliakos for an unscripted show review. Tiliakos has a focus on HCM, payroll and the future of work, so the podcast leaned towards those themes - and, of course, the unavoidable reckoning with AI-related news as well. Topics include: why payroll modernization matters, Workday's Extend strategy and whether that pattern will repeat with AI, why AI in HR is a potent issue, and what we learned on the show floor - and in conversation with Workday execs. Jon also discusses his Rising post on "should you rip out your ERP/HCM for AI."

In the extended "directors cut" edition, Jon Reed of diginomica.com talks with James Sinclair of Enterprise Jungle live at SuccessConnect 2015. The guys chat on the value of cloud platforms, and specifically extensibility on SuccessFactors. The talk focuses on building apps on the HANA Cloud Platform (HCP) and why that has such an impact on customers.  Then the guys shift to challenges SAP faces on HCP adoption, and what changes are underfoot to address them. 

Live from Controlling 2019, Jon talks with Kent Bettisworth, expert SAP consultant, about the research he's done into the relevance of robotic process automation (RPA) for auditors. Kent explains the RPA use cases that are emerging, but also the risk and downsides of RPA, and the problem auditors have with "black boxes." This topic is relevant to RPA or AI/ML projects who must also get past the risk/compliance/security threshold of the auditing team. Kent grounded his research in SAP's approach to RPA via Leonardo, but this conversation extends beyond the SAP domain. 

Bring your snarkiest snark, enterprise wit, and burning questions for one more enterprise month in review for 2023. Join Jon Reed, Brian "Brain" Sommer and special guest Meg Bear for our picks of enterprise highs and lows. Note: if you believe in the mission of this show: free/uncensored independent enterprise content with no commercial model, then consider giving me a good rating and review. It's the best way to keep the show momentum going. I know it's tedious but help us beat the algorithm... Also, you can see the slides we refer to via the video show replay at youtube.com/jonathanwreed.

In this completely unscripted chat with Brian Solis, author of a new book on experience design, Jon asks Brian about whether experience design can be a reality given the data silos and culture issues that prevent this from happening. Brian shares his research and provides a view on why user and customer experience can - and must - change. Jon aired out a number of cynical views on customer experience. Brian's answers included starting points for customers on this new "experience architecture."

Jon hits the TechEd Expert lounge floor for his annual freewheeling talk on whether social media is BS - or has actual value for SAP professionals. Special guests include Joshua Fletcher, Karin Tillotson and Phil Loewen. WARNING: NSFW starting at 10 minute mark (PG-13)

In the third and final podcast in this special series from SAP TechEd Barcelona 2018, Den Howlett of diginomica talks to cloud expert and diginomica contributor Dick Hirsch review the takeaways from Barcelona, and assess the progress SAP has made with cloud models. The guys discuss how well SAP fleshed out the "intelligent enterprise." SAP's challenges with developer engagement in a more open/cloud model is also covered. Also check for Den's analysis of SAP TechEd Barcelona on diginomica.com. You'll find Jon's prior TechEd Vegas reviews and use cases there as well.

In this audio combo of two diginomica video shoots, Jon first talks with Ray Wang about the future of digital and whether the Chief Digital Officer is a BS idea, or a pressing need. Then, Jon shifts gears to talk to Brain Sommer about the future of selling and why selling is changing profoundly. The guys also kick around the impact of media on selling - "stop putting, and start blogging."

In this edited version of his Western Mass Podcamp 2017 session, Growing your business with content, Jon talks about the power of content and the impact of the digital economy on how content is consumed. The key question: how can you use content to win business by earning trust, opt-ins, and audiences? Session participants, including Claudia Gere, chime in here and there and pose questions. Note: there are a few swear words on this podcast so it's not safe for certain workplaces. Also check the itunes channel for the full podcast archives.

​Jon and HCM ninja SAP Mentor Mentor Martin Gillet review recent HR events, and dig into Martin's passionate views on training, talent, and SAP certification​. Shoutouts to SAP HCM kung fu artists Chris Paine, Sharon Newton, Luke Marson, Jarret Pazahanick and more are included.

In this SAP TechEd 2016 Barcelona review podcast, Jon Reed talks with cloud and DevOps expert and SAP Mentor Dick Hirsch about his reactions. The guys break down the high points of their meetings, with a look at digital transformation, Hybris and micro-services, IoT, and progress with SAP's Apple iOS development partnership. They also explore the question: why isn't there more DevOps at SAP TechEd? The impact of DevOps and pros/cons of micro-services are other topics the guys explore from their outdoor - though slightly chilly - poolside taping. 

Join our Enterprise hits and misses video show - a free-for-all, participatory chat and countdown with Vijay Vijayasankar. We'll countdown his favorite all time blog posts and we'll mock the worst predictions for 2021. (This is the audio replay of the show, you can see the video replay at youtube.com/jonathanwreed).

In the audio track from from this informal video hangout, Jon Reed of diginomica.com gets the real deal on SAP Fiori and SAP developer engagement with SAP Mentors Graham Robinson and Ethan Jewett. The guys talk about why developer engagement matters to enterprise software companies, and do a gut check on where SAP stands compared to their last report card 15 months ago. 

In the longer second part of the SAP cloud shoot, Jon returns with SAP cloud expert Dick Hirsch to do a deeper dive into SAP cloud for those who want the nuances. The bulk of the talk follows Dick's recent blogs and how his TechEd/d-code insights unfolded. The guys also dig into the surprising persistence of ByDesign, and SAP's cloud platform and open source Cloud Foundry forays.

Following their annual tradition, Jon Reed and Dick Hirsch steal an empty room - or in this case, a (mostly) empty hallway - for a review of the news and events of Sapphire Now and the ASUG Annual Conference, 2016. Hirsch shares his investigations, and the guys compare notes on topics such as the HANA Cloud Platform, the SAP-iOS partnership, and S/4HANA clarifications. The guys discuss S/4HANA's viability as a digital core, SAP's cloud positioning, and how attendees reacted. Customer feedback to SAP on integration, a big theme of the conference, is addressed. This podcast leans on the technical side, which was surprising given Sapphire Now is a business conference - but even Hasso Plattner's final day keynote had an in-depth S/4HANA migration demo. 

In this thirty-minute podcast, Jon and Brian triumph over their last podcast's sound quality and compare notes on the new rules of enterprise software. Brian warns ERP vendors of the pitfalls of squeezing revenue with hardball tactics. Jon shares enterprise weaknesses on integration that could come back to haunt cloud-happy vendors. The guys grill vendors on their subpar virtual events, but also share success stories from vendors that are delivering for customers. 

In part two of their content strategy video discussion, Michael Brenner of NewsCred joins Jon Reed of diginomica.com to dig deeper - into a frank look at the impact of content on marketing, the role of marketing tech and personalization, and the challenges facing the modern CMO. Note: part one of this podcast, which hits on why Michael is betting his career on content marketing, is featured on Jon's new "Busting the Omnichannel" podcast series.

In this live podcast recording from the New York Stock Exchange, Jon Reed and John Appleby discuss the highs and lows from SAP's S4HANA announcement event, billed as the most important SAP product announcement in 23 years. 

In Jon's video and podcast reboot, he talks to the man partially responsible. Brent Leary is a trailblazer in enterprise video and a driving force behind CRM Playaz. How does he pull off large scale events? Interactive chats? Let's chat him up..

In the second podcast in this special three part series from SAP TechEd Barcelona 2018, Den Howlett of diginomica talks to SAP's Craig Cmehil about important developments in the SAP ecosystem - and the changes made to the Mentor program. Cmehil talks about the challenges the SAP Mentor will face and his goal of fostering engagement with SAP executives. The guys also hit on the community space at TechEd and the hands-on opportunities intended to push the growth of new skills. Also check for Den's analysis of SAP TechEd Barcelona on diginomica.com. You'll find Jon's prior TechEd Vegas reviews and use cases there as well.

After their prior podcast from Controlling 2019 on Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Jon and Kent Bettisworth move into his views on revenue recognition. How much progress have SAP/ERP customers made? What are the obstacles still ahead? They also discuss the latest regulatory timelines, and how SAP customers are approaching RAR (SAP's revenue recognition functionality). The guys hash out what Kent learned on the ground at this year's show. Before wrapping, they also discuss the degree of S/4HANA adoption at the conference, and what SAP customers are weighing when it comes to S/4HANA upgrades. 

The vexing problem of IoT security is slowing IoT adoption and creating waves of sensational headlines, from insecure smart homes to industrial IoT concerns. Mrinal Wadhwa and his team at Ockam has an ambitious plan to address this, but how? Via open source for one. As a follow up to last year's dignomica podcast with Ockam and Den Howlett, this new podcast shares how Wadhwa's thinking has evolved. In a nutshell: "Decoupling the secure channel protocol from the transport layer protocols removes complexity, minimizes the attack surface and can enable us to build end-to-end secure and private systems." This in-depth talk breaks that concept down in real-world terms. Wadhwa explains why this is a potential IoT security breakthrough. The guys also revisit their blockchain debates, and how Wadhwa sees blockchain fitting into IoT security going forward. An invitation for others to get involved with Ockam's open source pursuits at https://github.com/ockam-network is also included. 

Picking up after their podcast on the future of identity, Jon gets into blockchain with noted enterprise blockchain critic Steve Wilson. Live from Constellation Connected Enterprise 2019, Jon and Steve talk about the peak of blockchain hype in 2016, and how his views have evolved since his notorious 2016 post, Blockchain: almost everything you read is wrong. The guys cover the issues with enterprise blockchains, from industry use cases to immutability to the viability of consensus. Jon also pulls Steve into settling a diginomica reader controversy over his views. Finally, Steve explains why he is skeptical about blockchain for IoT security. He also shares the blockchain use cases he *does* like.

This is the audio from an informal video hangout with John Appleby of Bluefin Solutions to talk about the HANA realities on John's current project and what HANA use cases are moving the needle with customers. The guys also hash out the strengths of HANA and what might be around the corner with HANA-as-platform. John also fesses up to why he missed SAP TechEd Las Vegas.

In their Barcelona tradition, Jon Reed of diginomica and SAP Mentor and cloud expert Dick Hirsch review the news, debates, and questions from SAP TechEd Barcelona 2017. They break down what they learned on Leonardo, along with questions about how SAP got away from process expertise in their positioning. Separating hype from reality includes a review of SAP's blockchain pursuits, and why cloud requires a different level of pricing transparency. The guys also hit on SAP's multi-cloud ambitions, including the Google partnership, and Jon reveals what he learned - or didn't - on the Android SDK possibility in the future.

In this audio-only edition of Jon's Enterprise hits and misses video show, Jon Reed of http://www.diginomica.com starts out on a solo flight rant/overview of his methods on B2B content strategy and critique of hyper-personalization. He hits on why this matters for individuals and enterprises. A key issue: marketing and sales need to change, and it's a culture problem more than a tech problem. 30 minutes in, returning champ Brian Sommer crashes the show to dig into the hilarious low points of B2B selling. The guys even run through Brian's worst-of-B2B-sales slide deck (note: you can enjoy this as audio only as Jon reads the slides, but if you want to see them, you can check the video replay at youtube.com/jonathanwreed).

In this informal Hangout on Air (audio replay) Jon Reed of diginomica.com (@jonerp) reviews new data on CIO disruptions with Sina Moatamed, cloud practictioner and blogger. The guys hit on everything from security to whether big data is overhyped, and how overworked CIOs and IT Managers can have business impact and (address skills challenges) before they face irrelevancy.​ The video replay of this talk is available on Jon's YouTube channel: /jonathanwreed.

In part two of their live taping at Enterprise UX 2017, Jon Reed of diginomica.com talks with Sam Yen of SAP about their UX overhaul and the integral role design thinking plays in Leonardo - including project delivery. Yen also gives a glimpse into Hasso Plattner's passion for design and how this impacts SAP's UX challenges ahead. Also check the itunes channel for the full podcast archives.

In this frank, hopefully constructive, and informal conversation on ERP project failure and it's disturbing persistence, Jon Reed talks to Michael Doane about the problem and what solutions have a chance at closing the failure gap. There is a particular focus on the impact of independent advisors and how business benefits are quantified.

Yep, this is part two of the crossover show between my guest Brent Leary's show and my hits/mises video blowout. Brent will take data privacy, and what the data is showing re: enterprise data privacy. Since it's crossover time we'll also pick up on our hybrid events and video discussion, since Brent is the enterprise video master over on his "A few good minutes" show and more.

Gary Cokins, internationally-recognized expert and author in EPM and predictive analytics, gives Jon some straight talk on analytics after his keynote at the Controlling 2015 conference. Cokins explains the rise of EPM, and the challenges CFOs are facing. Using memorable phrases like "management by embarrassment," Cokins peels behind predictive hype and explains the role of technology, not as a cure-all, but as an enabler. 

During this live taping at Collision 2016, Jon talks with "User researcher, artist, and digital anthropologist" Caroline Sinders about the intersection of UX design and machine learning. Sinders shares key points from her Collision talk on design for consent, and whether online harassment can be reduced via design. Sinders gives her assessment of Facebook's chatbots and explains why calling such chatbots "AI" is inaccurate. Finally, Sinders sets the record straight on the panel controversy at SXSW and what conference organizers should learn from that brouhaha.

In this informal HANA 2014 on-site chat, Jon talks with SAP Mentor Julien Delvat about the view on HANA from a financials/functional perspective, and what customers are telling him during his Orlando jaunts and conference presentations. The guys also talke about how firms can punch above their weight with the right use of experts and content.

Jon Reed of http://www.diginomica.com hashes out what he overlooked in the last episode with Brian Sommer deconstructing cloud ERP benefits. Time to hash out what we missed last week. Jon also shares how this stacks up with different models of enterprise transformation. SAP/HR expert Greg Robinette joins Jon later in the program to reflect on lessons from a major aerospace and defense ERP project. 

During Jon's latest trip to Boston, he crashed the new offices of UpperEdge, an independent enterprise and IT advisory firm with strong views on the potent topics of digital transformation and getting value of out cloud. During this unscripted, 45 minute dialogue, Jon talks with UpperEdge's John Belden and Adam Mansfield about the problem of digital transformation in the real world. The guys shift into cloud issues, and why customers are wary that SaaS can be just another form of lock-in, with the same licensing headaches. The conversation wraps with a freewheeling review of the latest cloud news, from Salesforce acquiring Tableau to Google Cloud's ups and downs in its enterprise push. The Bruins game seven loss the night before is almost totally avoided, but not quite.

In the longer, "director's cut" version of this SAP TechEd 2015 on-site podcast, Jon Reed and Dick Hirsch kick around the main conference takeaways and the S/4HANA challenge. Dick shares the main themes he was investigating and the latest on the SAP HANA Cloud Platform. SAP's open source initiatives, particularly Cloud Foundry via Hybris YaaS (Hybris as s service), are covered. The guys also set up the themes, particularly around S/4HANA, to look for in Barcelona. SAP's approach to bloggers/communications is also reviewed. 

In this informal evening chat taped on on a Google Hangout, Jon Reed of diginomica chats with Frank Scavo of Strativa about services industry disruption. First, the guys dig into "punching above your weight as a services firm" and Frank shares how his firm has been able to have success even against the biggest services firms. The guys then turn their attention to the value of independent advisory on enterprise software projects, and why it matters.