Experience 26 Preview: DEXOps, Disney & the Future of DEX | Megan Brake & Mitch Trychta (Vizient)

1 - >

Speaker 1: I was going to ask me, I do think I 2 - > have some vestige of a memory of what you did 3 - > in a marching band, but I can't quite remember. 4 - >

Speaker 2: So what we what was the instrument? 5 - >

Speaker 3: I was the I play the piccolo, and I was 6 - > the piccolo leader. So play I play a mean piccolo. 7 - > What can I say? Uh, I'll provide a picture of 8 - > myself playing the piccolo if you want. It's like like 9 - > a tiny it's a little tiny. It's a little tiny. Yes, 10 - > it's tiny flute. And you think you can't hear us, 11 - > but you absolutely can because you can hear the high 12 - > end of a marching band, and that is us. And 13 - > I got to wear a very funny outfit. We were 14 - > the Trojans, So I have like a big helmet with yeah, 15 - > with like feathers and stuff. So I'll find a photo 16 - > from somewhere. 17 - >

Speaker 1: I like how american it's got today. I think it 18 - > should because it's the American Orlando experience. That's what was 19 - > what we want to be doing. 20 - >

Speaker 4: Hey it change makers, and welcome to the deck Show 21 - > with Tomagra Let's get into it. 22 - >

Speaker 1: Hello, change makers, welcome back to the deck Show. Such 23 - > a pleasure to have you all with us today and 24 - > we're going to be talking about Experience twenty twenty six 25 - > with our very very special guests. So if you didn't know, 26 - > if you didn't know, to just pre plug it before 27 - > we get into it today. Experience this year takes place 28 - > October the fifth of the seventh have a JW. Marriott 29 - > Grand Lake Hotel in Orlando, Florida. It's the only Experienced 30 - > proper of the year. It's the one big global Dex event. 31 - > You have to come. You're going to hear a bunch 32 - > of reasons why in the subsequent conversation. But if you 33 - > don't even need to hear any more information, you just 34 - > want to book your ticket right now, check out the 35 - > show notes and do so, and it'll it'll be right there, 36 - > and we look forward to seeing you there as a show, 37 - > of course. And I should just add that it's the 38 - > first in storm of a special experience series we're going 39 - > to be running on the Deck show in the next 40 - > month or two. 41 - >

Speaker 2: And I'm just going to plug one more thing before 42 - > I welcome our. 43 - >

Speaker 1: Very special guests, and that is a plug for the 44 - > next Ask Me Anything on our new next Think Decks subreddit. 45 - > Many of you were good enough to join us for 46 - > Jeffrey Wright's debut or for our AMA debut over on 47 - > Reddit a few weeks ago, and we're very excited to 48 - > announce we're hosting another one, this time with Leslie Beavers. 49 - > She is a former CIO for the Department of Defense. 50 - > I think Leslie had like a sixty billion dollar budget 51 - > or something. I mean, it's completely she was overseeing a 52 - > sixty billion dollar technology infrastructure. I mean it's completely insane. 53 - >

Speaker 2: Like that. 54 - >

Speaker 1: Fascinating women, amazing career spanning the Air Force to NBC. 55 - > You may have heard me talk before about our sisters 56 - > show Soul of the Cio over on YouTube. We actually 57 - > have an interview with Leslie coming out next Monday, and 58 - > we'll have the AMA following on July eighth, four pm 59 - > Eastern Time. Once again, you can find a link to 60 - > the subredit on the show notes, so you can follow 61 - > the sub follow, follow the next think subredit, give it 62 - > a subscribe, and also Markie calendars for that very exciting conversation. 63 - > So apologies for that long, long preamble everybody. Now it 64 - > gives me great pleasure to finally get to our wonderful 65 - > guests for today to discuss Experience. Twenty twenty six in 66 - > more detail, and let's start with show regular, but we 67 - > haven't seen or heard enough of her this year. 68 - >

Speaker 2: It's Meghan break how are you doing? Meghan? Nice to 69 - > see back finally, Hi. 70 - >

Speaker 3: Tim, It's nice to be back. I'm doing good, doing good. 71 - > I'm excited to be here today, and I'm looking forward 72 - > to talking about experience. 73 - >

Speaker 1: There is no better person and next thing to talk 74 - > to experience about. And also welcome back for his second 75 - > official appearance on the Deck show proper. But but I 76 - > think we've had him on a live kind of experience 77 - > event which we can I can establish with him a moment. 78 - > It's Mitch trickter hate him. Which has it has it 79 - > been since we last saw you officially on the show? 80 - >

Speaker 2: Ye all of two three years ago? Now, I'm going 81 - > to guess three years? 82 - >

Speaker 5: Yeah, I think so. I think it was probably at 83 - > the dawn of my time here at Visian, so about 84 - > three years ago. 85 - >

Speaker 4: Oh. 86 - >

Speaker 5: But yeah, it's great and it's an exciting time for 87 - > it everywhere and especially for Dex and so I'm super 88 - > psyched for experience this year. 89 - >

Speaker 1: And we did him, did we have you? I know 90 - > we've spoken to an other context other than having on 91 - > the show as a solo guest. But I'm trying to 92 - > remember what it was. Was it that you appeared a 93 - > live experience event that we recorded for another show, something 94 - > like that. 95 - >

Speaker 5: Possibly? I remember I was on a panel with two 96 - > other gentlemen, and I believe it was about you know, 97 - > different things we're doing in the realm of dex at 98 - > that time. It could have been decks hops adjacent, and 99 - > I would have to go back and look. 100 - >

Speaker 1: Nobody knows, ladies and genermal where we we we We haven't, 101 - > we haven't held it in our memories firmly enough, but 102 - > we we we we. We're looking forward to having you back, 103 - > looking forward to digging in with you again, Mitch. But 104 - > let's begin all of us by discussing the very exciting 105 - > location of this year's experience, and it's, as I understand it, 106 - > reported proximity to Disneyland or Disney World itself. So I thought, 107 - > just beginning by asking you about pivotal Disney experiences, so 108 - > it could be first visit, most recent visits, if you've 109 - > never visited anything like that, go on, Mitch, you go first. 110 - >

Speaker 5: So it's Disney World, Career World, right, We're in proximity 111 - > to Disney World, Disneyland, is in California, and it's pretty 112 - > contentious as to which one is better. Having never been 113 - > to Disneyland, I couldn't tell you, but my partner frequented there. 114 - > But yes, so I grew up in Chicago, so going 115 - > to Disney World was like the pivotal like winter break, 116 - > spring break vacation, and it was. It was the epitome 117 - > of that, and so I went at least twice that 118 - > I can remember, and looking back on it, I don't 119 - > know that I quite appreciated it for what it is, 120 - > where I was just like, okay, rides cool, Like oh 121 - > all right, you know, it was still magical, but I 122 - > don't think I understood what it took to make that magic. 123 - > And so this year, after the conference, I'm excited to 124 - > to take a few days off. My partner and I 125 - > are going to go to Epcot, which is the first 126 - > time either of us have been there, and so I'm 127 - > excited to experience it as an adult with a much 128 - > greater appreciation for the details and the world building and 129 - > most certainly Atcot, and it's well known drinks and food, 130 - > so that'll. 131 - >

Speaker 2: Be exciting, amazing. That's a great account. Megan, You Disney adult, 132 - > You're Disney adult. 133 - >

Speaker 3: Oh no, I'm not a Disney adult. I'm I was, 134 - > you know, a nineties kid. So I was raised on 135 - > the Disney movies. I loved the Little Mermaid, especially in 136 - > Sleeping Beauty. But I was raised by a father who 137 - > thought that Disney parks were an abomination. So I've never 138 - > been to Disney World, never in my life. I did 139 - > go to disney Land in California, and this is actually 140 - > quite a good this is quite a fun story. I 141 - > was in the marching band at USC in college, and 142 - > we went to the Rose Bowl my freshman and sophomore year. 143 - > So I was there for the football fans in the audience. 144 - > I was there for the decline, the Pete Carroll decline. 145 - > That's when I was in college. So I went to 146 - > the Rosebut when you go to the Rose Bowl, your 147 - > marching band gets invited to do a parade at Disneyland. 148 - > And so the very first time I went to a 149 - > Disney park, I went backstage first, because we went backstage 150 - > to prepare for the parade, and so I saw the 151 - > people getting into their costumes and stuff, and then we 152 - > marched through the main gate. And then that was my 153 - > first introduction to disney Land. Which I think is kind 154 - > of a fun story as someone who was like not 155 - > not allowed to go to. 156 - >

Speaker 2: Disney was working, like you're going to be. 157 - >

Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly, So I never go there for leisure. I am, 158 - > you know, an adult mouse. I could take myself to 159 - > Disney World. So maybe Mitch, I'll have to take a 160 - > page out of your book and go for a day. 161 - >

Speaker 2: You got to just invite yourself. 162 - >

Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm enjoying. 163 - >

Speaker 3: I'm going with Mitch and I are going to Disney 164 - > World together. Yeah, that's what's happening. 165 - >

Speaker 5: It'll be a good time. And you know, even if 166 - > you're not a Disney fan, there is no shortage of 167 - > other things to do. Like, you know, it's Orlando, so 168 - > there's Sea World. There is Universal like Universal is awesome. 169 - >

Speaker 1: So but yeah, tons of I was just man of 170 - > something by Disney, right right right. 171 - >

Speaker 5: At this point, yes, because they oh well yeah that's true. 172 - >

Speaker 3: Now they own all the other stuff too. 173 - >

Speaker 2: We got the jungle that they got style with. 174 - >

Speaker 1: I mean, what's you know, it's going to find something 175 - > for you for you you know, Okay, okay, but but 176 - > moving on, moving on, Okay, Megan, you you know you 177 - > look after the content for experience year in year out. 178 - > Besides the location, what else is exciting enough about Experience 179 - > twenty twenty six. What have you been cooking up for 180 - > us this year? 181 - >

Speaker 3: I'm really excited for Experience this year. I think, you know, 182 - > the content, it gets better every year because the technology 183 - > is just improving, right We're in We're in another industrial 184 - > revolution of sorts right now. So everything's changing so fast, 185 - > everything's evolving so quickly, and I really do believe that 186 - > our customers are at the cutting edge of what's happening. 187 - > I mean, there's really cool ideas happening. There's really cool. Yeah, 188 - > organizations are just doing really interesting things with the data 189 - > and the tools available to them now. And I think 190 - > we've updated the format of the conference a little bit 191 - > to better facilitate that. So we're reintroducing We've got a 192 - > whole one day training you can take on the first 193 - > day this year if you want to learn about dex 194 - > ops and deck strategy. Obviously, who we're putting on stage 195 - > is going to be really interesting and you're going to 196 - > get to hear and learn from organizations doing cool stuff. 197 - > But the other thing we're adding is a format we're 198 - > calling the dex change or conversation and tables, so you'll 199 - > have a chance to join different tables and have conversations 200 - > with other people and learn, you know from from how 201 - > others are using AI, how others are leveraging automation, or 202 - > whatever it is that you want to talk about. So 203 - > I think the conference this year, even more than in 204 - > years past, is the place to be to learn, you know, 205 - > what's happening, how other people are adapting to the new 206 - > era we're in. 207 - >

Speaker 2: Fab Megan year and year out. 208 - >

Speaker 1: You're kind of frontline in terms of working with the 209 - > customers who go into the main stage, who often are 210 - > doing the breakouts as well. And if you were to 211 - > almost isolate that from your other things you oversee at next, 212 - > think and just and just look at that solely, what 213 - > would your generalization be? Do you think about how the 214 - > industry has evolved from one year to the next, And 215 - > maybe you've already kind of alluded to it in how 216 - > it before, so many for customers are at befoefront of using. 217 - >

Speaker 2: AI in the workplace. 218 - >

Speaker 1: But what would those generalizations be. 219 - >

Speaker 3: I think my generalization would be that last year's dream, 220 - > two years AGO's dream is more becoming a reality, right, 221 - > that frictionless approach that the desire for providing a consumer 222 - > like experience to your employees is becoming more and more 223 - > and more real, and that's what we're hearing, and that's 224 - > who we're trying to get on stage, or people who 225 - > are addressing problems like that. And I think that is 226 - > driven by our customers because they are taking a creative 227 - > approach and solving problems that other people aren't even seeing. 228 - >

Speaker 1: Well put, well put. Mitch will get to your experience 229 - > appearance momentarily, but before we do, just interested to know 230 - > you mentioned you're a Visiant right now team oversee and 231 - > I presume by friend of the show, Emily Schlick still 232 - > whenever she's at the helm right bound to be doing 233 - > interesting and other imaginative things. And what stands out to 234 - > you there at the moment. 235 - >

Speaker 5: Yeah, absolutely, So Emily had profound success in Vision, which 236 - > I'm thrilled as her first hire at Visian, I get 237 - > to claim something to do with that. But yeah, she's 238 - > now the head of Digital Workplace, so she oversees much 239 - > more than just the dex team and sees you know, 240 - > everything from service line, our service delivery, to the service desk, 241 - > to infrastructure support, you name it. So her portfolio is 242 - > now huge, and we have the wonderful Alice and Vodker 243 - > leading the DEX team now. But life of Visian, you know, 244 - > always exciting. Visiant is a place where change happens, and 245 - > it happens quickly. And with that, in the three short 246 - > years I've been there, you know, I joined and it 247 - > was Emily and n I two person DEX team. We 248 - > are now up to nine people on the X team. 249 - > With that, the scope of our role has evolved. 250 - >

Speaker 2: Yeah. 251 - >

Speaker 5: So, and it wasn't It wasn't a you know, we 252 - > went two to nine. It was two to three and 253 - > so on and so forth. Because I know folks are like, oh, 254 - > you know, how do you get a team that large? 255 - > It didn't happen overnight. We proved the value each step 256 - > of the way, and with that our scope increase. So 257 - > today we cover everything from program management, research, experience in 258 - > site communications, change management. We have dedicated experience owners for 259 - > hardware for Microsoft products, for security, for AI and for 260 - > more on the way. So our portfolio, just like Emily's, 261 - > has also grown. And now with that, the DEX team 262 - > is embedded into how Visiant at large, as well as 263 - > corporate it thinks about technology. We're not just involved after 264 - > decisions are made by leaders to say like, oh, dexify this. 265 - > We are now there at the very front end. We 266 - > are part of the planning, the prioritization, and the broader 267 - > strategy within corporate IT and cross functionally because we know 268 - > technology touches everything. So DEX is that strategic lens, that 269 - > advisor that shapes these things that people are, you know, 270 - > saying oh, let's get the DEX team or hey, have 271 - > you talked to them yet, Let's get them involved in 272 - > this project, which has been Emily's vision from the start. 273 - > So it's really exciting to see that come to fruition 274 - > considering our modest beginnings and where we are today as 275 - > this team that is kind of the central a central 276 - > heart of a lot of our corporate IT work. 277 - >

Speaker 1: I want to pick up on something you just said, Mitch, 278 - > which is proving your value every step of the way. 279 - > Every time that team expanded, it was because you delivered 280 - > value with the previous team. 281 - >

Speaker 2: As it was. 282 - >

Speaker 1: What has been key to demonstrating value internally? What have 283 - > been some of the big wins that have allowed you 284 - > to gain that kind of trust and ambition. 285 - >

Speaker 5: Yeah, so I think first of all, it was that 286 - > we were scrappy to begin with. It wasn't a like, oh, 287 - > that's not a job for decks. It was very much 288 - > a can do attitude. And I taking a look at like, 289 - > what was the big, ugly elephant in the room that 290 - > no one wanted to touch, that was kind of falling 291 - > between the gaps and cracks for everyone, and that we said, yep, 292 - > we'll handle that. We'll do that. We're not going to 293 - > draw lines, we're not going to say, oh, well, that's 294 - > not technically us. We're going to say nope, we're here 295 - > to bridge all the gaps to make it work and 296 - > to make that thing happen that we've been trying for 297 - > the past four years, but it won't work because no 298 - > one wants to fully hold the bag for it. You know, 299 - > we will do that. And with that you then build 300 - > really strong partnerships with people because you're not aiming to 301 - > undermine anyone. You want to see their mutual success. And 302 - > so with that, we have people who now are knocking 303 - > on our door saying okay, well I want more of that, 304 - > and with that we're able to say, fantastic, Let's create 305 - > a dedicated experience owner for this portion, for this section 306 - > of your organization. For security. You want more dex lens 307 - > with your security things you're doing, making sure your change 308 - > is managed with a dex lens, making sure your comms 309 - > are making sure your projects, even that are internal facing, 310 - > have that employee consideration. Great, let's grow that. That's a 311 - > need that you have that you see value for as 312 - > a leader across the aisle. Let us now acquire staff 313 - > to make that happen for you. So it was really 314 - > demonstrating that our benefit wasn't just to like the highest 315 - > level person in the organization, but was to our peers, 316 - > and that the growth of the dex team ultimately benefited 317 - > the people next to us as well as above us. 318 - > And so I think that was really integral and taking 319 - > on some of those really challenging and fun projects that 320 - > we now look back at and we say cool. We 321 - > built a playbook for the first time Visiant ever did 322 - > a or B or C. 323 - >

Speaker 1: So Mitchell jokes aside because we were joking about not 324 - > being able to remember your intermediary appearance, whatever. 325 - >

Speaker 2: Form that was. 326 - >

Speaker 1: But your original appearance actually is not easily forgotten. 327 - >

Speaker 2: And I'll tell you why. 328 - >

Speaker 1: I think analogies aside, which we'll get too later. You 329 - > were so evidently like you know, the outset of the 330 - > DEX career, but really like idealistic, really inspired by what 331 - > you were doing, and obviously you know on an individual level, 332 - > part of the future wave of decks, right, and I'm 333 - > interested three years later, you know, how has DEX lived 334 - > up to those expectations? Perhaps, how hasn't it? How how 335 - > has it still got where has it still. 336 - >

Speaker 2: Got a lot to do? You know what is your overall. 337 - >

Speaker 1: Sense of how those three years have been for the 338 - > industry at large and for your career. 339 - >

Speaker 5: Yeah, absolutely so. I think industry at large, DEX has 340 - > gotten much stronger at the technical deliverables, the very tactical 341 - > things that are they're pretty aligned to us as we 342 - > as it professionals bleed into the like all right, now, 343 - > let's explore decks. So it begins with your very engineering 344 - > focus decks, which is very powerful and is I think 345 - > the organic next step for many the organizations that are saying, okay, 346 - > let's explore decks and so they wear the DEX engineering hat, 347 - > which is, like I said, has advanced a ton, And 348 - > that is what you hear a lot from industry peers 349 - > is oh, we're doing this and this, and it sits 350 - > safely within the IT support IT engineering realm. I mean 351 - > that's powerful, and that is stuff that there are clear 352 - > metrics and really clear wins on, and that's incredible. The 353 - > part where I think my ambition lies as well as 354 - > the part I'm eager to see the industry move towards, 355 - > and I think it is, is we're now taking that 356 - > larger what is DEX and the scope of the comprehensive 357 - > digital workplace as opposed to just engineering. And this is 358 - > where we get into DEX as means for as I said, 359 - > program and project management lenses as well as communications and 360 - > change management, these things that go beyond just the engineering. 361 - > And it's not to say the engineering part isn't the 362 - > isn't extremely important. Is a core capability that I think 363 - > you need to have in a powerful DEX program. But 364 - > now what do we extend beyond that? Is what's the 365 - > impact of engineering? How do we change behavior? How do 366 - > we run these extremely nuanced cross functional projects that candidly 367 - > engineers don't want to touch. They say that's not my job. 368 - > My job is engineering. And you say, all right, well, 369 - > the DEX team's going to do it. And that's a 370 - > new front of the DEX team is the DEX team 371 - > as this cross functional resource and as the one who 372 - > navigates the communication upwards and downwards in the chain to 373 - > both the folks who are deeply technical and the folks 374 - > who are not, and is in some ways kind of 375 - > that liaison or translator for engineers, for employees, but also 376 - > for the highest level of leadership, be it it leadership 377 - > or elsewhere. They look to DEX, as I said, is 378 - > kind of that central model, and I think that's where 379 - > the next big pushes, especially with dexops and saying all right, 380 - > how do you bring it to the next level? Well, 381 - > is the new frontier of what is DEX beyond engineering? 382 - >

Speaker 2: How pivotal is. 383 - >

Speaker 1: Jen AI and being able to make that kind of 384 - > leap in what DEX is able to do. 385 - >

Speaker 5: Yeah, So, I mean candidly, we recently had the AI 386 - > Enablement team join the DEX team, so they're now part 387 - > of the DEX team. And with that, our intention is 388 - > to go from AI being the shiny, you know, ungoverned, 389 - > exciting thing, and to make it something that we treat 390 - > like the rest of our enterprise technology, and to make 391 - > it something that is trusted, it's part of their everyday experience, 392 - > and that they can easily discover it, understand it, trust it, 393 - > use it responsibly, and get value from it. So I 394 - > think when we talk about what is the future of decks, 395 - > this is one of those ones where it's like, this 396 - > is not an engineering item. The how do we solve 397 - > for AI and normalize an AI experience across an enterprise 398 - > is not a task Engineering teams are going to be 399 - > equipped to manage or even want to touch. And so 400 - > with that, I think it's pivotal. But also then you 401 - > think about how do you use AI to free up 402 - > the capabilities of folks who maybe are doing some of 403 - > that engineering work, who do show a real skill set 404 - > and inclination towards this more cross functional work. And so 405 - > that's something we've also enjoyed as well. And even with 406 - > aspects of next think that maybe aren't you know exactly AI, 407 - > but have freedom time for service desk team members and 408 - > engineers to say, okay, how do we now elevate your 409 - > work further? Or if you are interested to do more 410 - > cross functional work, you still get to wear the engineering 411 - > hat most of the time, but now let's try your 412 - > hat at this dexops world. 413 - >

Speaker 2: Very cool. 414 - >

Speaker 1: Megan Mitch is part of a panel. I thought we'd 415 - > go to you to tell us about it because it's 416 - > a panel you've pulled together with a with a set 417 - > vision and purpose. 418 - >

Speaker 2: Sure, what's the panel cover? Who have you ever participants? 419 - >

Speaker 1: And how does it fit thematically. 420 - >

Speaker 2: Into the broader theme of this year's event. 421 - >

Speaker 3: Yeah, so, apo of what Mitch was just saying, the 422 - > panel discussion is centered around desksops, and by that in 423 - > this panel especially, we don't just mean, you know, how 424 - > do you put next Think as a platform in place 425 - > and get the most value out of the tool? 426 - >

Speaker 2: Right? 427 - >

Speaker 3: We mean how do you drive outcomes for your business 428 - > that matter using decks as a core strategy. So I 429 - > think that's going to be so that Mitch is really 430 - > going to focus on in his aspect of the conversation, Right, 431 - > how do you identify problems for the business and apply 432 - > a deck strategy to solve them. He's going to be 433 - > joined on stage by Trent Garwal, who is an IT 434 - > professional at Kimley Horn. Trent has done a really good 435 - > job internally of communicating the value of his team and 436 - > positioning his team as kind of the allies of everybody else. 437 - > You're sort of your employee advocates. They're the voice of 438 - > the employee to the rest of it, and so he's 439 - > going to talk about how to kind of build those 440 - > allies across it when you are the employee advocate. I 441 - > think he's got some really interesting and unique won't I 442 - > won't steal his thunder or anything, but he's got some 443 - > really cool points to make on that front. And then 444 - > the last person who'll joined them on stage is Josh Fournier. 445 - > He's the senior manager of IT Operations at Siena and 446 - > they've put a really interesting process in place for spreading 447 - > adoption of NEXIC. So it's more focused on NEXTIC as 448 - > a tool, but it's how to get people to understand 449 - > the data that's available, the insights that are available, and 450 - > how to get them thinking creatively about what they can 451 - > do with that. So I think it's going to be 452 - > really nice conversation. It's going to cover a lot of 453 - > different elements of the desk stops theory, and I hope 454 - > that anyone who attends it will come away with some 455 - > really you know, like applicable pract best practices they can 456 - > take back to their workplace as to how it fits 457 - > into the larger theme of the conference. The theme of 458 - > the conference this here is agents of change. So I 459 - > think comes back to what I was saying at the 460 - > beginning about we're in this kind of next wave revolution 461 - > of how technology changes the way humans exist work with 462 - > our lives right day to day. And I think that 463 - > a lot of the different topics we're covering at the conference, 464 - > from dex as a strategy to automation to what are 465 - > you doing with AI, they all kind of tie together. 466 - > If in this session with Mitch and the others, you're 467 - > learning how do I apply dex as a strategy? How 468 - > do I get the most out of it? And then 469 - > you can go and learn, Okay, what automation strategy should 470 - > I be putting in place? Or how can I apply 471 - > this deck strategy to AI? Like what Mitch was just discussing. 472 - > There's going to be sessions about that. So it's all 473 - > kind of tying together around how do you guide your business? 474 - > How do you become kind of a business strategist using 475 - > decks as to help your business move forward and be 476 - > an AI first operation. 477 - >

Speaker 2: Many reasons to visit. 478 - >

Speaker 1: We're going to wrap up the experience chat in just 479 - > a moment before we do vo. 480 - >

Speaker 2: Mitch. 481 - >

Speaker 1: Another thing that was very memorable about your first appearance was, 482 - > of course the powerful analogy you brought, which was between 483 - > the world of decks and the world of entomology, the 484 - > study of insects. Fascinating stuff. We will have a link 485 - > in a show notes for anyone who wants to pursue 486 - > that analogy any further. But I wanted to put you 487 - > on the spot and ask if you had an updated analogy, 488 - > maybe similarly vivid and colorful, if possible to describe how 489 - > DEX has evolved or where DEX is today from your 490 - > I guess extended experience at the front line of the space. 491 - >

Speaker 5: Yeah, I think three years ago I was really focused on, 492 - > you know, how science and the analogy there can inform 493 - > what we do. We'reas as I think about today, with 494 - > a much broader understanding of decks, what it is in 495 - > the world, what it is at visiant, what I want 496 - > it to be. I would say my analogy goes a 497 - > little something along the lines of in the field of ecology, 498 - > fascinating principle I find is that ecosystems, their resiliency or 499 - > strength isn't defined by the number of species it contains 500 - > or by one species. It's defined by the relationship across 501 - > and among those species, So it's it's the intricacy of 502 - > the web that makes it stronger. So two forests can 503 - > have the same or similar species, but one is much 504 - > more resilient because the interactions are much stronger. They're much 505 - > more readily available, So information in change spreads more quickly 506 - > and is adapted to more quickly. It has a greater continuity. 507 - > If you will, it'll end to end across both the 508 - > top and the bottom of the ecosystem. I think the 509 - > same is true in IT. You can have the best 510 - > engineering team, the best security team, the world's greatest service desk, 511 - > But if those groups don't communicate well, they don't share information, 512 - > they aren't aligned around a specific experience outcome, your overall 513 - > IT system is brittle and its ability to respond to 514 - > change is low. Oh and that's where DEX then comes in. 515 - > So DEX helps improve the relationships between these different divisions, 516 - > between your top notch security team and your top notch 517 - > engineering team and your top notch service test team. And 518 - > it's not Dex's role to own all of those things. 519 - > It strengthens the interactions cross what we'll say is your 520 - > digital ecosystem, so it creates better feedback loops between employees 521 - > and leadership, stronger collaboration within your IT functions, more core 522 - > dated planning around technology, change management, comms, automation, you name it. 523 - > We're doing things that in turn create a stronger IT 524 - > organization and DEX is the conduit for the relationships and 525 - > the connections and the clarity there. So, long story short, 526 - > we know change is an optional. New capabilities, new AI, 527 - > AI tools, security requirements, and ways of working will continue 528 - > to arrive. So the question isn't how do we stop change, 529 - > It's how do we build an ecosystem that can absorb change, 530 - > adapt to it, and continue delivering a great experience to 531 - > our employees. And I think DEX and DEX opts by 532 - > extension is the conduit for how we do that. So's 533 - > that's my analogy is a strong technology ecosystem has strong 534 - > relationships between the different disciplines within technology, and that DEX 535 - > is the way you can strengthen that. It is the 536 - > intermediary for a lot of those things that brings people 537 - > to the table. And so you want a strong ecosystem, 538 - > think about your interactions and I think DEX is the 539 - > best place for that. 540 - >

Speaker 1: A wonderful fresh analogy for twenty twenty six thank you, Mitch. 541 - > And you know I have to say like you've really 542 - > you've lived and earned that analogy by your account of 543 - > how the last three years of being a vision and 544 - > it's it's really nice to hear it. Sounds like you know, 545 - > Emily's made a great hire in you, and you've got 546 - > an amazing leader in Emily, and you've been able to 547 - > really spread your wings as a as a DEX organization 548 - > and put a lot of big ideas into practice, which phenomenal. 549 - > DA you must tell invite Emily back on the show 550 - > for us, Yeah, think too long since we've had her, 551 - > and we'd like to hear you about it in even 552 - > more detail, and maybe you could join her. Final quick 553 - > question for you even I might not be the final 554 - > I might have another one in my back pocket. But 555 - > before we get to it, Mitch, I think I've seen 556 - > you at least three previous experiences. Why should somebody listening 557 - > who perhaps hasn't visited before? 558 - >

Speaker 2: Why should they? 559 - >

Speaker 1: Why should they come to Experience twenty twenty six? 560 - >

Speaker 2: What would be your main recommendation? 561 - >

Speaker 5: Oh golly, if you've never been the it is it 562 - > hands down something you must do. I think you know 563 - > I can endorse it as something to return to as 564 - > I am a repeat attender, but if you've never been, 565 - > you're really missing out on a lot of really key 566 - > insights and connections that you're not going to easily find 567 - > anywhere else. The time allotment for networking as well as 568 - > just learning from your peers is a really important part 569 - > that the next thing team you know, make it included 570 - > has baked into the event, so you're able to see 571 - > where people are on all stages of their DEX journey, 572 - > people who maybe even haven't started their DEX journey. So 573 - > if you're one of those folks and you're like, this 574 - > is new, this is the place to go to see 575 - > what is possible in one year, two year, three year, 576 - > seven years down the line. As you gain maturity, and 577 - > even if you do already have a DEX team where 578 - > you're building that DEX maturity and dexk shops model, seeing 579 - > how different companies with different cultures have tackled similar challenges 580 - > is really inspiring for as you look at your own 581 - > challenges into twenty twenty seven and say, can we how 582 - > can we apply DEX to this or what lens am 583 - > I missing? Or who do I need to get engaged 584 - > with and I think all that aside the content that 585 - > has delivered the insights into the future of des from 586 - > the analysts as well as the future of tools such 587 - > as next Think is as well a key component. Say 588 - > you know, say you're not a Next Thing shop, you 589 - > don't have a Dex toolshop. This is still the Dex experience. Well, 590 - > the decks the place to be for decks so awesome. 591 - >

Speaker 1: Same for you, Megan, from your very different vantage point. 592 - > Why would you like people most to want to come 593 - > or what do you think they will most likely get 594 - > out of it? 595 - >

Speaker 3: It's hard to top what Mitch just said, and I 596 - > think I'm going to echo him quite a bit. But 597 - > I think for me, when I watch people attend and 598 - > I talk to our our speakers and other people on 599 - > the ground at the event, it's the inspiration that you get. 600 - > So no matter where you are in your journey, as 601 - > Mitch said, you can come to experience and get real 602 - > concrete takeaways and inspiration and go back kind of rejuvenated 603 - > to do something different, to start a new project, or 604 - > maybe address some problems you've had in a new way. 605 - > You're learning from each other, right You're not there are 606 - > Next Thing gled sessions, but Primarily the majority of the 607 - > content are other organizations like yours in your industry, different industries, 608 - > your size, bigger, smaller, leading conversations, giving you a presentation. 609 - > And then, like Mitch said, we bake in a lot 610 - > of time for networking. So if you attended a session 611 - > and you thought it was really interesting and you didn't 612 - > get a chance to ask a question at the end, 613 - > find that person during the break. They want to talk 614 - > about what they're doing, they want to share. Everybody who's 615 - > there wants to, you know, learn and grow. So it 616 - > really is a unique experience, I think, to learn from 617 - > each other and to kind of to grow together. 618 - >

Speaker 1: So many of the world's best and most ambitious digital 619 - > workplaces and digital workplace leaders in one place. Absolutely, absolutely 620 - > bonus question for you both. Because we've the last few years, 621 - > we've always had a big London event, We've always had 622 - > a big US event, Big UKFV and big US event, 623 - > you know what I mean, And this year just for 624 - > US events. 625 - >

Speaker 2: So let's say we were talking to. 626 - >

Speaker 1: English listeners own or indeed any European who's thinking about 627 - > making the trip across the Atlantic, why what should they expect, 628 - > why should they want to go to Orlando? And here's 629 - > maybe the clincher of as in October, you know what, 630 - > what might motivate them to make that booking and give 631 - > themselves that experience. 632 - >

Speaker 3: Megan, I will admit I've never been to Florida in October, 633 - > but I hear it's not as hot as it is 634 - > in the summer. I hear it's actually a lovely time 635 - > of year in Orlando. That's what my colleagues who live 636 - > in Florida tell me, that it's a really nice timey 637 - > year to come down to Florida and to explore. So 638 - > that's probably what I would say, is that it should 639 - > be the weather should be nice. It won't be called 640 - > it's supposed to be really nice and warm and lovely 641 - > in Florida in October, not always. 642 - >

Speaker 1: Nice and woman lovely in October in London or many 643 - > other parts of Europe. Make anything to add vev my usher, 644 - > my somebody from one side if the will to be a. 645 - >

Speaker 5: So the good news is that early October it does 646 - > not coincide with any school or university based breaks or vacations, 647 - > so it will not be very crowded if you choose 648 - > to spend time. Uh. They're either pre or post the conference, 649 - > which you know, I recommend, especially if you're you're making 650 - > the the travel across the pond, because there is some 651 - > really cool stuff to see in Orlando, And like we 652 - > said earlier, if you're not a Disney person, there is 653 - > still plenty to see. And if you're not into any 654 - > of that, still it's a good time. The the hotels 655 - > and resorts there, they all have pools, and you know, 656 - > it's a good time to go sit by the pool, 657 - > get a last one, last chance. That kind of summer 658 - > but not too hot, it'll be nice before we all 659 - > hunker down. Myself included as a someone from Chicago for 660 - > a long, long winter, So would would recommend for that. 661 - > And then if you're if you're a science nerd like me, 662 - > there's a lot of cool plants and animals and all 663 - > that good stuff. So I always I was excited. 664 - >

Speaker 1: For that quite so I forgot to say how beautiful 665 - > the hotel is reputed to be as well. So many 666 - > reasons to come to experience. 667 - >

Speaker 2: You've heard many. 668 - >

Speaker 1: Today and you'll be hearing more on the Deck Show 669 - > in the coming month or so. 670 - >

Speaker 2: We're going to do a. 671 - >

Speaker 1: Couple of special couple more special episodes with with with 672 - > special guests and attendees to give more insight into what 673 - > is going to be we we think, we hope, we 674 - > believe to be the best experience ever. Meantime, though, we 675 - > look forward to seeing you both there in person, Mitch 676 - > and Meghan, And thank you so so much for joining 677 - > us Mitch for the second time. It's been lovely to 678 - > have you back. Meghan, see you again much sooner, We're sure, 679 - > and thank you ever so much. 680 - >

Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, this is great. 681 - >

Speaker 4: That's it for this week's Deck Show. We'll be back 682 - > next week, and if you don't already, be sure to 683 - > follow the show so you don't miss an episode until 684 - > next time.