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Autodesk Exec Connect: Why Leaders Should Embrace Convergence

Published Date

 

Autodesk Exec Connect: Why Leaders Should Embrace Convergence​

Introduction by:

  • Scott Reese, Executive Vice President, Product Development & Manufacturing Solutions | Autodesk

Speakers:

  • Sean Manzanares, Senior Manager, Business Strategy and Marketing | Autodesk
  • Andy Leek, Vice President, Technology & Innovation | PARIC
  • Darin Marsden, Senior Business Analyst & Business Partner | FTI
  • Mark Greffen, Chief Technology Officer | DIRTT

 

As industries come together and processes collide, leaders have the opportunity to speed innovation and strengthen their businesses by embracing change. But what tactics can best prepare an organization to remain competitive in such a fluid environment?

To find out, Autodesk hosted an Exec Connect event on the important and timely topic of convergence. Three insights emerged as leaders from PARIC, FTI, and DIRTT discussed ways their businesses have faced transformational change.
 

 

Insight 1: While the definition of convergence varies, many key outcomes are well-defined.

 

The smartphone is a well-known example of convergence: a phone, computer, and camera all in one. But the panel and breakout group discussions showed that convergence can also mean different things to different people, and take varying forms within and across industries. However it’s defined, leaders did agree that convergence helps create better outcomes, including:

 

  • Increased access to comprehensive, secure information
  • More effective and rapid communication, both internally and externally
  • Better collaboration 
  • More confident decision-making based on data
  • Less task and data duplication, saving time and revenue

 

Insight 2: Technology and industry progress have enabled convergence’s possibilities.

 

The topic of the event was convergence, but technology and convergence were not siloed discussions. The convergence conversations in both the panel discussion and breakout summaries showed that a large part of what makes convergence possible are today’s technologies, such as:

 

  • Cloud is now a must-have for leading companies, no longer a nice-to-have
  • Tech-enabled visualizations, both synchronous and asynchronous 

 

Panelists also agreed that advances in technology have now enabled:

 

  • More off-site collaboration and communication
  • Increased data reliability, consistency, and accessibility

 

Insight 3: Companies, clients, and customers have to be more agile and innovative, at a faster pace, while staying on budget.

 

It was clear from both the panel discussions and the breakout group summaries that, in order to remain competitive, there is a great need for increased agility and innovation, while still being mindful of timelines and budget. Convergence unlocks silos and facilitates new possibilities that are more than just linear processes. Leaders agreed on several ways convergence was enabling their businesses to accomplish goals rather than interfering:

 

  • Convergence joins together previously siloed processes and communications
  • Convergence encourages collaboration from stakeholders at earlier stages
  • Agility in decision-making and actions increases as convergence increases
  • The pace of innovation increases as convergence increases
  • The faster pace enables the ability to stay on time and on budget

 

Want to learn more about how to deal with change quickly and effectively? Read our Digital Transformation eBook here.