Softwire Techtalks

In this episode of The Digital Lighthouse - The Software Podcast, host Zoe Cunningham is joined by Simon Wardley, Owner of Swardley Maps, to share how business leaders can better navigate digital transformation through visual mapping techniques.

In this episode of The Digital Lighthouse,, host Zoe Cunningham is joined by Shaukat Ali Khan, Executive Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO) at NHS, to explore the future of digital healthcare, including the importance of leveraging AI in healthcare, balancing innovation with governance, and creating patient-centric digital transformations.

In this episode of The Digital Lighthouse, host Zoe Cunningham is joined by Kamales Lardi, CEO at Lardi & Partner Consulting, to discuss The Brain Code, how leaders can use neuroscience to break through resistance, foster trust, and build a truly human-centric approach to digital transformation.

In this episode of The Digital Lighthouse - The Softwire Podcast, host Zoe Cunningham is joined by Richard G Brown, Founding CTO and Advisor to the CEO at R3. Together, they explore the practical applications of enterprise blockchain, digital currencies, and confidential computing. From scaling high-performance tech teams to navigating emerging technologies, Richard shares invaluable insights on how businesses can evaluate and integrate blockchain solutions for maximum value.

In this episode of The Digital Lighthouse, host Zoe Cunningham is joined by Sasha Burgoyne, Head of Academy Operations, and Esme Chant, DE&I Lead at Softwire. Together, they discuss the importance of creating inclusive workplaces for employees with disabilities, sharing personal experiences and practical strategies for both employers and employees.

In this episode of The Digital Lighthouse, host Zoe Cunningham explores the challenges and opportunities for women career switchers in tech with Sasha Burgoyne and Esme Chant from Softwire. Join them as they discuss: Why women career switchers need additional support in tech Creating supportive workplace environments for career switchers The value career switchers bring to tech organisations The structure and benefits of the TechSwitch program About Guests Sasha Burgoyne is the co-founder of TechSwitch, an award-winning software development training programme for career switches looking to move into tech, as well as people looking to return to the workplace. She is also Head of Academy at Softwire which delivers training in DevOps and software development and has been part of Softwire's DEI Working Group since its inception. Esme Chant is the D&I Lead and a People Advisor at Softwire. She has played a key role in enhancing inclusivity within the company by implementing practical solutions, such as neurodiversity awareness training, facilitating reasonable adjustments, and creating a D&I calendar to ensure that various identities are recognised and celebrated. Episode Highlights: [00:00:01] Introduction and welcome [00:00:32] Esme's background and DE&I role [00:00:48] Sasha's role in TechSwitch program [00:01:11] Discussion on supporting women career switchers [00:02:30] Overview of TechSwitch program [00:06:49] Career switchers' value in the workplace [00:08:38] Softwire's workplace support initiatives [00:10:42] LevelUp program details [00:16:11] How to prepare for TechSwitch [00:17:30] TechSwitch application process Resources: TechSwitch- www.techswitch.co.uk Softwire - https://www.softwire.com/ Codecademy - https://www.codecademy.com/ Code Wars - https://www.codewars.com/

In this episode of Softwire Tech Talks, host Zoe Cunningham is joined by Nick Bates, COO of CTO Craft, and Yemi Olegbaiye, Client Portfolio Director at Softwire. Together, they discuss the importance of building strong tech leadership communities, navigating digital transformation, and fostering meaningful connections in the technology sector.

It can sometimes feel like people are just born to network, schmooze and hold court. For others, it's this big, forced, uncomfortable thing that they'd happily avoid forever - especially when some people dominate the room. It doesn't have to be that way - nor should it be. Because, at its heart, networking is about connection and community. And everyone deserves the opportunity to get involved, get value, and feel part of something. In our latest episode, Helen Jackson (Principal Technical Consultant) and Laura Phillips (Delivery Director), share their experiences and provide sage advice on how you can rethink and reapproach networking: - Key ways to make networking more inclusive at events - How to apply the C-shape (Pac-Man technique) - Other ways to network outside of events - Top tips for being a better networker

User research is the linchpin behind the core services we rely on in every part of our lives. A fundamental part of the work is inclusive design (also known as universal design) to ensure all products and services work for everybody - regardless of age, ability or circumstance. In our latest episode of The Digital Lighthouse, Softwire's Research Principal, Callum Bates, delves into all the moving pieces that ensure no stone is left unturned when creating exceptional experiences for everyone.

Modernising legacy software and infrastructure is hard. Really hard. Nobody wants to be lumbered in a clunky inefficient system. But “slaying the monolith” is easier said than done. Just ask Anthony Nolan. Increasingly hampered by its existing technology, the stem cell transplant charity was struggling to iterate and facing increasingly high levels of friction. So what do you do? Build a totally new piece of technology? Or rewire the existing system? Turns out, it's a bit of both. In our latest episode, Softwire's Ben Below details how the organisation successfully embarked on a modernisation journey.

In this episode of The Digital Lighthouse, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Monal Sangvhi, an experienced technology leader in investment banking technology, Adept a leading high-performing, cross-functional teams—most recently at Tray.ai—Monal shares her invaluable insights on how highly-regulated organisations can innovate safely. In this episode, Monal explains how: The importance of encouraging risk Giving teams the freedom to embrace innovation initiatives How agility doesn't mean “fragility” Practical approaches to organising your teams

In this episode of The Digital Lighthouse, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Glen McCracken, the Head of Data and Analytics at ION, a leading firm in automation solutions for the financial sector. With a rich background in corporate finance and applied statistics, Glen delves into the pivotal role of data analytics in shaping business strategies and enhancing operational efficiency. His unique perspective, born from years of experience and a passion for innovation, offers invaluable insights into harnessing technology for better decision-making.

In this enlightening episode of the Digital Lighthouse, we sit down with Denholm Hesse, Chief Data Officer at BDO. With a rich background spanning over a decade in data management, including pioneering roles at Deloitte and Prudential, Denholm brings unparalleled insights into leveraging data as a strategic asset. Our conversation dives into the evolving role of data governance, the innovative concept of a data marketplace, and the critical importance of data quality and trust in driving business efficiency. Join us as Denholm shares his visionary approach to harnessing data's potential in turbulent times, illuminating the path for businesses aiming to thrive in the information economy.

In this special episode of The Digital Lighthouse, we are thrilled to host Rajani Rao, a luminary in the tech industry and a staunch advocate for the role of women in technology. As a principal technologist at Aveva and director of Women Who Code, Rajani shares her inspiring journey and the transformative work her organization does to break barriers for women in tech. Through her story, we explore the importance of diversity for innovation, the power of challenging assumptions, and how Women Who Code is shaping the future of technology by empowering women with the skills and confidence to succeed. Join us as we celebrate the achievements and contributions of women in technology, and shine a light on the path to a more inclusive and innovative future.

In this episode of "The Digital Lighthouse," Zoe Cunningham welcomes Thomas Harris from MasterCard, delving into the transformative currents of digital innovation. Thomas shares the strategic intricacies of MasterCard's journey, and the broader impact on global markets, in a conversation that lights the way through the complex landscape of digital transformation, offering invaluable insights on navigating change with agility and foresight.

Back in 2008, Herb Kim founded the Thinking Digital conference series. Little did he know that 15 years on, the event would still be going, having established itself as a popular fixture in the north-east tech calendar. Herb joins Zoe Cunningham to talk about the importance of events, both for networking, and as powerful and serendipitous learning and development opportunities for anyone in the sector. The discussion then moves on to tech leadership, with Herb explaining why he believes putting yourself at risk of genuine personal failure is one of the best ways to learn critical leadership traits.

Using generative AI to improve CX and meet regulatory requirements in insurance Insurance is a challenging market to be operating in these days. A perfect storm of the squeeze on household budgets, rising costs when handling claims, and new regulation, mean many insurers are struggling to stay afloat and remain competitive. Rashed Younas is the insurance practice lead at The Dot Collective, which helps organisations make smarter use of their data. During his chat with Zoe Cunningham, Rashed shares some of the ways he's seeing forward-thinking insurers use their data intelligently, to navigate these choppy waters. From generative AI, to single view of the customer, he paints a (perhaps surprisingly) positive outlook for insurance companies.

Georgina Owens knows a thing or two about leading successful technology functions. Having held senior leadership roles in organisations across finance, telco and utilities, she now heads up the 300-person technology function at William Hill. In her chat with Zoe Cunningham, she reflects on how you can successfully oversee teams at this scale, while instilling a culture that fosters creativity and innovation. There's also a revealing chat about many of the unseen jobs a CTO must do to succeed.

If you're not using microservices already, you've probably heard people raving about how amazing they are. If you're tempted to dip your toes in the water, then this podcast with independent tech consultant, author, and former FT technical director for engineering enablement, Sarah Wells, is a must-listen. During her chat with Zoe Cunningham, she talks about what organisations need to consider before diving into the microservices world (spoiler alert, it's not just about tech), and the things you need to have in place before you take the plunge. The discussion also covers situations where microservices may actually not be the most appropriate way of building software.

In our latest episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Tom Riley, Delivery Principal at Softwire. Tom has overseen the successful delivery of numerous UK public sector digital projects, including the modernisation of the register to vote service, the cloud migration of the gender pay gap reporting service, and the replacement of the software underpinning the high-profile Feed-in-Tariff scheme. In this wide-ranging chat with Zoe, he shares insights on how to keep abreast of a diverse portfolio of projects, how to ensure teams stay up-to-speed with the latest GDS and industry best practices, and why he sometimes prefers old-fashioned pen-and-paper, and face-to-face communication, over their modern digital alternatives. Of course, no tech-related discussion at the moment would be complete without touching on artificial intelligence (AI), and Tom shares his thoughts on the opportunities and risks associated with AI in the unique context of government.

In our latest Digital Lighthouse episode, Sarah Hale, Senior Director of Engineering at Unity Technology joins Zoe Cunningham to talk gaming, career paths, and the importance of clarity when leading a team. Sarah reflects on how she's needed to evolve as she's worked her way up to an engineering leadership role, while still regularly drawing on the skills she learnt early in her career. This episode is a must-listen for anyone in a technical or engineering role thinking about where they'd like to go next in their careers, and for engineering leaders looking to learn from someone in a similar position.

In our latest Digital Lighthouse episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Joanna Smith, Interim CIO at University Hospitals Sussex. We dive deep into the world of healthcare technology with Joanna, a seasoned professional who has worked across various organisations. She shares her insights into the differences between the pharmaceutical industry and the NHS, shedding light on the challenges they face and the opportunities technology presents. Discover why embracing technology in healthcare is essential for improving patient care and operational efficiency, and learn about the exciting developments and innovations in the healthcare technology landscape that are transforming the way we receive medical care. Read the full transcript at: https://www.softwire.com/insights/transforming-nhs-technology-using-insights-from-pharma-to-create-new-opportunities-in-healthcare/

In our latest Digital Lighthouse episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Will Dixon, Professor of Digital Epidemiology at the University of Manchester. Will discusses how digital health data sources create exciting opportunities, like using de-identified electronic health records to analyse large populations for medication safety and COVID risk factors during the pandemic. He also explores the risks and challenges of managing data from patients and the public via smartphones and wearable devices to gain a clearer understanding of health. Don't miss his 'Cloudy with a Chance of Pain' research, where Will investigated the link between weather and arthritis pain using smartphones to collect data from over 13,000 participants. He is optimistic that integrating patient-generated data into the healthcare system will improve clinical outcomes and address vital health inquiries. Learn more by listening to the podcast or reading the full transcript at: https://www.softwire.com/insights/weather-and-arthritis-how-digital-health-data-is-transforming-healthcare-research/(opens in a new tab)

In our latest Digital Lighthouse episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Daniel Whitston, CTO of AutogenAI. The adoption of AI tools is on the rise, with a large number of them utilising the large-scale language model, GPT-3. While these models can solve difficult problems, they tend to be trained on a large corpus of the entire internet and may not capture an individual company's voice or values. Daniel discusses how CTOs can embrace and use AI large language models in their company, and shares how AutogenAI is bringing AI-generated outputs closer to company needs. Read the transcript at: www.softwire.com/insights/daniel-whitston-cto-how-ive-embraced-ai-and-large-language-models

Zoe Cunningham is joined by Aya Stead, software developer at Softwire to talk about neurodiversity in her role. She shares the ways she developed to look after her mental health, in the hope it can help other software engineers too. View the full transcript at: https://www.softwire.com/insights/navigating-neurodiversity-how-can-software-developers-support-their-mental-health-in-the-workplace/

In our latest Digital Lighthouse episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Anne Currie, Community co-Chair of the Green Software Foundation. Anne shares her experience and talks about the key pressing climate issues for the tech industry right now, the best things that tech teams can do to reduce their impact on the planet, and what research is saying about how the digital age has changed. Learn more by listening to the podcast or reading the full transcript at: https://www.softwire.com/insights/greening-your-digital-infrastructure-strategies-for-sustainable-technology-teams

In a frank conversation with Kevlin Henney, packed with interesting anecdotes and thought-provoking suggestions, we discussed topics such as: Why most developers code for the past, our moral responsibility to think about future uses of our code, as well as how technology companies can weather tough economic times. Read the highlights summary here: www.softwire.com/insights/highlights-from-kevlin-henneys-techtalk-developers-have-a-moral-responsibility-to-code-for-the-future

In our latest Digital Lighthouse episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Jason Souloglou, founder and CEO of SeeChange Technologies, a world-leader in real-time AI powered recognition systems, with expertise in making complex, state of the art AI technology simple to deploy and scale. Jason speaks about how their AI technology services excel within the retail sector to support loss prevention and health and safety compliance, where AI can go in the future and how it can support positive social change. Read the transcript and find out more at: https://www.softwire.com/insights/seechange-harnessing-the-power-of-ai-to-drive-positive-social-change

Zoe Cunningham is joined by Sophia Lin, senior sales manager, and Sasha Burgoyne, head of academy operations at TechSwitch to talk about how people of all backgrounds can approach career changing into technology successfully. See the full transcript and more at: https://www.softwire.com/insights/what-routes-into-technology-are-available-for-female-and-diverse-career-changers

In our latest Digital Lighthouse episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Hywel Carver, founder of Skiller Whale. This organisation provides deep coaching for tech teams, believing that learning that is core to how an engineering team operates and should align with business priorities. In our conversation, Hywel discusses why Skiller Whale came about and how to make the most of any tech training for your team. Read the full transcript here: https://www.softwire.com/insights/skiller-whale-why-companies-need-a-different-strategy-for-training-their-developers/

As a CTO, how can you create your own community of peers? Even if you're working with your team leads and C-Level colleagues, you may still feel lonely at times. CTO Craft's community brings together technology leaders from across the world and its founder, Andy Skipper, shares how it all started and how to build your own network of peers. Transcript available at: https://www.softwire.com/insights/cto-craft-building-a-community-for-ctos-and-digital-leaders/ If you're interested in seeing more from CTO Craft, check out their upcoming events: CTO Craft Con Winter 2022 virtual conference (https://conference.ctocraft.com/) and CTO Craft Bytes – Networks for Tech Leaders: Creating, Using and Nurturing, a London-based in-person event (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cto-craft-bytes-networks-for-tech-leaders-creating-using-and-nurturing-tickets-443383260267), this November.

In our latest Digital Lighthouse episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Jonny Britton, who is a co-founder and the CEO of LandTech. He discusses how LandTech started as a response to unclear and missing tools for property developers and self-builders to buy land. Jonny shares how the company is fulfilling its customers' needs and how technology has been the catalyst for supporting urban development. To find out more and access the transcript, visit: https://www.softwire.com/insights/landtech-how-technology-is-increasing-land-access-in-property-development

Joe Edwards, Technical Principal, and Daniel Waters, delivery principal at Softwire, share how to use DevOps to make your developers more productive. They discuss what they mean by productivity and DevOps, and why DevOps is particularly relevant for financial services. To read the transcript, visit https://www.softwire.com/insights/how-to-use-devops-to-make-your-developers-more-productive

In our latest Digital Lighthouse episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Kim Nilsson and Ole Moeller-Nilsson, founders of PeripherAi. This startup is helping founders of small and medium-sized businesses to create a scalable, predictable and efficient sales function, by integrating the human knowledge and the data insights within. We take a sneak-peak behind the scenes at why this startup's mission is so important and what it's taking for this startup to grow during turbulent times. See the full transcript and more at: https://www.softwire.com/insights/peripherai-the-ai-startup-turning-business-data-into-sales

In our latest TechTalks episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Kyla Guru and Molly Graton, co-founders of GirlCon. We explore the story behing Girlcon, a Chicago-based tech conference for female/non-binary high schoolers to promote diversity in STEM fields. Recently it was help at Google Chicago, before becoming a virtual global event in 2020. Transcript available at: www.softwire.com/insights/the-story-behind-girlcon-the-international-tech-conference-for-women

In our latest Digital Lighthouse episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Liv Wild, engineering director of technology reservation checkout at Expedia.  We explore her role, the innovative changes happening at Expedia, how her team works and what leadership looks like for the future. Transcript available at: https://www.softwire.com/insights/how-expedia-is-creating-great-checkout-experiences-using-technology-leadership-and-innovation

In our latest Techtalks episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Elin Sjursen, Design Director, and Michael Trueman-Hall, Senior Service Designer at Softwire, to talk about Service Design. It's a term that is interpreted in so many ways by so many different people, and is closely linked to Design Thinking. Let's explore the full definition and understand why it's so important for companies to consider this as part of their planning. Read more and get subtitles from: https://www.softwire.com/insights/what-is-service-design-and-why-is-it-important/

Digital Lighthouse Jen Dallas (Softwire) On this week's Digital Lighthouse, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Jen Dallas, Head of Digital UK and Ireland at RSA Insurance. Jen talks about the work she and her team have done to develop customer experiences across their platform. She explores the RSA's use of user testing, research and leadership to help create huge efficiency gains, and what has been valuable for the RSA's position in the financial services sector. Jen Dallas is the Head of Digital at RSA Insurance, where her current focus is on delivering ecommerce growth and strategically aligned, customer-centric product developments. She has spent the past 15 years honing her skills in the travel and insurance sectors, using her expertise to solve business problems through digital solutions, driving online adoption.

In our latest #TechTalks episode, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Christie Wilson, software engineer at Google, to explore the importance of continuous delivery, how it started as continuous integration during the 90s, and how to use it now to improve your work. PLUS... Visit our website to enter our competition below for a free copy of book: https://tinyurl.com/continuous-delivery-CD (ends 24/12/21) Christie Wilson is a software engineer at Google, with over a decade of experience dealing with complex deployment environments and high-criticality systems. She is a frequent speaker on CI/CD at conferences including KubeCon, OSCON, QCon, and PyCon. At Google, she built internal productivity tooling for AppEngine, bootstrapped Knative, and created Tekton, a cloud-native CI/CD platform built on Kubernetes. She is the author of her new book, Grokking Continuous Delivery.

On this week's Digital Lighthouse, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Scott Ronan, Senior Director of Central Infrastructure at GXO. As the second special episode on digital leadership, Scott takes a deep dive into what it means to be a digital leader. Scott shines a spotlight on the importance of trusting, understanding, and giving autonomy to your teams, as well as predicting technology trends and working out how to build new technologies into your business strategy.

On this week's Digital Lighthouse, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Danny Attias, Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO) at Anthony Nolan. As the first special episode on digital leadership, Danny takes a deep dive into what it means to be a digital leader and gives some insight into how businesses can thrive in this competitive and constantly shifting digital landscape. From legacy infrastructure and data monoliths to seamless customer journey maps and continuous improvement platforms, Danny takes us through Anthony Nolan's digital transformation, where merging digital and business strategies has been at the forefront of their success.

On this week's Digital Lighthouse, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Kristian Merritt, Director of Digital Transformation at David Lloyd Clubs. Kristian discusses how David Lloyd Clubs has tackled the challenges of COVID and how their business and digital strategy had to dramatically transform to cater to customers remotely.

On this week's Digital Lighthouse, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Rebecca Kemp, Director of Customer Journey at Citizen's Advice.

On this episode of Digital Lighthouse, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Jessica Figueras, Tech Strategist and Chair of the National Childbirth Trust. Jessica discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted organisations that rely on person-to-person contact, and how technology has played a part in moving communities online.

On this episode of Digital Lighthouse, Zoe Cunningham is joined by Edafe Onerhime, previous Head of Data for Effective Development at the Department for International Development. Edafe discusses how the pandemic has impacted DfID as a department that operates on a global level, and how the need for different kinds of data has rapidly grown.

13 million people in the UK alone are affected by disabilities. It is essential that we think about, talk about, and implement accessibility in our designs as not to leave millions of users unable to use new technologies to their fullest. Zoe is joined by Softwire's Software Developer, Kat, and Technical Lead, Sam to talk about why digital accessibility is so important and what developers can do to make their systems more accessible. Hosted by Zoe Cunningham with Katherine Langford and Sam Collard

On this episode, Zoe is joined by authors of Kubernetes Native Microservices with Quarkus and Microprofile, John Clingan and Ken Finnigan. Red Hat has developed Quarkus as a lightweight modern tool for cloud-native application development, improving app runtime speed and performance. Hosted by Zoe Cunningham with John Clingan, Ken Finnigan and Olly Levett

Todays guests discuss Game Jam, an event where teams will design and develop a new game within a fixed period of time, usually restricted to specific themes. Zoe is joined by Softwire's Project Manager, Matt, and Senior Technical Leads, Harry and Michael to talk about what they love about Game Jams and how Softwire has gotten involved. Hosted by Zoe Cunningham with Matt barnfield, Michael Kearns and Harry Cummings

Mobile and web development are becoming increasingly similar fields with cross-platform applications taking centre stage as the new standard for heightened user experience. Zoe is joined by Softwire's Software Developer, Philippa Hack and Senior Software Developer, Sam Grubb to discuss how mobile development has skyrocketed in the era of mobile applications and the introduction of iOS and Android platforms. Hosted by Zoe Cunningham with Phillipa Hack and Sam Grubb

More and more medical services can be delivered in a tech-enabled way, increasing access to medical attention and treatments. Zoe is joined by Softwire Tech Leads, Sarah Binney and Catalin Ursachi to discuss Softwire's work for Quro Medical, a South African start-up that provides a service to allow doctors to monitor their patients from home. Hosted by Zoe Cunningham with Sarah Binney and Catalin Ursachi

This is our third #TechTalks episode on Cloud. In this episode, Zoe Cunningham talks about the top 10 stand out things we've found while we've been developing cloud platforms for our clients. Zoe is joined by Softwire Tech leads, Ben Below and Olly Levett, and DevOps Lead, Usman Iqbal. Hosted by Zoe Cunningham with Usman Iqbal, Ben Below and Olly Levett