Human-Centric AI: Ex-BCG Digital Ventures Pilar Esteban’s Blueprint for SME Success
Don’t start building yet.
A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of meeting Pilar Esteban at one of the UQ Ventures Accelerator programs called iLab. The gist? Each selected startup during the three-month program receives $15,000 (interested? Register here for the next one).
While I only attended one of the iLab programs (I wish I had more time!), this one was already fantastic.
We discussed what startups often get stuck on. If I had a startup (I don’t), I am not saying that I wouldn’t make the same mistake.
The key is not to get stuck in the experimentation phase (see graphic at the end of this post).
“Don’t start building yet. ”
Understanding your customers' needs and achieving product-market fit is crucial. Get into loving the problem - not the solution.
without going to the customer and asking them
Love it.
Source: Simon Beuse, 2024
Pilar was so kind to offer her time afterwards to chat about her view on where AI (and I am aware I am speaking of a big buzzword here) currently aids startups and SMEs in building more human-centric solutions. I want to clarify that in this context, we mainly talk about generative Natural Language Processing chatbots (e.g., ChatGPT).
Thank you, Pilar.
Below is a summary of our chat.
Meet Pilar Esteban: A Leader in Design and Product Strategy
Pilar Esteban is a seasoned Design & Product leader with nearly two decades of experience in shaping teams, experiences, and businesses. Currently, she serves as the Design & Product Director at Everest Engineering, where she collaborates with clients to envision the future and drive impactful change through technology. Pilar’s career includes significant roles at BCG Digital Ventures and ThoughtWorks, where she built startups across Asia and honed her expertise in product strategy, innovation, and human-centric design. Her philosophy centers on amazing humans, collaboration, and creating technology that serves people.
1. User-Centric AI Implementation
Pilar passionately believes in the importance of maintaining a user-friendly approach when implementing AI. The key to this is continuous feedback. SMEs should:
Identify Problems: Understand the specific needs and pain points of your customers. "It's all about understanding what problems you're solving," Pilar emphasizes.
Iterate with Feedback: Implement small, manageable changes and continuously gather feedback from users. Pilar says, "Talk with customers from the beginning to the never-ending because this process will never end."
Focus on Problem-Solving: Remember that technology is a means to an end. Businesses should focus on solving real problems for their customers. "People don't pay money for technology; they pay money for solving problems," Pilar notes.
The goal should always be to enhance the user experience and address their needs effectively.
Yes, I did actually use one of those obviously AI-generated, ChatGPT-created blog-content filler pictures that I generated. This will be the only one in this blog post, though. Promise.
Source: Simon Beuse via chatgpt.com, 2024
2. Building Collaborative Teams
For SMEs looking to adopt AI, building a collaborative team is crucial. Pilar highlights several key elements for success:
Focus on Capabilities, Not Roles: Identify the skills needed and bring together people who can collaborate effectively, even if it means overlapping roles. "Forget about the roles. Think about the capabilities or skills you need," Pilar advises.
Create Safe Spaces: Foster an environment where team members feel safe to share ideas and provide feedback. This can be achieved by encouraging team bonding and trust-building activities. Pilar shares, "We used to have this thing called 'Forced Fun' to help teams bond and trust each other."
Integration Across Departments: Ensure that business, marketing, and technology teams communicate and collaborate closely. This integrated approach helps align goals and fosters innovation. "You need to have business, marketing, and tech talking with each other, not like separate companies," Pilar stresses.
Pilar also shares a unique practice from her past experience called "Forced Fun," which aimed at building trust and psychological safety within teams.
A collaborative team effort: Finishing the 100km Brisbane to Gold Coast cycling race. From left: Simon (buys the beers), Vibhor (motivational support during the ride), Markus (supplying the jokes), David (organizes communication for pre-and post-ride activities). Thanks, all!
Source: Simon Beuse, 2024
3. Practical AI Applications
Pilar shares several examples from her career where AI has been used to solve significant business problems:
Medical Diagnostics in Spain: An AI algorithm was developed to assist general practitioners in interpreting ECG results, providing an initial analysis and flagging potential issues for cardiologists. This not only saved time but also potentially saved lives. Pilar recalls, "It was amazing because it was about saving lives by addressing a clear gap."
Heatseeker: An AI-powered tool that helps startups validate their value propositions and suggests experiments. It leverages AI to enhance the expertise of its founders, making it accessible to a broader audience. "It's almost like having a mate that questions your value proposition and suggests experiments," Pilar explains.
Legal Tech: AI is being used to automate tedious background processes in legal work, reducing errors and freeing up human resources for higher-value tasks. "AI helps lawyers do due diligence and simplifies many background processes," Pilar shares.
User Story Automation: AI tools can convert meeting transcripts and bullet points into clear user stories and criteria, allowing product managers and business analysts to focus on strategic discussions rather than documentation. "The value of a product manager shouldn't be writing user stories; it should be driving discussions and alignment," Pilar states.
These examples highlight how AI can streamline processes, reduce errors, and enhance productivity in various industries.
We explored a wealth of current Aussie startups that showcased their amazing solutions at the QLD AI Summit a few weeks ago.
Source: Simon Beuse, 2024
4. Future AI Trends for SMEs
Looking ahead, Pilar identifies several promising AI trends that SMEs should be aware of:
Streamlining Processes: AI can automate complex, time-consuming tasks, allowing businesses to focus on higher-value activities. For instance, AI-powered customer service automation can free up employees for more creative roles. Pilar mentions, "Ikea automated a lot of customer service and retrained staff as interior designers, adding more value."
Enhancing Team Collaboration: AI tools can facilitate better collaboration by handling routine tasks and enabling team members to focus on strategic thinking and innovation. "AI will take care of the boring, time-consuming tasks, giving teams more time to be creative and engage with customers," Pilar explains.
Blurring of Roles: As AI takes over more routine tasks, traditional job roles will become more fluid, encouraging greater collaboration and skill-sharing among team members. "Roles will become more blended, forcing us to collaborate more, which is a positive change," Pilar predicts.
Pilar remains optimistic about the future, believing that AI will create opportunities for businesses to do amazing things and deliver higher value to their customers.
Conclusion
I really liked how Pilar talked about some items for a roadmap for businesses looking to harness the power of AI effectively. Rounding things up, this was a slide from the workshop that resonated with me (and may resonate with you, too):
Don't start building yet.
Source: Pilar Esteban, Everest Egineering, 2024
So remember, before doing anything, challenge your assumptions. And don’t start building. Yet.
Thank you, Pilar.
If you want to reach out directly to Pilaror to learn more about her work, you reach out to her on LinkedIn here.
Note: Some of the editing for this content has been assisted by AI technology to enhance efficiency. Rest assured that all information provided remains thoroughly vetted and accurate.
