All Hands on Tech: Thought Leaders Tom Davenport & Ian Barkin on Citizen Development & Digital Transformation

In their latest book, All Hands on Tech, Babson College Professor Tom Davenport and automation pioneer Ian Barkin explore how citizen development is transforming the workplace. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High interviews Tom and Ian about the core concepts of their book, covering the rise of citizen developers, the role of governance frameworks, and real-world case studies that demonstrate the impact of democratizing technology. Highlights include: Citizen Development: Tom and Ian define citizen development as the democratization of IT, allowing non-technical employees to create applications and automations, empowering them to drive meaningful change within their organizations. Digital Transformation: They explain why citizen development is a critical ingredient in digital transformation, providing organizations with the agility to respond faster and innovate continuously. 4G Framework for Governance: The 4G Framework—Genesis, Governance, Guidance, Guardrails—offers a structure for responsibly supporting citizen development, ensuring scalability and mitigating technical debt. Amtrak and Shell Case Studies: The authors share insights from Amtrak’s individual-led development and Shell’s structured DIY movement as examples of successful grassroots innovation. Generative AI & Low-Code Tools: Tools like Microsoft’s Power Platform and generative AI enable non-technical users to develop software and solutions, fostering a culture of innovation from all levels within an organization. Future of Work and Citizen Development: Tom and Ian discuss the future of work, where employees with domain expertise play an increasing role in technology initiatives, bridging gaps between IT and business for collaborative innovation.