In this impromptu/underground recording with the implausible Esteban Kolsky, the guys grab some time as Salesforce Connections to discuss the future of the enterprise. Two Kolsky blog posts are up for consideration, one on his enterprise software priorities, the other on AI misconceptions. Since this taping is at a CX event, the guys also get into the epic problem of delivering a halfway-decent customer experience across channels. Doing their best with Jon's backup recording, Jon also takes the chance to ask Esteban the burning question: why are you such a grouchy *!*. That leads into a discussion of the vital role of the enterprise idealist/curmudgeon, or, gadfly. At the end of the thirty minute chat, the meaning of the "implausible" Esteban Kolsky is revealed. Producer's note: this had to be taped on the backup of Jon's backup recorder, but hopefully the listening experience was improved decently for you during production. 

In their second podcast from Sapphire Now 2018, Jon Reed and guest Brian Dennett move on from SAPpy talk to discuss Brian's startup, Enable AI, and why they are taking a practical approach to AI as augmented intelligence. Brian shares his view on why AI and ML are getting market traction, and the customer problems that Enable AI is tackling. Brian also advises on how companies should get started with "AI," and why data scientists are not necessarily required. Though this is not an SAP-focused podcast, the guys briefly touch on how customer-focused AI projects tie into a C/4HANA and Leonardo context at one point or another. 

In Jon's annual Sapphire Now event review, he has a new guest, Brian Dennett of Enable AI, who was also part of the SAP blogger program coverage. Jon and Brian hash out the messages of the show, including the "intelligent enterprise" messaging and whether the Leonardo aspects actually made sense this year. They discuss Brian's pick for the sleeper announcement of the show, Master Data Management as a service, and why it matters. The guys share their findings from their often-spirited blogger sessions; Brian explains why has a philosophical difference with SAP on their "AI" approach. The guys wrap by giving their letter grades for the show, and Jon airs a couple of SAP gripes. Note: this recording was made on Jon's backup recording rig due to a microphone failure. 

On the second day of ASUG Annual Conference and Sapphire Now 2018, Jon Reed caught up with ASUG CEO Geoff Scott to get his reactions to SAP's "intelligent enterprise" strategy. Scott shares his view of the conference highlights from an ASUG view. The guys talk about the challenges SAP vowed to address, including the longstanding problem of integration - a challenge heightened with the numerous cloud products. They discuss the role of user groups in project success (or not). Note: due to time limitations the guys do not get into a licensing discussion in this video - however look for more SAP licensing (and indirect licensing) content on diginomica.com, and also ASUG.com.

In this interactive live discussion from Western Mass Podcamp 2018, Jon shares his views on researching the so-called informed buyer, and why marketing and sales must change. Participants from the session share their own challenges, and Jon hits on the dynamics of winning (and sustaining) attention, and why topic authority and opt-in audiences are essential. He explains why social media is useless without content, and why content is useless without a clear business identity. The role of subscription and curation is discussed. (Jon did a related session that continues these themes with a look at the power of immersive creativity; look out for that podcast soon). 

In their Barcelona tradition, Jon Reed of diginomica and SAP Mentor and cloud expert Dick Hirsch review the news, debates, and questions from SAP TechEd Barcelona 2017. They break down what they learned on Leonardo, along with questions about how SAP got away from process expertise in their positioning. Separating hype from reality includes a review of SAP's blockchain pursuits, and why cloud requires a different level of pricing transparency. The guys also hit on SAP's multi-cloud ambitions, including the Google partnership, and Jon reveals what he learned - or didn't - on the Android SDK possibility in the future.

In this live podcast from Constellation Research's Connected Enterprise 2017, Jon talks with the Teamability team about why team building is hard - and the unique method they bring. With the occasional bird chirping during our outdoor taping session, CEO Dr. Janice Presser and COO Mark Talaba share field examples and explain why the science of team building goes far beyond "good" and "bad" teams.

Jon also gets into his own experience being tested by Teamability, what he learned, and the three podcasters kick around the ups and downs of teams until it's time for Mark's Uber to the airport - then Jon issues the ultimate Teamability challenge. Dr. Janice Presser is also the author of the new book @Dr. Janice - Timing isn't Everyhing. Teaming is. 

In this in-depth conversation with Paul Ovigele of ERPfixers, Ovigele gives an frank look at his goal of using an Uber-like platform to provide SAP customers with a new option to get their questions answered. Jon Reed of diginomica.com talks with Ovigele about the challenges ERPfixers has faced during a live sit down at SAP Controlling 2017. They also discuss the need for consulting to change - just like cloud has changed software business models. Jon also gets Ovigele's answers to reader questions from a diginomica piece on ERPfixers - and the guys kick around the potential of the platform, for SAP and beyond, until they run out of time.

In this live podcast, taped on-site at Controlling 2017 the week before SAP TechEd, Jon Reed of diginomica talks with Julien Delvant of Bluefin Solutions about how his team approaches S/4HANA from a business case perspective. The guys also contrast the views on HANA from the SAP finance pros at this show versus the technical SAP crowd at SAP TechEd. They debate the role of Leonardo and how the SAP customers at this show view S/4HANA. Julien also shares Bluefin's progress developing a business case for S/4HANA. 

In this edited version of his Western Mass Podcamp 2017 session, Growing your business with content, Jon talks about the power of content and the impact of the digital economy on how content is consumed. The key question: how can you use content to win business by earning trust, opt-ins, and audiences? Session participants, including Claudia Gere, chime in here and there and pose questions. Note: there are a few swear words on this podcast so it's not safe for certain workplaces. Also check the itunes channel for the full podcast archives.

In part two of their live taping at Enterprise UX 2017, Jon Reed of diginomica.com talks with Sam Yen of SAP about their UX overhaul and the integral role design thinking plays in Leonardo - including project delivery. Yen also gives a glimpse into Hasso Plattner's passion for design and how this impacts SAP's UX challenges ahead. Also check the itunes channel for the full podcast archives.

In this impromptu. on-site podcast, Jon Reed of diginomica talks with Sam Yen of SAP about his keynote on driving organizational change through design. In this first of two podcasts with Reed and Yen, the guys hit on issues like the (relative) maturity of enterprise UX, and the big themes from Enterprise UX 2017, including breaking down silos. Yen critiques incremental innovation and makes the case for organization-wide design culture. Yen also gives his advice for non-designers who want to bring a design mentality to their work - and why that matters. In part two of their podcast, the guys will take a harder look at SAP's UX approach and get Yen's Leonardo/UX status report.

In their traditional post-Sapphire Now live recording, Jon and Dick once again grab an empty meeting room, but this time, they are - fittingly enough - disrupted. But the taping goes on, as Jon and Dick talk through the major themes of the show, kicking off with the diginomica.com story Dick published before Sapphire Now 2017 on multi-cloud that caused a stir. The guys hit on Sap Cloud Platform and Cloud Foundry, debate whether S/4HANA Cloud was overlooked, and break down Leonardo. Dick also gets into SAP Hybris, microservices, and the guys talk about the SaaS standardization dilemma for customers. They also explain why they chose NOT to talk indirect access.

In the audio-only version of this informal video hangout from Mark Finnern's departed treehouse, Finnern reflects with Jon Reed of diginomica on what he learned at SAP in the early days of building enterprise tribes. Now a consultant, Finnern explains why companies should be passionate about communities - not just for customers, but for competitive edge. Finnern also makes his case playfulness as a way of energizing companies and breaking down silos. The guys also discuss Finnern's keys to a successful enterprise communities, and where companies run into trouble. They move into the tricky territory of KPIs, and measuring the results of community investments. The podcast closes with Finnern's take on how SAP has handled community - and the SAP Mentors - after his departure.

In this shorter companion podcast to their longer IoT chat, Jon and Mrinal Wadhwa of Fybr discuss SAP's Internet of Things strategy. Wadhwa explains why he stayed away from SAP involvement for a few years, and why SAP's current IoT strategy has brought him back. He shares what he learned in Barcelona, and the guys touch on where SAP goes from here. As in the last podcast, there is a touch of wind in the background, but mostly the sound is good - though you'll hear Jon's business cards getting blown away at one point. 

In this live podcast from SAP TechEd Barcelona, Jon finally gets his schedule aligned with Mrinal Wadhwa of Fybr, which has a very interesting IoT play underway. The guys talk about Wadhwa's career shifts, before moving to a deeper talk on Internet of Things use cases. Wadhwa shares customer projects with cities, and how those projects are designed and funded.

The guys discuss what the IoT value is underneath the hype, and wrap with some words on IoT security. There is a bit of wind noise at the beginning as the guys taped outside, but otherwise this should be a good listen. Note: though this podcast was taped at an SAP show, there is not much SAP talk in this podcast. The guys delved into SAP's IoT plays in a shorter, companion podcast.

In this SAP TechEd 2016 Barcelona review podcast, Jon Reed talks with cloud and DevOps expert and SAP Mentor Dick Hirsch about his reactions. The guys break down the high points of their meetings, with a look at digital transformation, Hybris and micro-services, IoT, and progress with SAP's Apple iOS development partnership. They also explore the question: why isn't there more DevOps at SAP TechEd? The impact of DevOps and pros/cons of micro-services are other topics the guys explore from their outdoor - though slightly chilly - poolside taping. 

In this brief instant reaction podcast, Jon talks with SAP Mentor and developer Graham Robinson about his reaction to Bernd Leukert's SAP TechEd keynote. Graham also lays out the developer questions for SAP TechEd he is looking to get answered. 

At the Acucmatica analyst day, Jon Reed sat down with world class event troublemaker Brian Sommer not long after blowing a fuse. Jon sees if he can get Brian worked up again as the guys review current issues in HR tech, with the HR tech event season about to hit. The guys hit on problems in HR analytics and recruiting in this fairly short but spicy conversation.

In this live conference wrap, taped on SuccessConnect day two, Jon Reed and SuccessFactors consultant Jarret Pazahanick kick around the key themes of the conference and provide a gut check. Pazahanick is known for his pesky questions, but this review catches Pazahanick in an upbeat mood. Pazahanick explains why his views on SuccessFactors have shifted, and the guys hit on multiple themes of the conference, including diversity and business without bias, Intelligent Services. mobile UX and more. The guys hit on under-reported news, keynote reviews, and Pazahanick detailed his biggest concerns going forward. Jon does manage to get Pazahanick in a feisty mood regarding ASUG's announcement of their "Partner Place" program for evaluating SAP consulting partners. 

Jon Reed and Vinnie Mirchandani have their differences when it comes to the outlook for robotics and jobs. At Inforum 2016, they sat down for a podcast taping where Vinnie explained the motivations behind his soon-to-be-released book and why he is optimistic about robotics and how workers can find new ways of working with tech and alongside the robots of the future. Vinnie made his case for why alarmists aren't helping us and the guys do some back and forth over the responsibilities of workers and employers and our educational system for adapting to the changes that automation brings.

In the second of their seat-of-the-pants Inforum 2016 podcasts, Jon and Brian Sommer discuss the radical future of finance, based on Brian's recent posts on radical EPM on diginomica.com. Brian makes his case for why big data threatens spreadsheet culture, and how robotics is changing the finance profession. He brings in real world examples on social media sentiment analysis, and why finance people and CIOs have to get on the same page. The guys wrap with a preview of Brian's piece on how the airlines can redeem the customer experience with applied analytics - the topic of a recent multi-part series, "The Right Stuff" - now up on diginomica.com. Listeners who make it to the end get to sample Brian's Rodney Dangerfield "no respect" impersonation, dedicated to frequent flyers everywhere

In this informal video hangout, Jon Reed of http://www.diginomica.com talks with SuccessFactors consultants/experts Jarret Pazahanick and Luke Marson to get their views on Sapphire Now and ASUG 2016, and the key questions customers raised. The guys dig into the future of SAP HCM in an S/4HANA world, and also break down the open questions on S/4HANA that customers are asking. Because of the critical issues on private versus public clouds and what this means to customers, Jon has added an 8 minute audio postscript with additional comments and clarifications from SAP Mentor Dick Hirsch.

In part two of their informal video hangout, Jon Reed of diginomica.com, Jarret Pazahanick and Luke Marson shift their focus to cloud HCM in the field. Using their recent podcast with Steve Bogner's SAP HCM Insighs as a starting point, Jarret and Luke talk about bad versus good practices in SuccessFactors consulting. the guys hit on the demand for SuccessFactors skills, the need for independent experts, and they hit the always-hot issue of SAP certification. Note: part one of this video chat, on S/4HANA and HCM, will be released soon.

At the day one LiveWorx keynotes, Internet of Things security was an overlooked topic. Jon set about to correct that by sitting down with Volker Gerstenberger and Tomi Ronkainen of Giesecke & Devrient, a firm with a deep history of security - everything from bank notes to, now, the IoT. The guys talk about the thorny security issues raised by IoT, and how they can be addressed during the design process. Autonomous/smart cars are one hacking controversy the guys cover. They also discuss the tensions between airtight security and great UX, and what they tell end customers about security preparedness.  

In this now-infamous reunion shoot, the five dudes/miscreants/wayward travelers are reunited for a rehash of the events of Sapphire Now Orlando 2016. Harald, Jon, Den, Vijay and John all have new gigs or roles since the were last together, but the goal remains the same - a frank breakdown of what they've learned and heard. The guys review the keynotes, discuss the viability of S/4HANA at this juncture, and evaluate SAP's customer-first intentions. Digital moves such as Digital Customer Insight also get the rundown. This audio is pulled from a video shoot - you can read extensive Sapphire Now/ASUG 2016 coverage on diginomica.com.  

During this candid interview with ASUG CEO Geoff Scott, Jon gets the skinny on ASUG's latest collaboration with DSAG - a position paper on digital transformation that is a key issue for SAP customers. Scott shares the story on how the collaboration came about, and Jon presses to find out if ASUG endorses S/4HANA and SAP's view of S/4HANA as the digital core. Taped live in Orlando the day before ASUG Annual Conference and Sapphire Now, Scott shares his goals for the show and beyond. He also gives the view on ASUG's surprise acquisition of the U.S. division of The Eventful Group. This is the audio of a video shoot - you can check the companion analysis Jon wrote of this shoot on diginomica.com. 

During this live interview, taped in the midst of a bustling Consensus 2016, Steemit co-founder Ned Scott gives Jon the inside view on the creation of Steemit, and their unique approach to rewarding/paying content creators and curators through their blockchain-based platform. He also announces the launch of Steemit.com. Ned talks about Steemit's different asset classes, including Steem dollars, and how they've sparked their launch with a Slack-based community. The guys also get into the failure of existing networks to compensate content creators, and create a civil environment for discourse.  Jon also vows to jump off a bridge it companies like Steemit can't build new media models as viable alternatives to living on Facebook. 

Following their annual tradition, Jon Reed and Dick Hirsch steal an empty room - or in this case, a (mostly) empty hallway - for a review of the news and events of Sapphire Now and the ASUG Annual Conference, 2016. Hirsch shares his investigations, and the guys compare notes on topics such as the HANA Cloud Platform, the SAP-iOS partnership, and S/4HANA clarifications. The guys discuss S/4HANA's viability as a digital core, SAP's cloud positioning, and how attendees reacted. Customer feedback to SAP on integration, a big theme of the conference, is addressed. This podcast leans on the technical side, which was surprising given Sapphire Now is a business conference - but even Hasso Plattner's final day keynote had an in-depth S/4HANA migration demo. 

During this live taping at Collision 2016, Jon talks with "User researcher, artist, and digital anthropologist" Caroline Sinders about the intersection of UX design and machine learning. Sinders shares key points from her Collision talk on design for consent, and whether online harassment can be reduced via design. Sinders gives her assessment of Facebook's chatbots and explains why calling such chatbots "AI" is inaccurate. Finally, Sinders sets the record straight on the panel controversy at SXSW and what conference organizers should learn from that brouhaha.

In this frank/informal chat, recorded live at Collision 2016 in New Orleans, Mike Janke, Co-founder and Chairman of Silent Circle, shares his field views on enterprise security, starting with the advice and wake-up calls he gives to customers. Janke also gives a blunt take on the FBI vs Apple encryption controversy. The issue of user experience design versus security is addressed. The guys wrap with some reflection from Janke on his prior work as a Navy SEAL, and what he learned about risk that carries over into his work with Silent Circle. 

Live from Advocamp 2016, Jon Reed catches Joseph Jaffe in a spirited mood after his keynote, "Using your brand to create an army of zealots." This frank/informal chat debates the pros/cons of brand zealotry, with Jaffe explaining why politicians like Trump and Obama have changed the marketing discourse. Jon worries this groundswell marketing has a dark side - Jaffe responds. Jaffe also hits on key concepts from his last book Z.E.R.O., which explore the futility of broadcast advertising. The guys also kick around the viability of customer advocates and advocate-driven marketing - a key theme of Influitive's Advocamp event.

With a soothing fountain providing Zen vibes in the background, Jon talks to fellow diginomica contributor Brian Sommer about enterprise buyers and digital change - Live from the Acumatica Summit 2016. Brian shares some recent digital turbulence and stories of how companies are losing the plot. He also reflects on recent projects to discuss what enterprise buyers need. The guys then hit on why sales and marketing is too often out of step with today's enterprise buyer. Note: part two of this podcast gets into specifics on Acumatica's cloud ERP play.

In this completely unscripted chat with Brian Solis, author of a new book on experience design, Jon asks Brian about whether experience design can be a reality given the data silos and culture issues that prevent this from happening. Brian shares his research and provides a view on why user and customer experience can - and must - change. Jon aired out a number of cynical views on customer experience. Brian's answers included starting points for customers on this new "experience architecture."

During this informal, on-site podcast taping in Boston, Jon Reed of diginomica.com talks with three members of the Onapsis team (Alex, Alex, and Dave) about what "white hat hacking" means for today's enterprise. The guys also talk about how Onapsis identifies ERP security breaches, and how they work with Oracle and SAP to make sure those companies have appropriate patches before taking security issues public. 

In a special edition of "Jon and Den's digital dump," Jon and Den of diginomica.com break down three days of SAP TechEd Las Vegas. The guys assess the keynotes, the pros and cons of SAP's S/4HANA strategy, and whether the "digital core" approach is going to work. Will the "customer engagement" play work against CRM rivals? The guys also kick around SAP's progress on developer engagement, and give a final review.

In the longer, "director's cut" version of this SAP TechEd 2015 on-site podcast, Jon Reed and Dick Hirsch kick around the main conference takeaways and the S/4HANA challenge. Dick shares the main themes he was investigating and the latest on the SAP HANA Cloud Platform. SAP's open source initiatives, particularly Cloud Foundry via Hybris YaaS (Hybris as s service), are covered. The guys also set up the themes, particularly around S/4HANA, to look for in Barcelona. SAP's approach to bloggers/communications is also reviewed. 

Jon went on-site to Conversocial's NYC headquarters for an informal chat with Conversocial CEO Joshua March about the viability of social channels for customer service. March shares what his company has been up to since he and Jon first corresponded and they were a "cool vendor" to watch. Jon shares his social service beefs and March talks about how social customer service shouldn't just be lip service, but lead all the way to resolution. March also speaks to CRM integration, always an issue when you pursue a specialized product.

​​In this extended, director's cut edition, live from SAP Controlling 2015, Jon talks with SAP Mentor Julien Delvat about the buzz behind predictive, and the guys explore some new HANA use cases Julien is working on in the S4/HANA context.​ They also talk about changing customer views on HANA at the conference. 

Gary Cokins, internationally-recognized expert and author in EPM and predictive analytics, gives Jon some straight talk on analytics after his keynote at the Controlling 2015 conference. Cokins explains the rise of EPM, and the challenges CFOs are facing. Using memorable phrases like "management by embarrassment," Cokins peels behind predictive hype and explains the role of technology, not as a cure-all, but as an enabler. 

 

 

In the directors cut edition, Jon Reed of diginomica digs into the SuccessConnect 2015 show with outspoken SuccessFactors consultant Jarret Pazahanick. The show wrap finds Pazahanick suprisingly upbeat, but there are still key issues to discuss regarding consulting, certification, customer support, and sharing and measuring benchmarks.

In the extended "directors cut" edition, Jon Reed of diginomica.com talks with James Sinclair of Enterprise Jungle live at SuccessConnect 2015. The guys chat on the value of cloud platforms, and specifically extensibility on SuccessFactors. The talk focuses on building apps on the HANA Cloud Platform (HCP) and why that has such an impact on customers.  Then the guys shift to challenges SAP faces on HCP adoption, and what changes are underfoot to address them. 

Sherryanne Meyer and Chris Paine join Jon Reed of diginomica.com to hash out the latest SAP HCM developments, with an eye towards the S/4 HANA future. The focus of this informal chat is customer and partner reactions and views; Meyer discusses her new role as ASUG HCM customer advocate. 

In what has become an annual tradition, Jon and Dick Hirsch took over an abandoned room prior to Dick's plane flight to do the long-form/relaxed review of Sapphire Now/ASUG. Dick shares his cloud and S/4 HANA learnings, and both guys give a behind the scenes view of the challenges SAP is facing and what customers were saying. Keynote reviews are also included. Not covered in the podcast: Dick's daughter is VERY mad at him for missing the Jennifer Lopez concert!

In the "director's cut" edition of Jon's live Mobile World Congress wrap with diginomica colleague Derek du Preez, the guys review the MWC frenzy from an enterprisey point of view, and then review SAP's IoT strategy before moving on to a general talk on digital media disruptions, the state of reporting, and a bit on diginomica's own goals.

Is the show taking on a new level of enterprise relevance? Derek also shares his Internet of Things show research, and how he approaches this show from an enterprise journalists' perspective - not any easy thing to do, given the amount of media babble about the latest smart phones. 

After day two of Everett McKay's UX Design Essentials course in Atlanta, Jon sat down live with Everett to find out how a developer like himself transformed into a UX instructor - and why UX matters. In this sixteen minute chat, the guys also talk about why intuitive design is a useless cliche (but not a useless concept), why all software has a personality, and why design concepts like forgiveness can change UX for the better. Everett also shares his view on why UX is gaining momentum in the enterprise. 

In this live podcast recording from the New York Stock Exchange, Jon Reed and John Appleby discuss the highs and lows from SAP's S4HANA announcement event, billed as the most important SAP product announcement in 23 years. 

 

In part two of their content strategy video discussion, Michael Brenner of NewsCred joins Jon Reed of diginomica.com to dig deeper - into a frank look at the impact of content on marketing, the role of marketing tech and personalization, and the challenges facing the modern CMO. Note: part one of this podcast, which hits on why Michael is betting his career on content marketing, is featured on Jon's new "Busting the Omnichannel" podcast series.

In the longer second part of the SAP cloud shoot, Jon returns with SAP cloud expert Dick Hirsch to do a deeper dive into SAP cloud for those who want the nuances. The bulk of the talk follows Dick's recent blogs and how his TechEd/d-code insights unfolded. The guys also dig into the surprising persistence of ByDesign, and SAP's cloud platform and open source Cloud Foundry forays.

Fresh off the TechEd/d-code events, Jon chats with SAP cloud expert Dick Hirsch about how he sees the SAP cloud at this juncture. This video is intended for those who want an overview of the SAP cloud with some context on "S-Innovations" as well - the so-called "Simple Suite". A second, longer companion podcast, "Hashing the SAP cloud," digs deeper into the nuances of SAP's cloud strategy.

Is customer experience a fantasy, or an achievable goal? At Argyle's Digital Marketing Leadership event in Boston, Jon pushed his skeptical view on customer experience with CX expert Howard Beader of SDL. Jon and Howard kick around the lessons (and poll results) from the marketers/CMOs in attendance, and talk about how data fits into the customer experience challenge. Jon also pushes the issue of the difficult marketing-IT relationship and Beader shares his own view on the role of IT as marketing shifts to cloud

In this 47 minute highlight replay from a live interactive Crowd Chat, hosts Dennis Howlett and Vinnie Mirchandani explore and debate the issues raised by Mirchandani's new book, SAP Nation: A Runaway Economy.

This event replay was prepared for this podcast feed by Den Howlett and Jon Reed, two of the co-founders of diginomica.com. You can review the text-based Crowd Chat discussion here: https://www.crowdchat.net/SAPNation

Note: there are a few minor audio glitches on the file due to international bandwidth, but I think you'll find this discussion is well worth a few blips.

In this audio combo of two diginomica video shoots, Jon first talks with Ray Wang about the future of digital and whether the Chief Digital Officer is a BS idea, or a pressing need. Then, Jon shifts gears to talk to Brain Sommer about the future of selling and why selling is changing profoundly. The guys also kick around the impact of media on selling - "stop putting, and start blogging."

In this "best of" audio from Jon and Den's SAP TechEd and d-code filming collection, Den, Jon, and the always-quotable SAP Mentor Graham Robinson sit down for a review of a hectic and important week for SAP's first "post-Vishal" technology conference. 

In this informal evening chat taped on on a Google Hangout, Jon Reed of diginomica chats with Frank Scavo of Strativa about services industry disruption. First, the guys dig into "punching above your weight as a services firm" and Frank shares how his firm has been able to have success even against the biggest services firms. The guys then turn their attention to the value of independent advisory on enterprise software projects, and why it matters.

In this very informal evening chat, Jon caught up with the inimitable Dick Hirsch to share what cloudy SAP insights they learned from their meetings and backchannel digging at Sapphire Now and ASUG 2014. Dick also shares what he's learned since the show, and the guys look to the future with cloud and developer topics, plus suite-versus-platform and other questions unanswered.

UPDATE: here's the link to slides that go with this audio on slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/jonerp/digging-into-hana-roi-and-biz-case-analysis

In this informal but focused talk, Jon Reed talks through a HANA business case methodology with Tony Guetersloh of TekLink. The guys review how to move beyond HANA "speed hype" to build a project finance use case - informed by process owners. There will be a companion audio slideshare version released with the slides. Jon has no financial relationship with TekLink, this was just for fun because the content was worth a hard look.

In this informal chat, Jon talks with SAP SFSF cloud consultants Jyoti Sharma and Luke Marson about why customers are moving to the HCM cloud, why cloud consulting requires a different approach and value prop, and the do's and don'ts of successful SFSF Employeee Central implementations. A brief ASUG/Sapphire preview and SAP executive changes wraps the podcast.

In this (very) informal discussion, John Appleby and Jon Reed reflect on their 30 minute blogger conversation with Bill McDermott on the future of SAP and the departure of Vishal Sikka. (Den Howlett blogged about the call, as did John). During the podcast, John and Jon pull out the main themes from the call, and look ahead to the challenges SAP must tackle at ASUG/Sapphire - including cloud, HANA, and the field issues customers are facing, which may not be solved via HANA or cloud talk.

In this informal HANA 2014 on-site chat, Jon talks with SAP Mentor Julien Delvat about the view on HANA from a financials/functional perspective, and what customers are telling him during his Orlando jaunts and conference presentations. The guys also talke about how firms can punch above their weight with the right use of experts and content.

In this very informal sit down, Jon and John talk about SAP HANA Insider Day 1, HANA's level of maturity, apps, and how John hacks through new SAP software. Different HANA use cases are covered, including those John sees in the field. There is some debate about BW on HANA as a starting point, and HANA as tech versus biz. Plus: John's selfie obsession.

In this frank, hopefully constructive, and informal conversation on ERP project failure and it's disturbing persistence, Jon Reed talks to Michael Doane about the problem and what solutions have a chance at closing the failure gap. There is a particular focus on the impact of independent advisors and how business benefits are quantified.

In this informal hangout session, Jon talks Hana Cloud Platform from the SuccessFactors side, with SAP HCM all pros and Mentors Chris Paine and Luke Marson. The guys talk about the potential of the HCP and also the issues SAP and partners need to overcome. The show wraps with a review of SAP's latest HCP announcements.

In the audio track from from this informal video hangout, Jon Reed of diginomica.com gets the real deal on SAP Fiori and SAP developer engagement with SAP Mentors Graham Robinson and Ethan Jewett. The guys talk about why developer engagement matters to enterprise software companies, and do a gut check on where SAP stands compared to their last report card 15 months ago. 

In this informal Hangout on Air (audio replay) Jon Reed of diginomica.com (@jonerp) reviews new data on CIO disruptions with Sina Moatamed, cloud practictioner and blogger. The guys hit on everything from security to whether big data is overhyped, and how overworked CIOs and IT Managers can have business impact and (address skills challenges) before they face irrelevancy.​ The video replay of this talk is available on Jon's YouTube channel: /jonathanwreed.

In this informal evening discussion, Jon Reed talks all things BI with Derek Loranca in a buzzword-free environment.. Derek shares the story of his company's BI transitions as well as his own evolution to a BI architect in a changing market. The video version of this talk is running on Jon's YouTube channel, direct link: http://youtu.be/zpm7Q4tLEjs. 

​In this impromptu and unscripted discussion, Jon talks with John Appleby and Ethan Jewett about the argument for open sourcing SAP UI5. The discussion hits on key issues with user experience and developer ecosystems that are suddenly center stage not only for SAP, for for most enterprise software vendors.​ There is a video version of this discussion on Jon's YouTube channel.

For the final edition of his "lost podcast series," Jon shares a frank summer podcast with Jarret that hits on themes of HCM lessons, blogging eithics, why independents matter, and some SAP HCM shop talk.

Jon has an in-depth talk with Sina Moutamed on the future of the cloud CIO and the real world impact of cloud. This is connected to a diginomica.com feature already published.

In the first of his "lost podcast" series, Jon talks devops and cloud disruptions on sys admins with Chris Kernaghan, SAP Mentor and outspoken/out-in-front devops dude. This is connected to a diginomica.com interview, and there is also a video version of this talk on jon's youtube channel..

This is the audio from an informal video hangout with John Appleby of Bluefin Solutions to talk about the HANA realities on John's current project and what HANA use cases are moving the needle with customers. The guys also hash out the strengths of HANA and what might be around the corner with HANA-as-platform. John also fesses up to why he missed SAP TechEd Las Vegas.

Jon hits the TechEd Expert lounge floor for his annual freewheeling talk on whether social media is BS - or has actual value for SAP professionals. Special guests include Joshua Fletcher, Karin Tillotson and Phil Loewen. WARNING: NSFW starting at 10 minute mark (PG-13)

In this live-without-a-net, slide-free discussion, Jon fields live TechEd questions and addresses the key skills issues facing SAP professionals. Karin Tillotson and John Moy chime in.

​Jon and HCM ninja SAP Mentor Mentor Martin Gillet review recent HR events, and dig into Martin's passionate views on training, talent, and SAP certification​. Shoutouts to SAP HCM kung fu artists Chris Paine, Sharon Newton, Luke Marson, Jarret Pazahanick and more are included.

During this non-controversial ByDesign discussion, Leo shares with Jon the insights he has on the ground at SAP TechEd. The focus is on practical considerations, cloud platform and roadmap topics, rather than a deconstruction of the current ByDesign news and how it was handled. 

At the end of SAP TechEd 2013 day two, Jon sat down with SAP Mentor and intrepid blogger Dick Hirsch to kick around the day's events and make sense of SAP's HANA, cloud, and PaaS directions. 

Jon and Chris kick around their SAP TechEd day one experiences and open questions over the course of a half hour of banter, critique and kudos.

In this "lost podcast", taped live at the TechEd Madrid Expert Loung, Jon Reed has an interactive discussion with attendees on the future of SAP tech skills in the outsourcing and cloud era.

In this "two for one" special podcast feature, recorded in two separate conversations, one for JonERP and one for JD-OD, Jon talks with Julien Delvat about the impact of HANA on SAP Controlling and how CO-PA on HANA is evolving.

In this "SAP Analytcs Throwdown", Jon hosts a no-holds-barred talk on whether SAP is innovating on analytics (outside of HANA) and how it can create a better analytics story in 2013. Guests Appleby, Oswald, Loranca and Voslloo join.

During this special Google Plus taping, Jon Reed of JonERP.com assesses SAP developer engagement with fellow SAP Mentors Graham Robinson and Ethan Jewett. The guys present their views on three points they determined to be crucial for SAP's success building an apps ecosystem: IP, licensing, and downloadable software. After some amusing early technical glitches, the discussion gives a clear sense of the work SAP has left to do and frames the developer themes for the TechEd 2012 season.

In this special SAP cloud assessment, Jon Reed of http://www.JonERP.com talks to fellow SAP Mentors Dick Hirsch, Leonardo De Araujo and Jarret Pazahanick to get their specific views on SAP cloud strategy from 3 different cloud areas: HCM (Jarret), ByD (Leo), and NW Cloud (Dick). Then the guys try to put the pieces together, hash the Ariba acquisition a bit, and share their SAP cloud expectations for upcoming events as we head into SAP TechEd season.

To reflect on the one year anniversary of the HANA GA, Jon Reed of http://www.JonERP.com talks with fellow SAP Mentors Harald Reiter, Vijay Vijayasankar, and John Appleby about what SAP has accomplished and the challenges ahead. The 51 minute video includes an in-depth HANA skills discussion and views on the HANA Distinguished Engineers program (all four are members of the Council). The good natured discussion finds Harald in his Vegas hotel room, John Appleby on his UK couch, and Vijay on his iPhone. But a good natured discussion ensued, including an worthwhile debate on the level of skills demand for HANA and whether HANA needs a "killer app" to succeed.

For this JD-OD.com special, Dennis Howlett and Jon Reed talk about consulting changes provoked by cloud computing, and how individuals and systems integrators can adapt - or fail.

In this post-Sapphire Now wrap, Jon sits down with Dick Hirsch to talk about the cloud questions from the event and answered learned. This is the full version.

Jon does the post-sapphire SAP BI wrap with Mico Yuk. They talk about the BI news from the conference and whether SAP is innovating in BI to the point customers are looking for.

During this taped Google Hangout, Jon Reed talks wiith John Appleby, John Moy and Oliver Rogers about SAP mobility from the vantage point of field experience and developer engagement. Pre-Sapphire questions are addressed.

During this landmark discussion, for the first time Jonathan Becher, SAP CMO, talks publicly about SAP's approach to sponsored content, transparency, + employee blogging. An impromptu debate with Jon Reed of JonERP.com for the JonERP videocast series.

During this videocast, Jon Reed has a frank talk with Prakash Darji of SAP about HANA, IQ, and the future of data warehousing at SAP.

Gateway has become a focal point for the issue of developer engagement at SAP, not to mention licensing models for customers. In this taped Google Plus Hangout, Jon Reed of http://www.JonERP.com talks to fellow SAP Mentors Graham Robinson, Ethan Jewett and Owen Pettiford on the myths and realities of NetWeaver Gateway, and the potential it may hold for new SAP development (and business) models.

In this international Google Plus Hangout, Jon Reed of http://www.JonERP.com talks SAP and Success Factors with three fellow SAP Mentors who have followed the scenario closely: Vijay Vijayasankar, Dick Hirsch, and Jarret Pazahanick. The guys hash the questions they will be investigating at Sapphire Now in Orlando, including HCM roadmap, overall cloud impact, and the cultural challenges of a cloud acquisition for SAP.

At the end of the ASUG Georgia chapter meeting in Atlanta, Jon Reed of http://www.JonERP.com caught up with Ryan Goodman and Mico Yuk to assess the BI themes from the event. The three discuss the controversy around Flash, BI 4.0, customer challenges around BI, and the real-life use cases customers are pursuing now. Jon also forces Mico and Ryan to declare who has the better dashboard.

In this informal discussion shot in Palo Alto, Jon Reed of http://www.JonERP.com talks with Jonathan Becher, Chief Marketing Officer, SAP, about the "new rules of marketing" and how this impacts not only software vendors but consumers. The guys talk about the impact of personalization, the limitations of a Klout-oriented view of Influence, and how a "pull" approach to marketing creates new challenges for all companies, SAP included.