Fall Updates from Komodo
(This is an archived copy of our quarterly newsletter, please sign up (at the footer below) if you want news & updates like this sent to your inbox!)
Happy Autumn!
I hope you’ve had a relaxing summer.
At Komodo Technologies, we continue to help companies that are ready to maximize their data and AI potential, achieving more with their data, technology, and people. I'd like to take a moment to express our gratitude for your continued interest in our work. Your support and engagement are what drive us to keep innovating and doing our best to help our clients achieve more with their data, technology, and people.
Decoding the Hype Curve of AI
Have you heard of the hype curve? About a year ago, AI hype reached its peak. Companies scrambled to incorporate AI into their operations, often without a clear strategy. It was tempting to jump on the bandwagon while AI was the hot topic and success metrics were still loosely defined.
Komodo has been in business since 2016, and we've witnessed several waves of technological hype. From "Business Intelligence" to "Big Data" to "Data Science," each trend has brought valuable lessons. Now, we're in the midst of the (generative) AI boom. Many companies are eager to jump on the AI bandwagon without fully integrating the crucial insights from previous data revolutions. They're missing out on the foundational knowledge gained from Business Intelligence, Data Science, and Data Management.
At Komodo, we combine our deep expertise in data and engineering to guide companies out of what we call "innovation purgatory." We help organizations build on solid data foundations, ensuring they can truly harness the power of their data, rather than just chasing the latest trend.
If you’re reading this, you probably want to make progress with a cool head, your sleeves rolled up, and your eyes wide open. You know that no magical software purchase is going to bring an enterprise into a new normal. You may have even endured a few hype cycles yourself and can see beyond the fiscal year. Looking forward, collaboration and continuous improvement are essential.
The Idea of Progress: Frameworks vs Reality
So what works? In my opinion, companies change holistically by improving on the fundamentals. With solid foundations in both digital and human factors, these companies are relatively "hype-resistant". They are self-motivated and can move quickly towards their goals.
Good people in both hype-resistant and hype-susceptible companies can get stuck in the pit of innovation purgatory. Certain hype curves are more punishing than others, certain departments are inherently less able to tolerate risk.
A close-up of how different companies may work their way forward in response to new demands.
If you find yourself in AI innovation purgatory, the way out isn't made up of frameworks or presentations. You get out by building the missing steps that get people stuck there in the first place, like robust data management, a culture that fosters data-driven development, and strategies that emphasize building capabilities, not just buying solutions.
Diagrams and frameworks are great to learn from in tranquil times. But if you can't work with your data, learning about a "data mesh" won't help. If your operations are overwhelmed, buying more tools won't help. If you are caught in the well of disappointment, a picture of a ladder won't help you get out. In moments of crisis, we all need someone to guide and help you make progress one step at a time.
(I recognize the irony of communicating the limitations of pictures with yet another picture, but in this age of GenAI content being ranked and filtered by bots, it's not clear that writing works either.)
Learning From Others
While every company's journey to a "new normal" is unique, there are always patterns. Here are a couple more of our recent blog posts that we hope you’ll find valuable:
Evaluating Your Data Maturity - Data maturity is one of our favorite topics here. We put this post together to help explain the concept and how it can help identify growth opportunities in your tech stack.
An Introduction to the Data Lifecycle - Another useful concept that we turn back to time and time again with our clients, closely linked with data maturity. This is a quick overview of how to approach the “care and feeding” of your data so that it continues to benefit you long into the future.
For the ultra-curious, we created an interactive dashboard that allows you to explore the typical R&D journeys that companies take. You can access additional information about each R&D journey here and on our blog.
For those looking for a real challenge, how about developing core AI and data skills in-house? I wrote a blogpost recently in which I collected some of my thoughts on options for technical upskilling. I won’t repeat it here but instead I thought it would be helpful to offer some of my advice on how to learn.
Learn tech skills alongside someone more experienced. This type of mentorship will offer you concrete, real-time feedback and practical insights that accelerate your learning curve and help you avoid common pitfalls.
Rapid prototyping of solutions with your company’s data. This will help you develop solutions that are more immediately relevant to your organization’s needs, accelerating both your learning and your ability to create value from your pre-existing data and technologies.
Blog posts and videos will only get you so far. Rolling up your sleeves and engaging directly with what you need to do, with your hands, will help you learn more quickly, enhance long-term retention, and build your capacity to apply your knowledge in real-world scenarios.
Data Plumbers - Know One Before You Need One
All right, one last story. A friend once told me that "Komodo is like a great plumber. No one needs a plumber on staff. Your future clients need to know that Komodo exists before they need a data plumber. Otherwise, they are going to end up with a s**** one."
This friend self-started a construction company and has built his business competing on quality design and customization, so perhaps he is just using colorful language that is familiar. But I do agree with his sentiment. We both run a boutique company, we are capable of doing the difficult, foundational, sometimes dirty work that always comes with big changes. We care about delivering a premium service at high quality.
So if any of this resonated with you, I encourage you to reach out, get to know our work, or connect with us on LinkedIn. One day, when you’re ready to embark on a data management or AI R&D journey, you’ll already have one data plumber that you can call.
Lu Wang
Founder & CEO, Komodo Technologies, LLC