What does it mean to lead through Insight in a world that never slows down?
In Episode 86 of the Transforming Insight podcast, I talk to Eddie O’Brien, Senior Director, Global Customer Insight and Experience at Sage to find out how he and his team navigate the pace of the SaaS industry, and how they are beginning to reimagine the role of the corporate Insight professional.
Eddie takes us through how his team at Sage has shifted from traditional research cycles to a more agile, consultative model, one that keeps pace with rapid technological, political, and economic change. It's a mindset shift that will resonate with any Insight leader feeling the pressure to do more, faster, and with greater impact.
We explore how AI and digital tools are transforming the Insight function in practice, with Eddie sharing real use cases, including knowledge management, conversational Insight agents, and synthetic data.
He makes a compelling case for why synthetic data, when used alongside traditional methods, deserves a seat at the table and why a willingness to experiment is now a core professional competency. Do you agree?
We also look ahead to the skills Insight teams will need to thrive: engineering, facilitation, and the ability to guide stakeholders through complexity rather than simply delivering findings.
Yet for all the change on the horizon, we agree that the Insight fundamentals — curiosity, communication, and making sense of the complex — remain as valuable as ever.
Please listen to find out more!
Topics Discussed
- The untraditional nature of Insight at Sage
- The importance of personal impact in Insight
- The fourth era of Insight: agentic Insight
- Curating Insight for stakeholders
- Exploring synthetic data in Insight
- The future of Insight operating models
James Wycherley
Host of the Transforming Insight podcast
Chief Executive, IMA