Hack to Embrace Innovation
Harsha Vardhan
VP Software Engineering
Optum Global Advantage, India

2
“Because the future doesn’t just happen,
We create it” - Hannan Fry

of software design
and development
My engineering experience:
Worked across diversified culture
• India
• North America
• Latin America
• Ireland and
• The Philippines
I enjoy:
• Attending/contributing to Industry forums
• Execution/POC/POV
22 years
My interests:
• Badminton, Driving
What else I do:
• Let’s do it - progress Vs
perfection !
Myself
• Practicing software engineer
• Studied Mathematics and Computer Science
• Prior work experience at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Ford
Technologies, R1 RCM
• An avid contributor to Agile and DevOps communities in India
• Speaker at some of the leading agile conferences such as Agile NCR, Agile
Network India, Agile Mumbai, Agile Gurugram, Lean Kanban India
• Married and have two daughters
VP, Software Engineering
Optum Global Advantage, India
Harsha Vardhan
Introduction
3

Agenda
4
New normal for Software Engineering
2 Innovation Ecosystem
3 Celebrate Code
4 Consumer Centricity
5 Call to Action
1

New Normal for Software Engineering
Over time, a lack of technical excellence diminishes your
ability to deliver business capabilities.

Current
Embedded Machine
Learning Models
Integration of
Process Discovery and
Process Mining
Cloud Delivery
Past
OCR/IDP
Integration
With iBPMS
Multipersona
Development
Environment
Future
NLP
LCAP
Chatbots
RPA
Refactoring Monoliths to Composability
Automation Everywhere
Emerging Trends

The Intersection of Applications and Software Engineering delivering Intelligent
composable solutions
Software Engineering
Leader
Application Leader
Custom
Applications
Packaged Business
Capabilities
Technology Innovation Business Innovation

Need for Innovation

Innovation Ecosystem Framework
Source : Gartner

Best Practices for Rules of Engagement

Innovation Ideation and Execution Ecosystem

Celebrate Code !
Coding/ Code
Reviews
Low code/No Code
Continuous
Innovation
Gartner - Low-code application
platforms will be responsible
for more than 65 percent of all
app dev activity by 2024

Innovation Tagging
HIP (Hardening ,
Innovation and
Planning)
Innovation and
Planning
Innovation Tagging
of User Stories/
Features
Different from
existing Spike Story
Success Criteria
Rewards &
Recognition

Hackathon - Hack to realize Business value
Context Design Run Assessment
 Business Use case  Solution alternatives
 Tech Stack
 The Event  Demo
 Funding for production

Align and Design Ecosystem Around Your Customer - an illustration

Thank You !

Source : Gartner