(US and Canada) Veena Nayak, VP of Data Science, Strategy, and Solutions at the University of Phoenix, speaks with Maria Espona, Professor at ArgIQ and Editorial Board Member, of CDO Magazine, in a video interview about putting together the components of a roadmap, engaging people on the journey, and the future of AI.

Nayak defines the roadmap as a guiding light at the end of a journey. The journey to that end can be a straight or a curved line, and it can have multiple stops. She stresses that a roadmap is not set in stone, it needs to be super agile because of the various unknown factors that are impossible to plan for.

Elaborating further, Nayak adds that while there are many ways to the end, teams need to have a high-level plan for the products. They need to start with a vision and understand what it is going to do for customers. She explains that while a roadmap is a journey, it is essential to break it down into smaller chunks. This is necessary for monitoring progress and changing the strategy as needed.

Speaking about her approach to engaging people on the journey, Nayak says that she prefers both the top-down and bottoms-up approach. It helps understand what is important to senior leaders and what is possible for the team, along with sharing the information on both sides. She suggests that it is the data leader’s job to explain the level of investment needed, not only in terms of resources but also upskilling teams or change management.

Sharing her views on ChatGPT and its integration into strategy, Nayak says that the potential of AI and ML needs to be explored with moderation and the right level of ethics and responsibility since there is always the possibility for misuse of information. She stresses that there is a place for humans to use AI tools correctly and as partners to human intelligence.

Nayak predicts growth in the adoption of AI and that it can help solve many of the current world challenges like climate and sustainability issues. She also sees opportunities in customer experience, healthcare, and world politics.

CDO Magazine appreciates Veena Nayak for sharing her insights and data success stories with our global community.

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