How do we use technology at work that enables into Innovation?

When we hear innovation, we often think about technology. So what is the role of technology in innovative companies and workplaces? Should everything be digital and connected all around us? And how do different generations interact with technology at work?

AIA Vietnam and Dreamplex successfully organized a series of 3 webinars that feature different sides of Innovation at Work. To discover if a company wants to become more innovative, what  the role technology plays, in the last webinar hosted by AIA Vietnam and Dreamplex on May 19 2021, we invited 3 experts in Technology Industry: Bill Nguyen (Chief Technology Officer AIA Vietnam), Quyen Phan (Chief Marketing & Operations Officer Microsolf Vietnam) and Kelly Tran (Chief Innovation Officer Pizza 4P’S) to uncover the topic. 

Which is important: Technology at work or People?

To work right from the start, we have to be very clear about the definition of innovation. And what does it link with the role of technology? Daan van Rossum, Chief Experience Officer at Dreamplex started with the core question: “What is the role of technology in innovation? What is more important: Technology or People?”

With 15 years of experience, Bill Nguyen – Chief Technology Officer AIA Vietnam concisely pointed out three key pillars: The infrastructure and the structure of the company, the technology and how you enable innovation, and the people’s mindset & capability. Overall, technology and people are equally important to an organisation.

According to Kelly Tran – Chief Innovation Officer Pizza 4P’S, a technology business is basically an innovative business. Technology and innovation are the hardest competencies to build in a business. However, without people and without technology building that delights the users, you will not have technology and innovation. Another opinion from Quyen Phan, Chief Marketing & Operations Officer Microsoft Vietnam that strengthens the equal among Technology and People, technology is the starting point and It’s an enabler, while people are the driving force behind every aspect of technology. It needs to be balanced. Hence, technology alone can not result in innovation. 

How are you using technology at work as an enabler for innovation?

There are three aspects that technology can enable innovation. First, in terms of a working platform, it is critical to create mobility in the working environment. Therefore, he switched the use of desktop to laptop for every employee and ensured the wireless connection. Since then, everyone can work wherever they want. Secondly, focusing on the platform of data to make sure that it is reliable for employees to base on and make decisions. Last but not least, it involves the use of technology to communicate and work together. As you all know, technology is an enabler but how we can take full advantage of it to increase productivity is really vital. 

The majority of people are used to working online since the outbreak of COVID-19 and the adoption of a work-from-home lifestyle. A platform which enables people to innovate and collaborate must have sufficient features such as virtual meetings, online apps, third-party apps integration, or even virtual desktop to facilitate people to access data. 

In order to increase collaboration in your workplace, Facebook can be used as an internal social network, or another good option is Slack Frontiers.

How can an organisation unlock their innovation? And to build an innovation team?

Since the pandemic, most companies have been pushed to the edge of “survive” or “die”. So, in order to survive, we need to innovate, we need to do things that are different from or that have never been executed before. For that reason, Pizza 4P’S started delivery service in March last year and our delivery business has grown substantially with lots of new products specially catered for take-away service. In terms of the methodology to assess the innovation, it really depends on each company to have a distinct framework, methodology or scale, but the highlight is to answer your customers’ needs.

In order to build an innovation team, it is critical to make that company understand that innovation is key to developing business. Innovation is like a cycle, and it never stops. Hence, we need a good team to focus on innovation and drive the business forward. However,  innovation is not mere products, it involves two aspects. The first thing is how to tackle challenges, and the second thing is we try to do better everyday. 

Along with the increase of agile working in recent years, yet many organisations put their focus into office innovation investment. In order to have innovation within the working environment, it’s best to focus on 3 elements: infrastructure of the organisation, best solutions to provide our customers and the design of offices which bring collaboration vibes for example open spaces, motivating cultures, etc. 

Moreover, keeping up with Technology trends is crucial. In order to become innovative through technology, let’s start with these technology trends: mobility, social, cloud, big data including AI, machine learning, IoT. Besides, we need to be clear about our objectives and goals and understand what you want to do.

Finally, innovation can not be initiated if it is not embedded in the culture of the organisation. If you want to start innovation, you have to try the latest technology and do not restrict yourself to old norms and barriers. 

Bill Nguyen, Chief Technology Officer, AIA Vietnam 

Mr. Trung is responsible for driving and developing digital initiatives. He leads the IT department and coordinates with other departments to develop a digital roadmap at AIA Vietnam. Mr. Trung has more than 15 years of extensive experience working in the information technology industry across various fields including: banking, game, pharmaceutical, industrial and telecommunication. Before joining AIA Vietnam, he was Chief Technology Officer and a member of the Board of Management at GNT Global. He holds a Master of Science in Information Technology at Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers (CNAM University), France. 

Kelly Tran, Chief Innovation Officer, Pizza 4P’S

Kelly is the Chief Innovation Officer at Pizza 4P’S, leading innovation efforts in both Technology and People areas. She oversees our people, product, technical infrastructure, intelligence, and platform teams. She spent over a decade building widely used and loved digital consumer products, servicing over 4 million users, spanning Weather tech, Education tech, and Enterprise applications. Most recently she is the founder of a tech-focus venture builder company, Appable, with notable products such as Weather Radio (Webby award winner), School Connect (acquired by Jostens), and IGNITE (acquired by Nike.) Kelly holds a Master degree in Computer Science and is currently serving on the Board of the College of Engineering and the School of Computer Science at the University of Oklahoma. Kelly also holds fellowship and scholarship from the Tory Burch Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Salesforce and Google for her work in Technology, Entrepreneurship, and her passion for Computer Science education and solving for Happiness.

Quyen Phan, Chief Marketing and Operations Officer

Quyen Phan is the Chief Marketing & Operations Officer and a member of the Leadership Team of Microsoft Vietnam. 

In this position, Quyen plays a crucial role to build the future for Microsoft in Vietnam by leading a strong Marketing & Operations team in all marketing activities and business operations to deliver performance while helping partners and customers unlock the economic opportunities of digital transformation.  

As a member of Microsoft Vietnam’s Leadership team, Quyen is an advocator and leading the company’s Diversity, Inclusion & Allyship Program to improve company culture and bring social impact to the local community. 

She has been working at Microsoft Vietnam for more than 12 years in different leadership roles, including One Channel Partner and Small & Medium Corporate Lead and Corporate Account Lead. She has over 25 years of experience in business development, sales management, building partner ecosystem and human resources.  Prior to Microsoft, Quyen has extensive experience with Microsoft partners across business and market development.  

AIA VIETNAM

AIA Vietnam officially started operations in Vietnam in February 2000. Today, 20 years after its inception, AIA Vietnam has grown to be a trusted brand in Vietnam.

Over the last 20 years, AIA Vietnam has been focusing on laying a strong foundation for its sustainable growth through the training and development of its human resources. AIA Vietnam has established a network of more than 170 offices in 53 provinces and cities nationwide and serves the holders more than 1,000,000 policies across the country. Notably, AIA Vietnam is proud to announce that the company has been confirmed as a Great Place to Work which will now cover the period of Sep 2020 to Aug 2021. 2020 is the 3rd year in a row that AIA Vietnam has achieved this honorable certification from the global executive advisory and culture consulting services Great Place to Work® Institute.

DREAMPLEX

Dreamplex creates “A Better Day at Work” that perfectly meets the needs of fast-growing companies who understand that their young employees expect more from their workplace. Well-designed private, branded offices, 5-star hospitality-level care and an engaging program of social activities, training & development, and wellbeing initiatives help those companies attract, engage, and retain Millennial and Gen Z talent in Vietnam. Dreamplex has 5 locations across Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. In 2021, Dreamplex will be adding three new locations including The UnOffice projects in District 2 and The Campus in district 4 and one more in Ham Nghi. 

• The UnOffice – District 2 (Launching in October) 

Launched in October 2021, the UnOffice on Nguyen U Di in District 2 packs over 800 workspaces across 3300m2. Designed with Gen Z and Millennials in mind, it’s the exact opposite of a static, boring, unhealthy office building.

The office offers large multi-functional spaces that are highly interactive, and a series of totally unexpected elements on every floor. Plus, plenty of meeting, napping, and F&B spaces. The perfect shared campus for companies in the logistics, eCommerce, fintech, and other industries.

• The Campus – District 4 (Launching in November) 

Our largest Dreamplex yet. Launching in November 2021, we believe this will be the most unique destination office in Saigon: an industrial warehouse conversion with over 1700 workplaces, built around a lush, tropical garden.  

On 6800m2 across two floors of two warehouses, this is the place for larger teams to have the best of a (series of) private office(s) inside a shared campus. Besides large private suites, the indoor/outdoor concept includes large event areas, big lounges, a coffee shop and other F&B options, alongside over 15 types of spaces to work, meet, and focus.

To learn more about how Dreamplex can help innovative companies of any size offer their teams a Workplace Experience of the future, please contact Daan van Rossum, Chief Experience Officer: daan@dreamplex.co or +84 901489369