Travel scams, coding for all, and the booming business of people

Happy Thursday, everyone! Welcome to this week’s 60 seconds of change, where we’re exploring insights and strategies that are helping businesses flourish. Here’s what you need to stay ahead of the game in recovering but still uncertain times.

1. The essential radar that leaders need to see and seize the future 

When the future of business arrives yesterday, companies must open up to new growth. This article introduces six key Signals to help organizations capture value fast.

• One of the six Signals, “Learning From the Future,” encourages businesses to stay one step ahead using data—specifically real-time data and AI-driven models.
• Be sure to check out which Signals are most relevant to your industry by using the interactive radar at the end of the article. 

Use these six signals to plan for the future.

2. The Built for Change podcast shares proven customer experience (CX)

Accenture’s Mirco Hering spills the tea on how he applied innovative ideas from the first episode of our Built for Change podcast to his own field.

• Hering, a leader in Accenture’s global DevOps and Agile methodologies, was inspired by the idea of changing business to be more customer-focused. 
• Agile recently changed its approach from “implementing requirements” to focusing on customers’ specific needs. Hering thinks he can help clients even more by giving them the motivation to put DevOps and Agile methodologies into practice.

Find out how you can apply ideas from the Built for Change podcast to your field.

3. Why coding is more accessible than ever 

Accenture’s Adam Burden explains how “low-code/no-code” (LCNC) tools make software development as easy as writing an email.

• “Citizen developers” can learn the skills to build apps and automation fast, without having to consult tech experts.
• LCNC helps your employees build on talents they might not even know they have. Who knows what kind of potential they may unlock?

Discover how to reach your organization’s full coding potential.

4. Threats to business travel, COVID and otherwise

Paul Mansfield, lead analyst on Accenture’s iDefense Reconnaissance Team, discusses the challenges of business travel post-COVID. 

• A world beginning to rebound from the pandemic means new tech, travel requirements and threats to international travel. Be wary of data theft, fake vaccine cards and online scams.
• Organizations may implement more pre-travel checklists to protect their employees—especially company executives, who may be targeted for data breaches.

Learn how to travel smart by protecting yourself and your data.

5. How a former pre-med student helped make a change 

Accenture’s Mathangi Sandilya originally planned on studying medicine, but a foray into the tech industry inspired her to take a different path.

• Sandilya’s accomplishments include creating a tool to make videos more accessible for the hearing impaired. Now, she aims to lead the global 5G revolution by showing clients the potential of 5G.
• The key to a successful career? Specialization. Sandilya recommends becoming an expert in a specific field to open more opportunities down the road. And, of course, making time for family and friends.

Follow one woman’s journey from medicine to software engineering.