Humanising IT

Katrina Macdermid & Wesley Eugene

Humanising IT: We Need to Talk About IT is the podcast for IT leaders, service management professionals, and digital transformation teams who know that great IT is about more than process, tools, and frameworks.

Hosted by Katrina Macdermid and Wesley Eugene and brought to you by HIT Global, this podcast explores how to make IT service management more human, more effective, and more relevant in a world shaped by experience, AI, and constant change.

Each episode dives into the real conversations happening across modern IT, including:

- IT service management (ITSM)
- Human-centred design in IT
- ITIL and experience-led service management
- Digital employee experience
- Service desk and support leadership
- IT transformation and organisational change
- Humanising AI and modern service design

If you work in IT and care about creating services that actually work for the people who use them, this podcast is for you.

Whether you’re a CIO, IT leader, service manager, consultant, support professional, or transformation lead, Humanising IT: We Need to Talk About IT will challenge outdated thinking and help you rethink what better IT service really looks like.

Expect:
- Honest conversations
- Fresh perspectives on ITSM
- Practical insights you can apply
- Thought leadership from experienced voices in the industry
- A more human view of IT, service and experience

Subscribe to Humanising IT: We Need to Talk About IT for new episodes, expert insights, and modern thinking on the future of IT service management.

Explore more from HIT Global: https://www.hitglobal.services/

Learn more about Humanising IT™ training and certification: https://www.hitglobal.services/podcast/

Play

Open in

8 episodes
Avg 25 min
English

Episodes 8

Newest Oldest Longest

All8 Unplayed8 In progress0 Played0

#8
October 23 · 23 min
Is ITSM Stuck in the Past?
What happens when one of the architects of ITIL 4 leaves the world of frameworks and starts experiencing service management from the vendor and corporate side? In this episode of Humanising IT, Mark Basham and Katrina Macdermid are joined by Akshay Anand to explore the gap between best practice and what actually happens inside organisations. Akshay reflects on his journey from Axelos and ITIL 4 to Atlassian and the corporate world, including some of the realities he discovered along the way. They discuss why some organisations are still operating around service management thinking from 20 years ago, whether AI is really reducing workload, how ITSM roles and skills are changing, and why many modern tools still carry the architecture of a different era. The conversation also explores the human side of service management. Processes, frameworks and automation matter, but the experience of the people using and supporting a service matters just as much. In this episode: • Why organisations struggle to move beyond old ITIL practices • What Akshay learned after leaving the framework and conference world • Why AI can sometimes increase rather than reduce ITSM workload • How AI could change traditional IT service management roles • Why future IT skills may look very different • The gap between the IT conference bubble and corporate reality • Why career progression means leaving some skills behind • Why HR, procurement and L&D need to be part of IT transformation • How legacy ITSM tools influence the way organisations still work • Why customer experience alone is not enough • Why we need to design services for the people delivering them too If you work in IT service management, IT operations, service design, digital transformation or technology leadership, this episode challenges some of the assumptions we continue to make about how IT should work. #ITSM #ITIL #ArtificialIntelligence #AIOps #ServiceManagement #DigitalTransformation #HumanisingIT Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:57 From ITIL architect to practitioner 03:22 How ITIL 4 borrowed from other frameworks 06:32 The reality of modern service management 07:33 Are organisations still using 20-year-old ITIL thinking? 09:08 Why organisations become locked into old operating models 10:32 Experience, productivity and friction in IT 11:09 Can AI actually increase ITSM workload? 12:37 Will traditional ITSM roles disappear? 13:43 How IT skills are changing 15:49 Escaping the IT conference bubble 16:54 What career progression makes you leave behind 18:10 Why IT transformation needs more than IT 19:22 The trade-offs behind ITIL 4 20:26 Are ITSM tools still built around outdated thinking? 22:14 Why experience matters in service management 23:42 Stop designing only for the customer 24:49 Closing thoughts
- Transcript
#7
October 16 · 29 min
Will ITSM Become Driverless? AIOps, Automation and the Human in the Loop
Can AI really transform IT service management, or are we underestimating what it takes to make AIOps work? Shop our courses https://www.hitglobal.services/shop/ 00:00 Meet Valerie Wilson 04:43 What Is AIOps? 06:23 How AI Works in Managed Services 08:18 Where Should You Start With AI in ITSM? 10:02 Can AI Improve Problem Management? 13:17 The Hardest Part of Implementing AIOps 16:41 Why Your CMDB Suddenly Matters 20:24 Will AI Fundamentally Change ITSM Processes? 25:40 Could IT Service Management Become Driverless? 29:34 Why ITSM Will Still Need Humans In this episode of Humanising IT: We Need to Talk About IT, Katrina Macdermid is joined by Valerie Wilson, Managed Services and AIOps Programme Director at BT, for a practical look at what happens when you actually implement AI in IT service management. AIOps promises faster incident resolution, smarter automation and better decision-making. But before you get to the exciting AI, there's a less glamorous reality: data quality, CMDB, governance, business cases and getting people to actually use the technology. Valerie explains why the first year of an AIOps programme can deliver very few "wow moments", and why getting your foundations right is critical before AI can deliver meaningful results. Katrina and Valerie discuss: - What AIOps actually means - How AI and machine learning can improve ITSM - Where to start when introducing AI into service management - Why incident, service request and change remain early priorities - How AI could improve incident and problem management - Why your CMDB and data quality suddenly matter more than ever - The challenge of proving ROI from AI - Why employee adoption can be harder than the technology itself - How AI could reduce human touchpoints across ITSM processes - Whether AI could eventually change the role of the CAB - Which ITSM roles and skills could change - Why complex managed services will still need humans in the loop The episode also challenges a bigger assumption: should we use AI simply to make our existing ITSM processes faster, or should AI give us an opportunity to question why those processes exist in the first place? Because doing the wrong thing faster isn't transformation. For CIOs, IT leaders, ITSM professionals, service management leaders and anyone responsible for AI adoption, this is a practical conversation about what implementing AIOps really looks like beyond the hype. Visit HIT Global: https://www.hitglobal.services/ Subscribe for more conversations about AI, IT service management, IT leadership and Humanising IT.
- Transcript
#6
August 20 · 29 min
What If Your IT Job Disappears? AI, Recruitment and the Future of Work
What happens if your IT job doesn't change because of AI, but disappears completely? Shop our courses https://www.hitglobal.services/shop/ In this episode of Humanising IT: We Need to Talk About IT, Katrina Macdermid and Wesley Eugene are joined by former recruitment CIO Michael Kennedy to explore how AI is transforming recruitment, the job market and the future of IT careers. Recruitment has become an AI versus AI battle. Employers are using AI to write job adverts and filter candidates, while applicants are using AI to tailor CVs, write applications and even automatically apply for hundreds of roles. The result? A single vacancy that once attracted 50 or 100 applicants can now attract 1,000, making it harder than ever for talented people to stand out. But the conversation goes much further than recruitment. As AI and automation begin to reshape IT service management, what happens to roles such as knowledge management, incident management and service desk support? And if your current role disappears, should you simply look for another IT job, or rethink the skills and experience you can offer entirely? The discussion explores: How AI has transformed recruitment Why job applications have become AI versus AI The risk of algorithmic bias in hiring Why human relationships and networking are becoming more important How AI could reshape IT service management jobs Why IT professionals may need to reinvent their skills The future of knowledge management and service desk roles Why human connection could become more valuable as automation grows Whether the rising cost of AI could slow down automation How IT professionals can stand out in an increasingly automated job market For CIOs, IT leaders, ITSM professionals and anyone thinking about the future of their career, this is a timely conversation about what AI really means for the people working in technology. The question isn't simply whether AI will change your job. What will you do if your job no longer exists? Visit HIT Global: https://www.hitglobal.services/ Subscribe for more conversations on Humanising IT, AI, IT leadership and the future of IT service management. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:38 How recruitment used to work 06:29 How AI changed job applications 09:30 The changing role of recruiters 10:41 When one job gets 1,000 applicants 11:17 The AI recruitment problem 15:23 Bias and discrimination in AI hiring 18:57 Is AI coming for ITSM jobs? 20:02 How do you find a job in the AI era? 22:49 Why IT professionals need to stand out 25:31 What if your IT job disappears? 28:38 Will AI replace the service desk? 30:26 Could the cost of AI slow automation? 32:00 How to stand out when everyone uses AI
- Transcript
#5
July 16 · 24 min
What's Experience Got to Do with IT? (Part 2)
Can IT service management ever deliver a great employee experience, or are we measuring the wrong things? Shop our courses https://www.hitglobal.services/shop/ 00:00 Introduction 00:01:39 The biggest pressure facing IT service management 00:04:19 Defining value in the public sector 00:07:03 What behavioural psychology teaches IT 00:09:55 Why IT measures the wrong things 00:14:20 Connecting IT metrics to business outcomes 00:17:25 Why the business still sees IT as a cost centre 00:18:13 Designing IT services around people 00:21:20 Where IT service management is heading next 00:23:40 Final thoughts In Part 2 of Humanising IT: We Need to Talk About IT, Katrina Macdermid is joined by Chris Barrett and Paul Farrow, Head of IT Service at HM Treasury, to explore why traditional IT service management metrics don't tell the full story. The conversation looks beyond incidents, SLAs and ticket volumes to discuss behavioural psychology, user-centred design, employee experience and why IT leaders need to rethink how they measure success. Drawing on concepts such as Norman Doors, desire paths, customer behaviour and value-based reporting, the panel explores how IT can move from simply keeping systems running to becoming a recognised driver of organisational value. In this episode: Why IT service management is about making defensible trade-offs How behavioural psychology can improve IT services What "Norman Doors" teach us about service design Why IT measures what's easy instead of what matters The gap between operational metrics and business outcomes How employee experience influences organisational performance Why desire paths reveal how users really behave The future of value-led IT service management Whether you're a CIO, IT leader, service desk manager, ITSM professional or transformation leader, this episode offers practical ideas for creating better services while demonstrating the value IT delivers. If you're interested in IT service management, IT leadership, employee experience, human-centred design, ITIL, digital transformation, service experience and organisational change, this conversation is well worth your time. Visit HIT Global: https://www.hitglobal.services/ Subscribe for more conversations on Humanising IT, IT leadership and the future of service management.
- Transcript
#4
July 3 · 24 min
What's Experience Got to Do with IT?
What does experience really have to do with IT and why are so many IT leaders struggling to demonstrate the value they create? Shop our courses https://www.hitglobal.services/shop/ In this episode of Humanising IT: We Need to Talk About IT, Katrina Macdermid is joined by transformation expert Chris Barrett to explore one of the biggest challenges facing modern IT service management: translating operational excellence into business value. From MTTR and availability metrics to customer churn, technical debt and EBITDA, Chris explains why IT has become trapped in operational reporting while the boardroom is having value conversations without them. The discussion explores why frameworks like ITIL do exactly what they were designed to do, but why organisations also need a "translation layer" that connects IT performance with the outcomes executives actually care about. If you're a CIO, IT leader, IT service management professional, transformation leader or consultant, this episode will challenge the way you think about measuring success and communicating the value of IT. In this episode: Why IT is often missing from value conversations The difference between operational metrics and business value Why MTTR means nothing to the board without context How customer churn, technical debt and EBITDA should influence IT reporting Why IT frameworks aren't the problem The "translation layer" every IT organisation is missing Why procurement communicates value better than IT How IT leaders can earn a seat at the board table If you're interested in IT service management, IT leadership, ITIL, digital transformation, CIO leadership, business value, service experience and modern IT operations, this conversation is essential viewing. Visit HIT Global: https://www.hitglobal.services/ Subscribe for more conversations on Humanising IT, IT leadership and the future of service management. 00:00 Introduction 00:00:57 What transformation really means 00:02:36 Why IT isn't invited into the boardroom 00:05:58 Why MTTR means nothing to the CFO 00:08:51 Should ITSM budgets be value-led? 00:11:06 Why IT still focuses on the wrong metrics 00:15:02 Why the CIO starts every board meeting on the back foot 00:16:19 What the board actually cares about 00:20:37 The missing translation layer in ITSM 00:21:53 The risk of value conversations happening without IT 00:24:03 Final thoughts
- Transcript
#3
June 4 · 29 min
Meet the Godfather of IT Service Management (Part 2)
What happens when IT service management focuses too much on frameworks and not enough on outcomes? Shop our courses https://www.hitglobal.services/shop/ In Part 2 of this special episode of Humanising IT: We Need to Talk About IT, Katrina Macdermid, Mark Basham and Wesley Eugene continue their conversation with David Ratcliffe, President of Pink Elephant and one of the most influential figures in the history of IT service management. The discussion explores the gap between theory and reality in ITSM, why maturity assessments often fail to drive meaningful change, and how experience management is becoming an increasingly important focus for modern IT organisations. David shares his perspective on leadership, service management frameworks, enterprise service management, and why organisations should focus less on framework adoption and more on solving real business problems. In this episode: Maturity assessments vs capability assessments Why ITSM improvement efforts often stall The growing importance of user experience in IT How IT service management evolved beyond infrastructure management Why service level agreements rarely tell the full story Enterprise Service Management: opportunity or distraction? Integrated ITSM and bridging the gap between theory and execution Why leadership still matters more than frameworks or technology This episode is essential viewing for CIOs, IT leaders, ITSM professionals, consultants, service desk leaders and transformation teams looking to improve outcomes rather than simply improve scores. If you're interested in IT service management, IT leadership, user experience, service experience, enterprise service management, ITIL, AI and digital transformation, this conversation offers valuable insight from one of the industry's most experienced voices. Visit HIT Global: https://www.hitglobal.services/ Subscribe for more conversations on Humanising IT, service experience and modern IT leadership. This episode focuses on maturity assessments, experience management, enterprise service management, integrated ITSM, and the leadership principles needed to make ITSM work in practice. IT service management, ITSM, David Ratcliffe, Pink Elephant, Humanising IT, Katrina Macdermid, HIT Global, IT leadership, user experience in IT, service experience, enterprise service management, ITIL, integrated ITSM, digital transformation, maturity assessments, capability assessments, service management, CIO leadership, ITSM podcast, future of ITSM
- Transcript
#2
May 18 · 24 min
Meet the Godfather of IT Service Management (Part 1)
What can the “Godfather of IT Service Management” teach us about where ITSM is going next? Shop our courses - https://www.hitglobal.services/shop/ In this episode of Humanising IT: We Need to Talk About IT, Katrina Macdermid, Mark Basham and Wesley Eugene are joined by David Ratcliffe, President of Pink Elephant, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of IT service management. This is Part 1 of a wider conversation exploring how ITSM has evolved from theory to practice, and what today’s IT leaders are still getting wrong. David shares his perspective on the early days of ITSM, the role Pink Elephant played in shaping the industry, and why the gap between frameworks and real-world execution still exists today. In this episode: The origins of modern IT service management How ITSM evolved from theory into practical application Why frameworks alone don’t run organisations The role of people, process and technology in real IT environments Why training, investment and capability building still matter How AI and modern tooling are changing the landscape This episode is especially relevant for CEOs, CIOs, IT leaders, ITSM professionals, consultants and transformation leaders looking to better understand both the history and future of IT service management. If you want to move beyond theory and understand what actually works in practice, this is a conversation worth watching. Watch Part 2 for a deeper dive into AI, training, and the future of IT service management… Coming Soon! Visit HIT Global: https://www.hitglobal.services/ Subscribe for more conversations on Humanising IT, service experience and modern IT leadership.
- Transcript
#1
March 26 · 22 min
The Distorted Lens of IT Service Management (Part 1)
Why does IT service management still get experience so wrong, and what needs to change? Shop our courses https://www.hitglobal.services/shop/ In this episode of Humanising IT: We Need to Talk About IT, Katrina Macdermid and Wesley Eugene unpack one of the biggest challenges facing modern IT teams: the growing confusion around experience in IT service management. Drawing on themes from Katrina’s new book, Humanising IT: The Experience Distortion of IT Service Management, this conversation explores why ITSM frameworks, human-centred design, and user experience are often misunderstood and what IT leaders need to do differently. From silent sufferers and workaround experts to AI, archetypes, and service design, this episode gets into the practical realities of building better IT experiences without falling into the trap of vague buzzwords or overpromising transformation. If you're a CIO, IT leader, service desk manager, ITSM professional, IT consultant or transformation lead, this episode will help you think more clearly about how experience should actually be approached in modern IT operations. In this episode: Why “experience” has become distorted in IT service management The difference between ITSM frameworks and human-centred design What archetypes and personas can reveal about IT users Why many IT teams design services around process, not people How AI could improve IT experiences and where it still falls short Why IT needs practical skills, not just better intentions This is a valuable episode for anyone interested in IT service management, ITIL, human-centred design, service experience, digital transformation, AI in IT, IT leadership and modern service operations. Watch, listen and rethink how IT can become more human, more effective and more valuable to the people it serves. Transcript provided by the uploaded episode file Visit HIT Global: https://www.hitglobal.services/ Subscribe for more episodes on Humanising IT, service experience and the future of IT leadership.
- Transcript

Showing 1–8 of 8 episodes