Hands-On to Hands-Free: Empowering Operations Teams through AI and Automation

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM FULL SHOW NOTES https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/665 Stevie Sims shares his journey from chemical plant operator to lead Power Platform developer at Shell, demonstrating how business expertise combined with low-code tools can transform organizations.TAKEAWAYS• Started career in operations, climbing towers and turning valves before discovering Excel• Hurricane Ida became a pivotal moment when he built a Power BI dashboard to manage recovery• Transitioned from citizen developer to fusion team member building complex apps and automations• Believes companies should encourage operational experts to upskill with technical tools• Emphasizes the importance of business knowledge when developing technical solutions• Advocates for "ring-fencing" talented citizen developers for focused development periods• Prevents duplicate development efforts through idea triage and solution sharing• Featured in new book "All Hands on Tech: AI-Powered Citizen Developer Revolution"Check out "All Hands on Tech" by Ian Barkin and Tom Davenport, featuring Steve's story and other inspiring examples from the low-code no-code space.This year we're adding a new show to our line up - The AI Advantage. We'll discuss the skills you need to thrive in an AI-enabled world. DynamicsMinds is a world-class event in Slovenia that brings together Microsoft product managers, industry leaders, and dedicated users to explore the latest in Microsoft Dynamics 365, the Power Platform, and Copilot.Early bird tickets are on sale now and listeners of the Microsoft Innovation Podcast get 10% off with the code MIPVIP144bff https://www.dynamicsminds.com/register/?voucher=MIPVIP144bff Accelerate your Microsoft career with the 90 Day Mentoring Challenge We’ve helped 1,300+ people across 70+ countries establish successful careers in the Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 ecosystem.Benefit from expert guidance, a supportive community, and a clear career roadmap. A lot can change in 90 days, get started today!Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith