Episode 76: Summer roundtable

We start with AI: Where have Insight teams moved to in their adoption of AI tools? How do they feel about that adoption? How can we learn from each other as we all explore new tools?

Then we look at the roles which we think are going to be increasingly important for Insight people in the future, starting with the role of ‘foresight pioneer’. Most Insight teams include some foresight work in their Insight product mix, but we don’t always name it, give it sufficient attention or know how to get our organisations to act on it.

And how critical is it at this moment to embrace change? The recent Client Sight 2025 research in the UK showed that most corporate Insight professionals intend to stay in the sector, but job satisfaction could be higher and there is a widespread desire to feel more valued. But the problem as James sees it is that there is no value in Insight unless it is utilised and recognised by senior management. That’s a challenge we need to address as individuals and teams within our companies.

We can’t necessarily predict the organisational roles, the job titles or reporting lines of the future, but we can think about the behavioural roles which it’s becoming increasingly evident we need to embrace. As well as foresight pioneers, we discuss the roles of growth consultants, Insight influencers and knowledge stewards. The need for the latter will grow and grow as the range of data and sources accessible through AI expands.

Finally, we look at what’s coming up at the next Insight forums. In September we’ll discuss the evolution of Insight comm’s, in October at the career path of Insight leaders, and in November we’ll delve into more detail on those Insight roles of the future.

Topics Discussed

• Update on Insight teams’ adoption of AI (01.30)
• Our ambition to see Insight teams as foresight pioneers (9.43)
• Where is the Insight sector in 2025 and what new foundations do we need? (16.55)
• The critical Insight roles in an AI-shaped future (24.45)
• What will the IMA research next? (34.03)

Please listen to find out more!

This is episode 76 of the Transforming Insight podcast. 

If you have the ambition to transform your Insight team and the role it plays in your organisation, please tune in to future episodes. Not only will we explore the 42 secrets of successful corporate Insight teams as outlined in the Transforming Insight book, we will also talk to senior corporate Insight leaders, delve into books that have inspired us, and discuss new best practice research carried out with the IMA’s corporate members.

You won’t want to miss this! So please subscribe - and thank you for listening. 

About James Wycherley, the author of Transforming Insight

James Wycherley was Director of Customer Insight and Analytics at Barclays Bank from 2005 to 2015 when he became Chief Executive of the Insight Management Academy (IMA). 

He published his first book, Transforming Insight, in 2020, and his second, The Insight Leader’s Playbook, in 2025, and he hosts the Insight forums and the Transforming Insight podcast.

An entertaining keynote speaker, he has presented over 50 times at Quirk’s events, a global record, and has provided thought leadership in the UK, USA, Europe, Canada, Australia, India and the Middle East.

The Insight Management Academy is the world’s leading authority on transforming corporate Insight teams, and its vision is to inspire and support every Insight leader to transform the impact of Insight in their organisation.

Resources:

If you would like more information on any of the ideas discussed in this episode of the Transforming Insight podcast, please visit www.insight-management.org

Disclaimer

The Transforming Insight podcast is published by the Insight Management Academy and produced by Zorbiant.

All rights reserved.