AI-Driven Process Automation with María Ferreño Serra at Atlassian Team ’24 Europe

This is Techron tv. Hi, I'm Mitch Ashley here at Barcelona, at the Atlassian Team 24 Europe event. You know, we're talking more it SN today, which is great.

Great topic. A lot of good things happening in the space. And we happen to be talking with a partner in the ecosystem of Atlassian, uh, techno four.

And this is Maria, who's an architect with Techno four. What? Welcome.

Hi, welcome. Thank you for having me here. Yeah, thanks for being here.

So tell us a little bit about you and what you do at Techno four. Okay, so I'm functional architect at Techno four team. We are, um, a consultancy.

We are consulting company, um, with a technological base focusing on process automation. So we combine the process analytics with the Atlassian ecosystem tools and also all the products that we have. So my role is made different architecture for the customers and also show up what's really the potential for the Atlassian products.

So it seems like you need to put some thought into the architecture of how you're gonna automate processes, not just start writing script or using a tool. Right? Yeah.

What are the things you need to think about when you're Yeah. That you're thinking on a project? I mean, like all of our life, it's based on process, so that's important thing of that we need to analyze that kind of process, not just the tool, just the process inside the companies.

And after that, we really are able to understand what's happening in the teams, where the different connections that we have. And after that, we are able to use Atlassian ecosystem just to build together and also to combine different disciplines for that, in our case process, process mining in that way, eh, just to yeah, really understand the process, focus on what's really happening inside the team, and after that, make these designs better just to, just to make it happen. It's amazing how often think work happens, but not everybody knows how it actually happens, right?

Yeah. You gotta go discover that. Yeah.

Maybe redesign it to make Yeah, yeah, yeah. Make it better, more Efficient. Yeah, that's the point.

Because normally people just, I don't know, using Atlassian that's all, or using gear or create tickets, but this is not the point. You really need to understand what's happening inside and really focus on, okay, focus on your team, focus on how your team is working, focus on how many reopens do you have? Or even, I don't know, how many problems do you have in your tickets?

And after that we can start talking Flow, how many handoffs, all the things. Yeah. On the bottlenecks or this kind of things.

So let's talk ai, a lot of news from Atlassian about AI agents, no code creating your own. How does that fit into the landscape? Um, process automation and ITSM?

Yeah, for us it's really important because, I mean, in the process that we really made, we make analyze, we made a design and also we made an implementation. But of course we need AI for that. We need to process all of our data like in seconds.

We are not able to wait like one week or whatever. We need all information just in real time. Um, so yeah, it's really important, all the capabilities from Atlassian intelligence just to combine all this information together.

And also we have like some help, like for robo agents or something, it will be really useful because I mean, the starting point of the thing, it's like, okay, let's talking about Yra or let's talking about Confluence, but after that we need like the people continue using it. So for that purpose, it is really useful when we, yeah, when we are able to use agents like Robo or even another feature from Atlassian intelligence. So, uh, I mean, for us, it's completely integrated in our process.

So it's great to hear news about that and, and a new feature for that kind of goal. Yeah. Atlassian tape said AI teammate approach, right?

Yeah. It's not just a AI thing that happens at Black Box, it's actually a user, a teammate, yeah. System.

Does that change how you think about how you would use an agent in Atlassian AI In the last year? I mean, we are more than 40 consultants in techno four, like working day to day with Atlassian products. And I think that in the last year it was like, it is part of our team.

I don't know if it's an agent or what it is, but all of them are really using it in every day. So yeah, I think it's great that we introduce it and we use it like for our benefits, of course we, we need it. And every process that we can automate it will be great for everyone.

I mean, we are doing like, I don't know, repetitive task all the day. Come on. I mean, we need to, to improve and to, to make more efficiency.

Our, You know, a lot of tools. Atlassian does this, especially now. You can know code, create your own Yep.

Agents and, and natural language. How does that work when end users can create their own automations in addition to the work you do? Do you fold those in?

You know, sometimes they might do great things and sometimes might be redundant or maybe not as efficient. So it's kind of an evolving thing. It doesn't stay static.

How do you handle all of those people creating their own Yeah. Process automations. I mean, I think people are really creative and we have like a lot of customer really creative and with good ideas.

But for me, the important part is the design. So these no-code tools are really cool, but you really need to think about what do you need or what is the purpose for that. So in that point is where, um, someone like us, like in techno for we can really help because you need someone thinking really deep in the process and also in the design and analyze part.

And after that, let's create whatever you want. So it's really great to open this part for everyone. Like, I mean, come on.

Um, any person from their home can create a virtual alien, but let's make it, I mean, you need to use it, not not today, just for the next year, months, whatever. So for that purpose, you really need to think in the decide. So I think it's better if we do it like in a team, but by it's way too open to everyone.

Of course, I'm not a technical person. I mean, I am from public relations and so on. I mean, my budget is completely different.

So I think it's great to have different tools just to not write a script or something. I mean, let's make it simple. Well, it seems like too, I might create my own agent.

Mm-Hmm. I don't necessarily know how the whole process works. Yeah.

Or what el what other things happen. And that seems like a great place to say, well, let's take what you've built. Well, let's extend it to how the whole team works.

Yeah. So you can leverage what they've done, but also kind of extend it to Yeah, yeah, totally. I mean, the thing is that, um, yeah, as I said, there are a lot of creative people, but you need to focus in, in some points because if not, you are like losing money and losing maybe people on your team.

So, so that's the point. And that's where, where consultants as us need to be, need to be focused on. That's why we create different solution just in technology actually, just to help in that process and optimize like the design and analyze process.

And after that, okay, let's work together and, and make it better and change whatever you need. When you engage with a customer, um, I imagine you do some kind of discovery. What's the current PMO, the current processes, method of operation?

Do you do a mapping of that, um, and then kinda design what the new process is or there different techniques? Yeah, of course. My favorite one is using process analytics for Jira.

I mean, we have an application for that. So in the first place, if you already have Jira or whatever product you have from a data ecosystem, I can extract all the information, all it, all information for your instance and show you up like in one day. Okay, this is what's happening right now.

So let's start from here. So I don't really need to speak with all the company, with all the key users, with all the management system? No, because I mean people, all of them, all of us.

I mean, we have our own context and we have our own own opinion. But I mean, the log says another different thing. So I see that you reopen this issue like a lot of time, or I see that you have like five people using like the same data.

So something is happening there. So from that point, it's really useful to start this kind of debate. Of course, made some interview, made, some meeting togethers, breakfast if you needed.

I mean, you need to really understand what happened inside. And after that it will be really easy to start designing and, and, and yeah, and some implementation or whatever you have to do. That Makes a lot of sense because sometimes we have perception of how it works and it's not really, or different views about might work and going through the system that people are using actually will tell you, yeah, are they using that process and how does it flow?

And also it's useful to speak with like the management people in the company because I mean, the data is here, so it's easy to believe in the data that in person, I don't know why, but this is how it look right now. So, so yeah, we have like different dashboard for that purpose, uh, in order to show to the people, okay, this is what is, look, if you want to believe us, this is the point. So let's start from here.

There's been a lot of changes in Jira, kind of consolidating code base and moving to the cloud. How's that? How's that impacting customers?

Are they excited about that? Is it simplifying things a bit for them? Well, we have like 80% of our customer just in the cloud environment, which is really great because all the news presented by Atlassian is like, okay, this is for you.

And we have like a 20%, more or less the customers in data center, which are like, oh, I want this, but I can't because I'm not in cloud when they have, well, another concept or whatever. So they're really excited. But I feel that sometimes they are also exhausted because it's like every week we have a new feature in your Jira.

So you see like a new label wherever in some menu or sometimes and they're like, Maria, what is that? I mean, can I use it for free? So like the feel right now, it's okay, it's great.

There's a lot of news, but I'm not able to understand like everything all the time. That's why we create a lot of content. In my case, I content creator from Atlassian.

So I try to share all this new information. Like every week we not only with the customer, just with the community. Because also in my, in my side, I mean, I work with a lot of customers, but I'm not able to read like the community all the day.

So yeah, like every week we share like a newsletter with everyone explaining what's happening, what the news, what you can really use it. Because sometimes Atlassian say, okay, this is how it's work, but how can I really use it in my own? So yeah, interesting point.

The applications in the cloud can change very quickly, even even in small ways. Yeah, Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course. Yeah.

And I think it's great because most of them are things that we really need that we really feel that, okay, I prefer it in that way. So Atlassian, listen to the community and all the comments that we made, all the bags that we open or wherever. So this part is great.

Um, but I mean, there's a lot of new things all the year, so it's like you have to be focused all the time and try to use it because there are a lot of things that are really important. And I mean, make you feel, feel comfortable in your instance, and also improve the projects that you have. I remember as a Atlassian user, I would make suggestions for improvements to the product and people would vote on mm-Hmm.

Do they still do that? Is that still input into Atlassian? Yeah, of course.

We have like, um, a lab from the news, so you can also activate it in your profile and test it for a while. And okay, now I like it, so I want it in my instant. No, this part is really great.

And I think it's good because the customers in cloud feel that, feel that, I don't know, sometimes you feel that sometimes it's happening right now. I mean, eh, we are like dynamic. We have always something new.

It's not like an old application that it seems like in the same way for the last 20 years. It's not the case in Atlassian. I mean, everything is continue changing, but in a good way.

I feel Very good. Uh, at the conference, what's been the most interesting thing for you? Wow.

I mean, we have a booth. So I think that for me, the most important part is talk with people. I mean, there's a lot of customers, but also a lot of partners, a lot of people connected with Atlassian ecosystem.

So it's really great to have conversation outside one project. I mean, and, and share together, okay, what's happening in Italy? What's happening in France?

How many or what's your expectation for this year? These kind of things are really interesting. I also love the session, but I prefer to see it like in a week or wherever, online from my sofa, because right now I prefer to speak with people Too busy doing this.

Yeah, Yeah, yeah. I mean, we don't have this opportunity all the months, so it's only twice for year or even one for year. So, so yeah, for me it's the, the most interesting part.

And also we have like, it's really, I don't know, it's really surprising when you meet customers that they were here normally. I mean, they are working at their office. Yes, they use Jira, but they don't really know what is Atlassian community looks like.

So they're here like, oh wow, you got a lot of people. Oh wow, you have like a great keynote. Oh wow, you have like, and it's like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

This is how it's worked. Community. There's A lot.

Yeah, sure. Yeah. So this part is really great.

Good. Well, Maria, thank you for talking about, uh, process management, implementation, architecture, AI agent, all the good stuff. So wish you the best in, uh, tech.

Thank you so much. Conference. Thanks for stopping By.

Thank you. Great. More great conversations coming up just like this one.

We'll see you in a bit.