Customer-Centric Innovation: The Critical Role of the Engineer

Abstract

Traditionally, engineers are not asked to "think customer-first" in design considerations. Clearly, end-user requirements are reflected in specifications and are factored into overall thinking, but customer-centricity is not usually listed in the feature set of a new product.

However, in world where technological innovation-and the human engineering capital that drives it-has become the primary engine of economic growth, then customer-centric design can become a competitive advantage. Engineers are the nexus between vision and design for new technologies and products; without great engineering, there is no innovation.

The financial stakes for global technology are now so significant that designs must be what customers both want and need from their first iteration; the cost of failure and redesign can be too steep to overcome.

For AMD, customer-centric design has become a sustainable competitive advantage, not only in terms of initial customer support, but in terms of longevity. Customer-centric design nurtures a partner ecosystem that aligns around customer needs and which can accelerate advances in design, process and manufacturing. In a global market where less than 15% of the world is connected to the Internet via a full-function PC, AMD truly needs to understand the diverse requirements of both current and future customers on a global basis.

This core philosophy is reflected in a comprehensive, system-wide approach to innovation that is improving the end-user experience and driving industry-leading advances by AMD for technologies ranging from power efficiency to large scale symmetrical multiprocessing.
In this presentation, Phil Hester, Chief Technology Officer, will expand on how customer-centric innovation applies to not only semiconductors but to the full range of engineering applications and disciplines.

Speaker Biography

Phil Hester is chief technology officer (CTO) at AMD, responsible for setting the architectural and product strategies and plans for AMD’s microprocessor business. Hester also chairs the AMD Technology Council, ensuring that product development, integration, and process organizations align technology capabilities with product direction.

Hester brings 30 years of advanced system design and enterprise computing experience to AMD. Before joining the company, Hester was co-founder and chief executive officer at Newisys, a Sanmina-SCI company, and spent 23 years at IBM serving in a variety of key leadership and executive technical roles. While at IBM, Hester lead a number of system technology development efforts, including the RS/6000, and served as one of 15 members of the IBM Corporate Technology Council.

Phil holds a Bachelor of Science and a Masters in Engineering from the University of Texas. He is a generous supporter of ECE's Edison Lecture Series.