Recently on the Dynamic Decisions podcast, I had the privilege of speaking with Ismael, founder and director of Capicua. Our conversation revealed some eye-opening truths about what really drives successful digital transformation. Turns out, it's not just about the technology. As someone who's led digital product development for over 15 years, Ismael brought insights that challenged some common assumptions about what makes companies succeed in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape.
When I asked Ismael about the most critical element for companies to succeed with digital solutions today, his answer caught me off guard.
"Technology's most complex problem is alignment. It's not the tech by itself."
Think about that for a moment. Here's someone who's built his career on digital solutions, and he's telling us that the biggest challenge isn't coding, user interface design, or even keeping up with the latest trends. It's getting everyone on the same page.
This resonates deeply with what I see in my work with organizations. Most companies aren't 100% tech-oriented—technology is just part of their operations. But as we face disruptions from generative AI and other emerging technologies, alignment becomes even more critical.
Speaking of AI, our conversation took a fascinating turn when we discussed the friction points companies face when implementing artificial intelligence. Ismael's response was both simple and profound: "Humans."
The hype around AI hasn't helped, he explained. All this talk about replacement and building the next Skynet creates fear and anxiety. Here's the reality: AI is not magical. It requires a lot of work to produce good results, and 90% of those results are incremental.
AI is not magical. It requires a lot of work to produce good results, and 90% of those results are incremental.
This is crucial for decision-makers to understand. AI won't transform your business overnight. It's helpful, but the transformative changes typically come from challengers outside the company—those willing to cannibalize existing structures rather than protect sunk costs.
One of the most thought-provoking points Ismael made was about AI's non-deterministic nature. Unlike traditional technologies that give you the same output for the same input, AI can give different answers to the same question based on context and algorithmic variations.
This changes everything about how we need to interact with and trust technology. It impacts how we use AI in our decision-making processes. Yes, AI can help with content development, but we can't just use it as-is. We need solid frameworks and processes, with humans carefully managing the deployment to keep the good stuff good while mitigating bias and risk.
When working with clients on AI implementation, Ismael's team follows a progression I love. They map where AI can be applied across the organization, then categorize and organize good test cases. The smart part? They don't go for the highest ROI cases right away.
Instead, they build AI resilience—helping teams understand how to work with AI step by step. It's about building confidence within the team to eventually achieve incremental ROI impact. As Ismael put it: "crawl, walk, run, fly."
Understand the risks and liabilities, then progress methodically.
This approach applies to any technology implementation. Whether you're in healthcare with strict compliance regulations or running a B2B SaaS company, the principle remains: understand the risks and liabilities, then progress methodically.
One part of our conversation that particularly excited me was Ismael's approach to company culture. Culture isn't what you declare—it's what you live. It's not how you portray yourself, but how you actually operate day to day.
At Capicua, they follow what Ismael calls "New York City subway rules"—if you see something, say something. But they don't stop there. You have to own the ideas you want to implement and carry them through to completion. They also embrace "failing forward," managing risk while giving people room to grow.
The result? All their leaders are grown from within. They don't hire leaders from outside; they train and mature their own people. This creates incredible alignment because everyone is bought into the mission, values, and vision from the very beginning.
For organizations trying to deliver exceptional user experiences, the collaboration between design and development teams is crucial. Ismael's solution is creating "T-shaped skill sets"—bridges across different aspects of product development.
Designers have to think about technology and business aspects, not just design. Developers need to consider the consumer and design perspectives, not just the technical side. Everyone contributes to creating a user-centric experience from their unique perspective.
The challenge? When you know a subject well, you naturally retreat to what you know. The unknown always carries risk. But by working in a horizontal, team-based environment, they maintain alignment toward their shared goal.
As a leader, one of the hardest decisions Ismael faces is keeping teams aligned and collaborative throughout project sprints. His insight here is golden: "keeping the eyes on the prize."
Remember who you're building for, why you're building it, and what strategic insights you've secured throughout the process. When push comes to shove, teams sometimes make decisions that aren't in the best interest of the goal. That's when leadership must bring focus back to what matters most.
Remember who you're building for, why you're building it, and what strategic insights you've secured throughout the process.
This means being outcomes-focused and tracking your progress against those outcomes consistently. At Capicua, they track both internal metrics (velocity and the trade-off between speed and quality) and external ones (ROI based on client investment versus revenue lift).
If I had to capture Ismael's final piece of advice for aspiring leaders in the digital solutions space, it would be this: Focus on behavior.
Behavioral economics shows us that behavior is where the crux of the problem lies, and behavior is fundamentally human. If you approach problems from a human perspective, you significantly increase your chances of success.
We're not just dealing with technology; we're dealing with people.
This ties back to everything we discussed—alignment challenges, AI implementation friction, culture building, and team collaboration. At the end of the day, we're not just dealing with technology; we're dealing with people.
One thing becomes crystal clear: successful digital transformation isn't about having the best technology or the most innovative features. It's about understanding humans—their behaviors, fears, motivations, and needs.
Whether you're implementing AI, building digital products, or leading transformation initiatives, remember that technology serves people, not the other way around. Focus on alignment, build confidence through measured progress, stay true to your values, and always keep your eyes on the prize.
The best decisions really do come from great conversations—conversations that put human behavior and organizational alignment at the center of every technological choice we make.
Listen to our conversation on the #DynamicDecisionsPodcast
