In the world of AI, we often hear about “Responsible AI.” However, if you ask ten people what it actually means, you might get ten different answers. Most will focus on ethical standards: fairness, transparency, and social good. But is that the end of responsibility? Many of our AI solutions are built by enterprise organizations who aim to meet both ethical standards AND business objectives. To whom are we responsible, and what kind of responsibility do we really owe? Let’s dive into what “Responsible AI” could mean with a broader scope. 

Ethical Responsibility: The Foundation of Responsible AI 

Ethical responsibility is often our go-to definition for Responsible AI. We’re talking about fairness in algorithms, transparency in data use, and minimizing harm, especially in areas like bias and discrimination. It’s crucial and non-negotiable, but ethics alone don’t cover the full range of responsibilities we have as business and technology leaders. As powerful as ethical guidelines are, they only address one part of the responsibility puzzle. So, let’s step out of this comfort zone a bit to dive deeper. 

Operational Responsibility: Keeping an Eye on Costs 

At its core, AI tools are a resource-intensive technology. When we deploy AI, we’re not just pushing lines of code into the world; we’re managing data infrastructure, compute power, and – let’s face it – a budget that often feels like it’s getting away from us.  

This brings up a question we don’t always want to ask: is it responsible to use up cloud resources so that the AI can write a sonnet? 

Of course, some use cases justify high costs, but we need to weigh the value of specific applications. Responsible AI isn’t just about can we do something; it’s about should we do it, and whether it’s appropriate to pour resources into every whimsical or niche application. 

 Operational responsibility means asking tough questions about costs and sustainability—and, yes, learning to say “no” to AI haikus. 

Responsibility to Employees: Making AI Usable and Sustainable 

If we only think about responsibility in terms of what AI produces, we miss a huge part of the equation: the people behind it. Building Responsible AI isn’t just about protecting the end user; it’s about ensuring that developers, data scientists, and support teams innovating AI systems have the tools and support they need.  

Imagine the mental gymnastics required for an employee navigating overly-complex, high-stakes AI projects without proper support. Not fun. Frankly, it’s an environment where burnout, inefficiency, and mistakes become inevitable. Responsible AI also means being responsible to our employees by prioritizing usability, reducing friction, and creating workflows to make their jobs easier, not more complicated. Employees who are empowered to build reliable, ethical, and efficient AI solutions ultimately deliver better results.  

User Responsibility: Guardrails to Keep AI on Task 

Users love pushing AI to its limits—asking it quirky questions, testing its boundaries, and sometimes just letting it meander into irrelevant tangents. While AI should offer flexibility, there’s a balance to be struck. One of the responsibilities we carry is to guide users with tailored guardrails, ensuring the AI is not only useful but also used in productive, appropriate ways.  

That doesn’t mean policing users, but it does mean setting up intelligent limits to keep AI applications focused on their intended tasks. If the AI’s purpose is to help with research, maybe it doesn’t need to compose a 19th-century-style romance novel (as entertaining as that might be). Guardrails help direct users toward outcomes that are meaningful, keeping both the users and the AI on track. 

Balancing Responsibilities: A Holistic View of Responsible AI 

Responsible AI encompasses a variety of key areas, including ethics, operational efficiency, employee support, and user guidance. Each one adds an additional layer of responsibility, and while these layers can occasionally conflict, they’re all necessary to create AI that truly upholds ethical and practical standards. Taking a holistic approach requires us to evaluate trade-offs carefully. We may sometimes prioritize user needs over operational costs or support employees over certain ethics constraints, but ultimately, the goal is to balance these responsibilities thoughtfully. 

Expanding the scope of “Responsible AI” means going beyond traditional ethics. It’s about asking uncomfortable questions, like “Is this AI task worth the cloud bill?” and considering how we support the  people who are building and using AI. If we want AI to be truly beneficial, we need to be responsible not only to society at large but also to our internal teams and budgets. 

Our dedicated team of AI and digital transformation experts are committed to helping the largest organizations drive real business outcomes. For more information on how Perficient can implement your dream digital experiences, contact Perficient to start your journey.

Intelligence is the new currency of business: the ability to transform raw data into actionable insights isn’t just a competitive advantage, it’s a strategic imperative. Organizations are rapidly discovering that enterprise intelligence is the key to unlocking unprecedented business value, driving decision-making, and creating transformative experiences.

IDC Market Glance: Enterprise Intelligence Services, 3Q24

We’re proud to be included in the IT Services Providers with Enterprise Intelligence Services offerings category for the IDC Market Glance: Enterprise Intelligence Services report (doc #US51423524, September 2024). IDC defines Enterprise Intelligence as “an organization’s capacity to learn combined with its ability to synthesize the information it needs in order to learn and to apply the resulting insights at scale by establishing a strong data culture”.

Our enterprise intelligence expertise and proven ability to execute comprehensive technology transformations demonstrate why we believe we’ve been included in this report. Our consistent commitment to delivering solutions helps harness untapped potential and drive measurable business results for our clients.

Turning Data into Strategic Advantage

Our approach goes beyond traditional data services. We don’t just implement technology—we create intelligent ecosystems that breathe life into your data strategy and accelerate transformation. Our Data and Intelligence practice encompasses all enterprise intelligence facets and focuses on technical strategy, implementation, integration, and support of cutting-edge, end-to-end intelligence technologies that transform how businesses operate.

The evolution of enterprise intelligence is about more than collecting data—it’s about creating a living, breathing intelligence framework that adapts, learns, and drives strategic decision-making. We understand that today’s IT leaders are tasked with more than technical execution; they’re architects of business transformation.

Beyond Technology: A Holistic Data Approach

We understand that insights alone aren’t enough – they must be paired with a comprehensive strategy, actionable automation, and fully scalable solutions. Our expertise spans the digital transformation landscape, where we combine AI-powered architectures with advanced analytics to reduce manual workloads and create self-optimizing systems. We don’t just implement solutions; we create intelligent strategies that align technology with your critical business objectives.

By embedding intelligent technologies into platforms, products, and experiences, we help transform data from a passive resource into an active, strategic asset. Our solutions operationalize insights into a continuous cycle of improvement, enhancing employee experiences and delivering measurable business outcomes.

To discover how Perficient can help you harness the power of enterprise intelligence and stay ahead of digital disruption, visit Data + Intelligence/Perficient.

Now more than ever, we’re witnessing a significant shift from simple AI capabilities to action-driven AI Agents that promise to revolutionize how we approach knowledge work, product development, and business processes. Drawing insights from Perficient’s industry experts, we’re constantly exploring Generative AI, the emerging world of agentic frameworks, and their potential to reshape organizational capabilities. 

Beyond Chatbots: The Evolution of AI Agents 

For the past few years, many organizations have been deploying AI within their organizations via generative AI chatbots – tools that take prompts, access a knowledge base, and generate responses. While these were once groundbreaking tools to improve business functions, they are essentially one-dimensional: they could provide information but couldn’t take meaningful action. 

While AI chatbots can respond to user input, AI Agents can take action and perform tasks within defined parameters. 

AI Agents are rapidly expanding across multiple domains including virtual assistance, complex task management, social media content, product development, and more.  

But what makes an AI Agent truly revolutionary? It’s about creating a more nuanced, human-like intelligence. An AI Agent is characterized by: 

1. Knowledge Base: Similar to chatbots, but augmented with information that supports outputs, standards, or historical content.
2. Role Definition: A clear, contextual understanding of its purpose and role often within a team.
3. Skills and Cooperation: The ability to make decisions and take action (within defined parameters) while providing and taking feedback within a team of other Agents and humans.

Navigating the AI Agent Implementation Journey 

Imagine transforming your organization’s potential, not through a massive overhaul, but through iterative, strategic steps. Successful AI Agent implementation is less about a revolutionary leap and more about a thoughtful, incremental progression. 

Like most transformations, planning where to provide value is critical. It’s important to identify pain points that can be delegated to an Agent, rather than distracting your most talented people away from valuable work.  

Perficient’s AI Accelerated Modeling Process (AMP) can help you implement Agentic AI quickly and responsibly. AI AMP is a short, focused four- to six- week initiative with the goal of developing an interactive model that demonstrates how your organization can leverage machine learning, natural language processing, and cognitive computing to jump start Al adoption. 

Organizations are discovering AI Agents aren’t just theoretical – they’re practical problem-solvers across multiple domains: 

• An Agentic team that can reverse engineer legacy software, documenting business requirements and how the software currently works. 

• Supplementing your Product Owners by checking the quality of backlog artifacts across multiple teams, providing feedback and enriching those requirements. 

• Creating synthetic data that can provide greater test coverage at scale. 

• A social media team with a writer, reviewer, and editor that have knowledge of the brand and previous posts and can critique the writing based on the research. 

• An Agentic CX team that can merge research, gather initial insights and draft presentations so the human team can focus on the deep insights and recommendations. 

• Automatic routing of emails based on the content and context of customer service requests. 

AI Agents Aren’t Just About Capability – It’s About Responsibility.  

Security isn’t an afterthought; it’s the foundation. Perficient’s PACE Framework is a holistic approach to designing tailored operational AI programs that empower business and technical stakeholders to innovate with confidence while mitigating risks and upholding ethical standards. 

Our comprehensive engagement model evaluates your organization against the PACE framework, tailoring programs and processes to effectively and responsibly integrate AI capabilities across your organization. 

The Future of Work 

The transformative potential of AI agents extends far beyond traditional chatbots, representing a strategic pathway for organizations to augment human capabilities intelligently and responsibly.  

To explore how your enterprise can benefit from Agentic AI, reach out to Perficient’s team of experts today. The next wave of AI is about creating intelligent, collaborative agentic systems that augment and transform our capabilities, one specialized Agent at a time. 

Imagine a world where digital interfaces anticipate your needs, understand your preferences, and adapt in real-time to enhance your experience. This is not a futuristic daydream, but the promise of generative interfaces. 

Generative interfaces represent a new paradigm in user experience design, moving beyond static layouts to create highly personalized and adaptive interactions. These interfaces are powered by generative AI technologies that respond to each user’s unique needs, behaviors, and context. The result is a fluid, intuitive experience—a digital environment that transforms, adapts, and grows with its users. 

The Evolution of User Interaction 

Traditional digital interfaces have long relied on predefined structures and user journeys. While these methods have served us well, they fall short of delivering truly personalized experiences. 

Generative interfaces, on the other hand, redefine personalization and interactivity at the level of individual interactions. They have the capability to bring data and components directly to users from multiple systems, seamlessly integrating them into a cohesive user experience.  

Users can perform tasks without switching applications as generative systems dynamically render necessary components within the interface, such as images, interactive components, and data visualizations. 

This adaptability means that generative interfaces continually evolve based on users’ inputs, preferences, and behaviors, creating a more connected and fluid experience. Instead of users adapting to software, the software adapts to them, enhancing productivity, reducing friction, and making digital interactions feel natural. 

Adaptive Design Principles 

At the heart of generative interfaces lies the principle of adaptability. This adaptability is more than just personalization—it’s about creating an interface that is in constant dialogue with its user. Unlike conventional systems that rely on rules and configurations set during development, generative interfaces leverage machine learning and user data to generate real-time responses. This not only makes the experience dynamic but also inherently human-centered. 

For instance, a digital assistant that supports a knowledge worker doesn’t just answer questions—it understands the context of the work, anticipates upcoming needs, and interacts in a way that aligns with the user’s goals. Generative interfaces are proactive and responsive, driven by the understanding that user needs can change from moment to moment. 

Envisioning the Future 

Generative interfaces hold the promise of reshaping not just individual applications, but entire categories of digital interaction—from productivity tools to entertainment platforms. Imagine entertainment systems that automatically adjust content suggestions based on your mood, or collaboration platforms that adapt their layouts and tools depending on whether you are brainstorming or executing a task. 

This is why data privacy and security considerations must be built into every aspect of the system, from data collection and storage to processing and output generation.  Without control of the experience, you risk low-quality outputs that can do more harm than good. 

As organizations deploy generative interfaces, robust governance frameworks become essential for managing risks and ensuring responsible AI use.  

Embracing Generative Interfaces

The shift towards generative interfaces is a step towards making technology more human-centric. As we embrace these adaptive designs, we create an opportunity to redefine our digital experiences, making them more intuitive, enjoyable, and impactful. At Perficient, we are pushing the boundaries of how technology can adapt to users rather than forcing users to adapt to technology. 

The impact of these interfaces goes beyond just convenience; they are capable of crafting meaningful digital experiences that feel personal and fulfilling. As generative AI continues to advance, I envision a future where technology fades into the background, seamlessly blending into our lives and intuitively enhancing everything from work to leisure. 

Metadata Extraction: IDMC vs. PowerCenter

When we talk about metadata extraction, IDMC (Intelligent Data Management Cloud) can be trickier than PowerCenter. Let’s see why.
In PowerCenter, all metadata is stored in a local database. This setup lets us use SQL queries to get data quickly and easily. It’s simple and efficient.
In contrast, IDMC relies on the IICS Cloud Repository for metadata storage. This means we have to use APIs to get the data we need. While this method works well, it can be more complicated. The data comes back in JSON format. JSON is flexible, but it can be hard to read at first glance.
To make it easier to understand, we convert the JSON data into a table format. We use a tool called jq to help with this. jq allows us to change JSON data into CSV or table formats. This makes the data clearer and easier to analyze.

In this section, we will explore jq. jq is a command-line tool that helps you work with JSON data easily. It lets you parse, filter, and change JSON in a simple and clear way. With jq, you can quickly access specific parts of a JSON file, making it easier to work with large datasets. This tool is particularly useful for developers and data analysts who need to process JSON data from APIs or other sources, as it simplifies complex data structures into manageable formats.

For instance, if the requirement is to gather Succeeded Taskflow details, this involves two main processes. First, you’ll run the IICS APIs to gather the necessary data. Once you have that data, the next step is to execute a jq query to pull out the specific results. Let’s explore two methods in detail.

Extracting Metadata via Postman and jq:-

Step 1:

To begin, utilize the IICS APIs to extract the necessary data from the cloud repository. After successfully retrieving the data, ensure that you save the file in JSON format, which is ideal for structured data representation.

Step 2:
Construct a jq query to extract the specific details from the JSON file. This will allow you to filter and manipulate the data effectively.

Windows:-
(echo Taskflow_Name,Start_Time,End_Time & jq -r ".[] | [.assetName, .startTime, .endTime] | @csv" C:\Users\christon.rameshjason\Documents\Reference_Documents\POC.json) > C:\Users\christon.rameshjason\Documents\Reference_Documents\Final_results.csv

Linux:-
jq -r '["Taskflow_Name","Start_Time","End_Time"],(.[] | [.assetName, .startTime, .endTime]) | @csv' /opt/informatica/test/POC.json > /opt/informatica/test/Final_results.csv

Step 3:
To proceed, run the jq query in the Command Prompt or Terminal. Upon successful execution, the results will be saved in CSV file format, providing a structured way to analyze the data.

Extracting Metadata via Command Prompt and jq:-

Step 1:
Formulate a cURL command that utilizes IICS APIs to access metadata from the IICS Cloud repository. This command will allow you to access essential information stored in the cloud.

Windows and Linux:-
curl -s -L -X GET -u USER_NAME:PASSWORD "https://<BASE_URL>/active-bpel/services/tf/status?runStatus=Success" -H "Accept: application/json"

Step 2:
Develop a jq query along with cURL to extract the required details from the JSON file. This query will help you isolate the specific data points necessary for your project.

Windows:
(curl -s -L -X GET -u USER_NAME:PASSWORD "https://<BASE_URL>/active-bpel/services/tf/status?runStatus=Success" -H "Accept: application/json") | (echo Taskflow_Name,Start_Time,End_Time & jq -r ".[] | [.assetName, .startTime, .endTime] | @csv" C:\Users\christon.rameshjason\Documents\Reference_Documents\POC.json) > C:\Users\christon.rameshjason\Documents\Reference_Documents\Final_results.csv

Linux:
curl -s -L -X GET -u USER_NAME:PASSWORD "https://<BASE_URL>/active-bpel/services/tf/status?runStatus=Success" -H "Accept: application/json" | jq -r '["Taskflow_Name","Start_Time","End_Time"],(.[] | [.assetName, .startTime, .endTime]) | @csv' /opt/informatica/test/POC.json > /opt/informatica/test/Final_results.csv

Step 3:
Launch the Command Prompt and run the cURL command that includes the jq query. Upon running the query, the results will be saved in CSV format, which is widely used for data handling and can be easily imported into various applications for analysis.

Conclusion
To wrap up, the methods outlined for extracting workflow metadata from IDMC are designed to streamline your workflow, minimizing manual tasks and maximizing productivity. By automating these processes, you can dedicate more energy to strategic analysis rather than tedious data collection. If you need further details about IDMC APIs or jq queries, feel free to drop a comment below!

Reference Links:-

IICS Data Integration REST API – Monitoring taskflow status with the status resource API

jq Download Link – Jq_Download

In the PC-IDMC conversion process, it can be challenging to gather detailed information about workflows. Specifically, we often need to determine:

• The number of transformations used in each mapping.
• The number of sessions utilized within the workflow.
• Whether any parameters or variables are being employed in the mappings.
• The count of reusable versus non-reusable sessions used in the workflow etc.

To obtain these details, we currently have to open each workflow individually, which is time-consuming. Alternatively, we could use complex queries to extract this information from the PowerCenter metadata in the database tables.

This section focuses on XQuery, a versatile language designed for querying and extracting information from XML files. When workflows are exported from the PowerCenter repository or Workflow Manager, the data is generated in XML format. By employing XQuery, we can effectively retrieve the specific details and data associated with the workflow from this XML file.

Step-by-Step Guide to Extracting Workflow Details Using XQuery: –

For instance, if the requirement is to retrieve all reusable and non-reusable sessions for a particular workflow or a set of workflows, we can utilize XQuery to extract this data efficiently.

Step 1:
Begin by exporting the workflows from either the PowerCenter Repository Manager or the Workflow Manager. You have the option to export multiple workflows together as one XML file, or you can export a single workflow and save it as an individual XML file.

Step 2:-
Develop the XQuery based on our specific requirements. In this case, we need to fetch all the reusable and non-reusable sessions from the workflows.

let $header := "Folder_Name,Workflow_Name,Session_Name,Mapping_Name"
let $dt := (let $data := 
    ((for $f in POWERMART/REPOSITORY/FOLDER
    let $fn:= data($f/@NAME)
    return
        for $w in $f/WORKFLOW
        let $wn:= data($w/@NAME)
        return
            for $s in $w/SESSION
            let $sn:= data($s/@NAME)
            let $mn:= data($s/@MAPPINGNAME)
            return
                <Names>
                    {
                        $fn ,
                        "," ,
                        $wn ,
                        "," ,
                        $sn ,
                        "," ,
                        $mn
                    }
                </Names>)
    |           
    (for $f in POWERMART/REPOSITORY/FOLDER
    let $fn:= data($f/@NAME)
    return          
        for $s in $f/SESSION
        let $sn:= data($s/@NAME)
        let $mn:= data($s/@MAPPINGNAME)
        return
            for $w in $f/WORKFLOW
            let $wn:= data($w/@NAME)
            let $wtn:= data($w/TASKINSTANCE/@TASKNAME)
            where $sn = $wtn
            return
                <Names>
                    {
                        $fn ,
                        "," ,
                        $wn ,
                        "," ,
                        $sn ,
                        "," ,
                        $mn
                    }
                </Names>))
       for $test in $data
          return
            replace($test/text()," ",""))
      return
 string-join(($header,$dt), "
")

Step 3:
Select the necessary third-party tools to execute the XQuery or opt for online tools if preferred. For example, you can use BaseX, Altova XMLSpy, and others. In this instance, we are using Basex, which is an open-source tool.

Create a database in Basex to run the XQuery.

Step 4: Enter the created XQuery into the third-party tool or online tool to run it and retrieve the results.

Step 5:
Export the results in the necessary file extensions.

Conclusion:
These simple techniques allow you to extract workflow details effectively, aiding in the planning and early detection of complex manual conversion workflows. Many queries exist to fetch different kinds of data. If you need more XQueries, just leave a comment below!

Data isn’t just an asset—it’s the lifeblood of most organizations. As businesses continue to amass vast amounts of information, the exposure to potential breaches grows exponentially. According to IBM, the global cost of data breaches continues to rise, with the average incident now costing companies $4.88 million in 2024, up 10% from the previous year.

Yet surprisingly, security often remains an afterthought in data management strategies, creating vulnerabilities that can prove costly.

The Growing Threat of Data Breaches

Data breaches represent far more than security incidents—they’re existential threats that can unravel years of carefully built revenue streams and customer trust. As organizations’ digital footprints expand and data volumes grow exponentially, the stakes continue to rise. Companies face mounting pressure to protect sensitive information while maintaining operational efficiency, a balance that becomes increasingly precarious as traditional data-sharing methods evolve and regulatory frameworks grow more complex. The potential impact of these breaches scales with our growing reliance on digital systems, making them one of the most significant risks facing modern organizations.

Why Data is a Prime Target

1. Value: Personal and corporate data can be sold on the dark web or used for identity theft.

2. Ransom: Cybercriminals can encrypt data and demand payment for its release.

3. Competitive Advantage: Stolen intellectual property can give competitors an unfair edge.

4. Political Motives: State-sponsored attacks may target sensitive government or infrastructure data.

The Challenge of Modern Data Sharing

Many organizations still rely on physical data sharing methods, creating unnecessary risks in an increasingly complex digital world. Modern approaches offer more sophisticated solutions, including the ability to quickly revoke user access and remove shared data—a crucial feature for modern, enterprise-scale organizations. The modern data sharing capabilities offer greater security, stronger governance and enable effective data sharing needs in real-time. However, companies often struggle with the “how” of implementing these solutions, particularly from a business process perspective.

Building a Security-First Framework

At Perficient, we understand that effective data security isn’t inherited—it’s built through careful planning and regular evaluation. Our approach centers on three key principles:

1. Tactical Assessment and Planning: We specialize in quickly assessing an organization’s current security posture and developing actionable plans for improvement. No two companies are identical, so this starts with understanding where you are and creating a custom roadmap to where you need to be.
2. Relationship-Driven Implementation: Success in data security isn’t just about the technology—it’s also about people and processes surrounding it. We work closely with key constituents across your organization, recognizing the industry-specific requirements and regulations that often drive security needs.
3. Principle of Least Privilege: We advocate for and implement the practice of providing users only the minimum access necessary for their roles, significantly reducing potential exposure points. This is incredibly important not only in creation of roles and user accounts but constantly reapplied on a routine basis.

Taking Action

Organizations looking to strengthen their data security posture should start by:

• Evaluating current data sharing processes and identifying potential vulnerabilities
• Implementing modern data-sharing solutions that offer greater control and visibility
• Developing clear protocols for access management and regular security assessments
• Create industry-specific frameworks that align with regulatory requirements
• Constantly reevaluate the security posture to realign to business needs
• Conduct regular cybersecurity training to educate employees about phishing scams, password security, and recognizing suspicious activity. Employees are often the first line of defense against breaches caused by human error.

Moving Forward

As data continues to grow in volume and importance, organizations can’t afford to treat security as an afterthought. By taking a proactive approach to data security and working with experienced partners, businesses can better protect their most valuable asset while maintaining the efficiency they need to compete in today’s market.

Security isn’t a one-time implementation—it’s an ongoing process requiring regular evaluation and adjustment. Every data implementation, regardless of its primary purpose, has security implications that need to be carefully considered. This is why we emphasize the importance of building frameworks that incorporate more secure steps from the ground up.

Remember: data security isn’t just about preventing breaches—it’s about building a foundation for sustainable business success. Learn how Perficient can support your data security needs.

Shoptalk held its first ever Fall conference in Chicago this past week and our very own Justin Racine, Principal of Unified Commerce, was present to take it all in. This year’s theme was 007, so Justin was on a reconnaissance mission to gain as much information on retail and commerce trends as possible. Here’s a debrief on his sources and the intel he was able to gather from them during his time at the show.

Infiltrate the Indie Brand Mindset

Before the explosion of social media, consumers gained knowledge of new brands by window shopping and traditional ads, but the reach only went so far. With the prevalence of social media, retail products that are niche and unique now have access to the whole world with platforms like TikTok and Instagram.  Rent the Runway is a clothing rental brand that’s currently reveling in the fact that indie brands are controlling the fashion space. Jennifer Hyman, the Founder and CEO of Rent the Runway, claimed that today a brand can skyrocket in value just by a teenager talking about its products on TikTok. Social media has been changing the way consumers shop, and brands need to be able to keep up and provide new and fresh ways to connect and interact. Rent the Runway did that by providing fashion clothing for rent, rather than purchase, thus allowing for an ever-changing wardrobe with plenty of variety. Retail – just like fashion – should take greater risks and be bolder.

Capture Customers with Community and Connection

Glossier CEO, Kyle Leahy, provided a thoughtful look at three C’s that should be focused on to provoke thoughtful, engaging, and relatable conversations between brands and their consumers. Community, connection, and customers are the three C’s in question here. Glossier prides itself on being a community-based brand, focusing on how their products make people feel. On stage, Kyle spoke about how their consumers come to them because of the community they’ve created, and by actively listening to their consumers.

However, it’s one thing just to listen – it’s another thing entirely to respond. Kyle stated that Glossier responds to every single comment or post on their socials. That’s how they’re building a strong community, like by like, comment by comment. Glossier doesn’t stop there; they continually strive for personalized customer experience. Their storefronts are full of local apparel and products, and a new fragrance they’ve recently launched is an aggressively impressive campaign.

It’s called Glossier You, and the bottle is specifically designed to be activated by using the consumer’s thumb. In this way, it gives the feeling of the product being “encoded” to their thumbprint, giving them a personalized experience. To go one step further, they claim the smell is a little different on each person. With this product, they’ve built a conversation piece for their consumers around how it’s unique to them allowing connection across users for comparison, thus creating a shared experience and further solidifying their community.

Hacking Data to Delight Customers

Surprise and delight! That’s the name of the game when it comes to creating buzz with consumers. Many companies feel like they have a finger on the pulse, but according to the Vice President and Principal Analyst at Forrester, Brendan Witcher, that’s not the case. He challenged attendees’ perspectives saying that many customers don’t feel that companies are delighting or surprising them. These brands are operating off opinions rather than data, and these companies should gather real, credible data if they want to get to the heart of their consumers emotional responses.

Creative decisions should be based on true data and gained by letting the customer express themselves through their behaviors, actions, and even more importantly, their inactions. A great example of inactivity is those would be consumers who are visiting your site but not purchasing. Their lack of purchase, or inaction, is a clear look into a way to create growth simply by focusing on making those conversions. These customers are there, now all that’s needed is a push in the right direction.  Doubling up from Glossier’s 3C’s, Brendan revealed that there are 6 elements of customer data to focus on: characteristics, considerations, curiosities, conditions, context, and conceptions.

Closing the Dossier on Shoptalk Fall

For it being their first Shoptalk Fall, the show undoubtedly inspired and renewed the energy and enthusiasm of those in attendance. Individuals present expressed an urge to build deeper connections with their customers through a wide variety of strategies. The speakers encouraged the audience to listen to their customers, stay true to relevant retail trends, and dive deep into the data to curate connections and build communities. Now is the time to be unconventional, unique, and exciting.

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to explore Perficient’s industry expertise in retail and commerce.

Read Justin’s full article on CMSWire.

APIs, or application programming interfaces, are essential to the dynamic world of digital transformation because they allow companies to communicate quickly and efficiently with their data and services. Consequently, effective management is essential to ensure these APIs function correctly, stay safe, and provide the desired benefits. This is where Google Cloud’s top-tier API management product, Apigee, comes into play.

What is Apigee?

Apigee is a great platform for companies that want to manage their APIs effectively. It really simplifies the whole process of creating, growing, securing, and implementing APIs, which makes things a lot easier for developers. One thing that stands out about Apigee is its flexibility; it can handle both external APIs that third-party partners can access and internal APIs used within the company. This makes Apigee a great option for businesses of all sizes. Moreover, its versatility is a significant benefit for those looking to simplify their API management. It also integrates nicely with various security layers, like Nginx, which provides an important layer of authentication between Apigee and the backend. Because of this adaptability, Apigee enhances security and allows for smooth integration across different systems, making it a reliable choice for managing APIs.

Core Features of Apigee

1. API Design and Development

Primarily, Apigee offers a unique suite of tools for developing and designing APIs. You can define API endpoints, maintain API specifications, and create and modify API proxies by using the Open API standard. Consequently, it becomes easier to design functional and compliant APIs with industry standards. Furthermore, this capability streamlines the development process and ensures that the APIs meet regulatory requirements. Thus, developers can focus on innovation while maintaining a strong foundation of compliance and functionality. Below is a flow diagram related to API Design and Development with Apigee:

2. Security and Authentication

Any API management system must prioritize security, and Apigee leads the field in this regard. It provides security features such as OAuth 2.0, JWT (JSON Web Token) validation, API key validation, and IP validation. By limiting access to your APIs to authorized users, these capabilities help safeguard sensitive data from unwanted access.

3. Traffic Management

With capabilities like rate limitation, quota management, and traffic shaping, Apigee enables you to optimize and control API traffic. This helps proper usage and maintains consistent performance even under high traffic conditions.

4. Analytics and Monitoring

You can access analytics and monitoring capabilities with Apigee, which offers insights into API usage and performance. You can track response times, error rates, and request volumes, enabling you to make data-driven decisions and quickly address any issues that arise.

5. Developer Portal

Apigee includes a customizable developer portal where API users can browse documentation, test APIs, and get API keys. This portal builds a community around your APIs and improves the developer experience.

6. Versioning and Lifecycle Management

Keeping an API’s versions separate is essential to preserving backward compatibility and allowing it to change with time. Apigee offers lifecycle management and versioning solutions for APIs, facilitating a seamless upgrade or downgrade process.

7. Integration and Extensibility

Apigee supports integration with various third-party services and tools, including CI/CD pipelines, monitoring tools, and identity providers. Its extensibility through APIs and custom policies allows you to tailor the platform to meet your specific needs.

8. Debug Session

Moreover, Apigee offers a debug session feature that helps troubleshoot and resolve issues by providing a real-time view of API traffic and interactions. This feature is crucial for identifying and fixing problems and is essential during the development and testing phases. In addition, this feature helps ensure that any issues are identified early on; consequently, it enhances the overall quality of the final product.

9. Alerts:

Furthermore, you can easily set up alerts within Apigee to notify you of critical issues related to performance and security threats. It is crucial to understand that both types of threats affect system reliability and can lead to significant downtime; addressing them promptly is essential for maintaining optimal performance.

10. Product Onboarding for Different Clients

Apigee supports product onboarding, allowing you to manage and customize API access and resources for different clients. This feature is essential for handling diverse client needs and ensuring each client has the appropriate level of access.

11. Threat Protection

Apigee provides threat protection mechanisms to ensure that your APIs can handle concurrent requests efficiently without performance degradation. This feature helps in maintaining API stability under high load conditions.

12. Shared Flows

Apigee allows you to create and reuse shared flows, which are common sets of policies and configurations applied across multiple API proxies. This feature promotes consistency and reduces redundancy in API management.

Benefits of Using Apigee

1. Enhanced Security

In summary, Apigee’s comprehensive security features help protect your APIs from potential threats and ensure that only authorized users can access your services.

2. Improved Performance

Moreover, with features like traffic management and caching, Apigee helps optimize API performance, providing a better user experience while reducing the load on your backend systems.

3. Better Visibility

Apigee’s analytics and monitoring tools give valuable insights into API usage and performance, helping you identify trends, diagnose issues, and make informed decisions.

4. Streamlined API Management

Apigee’s unified platform simplifies the management of APIs, from design and development to deployment and monitoring, saving time and reducing complexity.

5. Scalability

Finally, Apigee is designed to handle APIs at scale, making it suitable for both small projects and large enterprise environments.

Getting Started with Apigee

To get started with Apigee, follow these steps:

1. Sign Up for Apigee

Visit the Google Cloud website and sign up for an Apigee account. Based on your needs, you can choose from different pricing plans.

2. Design Your API

Use Apigee’s tools to design your API, define endpoints, and set up API proxies.

3. Secure Your API

Implement security policies and authentication mechanisms to protect your API.

4. Deploy and Monitor

Deploy your API to Apigee and use the analytics and monitoring tools to track its performance.

5. Engage Developers

Set up your developer portal to provide documentation and resources for API consumers.

In a world where APIs are central to digital innovation and business operations, having a powerful API management platform like Apigee can make a significant difference. With its rich feature set and comprehensive tools, Apigee helps organizations design, secure, and manage APIs effectively, ensuring optimal performance and value. Whether you’re just starting with APIs or, conversely, looking to enhance your existing API management practices, Apigee offers a variety of capabilities. Furthermore, it provides the flexibility necessary to thrive in today’s highly competitive landscape.

For more than a decade, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has championed the concept of shoshin—a “beginner’s mind” that allows for continuous innovation and reinvention. As the company now embarks on its “hard pivot” to Agentforce, this philosophy takes on new relevance.  

Agentforce isn’t just an extension of Salesforce’s AI capabilities—it’s a reimagining of what AI can do for business. Positioned to debut at Dreamforce, Agentforce shifts Salesforce into a new era of AI-powered agents that go beyond answering questions to autonomously making decisions and completing multi-step processes. This is the next big step in Salesforce’s journey to redefine customer relationship management (CRM) and maintain its position as an industry leader in the face of rapid technological change. Here are the key takeaways and insights you should know coming into Dreamforce 2024: 

The Agentic AI Approach: Automation at Scale 

The crux of Agentforce lies in its ability to deploy multiple autonomous AI agents within an organization. These agents are not just conversational bots; they take meaningful actions, enabling companies to automate intricate business processes. This results in heightened efficiency, reduced manual workload, and the ability to scale operations dynamically. Whether it’s customer service, sales tasks, or decision-making workflows, Agentforce’s agents enhance productivity by doing the work themselves. 

Bring Your Own LLM: Flexibility and Data Security at Its Core 

Salesforce’s strategic choice to not build its own large language models (LLMs) allows unparalleled flexibility for businesses. Through the Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture, companies can bring in their preferred LLMs while benefiting from Salesforce’s “zero-retention” interface. This means that sensitive customer data remains secure, enhancing trust—a cornerstone of Salesforce’s approach to data privacy and compliance. 

Data Cloud: Fueling AI with High-Quality Data 

In any AI endeavor, data is the key to success. Agentforce taps into Salesforce’s Data Cloud, enabling businesses to access and harness data from a multitude of sources without needing to duplicate it. The result? AI agents powered by accurate, relevant, and real-time data, leading to smarter decision-making and more personalized customer interactions. The focus on data stewardship ensures that companies can trust the quality of the data driving their AI systems. 

Enterprise-Grade Security and Compliance 

The ability of Agentforce to seamlessly integrate into existing Salesforce applications makes it a game-changer. AI agents can take over repetitive tasks, freeing up human employees to focus on more strategic priorities. From automating customer service interactions to managing complex workflows, the possibilities are endless. 

As Salesforce pushes the boundaries of what AI can achieve, Agentforce sets the stage for a new era of innovation, where businesses are not just supported by AI but are driven by it. The debut of Agentforce at Dreamforce 2024 will undoubtedly showcase how AI agents are poised to transform industries—ushering in a future where automation, data intelligence, and security come together to create unparalleled value for organizations. 

A Revolution in Customer Service and Business Operations 

The ability of Agentforce to seamlessly integrate into existing Salesforce applications makes it a game-changer. AI agents can take over repetitive tasks, freeing up human employees to focus on more strategic priorities. From automating customer service interactions to managing complex workflows, the possibilities are endless. 

As Salesforce pushes the boundaries of what AI can achieve, Agentforce sets the stage for a new era of innovation, where businesses are not just supported by AI but are driven by it. The debut of Agentforce at Dreamforce 2024 will undoubtedly showcase how AI agents are poised to transform industries—ushering in a future where automation, data intelligence, and security come together to create unparalleled value for organizations. 

Join Us at Dreamforce!

Join us to explore the future of personalized marketing and more at Dreamforce. Our team will be onsite, ready to guide you through all the latest innovations. 

Visit #PerficientDreamforce2024 to learn more. 

Can’t Make it to Dreamforce? 

Don’t worry! Schedule some time with us and let our experts fill you in. And stay tuned to our Salesforce blog for all our post-conference insights. 

Perficient + Salesforce 

We are a Salesforce Summit Partner with more than two decades of experience delivering digital solutions in the manufacturing, automotive, healthcare, financial services, and high-tech industries. Our team has deep expertise in all Salesforce Clouds and products, artificial intelligence, DevOps, and specialized domains to help you reap the benefits of implementing Salesforce solutions.  

Next-level personalization strategies will undoubtedly be a key topic at Salesforce’s largest event this year. Dreamforce is right around the corner taking place in San Francisco on September 17 to 19, and learning how to get the most out of your customer data with AI-powered tools is top of mind.

Whether you’re attending in person or virtually, the conference boasts numerous opportunities to hear how some of the world’s largest brands are using data and AI to create personalized journeys and promote better business outcomes.

One such brand is Nationwide. This leading financial services and insurance provider will be at Dreamforce this year sharing how it leverages Salesforce Marketing Cloud, an AI-powered digital marketing platform, to turn customer data into actionable insights that drive significant business outcomes.

Nationwide’s Personalization Story at Dreamforce

The session titled “Tailor Experiences with Einstein-Driven Personalization” will be on Thursday, September 19 at 12:45 P.M. PST in the Moscone South, LL, Content Pavilion Stage 2 and showcase a series of personalization stories from a variety of brands using Salesforce.

Nationwide’s AVP of marketing operations Zach Mason will share their journey to create seamless, personalized experiences for producers and customers using Marketing Cloud and how they partnered with Perficient to increase conversions, optimize customer journeys, and make impactful decisions faster.

So, make sure to add this session to your Dreamforce agenda to hear from real users. You’ll discover best practices to elevate your personalization efforts and maximize lifetime customer value using Salesforce.

Join Us at Dreamforce

Join us to explore the future of personalized marketing and more at Dreamforce. Our team will be onsite, ready to guide you through all the latest innovations.

Visit #PerficientDreamforce2024 to learn more.

Can’t Make it to Dreamforce?

Don’t worry! Schedule some time with us and let our experts fill you in. And stay tuned to our Salesforce blog for all our post-conference insights.

Generic travel brochures and one-size-fits-all itineraries are becoming less prevalent in today’s travel and tourism industry. Travelers crave truly unique experiences, and the industry is responding with a powerful tool: data. By harnessing the power of data and personalization, travel companies are unlocking a new era of customer engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty.

Bespoke Travel Experiences Powered by Data

Travel recommendations shouldn’t be generic suggestions that can be found by a cursory Google search, but rather curated experiences that anticipate your every desire. With data, that can be the case. By analyzing everything from past booking history to social media preferences, travel companies can build a rich profile for your travel dossier. This data goldmine allows them to personalize itineraries that cater to your specific interests. Whether it’s reservations to a hidden culinary gem for the adventurous gourmet who devoured Anthony Bourdain’s: Part’s Unknown or serene nature escapes for those who indicating that they want to get away and unplug. Data doesn’t just personalize experiences; it also fuels intelligent recommendations.

Unlocking Customer Loyalty Through Personalization

Personalization is no longer a perk, it’s the expectation. Travelers crave experiences that feel designed just for them, and data empowers travel companies to make the perfect menu just for them. Imagine receiving exclusive deals on flights to destinations you’ve been dreaming of, or automatic upgrades to experiences that resonate with your passions. By leveraging data and personalization, travel companies can build deeper connections with their customers thus fostering lifelong loyalty. This translates into repeat business and positive word-of-mouth recommendations as well as glowing five-star reviews.

Creating A Hands-Off Travel Experience with Customer Data

Data and personalization extend far beyond basic recommendations. Travel companies can leverage this powerful duo to elevate the entire travel journey. What if, when booking a flight, your preferred seat was automatically preselected based on past choices, or the hotel you book remembers your favorite room temperature and sleep number and adjusts accordingly upon arrival. Data can even personalize in-destination experiences. Instead of calling around for restaurants that can accommodate dietary restrictions, your recommendations will have already taken them into account. Rather than searching through various tour programs, they’ve already been curated so that they align with your historical interests.

On-the-spot Location Tailored Experiences

Location data adds another exciting dimension to personalization. You could be exploring a new city and receive real-time notifications about off-the-beaten-path cafes or historical landmarks that are right around the corner. Travel companies can use location data to send personalized offers for nearby attractions or cultural events, ensuring you make the most of every moment. Thanks to real-time suggestions and knowledge of your current location, you can be assured that you’ll be updated on impending weather conditions. This ensures a comfortable travel experience, providing a safe and cozy hideaway for you if there’s a need to duck in off the road and enjoy some shelter.

Personalization with Privacy in Mind

While travelers crave personalization, they also value privacy. The key lies in striking a balance. Transparency is crucial, allowing travelers to understand how their data is used along with giving them the power to control their privacy settings. Finally, travel companies must ensure data security and improve transparency about their policies to build trust with their customers.

AI Enables Travel Companies to Embrace New and Unknown Terrain

Data and personalization, especially enabled by artificial intelligence, will continue to evolve, and the travel landscape will transform with it. We’re entering a future where AI-powered travel companions will use data to anticipate your needs, suggest local experiences, and deftly navigate language barriers. Travel companies that embrace the power of data and personalization will be the ones who unlock the greatest opportunities, fostering strong customer relationships and defining the future of travel.

Forge the future of adventures and accommodations with our travel and hospitality expertise.