Sometimes, an idea blossoms into a reality beyond even the wildest of expectations. We believe these peaks of ingenuity deserve to have time stop for just a moment so they can soak up the spotlight of center stage. That’s why we hosted the first-ever Launch Awards at Nexus 2023. While Nexus has always been a celebration of clients who think big, the Launch Awards take it a step further by showcasing trailblazers who dared to dream even bigger.
The Launch Awards’ categories are the perfect testament to Launch by NTT DATA’s mission of strategizing, shipping, and scaling great software that is aligned with meaningful business outcomes. From intricate strategies to magnetic experiences, standout AI, harmonious collaboration, and more, these awards celebrate the entire spectrum of digital experience development.
So, let’s raise a glass, or perhaps a mug if it’s your AM, and virtually toast each of our winners:
Business Platform of the Year: Brant Beard, Assistant VP, Application Services at Parallon
This award honors both strategy and execution at scale. The Business Platform of the Year recognizes the best executed, multi-phased, or scaled program. It goes beyond a singular project and focuses on ongoing platform innovation and execution.
Brant and his team at Parallon partnered with Launch to develop the Registry Operation Standard Interface (ROSI), a platform that serves as a data model for healthcare providers to register their clinical data activities. Before ROSI, this process was incredibly labor-intensive and typically involved sending data to dozens of third-party registries. Through simplicity and scale, Parallon is delivering for both the business and the consumers of their technology.
AI/ML Award: Adil Rizvi, Sr. Director, Platform Engineering – AI/ML at Levi Strauss & Co.
There is no shortage of AI and machine learning advancements, so standing head and shoulders above the rest is quite a triumph. This award celebrates the most unique, novel, and impactful use of applying AI/ML in a digital solution or experience.
Adil and his teams certainly lived up to this description by developing the patent-pending Business Optimization Of Shipping and Transport engine (BOOST), which chooses the best fulfillment option for both the consumer and the company’s bottom line. It also ensures that Levi Strauss & Co.’s operations are smooth so that fans can seamlessly connect with the products they love and live in, no matter the shopping season.
Experience of the Year: Andrew Dedels - Director, Business Technology at Carnival Corporation
None of us can make a genuine impact without a user experience that’s truly magnificent. This award recognizes the most useful, useable, and desirable user experience or user interface designed and developed through proof of concept or beyond.
Andrew and his team set out to make Carnival Corporation’s best-in-class casino gaming experience even better by transforming the slot machines’ user interface. And they certainly succeeded. Once fully deployed, roughly 12 million guests on over 90 cruise ships will have a simpler, more accessible experience as they cruise the open waters.
NTT DATA Synergy Award: Kristen Foster, Director, Service Product Development at Trinity Industries
Transformation doesn’t happen in a vacuum. This award celebrates teamwork, combined skill, and scale at their finest — specifically, the most fruitful and cohesive collaboration between NTT DATA, a partner team (Nexient, Vectorform, Postlight, and Umvel that have now joined forces as Launch by NTT DATA), and the client.
Together, we created the TrinityRail Marketplace, which explores a completely new way for TrinityRail to sell and lease railcars. What was once an entirely offline experience is now a customer-centric online marketplace for the railcar industry. Born out of our Rapid Product Validation process, the quick time to value inspired everyone at TrinityRail to keep the synergy going and develop even more digital innovations.
Innovator’s Choice Award: Sahand Dilmaghani, Founder & CEO at Terra Kaffe
The best innovation goes beyond the screen to make an impact in the real world. Our Innovator’s Choice Award recognizes the most fun and unique piece of technology that transcended digital limits.
The jolt of excitement — and caffeine — from Brooklyn-based Terra Kaffe does exactly that. Their mobile app and intelligent connectivity brings precision, customization, and quality to every coffee cup, alongside the next-generation TK-02 machine. TK-02 brews a full range of café favorites like espresso, drip coffee, cappuccinos, flat whites, and much more.
And since this was a toast, we’ll gladly drink to that!
You can find the official press release from NTT DATA here. Cheers to our winners and everyone at Nexus 2023 for an unforgettable experience. We’ll see you next year!
