DIDO Solutions, a data intelligence technology consultancy led by former White House chief data scientist DJ Patil, is helping to change the conversation on accountability in software development. The business of software development is changing. The firm admits that personal accountability—most notably, by chief executives—will be key as we move from standalone apps to interconnected, multifaceted and globally shared networks.
Co-founded by deep tech ecosystem builders Ian Stavros and R.W. Stavros, DIDO Solutions is focused on optimizing distributed workforces, running secure testing environments, and more. Throughout the past few years, the company has witnessed first-hand dramatic changes within the world of software development. This sea change has brought a new level of risk and challenge. Consequently, DIDO Solutions advocates for a forward-thinking brand of leadership across the tech landscape.
Recent regulatory measures, such as the Dodd-Frank Act, have increased the bar for CEOs and other top executives. For one, these changes significantly increase their personal accountability for their own actions. Ian Stavros emphasizes the urgency of this issue, stating, “A company’s brand reputation built over decades can crumble in a day.” This grim reality highlights the real-world effects software-related vulnerabilities can have.
In 2022, software-related bugs led to a sobering loss of over $2.41 trillion to the United States economy. This staggering figure is according to the Consortium for Information & Software Quality (CISQ). Technical debt now has a shocking financial toll of $1.52 trillion. It is imperative that companies address these issues directly and not kick the can down the road.
DIDO Solutions is adding value in environments marked by high complexity and integration, as well as global distribution. As the company highlights, the era of pushing security and compliance burdens down only to tech departments is over. Executives are required to lead from the front and proactively mitigate intelligence gaps within their software portfolios.
“We know executives can no longer afford to rely on just internal assurances or delegate risk to technical teams,” Ian Stavros asserts. In this first installment, he advocates for a new mentality. Leaders must own quality and security in their software, bringing these qualities into the core of their business strategy.
“Updating and pushing updates or deployments without sufficient cross-environment validation can lead to unintended catastrophic consequences,” warns Stavros. This focus on rigorous validation processes to look out for user privacy would be key as organizations continue to traverse the complex ecosystem of today’s technology.
DIDO Solutions is at the forefront of addressing these high-risk environments. We remain deeply committed to supporting both public and private organizations to identify software solutions that are both safe and powerful. Notably, the consultancy goes out of its way to foster an internal culture of accountability. It’s here that leadership assumes a critical importance in mitigating risks associated with software development.
