What It Means: A Forrester Podcast
Each week, the What It Means podcast invites Forrester analysts to discuss the latest trends and challenges to help business and technology leaders make bold decisions and become truly customer-obsessed. Topics range from tech-driven innovation and CX design to B2B buying trends and marketing planning. Listen now and subscribe to get a new episode each week. Got a comment or question? Email our team at podcast@forrester.com.
Latest Episodes
Podcast
Encore Presentation: Get Your AI Aligned
The big challenge with AI for business is risk. How can an organization minimize the risk while maximizing the benefit of AI? In this episode, Vice President and Principal Analyst Brandon Purcell proposes a solution to this challenge — AI alignment — and outlines how an “align by design” approach can help.
Podcast
Finally, An Alternative To 3LOD: Meet Continuous Risk Management
For more than a decade, risk managers have been trying to use the three lines of defense (3LOD) framework for enterprise risk management. But it was never meant for that. In this episode, Senior Analysts Alla Valente and Cody Scott walk through the new Forrester Continuous Risk Management Model, a more holistic and business-centric risk management approach.
Podcast
Taming B2B Buying Mayhem
Changing buying dynamics and generative AI are bringing already strained B2B buying processes to a breaking point. This week on What It Means, VP and Research Director Steven Casey and VP and Principal Analyst Barry Vasudevan discuss these forces and introduce the concept of buying networks as they preview new research debuting at Forrester’s B2B Summit North America.
Podcast
How Can B2B Marketers Adapt To Changing Search Behaviors?
As generative AI changes how buyers search for information, what should marketers do to adapt their content strategies? This week on What It Means, Principal Analyst Lisa Gately shares her advice and previews her session on the topic at Forrester’s B2B Summit North America.
Podcast
How The Latest Semiconductor Trends Could Impact Your Tech Strategy
What are the latest trends in the semiconductor industry, and what does it mean for your technology plans? Senior Analyst Alvin Nguyen discusses the latest semiconductor advancements and market dynamics in this episode of What It Means.
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AI Agents Vs. Agentic AI: Definitions And Use Cases
What’s the difference between AI agents and agentic AI? In this episode VP and Principal Analyst Craig Le Clair and Senior Analyst Christina McAllister discuss the nuances of the two and use cases for both.
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How Coach-Like Managers Build Better Teams
What distinguishes a manager from a coach-like leader? This week, Principal Analyst Betsy Summers and VP and Principal Analyst Peter Ostrow explore the evolving role of managers and how adopting coaching behaviors can empower teams for long-term success. They also preview their session on the topic at Forrester’s upcoming B2B Summit North America.
Podcast
The Return Of Infrastructure: Building An AI Base
How important are your tech infrastructure decisions in the age of AI? Principal Analysts Michele Pelino and Naveen Chhabra review some of the latest tech infrastructure trends and predictions tech leaders should know as they build out their AI strategies.
Podcast
Procurement’s New Role In Driving Sustainability And Accessibility
Procurement is taking a more strategic role in two key areas. On this episode, Principal Analyst Gina Bhawalkar and Senior Analyst Jeffrey Rajamani discuss the opportunities for enterprises to align their procurement strategies with ESG and accessibility compliance goals.
Podcast
A New Era For Crypto?
Cryptocurrency is in the spotlight as a crypto-friendly US administration takes office. What might the coming months bring in terms of regulation? And how might uses of cryptoassets evolve? This week on What It Means, Vice President and Principal Analyst Martha Bennett and Principal Analyst Peter Wannemacher discuss the different types of cryptoassets, the state of regulation, and potential applications and risks.
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Exemplifying Excellence: Winners Of Forrester’s Technology Strategy Impact Awards
What does an award-winning technology strategy look like? Find out as we highlight two of the most recent winners of Forrester’s Technology Strategy Impact Award, Best Buy and First Student.
Podcast
Encore Presentation: How Should Business And Tech Leaders Spend In 2025?
Business and tech leaders expect (slightly) bigger budgets this year. How should they use them? On this episode of What It Means, VPs and Group Research Directors Stephanie Balaouras, Keith Johnston, and Srividya Sridharan dive into Forrester’s Budget Planning Guides’ recommendations for tech, marketing and sales, and customer experience (CX) leaders.
Podcast
Marketers’ Data Deprecation Denial
Despite Google’s recent reversal on third-party cookies, marketers need to prepare for data deprecation. Yet many aren’t. This week on What It Means, Senior Analyst Stephanie Liu and Principal Analyst Brett Kahnke discuss how B2C and B2B marketers can adapt their data strategies to maintain consumer trust and compliance.
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Unleashing Innovation Through Creativity
Is creativity the hidden spark behind innovation? VP and Research Director Pascal Matzke and Principal Analyst Bernhard Schaffrik unpack why creativity is often undervalued and share strategies for leaders to foster it within their organizations.
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It’s Time To Think Beyond Marketing-Sales Alignment
Is alignment between B2B marketing and sales teams overrated? The concept may be in need of a rethink, say Principal Analysts John Arnold and Rick Bradberry. This week on What It Means, they describe what more productive marketing-sales relationships might look like.
Podcast
B2B Buying In The Age Of GenAI
Just as B2B companies are adopting generative AI (genAI) to gain efficiencies, so are their buyers. This week on What It Means, Principal Analyst John Buten looks at how buyers are using genAI in the purchasing process and what marketers and sellers should do in response.
Podcast
Get Your AI Aligned
The big challenge with AI for business is risk. How can an organization minimize the risk while maximizing the benefit of AI? In this episode, Vice President and Principal Analyst Brandon Purcell proposes a solution to this challenge — AI alignment — and outlines how an “align by design” approach can help.
Podcast
When Will AI Change Our World?
With so much investment and attention, there’s growing impatience around AI. In this episode, VP of Emerging Technology and Principal Analyst Brian Hopkins and VP and Principal Analyst Ted Schadler take a longer view and discuss how AI will change the world in the next 20 years.
Podcast
What Retailers Should Plan For This Holiday Season
The holiday season is here. How do consumers feel about spending? This week on What It Means, VP and Principal Analyst Sucharita Kodali and VP and Research Director Emily Collins dive into Forrester’s latest research on holiday spending trends and share advice for retailers.
Podcast
Are We Nearing The End Of The Google Era?
Two major antitrust lawsuits could loosen Google’s grip on online search and advertising. What are the potential implications, and how should brands and advertisers prepare? Senior Analysts Nikhil Lai and Mo Allibhai discuss the cases and the broader shifts ahead for search marketing and advertising on this week’s What It Means episode.