Data Value, Product Innovation & the IoT Frontier | DisrupTV Ep. 192

In DisrupTV Episode 192, hosts R “Ray” Wang and Vala Afshar welcome three forward-thinking experts who unpack the ethics, innovation, and communications shaping enterprise transformation:

  • Howard Steven Friedman, an acclaimed data scientist, health economist, and author of Ultimate Price: The Value We Place on Life, explores how data quantifies value and guides decisions.
  • Judy Ko, Chief Product Officer at StreamSets, shares insights on real-time data infrastructure and how product design can empower data-driven organizations. 
  • Jack Vaughan, writer, analyst, and researcher at Progressive Gauge LLC, sheds light on IoT trends, edge computing, and technology narratives shaping the future.

Key Takeaways

Quantifying Life’s Value
Friedman challenges us to consider how we value human life—not just economically but ethically—through data. His work sparks conversations about how societal decisions are shaped by what we can quantify. 

Empowering Through Product Design
Ko underscores how StreamSets’ platform approaches product design with a focus on reliability, real-time data movement, and simplifying complex pipelines—automating trust in systems at scale. 

Understanding IoT & Embedded Technology
Vaughan brings critical context to emerging tech by tracking IoT, edge computing, and next-gen data patterns—emphasizing the importance of narrative clarity in tech conversations.

Memorable Quotes

Howard Steven Friedman:
“Understanding the ‘ultimate price’ isn’t just an academic thought experiment—it’s central to public decisions when lives are at stake.” 

Judy Ko:
"Empowering data teams with clear, scalable pipelines is foundational to building trust in modern enterprise systems."

Jack Vaughan:
“Technology only becomes meaningful when we frame it clearly—IoT isn’t magic, it’s measurement and storytelling at scale.”

Final Thoughts

Episode 192 weaves a powerful narrative about value, infrastructure, and insight in the digital era. Friedman invites us to reflect on how society—through data—assigns worth to human life. Ko demonstrates how well-designed platforms can build organizational confidence in real-time data. Vaughan shows how technology’s meaning grows when communicated with clarity. Together, their dialogue underscores that ethical metrics, strategic product design, and informed storytelling are essential for navigating today’s evolving data landscape.

Related Episodes

 

Business Research Themes

Data to Decisions, Digital Safety, Privacy, and Cybersecurity, Future of Work, Tech Optimization

Roles

Chief Analytics Officer, Chief Data Officer, Chief Digital Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Information Security Officer