Team Tools in the Age of AI with Maks Semyonovykh from Miro |🎙️#53
For episode 53 of DevOps Accents join the whole trio of Leo, Pablo and Kirill in conversation with Maks Semyonovykh, Strategic Account Manager at Miro, an online platform for collaboration that provides a shared digital whiteboard space. In this episode:
- History of Miro;
- Online vs. Offline events;
- The rising role of AI agents;
- Using LLMs for creative work;
- Synchronous and asynchronous collaboration.
You can listen to episode 53 of DevOps Accents on Spotify, or right now:
The evolution of work culture and collaboration tools has sparked new conversations about balancing traditional and digital approaches. From post-COVID event trends to the role of AI in team collaboration, there’s much to unpack. Insights from Maks Semyonchev, a key account executive at Miro, along with Kirill and Pablo, shed light on these transformative changes.
Around the same time, in parallel, this whole concept of, you know, customer centricity—the kind of startup mindset of iterating quickly from MVP to MVP to a polished product—was emerging. I think some of the agile frameworks, along with the product-led growth approach, were developing alongside. We just managed to find ourselves in this really interesting position where we could cater to many of the frameworks that teams were traditionally using on an office-wide board, a physical one. We managed to really recreate that experience of being together in the same room. Then, eventually, COVID hit, and we grew at an incredible pace. — Maks Semyonovykh
Online vs. Offline Events: The New Normal
The COVID-19 pandemic forced organizations to adapt, making virtual events and remote work mainstream. However, Maks observes that a hybrid approach is taking precedence. While virtual events like Miro’s Canvas 24 enable global reach and scalability, in-person events foster deeper connections and serendipitous encounters.
Kirill highlighted the creative potential of virtual events, citing polished online presentations like those by Apple, which showcase products in engaging ways. Still, he and Pablo emphasized that offline events offer unparalleled value for networking and hands-on experiences, such as live product demos. The consensus? A blend of both formats maximizes opportunities for engagement and learning.
Just thinking more broadly, even the trends for remote and hybrid work—I think it's always been there. From my experience, we already saw it back in 2017. Miro was working with really large enterprise organizations way before COVID had started, and everyone saw the benefits of being able to hire the most talented professionals worldwide—not necessarily having them all in the same office, in the same country, or city. So that was already there. So, I think, yeah, what COVID helped us all realize is probably that you can do both if you need to. Let's try to find the right balance and maximize the benefit of both approaches: being able to do it at scale online or in person, with very quality time spent together. — Maks Semyonovykh
AI’s Role in Creativity and Productivity
AI is everywhere, and its impact on creative and professional work is profound. At Miro, AI is used strategically to enhance productivity. Maks shared an example of how Miro enables teams to organize brainstorming sessions. The platform’s AI can transform a chaotic collection of sticky notes into structured documents, saving time and effort.
Honestly, I'm a bit of an AI skeptic. I don't use it that much in my day-to-day, to my shame, where I could have used it more, I think. And I was always a little allergic to the hype around AI. But I actually think we’ve got something there—something that resonates with my customers. From the first reactions we’re seeing, the reception is quite positive. I think the difference in how Miro approaches it compared to what a 'product plus AI,' as Pablo alluded to, might look like is that we are actually looking to build it into very specific slots of the workflow—very pointed places where something like AI is actually needed. — Maks Semyonovykh
Kirill expressed skepticism about the overuse of AI for simple tasks, emphasizing that not all AI integrations are necessary. However, he acknowledged its potential in identifying inefficiencies or bottlenecks in workflows. Pablo stressed that while AI can assist with creative and repetitive tasks, its use must be meaningful and not just a marketing gimmick.
Maks concluded that AI should be an empowering tool, augmenting rather than replacing human creativity. For instance, it can serve as an "AI sidekick" to help when teams lack specific expertise or resources, ensuring continued progress without compromising quality.
Imagine you don’t have your Scrum Masters or your Agile Coach available to join your retrospective, but you still need to run it. Otherwise, you're going to waste the rest of the day or tomorrow. Or maybe you need a designer to put together a prototype, but their backlog is full for two weeks. This is where I think it’s actually quite okay to use some sort of agent. You can say, 'Okay, we don’t have the best, but we have something that can help move us to the next step.' It’ll help us progress.
So, we have AI sidekicks, as we call them, where we can, for example, select a bunch of sticky notes and say, 'Generate a prototype for me from this,' or, 'Look at these ideas and help us analyze them in a retrospective way. What can we do better? What went well? What went wrong?' Things like that. — Maks Semyonovykh
Managing Individuality in Teams
Collaboration tools are designed to bring teams together, but they don’t always account for individual work styles. Maks highlighted that some team members, particularly those less inclined toward group interactions, may find traditional collaboration models challenging.
Kirill suggested AI could bridge this gap by automating repetitive tasks and summarizing team discussions, making it easier for independent contributors to provide input asynchronously. Maks added that tools like Miro foster inclusivity by offering features such as anonymous contribution modes and asynchronous collaboration. These enable quieter team members to participate without the pressure of public speaking.
A tool like Miro, or any other tool that supports both synchronous and asynchronous collaboration modes, is actually an advantage for those who might be a little shy about speaking up in a room. Even putting the asynchronous versus synchronous part aside, how did we do this in the past? You’d get people together in the same room, someone would come up to the whiteboard and start speaking—usually the loudest person in the room. Then, you’d get a lot of groupthink. People start looking around, thinking, 'Okay, others are raising their hands—do I agree with them? Should I speak up? Or should I just stay quiet?’
That mode of collaboration is probably even less beneficial for those who are more comfortable as individual contributors than having a hybrid solution. With a tool like Miro, you can be behind your screen. You don’t need to speak up, be an eloquent speaker or presenter, or exude confidence and charisma. You can simply type out some stickies. For Miro, we’re finding ways to make it easier for people with different personalities and collaboration styles. We’re trying to make it more inclusive for everyone. — Maks Semyonovykh
Balancing Technology and Human Connection
As organizations navigate this evolving landscape, the key is finding balance. Technology like AI and collaboration tools can streamline processes and spark creativity, but it’s essential to maintain the human element of teamwork. Maks aptly noted that the ultimate goal is creating inclusive spaces where everyone, regardless of work style, feels empowered to contribute. The post-pandemic era is not just about adapting to new technologies but about redefining collaboration itself. By embracing hybrid event models, leveraging AI effectively, and respecting individual work styles, organizations can unlock the full potential of their teams.
Show Notes
- Our guest, Maks Semyonovykh, on Linkedin.
- Miro, a single, AI-powered collaboration platform that helps teams move faster from idea to outcome.
Podcast editing: Mila Jones, milajonesproduction@gmail.com