During the Fall 2023 semester, Catrina Lim WG’24, Harini Pundi Satyanarayanan WG’24, and Sherry Xue SEAS’25 participated in the Mack Institute’s Collaborative Innovation Program (MGMT 892), a project-based course that brings Wharton students into real companies to help them solve problems and drive innovation strategies.
The students were part of a team that worked with digital service provider Coforge to explore how AI and Machine Learning (ML) can be used for software testing. They explored various models for implementation using the Build Buy Borrow framework, paying special attention to nascent startups that could be tapped for partnership and collaboration.
We spoke to Catrina, Harini, and Sherry about the experience with CIP and what they learned over the course of the semester-long project.
Tell me about your background and what made you what to take this experiential learning course.
Harini: I currently work in product management in tech and am part of the Executive MBA Program, but prior to transitioning into that role, I was a software engineer. I wanted to get more hands-on AI experience, because, while I do have a technical and product background, I wanted to see how that side of the industry was evolving and progressing. I also wanted to get some consulting experience because I’ve never had the opportunity to do that in my career.
Catrina: Prior to this project, I was working in consulting, and I did my undergraduate in engineering. I’ve really enjoyed learning about new technology since my engineering days and I have good skills in terms of strategizing and solving problems from my consulting days. I thought CIP was a unique opportunity for me to combine both my skill sets to do something meaningful.
Sherry: I took this program in my very first semester of grad school. In undergrad, I majored in communications with a minor in entrepreneurship and data science, and I chose the Collaborative Innovation Program because I wanted to see how my past experiences could be applied to the real world. It’s very cool that, through CIP, you’re able to really work on a real-world project and learn more about it.
“In our project, we were able to see what it looks like for a firm to partner with a startup and grow something together, rather than purchasing or acquiring a mature product. It was helpful for me to see that model put into practice.”
Your project focused on using AI and machine learning technologies for software testing. AI is certainly a hot topic everywhere, including the Wharton campus. What made you want to explore it in CIP?
Catrina: With AI, there is potential to create an impact. There is a lot of buzz with AI but it’s still a very new technology. We’re still at the starting phase, where we’re figuring how to use it in a way that is actually meaningful for customers.
Harini: There are a lot of untapped areas where firms can potentially build quick wins using AI. In this early stage, that’s where most firms are focused: where’s the low-hanging fruit and what is the cost-benefit? We know AI is here and we understand that it’s pretty powerful. What can we do with it right now? And that was the exact question we were trying to answer for our client, Coforge. The discussions we were having in relation to our project mirrored the conversations about AI happening in the real world.
Sherry: Right now, there’s a lot of buzz about all the cool things AI can do, but it’s still too early for serious adoption. In our project, we were able to see what it looks like for a firm to partner with a startup and grow something together, rather than purchasing or acquiring a mature product. It was helpful for me to see that model put into practice.
“The discussions we were having in relation to our project mirrored the conversations about AI happening in the real world.”
One of the unique features of CIP is that it brings students with disparate backgrounds and skills together. What did you or your team members bring to the table?
Catrina: My experience was really enriched by working with my teammates. For example, Sherry is from the Integrated Product Design program and has a lot of design experience. She was able to do a deep analysis on the customer journey that helped us identify a lot of the pain points users are facing. It really enhanced my learning experience and understanding of the issues. I felt I was able to conduct better analyses because I understood the real problems that customers face.
Harini: I was impressed with how some of my teammates did vendor research. They had knowledge and connections in the industry that we were able to leverage. We were able to bring some of the vendors to the table and get demos. Talking to them really helped me get a better understanding of the technology, which is part of what I was looking to get out of this project.
Sherrie: I came to grad school straight out of undergrad so it was great to work with people who had more industry knowledge and professional experience. I learned a lot from observing my teammates’ presentations and seeing how they spoke with the client and put content together.
How did your Wharton education help you with your project?
Harini: I took CIP shortly after Prof. Ethan Mollick’s Entrepreneurship class and he is very bullish about using ChatGPT for research and ideation. It was very timely, and a lot of his pointers from class applied to this project. Additionally, it was an opportunity to figure out how I can use ChatGPT. This project let me explore the technology, and how I can use it to streamline and improve projects.
Catrina: At Wharton, you’re exposed to different frameworks and how different people think. For example, one of the frameworks we learned is Build, Buy or Borrow. Obviously, that’s not something new—people are familiar with the concept. But what’s enriching is taking that framework, tailoring it to your client and helping find a recommendation or suggestion that works for their company.