#55 Makoto Kern: From Robotics to UX Strategy—De-Risking Enterprise Software with Strategic Immersion

Makoto Kern, Founder of IIIMPACT, joins Federico Ramallo on the Prevetted Podcast to share his journey from robotics engineering to becoming a product strategy and UX design leader helping enterprises de-risk complex software development. With more than 21 years of experience across cybersecurity, energy, healthcare, and SaaS, Makoto has guided Fortune 500 executives and high-growth startups to launch market-ready products while building sustainable product development practices.

In this conversation, Makoto reflects on his early career in manufacturing automation and how optimizing software for non-technical operators sparked his passion for user experience. He shares how he transitioned into entrepreneurship during the dot-com boom—landing early contracts through Craigslist, eventually working with major companies, and building IIIMPACT into a trusted partner for enterprise leaders.

At the core of the discussion is IIIMPACT’s Strategic Immersion methodology: a process designed to align executives, product owners, and technical teams around business goals before jumping into design or development. Makoto explains why stakeholder alignment is essential, how poorly communicated assumptions create costly scope creep, and why treating product strategy like “therapy for organizations” is often the difference between failed features and long-term success.

The conversation dives into real-world lessons on:

• Moving from ad-hoc development to outcome-driven roadmaps.

• The role of UX research in preventing wasted effort on unused features.

• Building scalable design systems instead of fragmented, inconsistent interfaces.

• Why accessibility is both a compliance requirement and a usability advantage.

• The challenges of startup CEOs acting as de facto product owners and how to extract their vision effectively.

• Navigating resistance within large enterprises where siloed teams often slow down innovation.

Makoto also shares his perspective on AI’s impact on product development. While many companies rush to add AI for the sake of branding, he cautions that real value comes only when AI features solve genuine user pain points. He highlights the danger of skipping product strategy in the AI rush, comparing it to hype cycles around VR and the metaverse.

Finally, Makoto offers advice to C-suite leaders preparing to launch software: prioritize clear business goals, invest in upfront alignment, and continuously measure outcomes rather than assuming success ends with launch. He emphasizes that AI, while powerful, is best used to augment experts—not replace them—and that sustainable product growth comes from disciplined strategy, not shiny objects.

About Makoto Kern:

- https://www.iiimpact.io/

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/productuxdesigner/

About Federico Ramallo ✨👨‍💻🌎

🚀 Software Engineering Manager | 🛠 Founder of DensityLabs.io & PreVetted.ai | 🤝 Connecting 🇺🇸 U.S. teams with top nearshore 🌎 LATAM engineers

- 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/framallo/

- 🌐 https://densitylabs.io

- ✅ https://prevetted.ai

🎙 PreVetted Podcast 🎧📡

- 🎯 https://prevetted.ai/podcast

- 🐦 https://x.com/PrevettedPod

- 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/prevetted-podcast

00:00 Introduction to Makoto Kern and Impact

02:01 The Journey from Robotics to UX Design

09:48 Understanding the Strategic Immersion Process

15:17 The Importance of User-Centric Design

19:55 Collaboration Between Developers and Designers

27:17 Challenges in Enterprise Software Development

29:06 The Importance of Accessibility in Software Design

31:48 Stakeholder Alignment: A Key to Successful Projects

35:58 Navigating Misalignment in Organizations

39:16 Challenges in Startups: The Role of the CEO

43:56 AI's Impact on Product Development

46:27 Advice for C-Suite Leaders on Software Launches

50:07 The Future of AI in Development