Outcomes firstHuman enabledAI augmented

Enterprise transformation that people actually adopt.

Humation is a technology consultancy focused on AI transformation. We deliver on solid, proven foundations, co-create with the people at the coalface, and convert cutting edge into leading edge before it ever touches your transformation.

Why transformation really fails

The failure rate hasn't moved in decades. AI hasn't changed that — it has amplified it.

60–80%
of enterprise transformations fail — a rate that has barely moved in decades. (McKinsey · Gartner · Deloitte · Bain · Prosci)
80–90%
of NZ organisations are already experimenting with or using AI — yet most initiatives stall at pilot stage.
39%
of New Zealanders trust organisations that use AI. Adoption is a trust problem before it is a technology problem.

The causes are remarkably consistent: poor executive alignment, competing priorities, inadequate governance, lack of adoption, and organisational resistance to change. Technology rarely kills transformation. People, politics and priorities do.The challenge is not whether to adopt AI — it's how.

How we're different

Two principles run through everything we do.

Principle one

Solid transformation. Proven AI. Parallel innovation.

Transformations need to be solid — delivered with traditional IT and augmented with robust, proven AI where it's available. Alongside that, we runAI Innovation as a separate budget stream, uncovering new, robust AI to feed into the transformation so it doesn't become obsolete before you arrive. One journey, two streams — it's simply how we handle the budget, so you move with confidence and stay current.

Principle two

Co-created with the coalface, aligned to the top.

We co-create transformation with the people at the coalface, with the organisation's objectives in mind — weaving the practical reality only your frontline can teach us into the desired future state of the organisation. The best architecture fails if nobody adopts it. Adoption is designed in from day one, not managed at the end.

And a promise that sits underneath both:we convert cutting edge into leading edge before applying it.

What we do

End-to-end capability across the four dimensions transformation depends on.

AI strategy & roadmaps

Outcome-first strategy, opportunity assessment and business cases grounded in measurable value — not hype.

Governance & responsible AI

AI policies, governance frameworks, risk management and architecture boards that make AI safe to scale.

Delivery & engineering

Enterprise-grade architecture, platforms, data foundations and AI solutions — taken from pilot to production.

Adoption & change

Stakeholder alignment, capability building and change programmes so people actually use what we build.

How we engage

Pragmatic by design — every stage gated by the value it proves.

01 — ASSESS

Understand outcomes, readiness, data foundations and where value actually sits.

02 — PROVE

Targeted pilots with clear success measures, governance and risk controls.

03 — SCALE

Industrialise what works — architecture, platforms and operating models.

04 — EMBED

Adoption, capability uplift and change so value sustains after we leave.

Start small and internal. Prove value. Build organisational experience. Scale with confidence.

Who you'll work with

Two complementary disciplines. Both people-focused.

Technology-led firms excel at architecture and delivery but often underestimate the human system around transformation. Change-led firms engage stakeholders brilliantly but frequently lack deep technical expertise. Humation combines both.

Chief Technology Officer

Steve Naudé

A global leader in AI and enterprise architecture. Steve led Fonterra's AI transformation, authored its Global AI Standard and chaired its AI Architecture Board — and has designed sovereign, agentic AI solutions for banking in the Middle East, cutting customer risk investigations from over an hour to under ten minutes.

Chief Revenue Officer

Ryan Ashton

A leader in connection and client care. Ryan built A Few Quiet Yarns — the no-selling tech community that has connected 28,000+ senior technology leaders — and brings deep experience in how organisations align stakeholders, adopt change and move ideas into production.

Let's answer the "how" together.

Whether you're at the very start or stalled at pilot stage, a conversation costs nothing — and we'll tell you honestly if AI isn't the answer.

Start the conversation