Augmented, Accelerated, Autonomized: How Vanguard Is Embedding AI Across the Product Lifecycle
Kelly Anne Pipe
Head of Developer Experience @ Vanguard
Nicole Scribner
Director, Engineering Enablement and Advancement @ Vanguard
Abstract
Not through headcount. Not through outsourcing. Through systematically embedding AI across the entire product development lifecycle—from how Product Managers discover customer needs to how Designers iterate solutions to how Engineers implement and QA validates.
We’re now transforming 800+ cross-functional product teams using a practical maturity model with three levels: Augmented, Accelerated, and Autonomized. Teams progress from AI-augmented work (20-30% of tasks) to AI-accelerated workflows (40-60%) to AI-autonomous delivery (60-80%), with measurable benefits at every stage.
This isn’t theory. We’re in the trenches addressing real challenges: How do you measure AI impact across Product, Design, Engineering, and QA? How do you eliminate dependencies that negate agent speed? How do you scale responsible AI practices across hundreds of teams?
Join us for an interactive working session. We’ll share our framework, discuss our challenges, and workshop solutions together. Bring your transformation challenges—let’s solve them as a group.
About the speakers
Kelly Anne Pipe
Head of Developer Experience
Kelly Anne Pipe is a Senior Manager at The Vanguard Group, leading Developer Experience in the Chief Technology Office. She is responsible for the DX program at Vanguard and related initiatives focused on improving developer productivity, focus, and flow. Kelly Anne plays a central role in amplifying the voice of the engineer and influencing decision‑makers across the organization to act on feedback that improves not only the engineer experience, but the effectiveness of the broader IT organization. Kelly Anne’s leadership journey grew out of a practical desire to improve developer enablement by building clear examples and reusable foundations that make work easier and more consistent. That mindset continues to shape her approach today - partnering with leaders across Vanguard to turn developer insights into action and drive continuous improvement at scale. She is also keenly interested in the potential of GenAI to transform digital product development and actively supports efforts exploring these areas across the organization.
Nicole Scribner
Director, Engineering Enablement and Advancement
Nicole Scribner is a Director in the Engineering Enablement and Advancement organization within Vanguard’s Chief Technology Office, where she focuses on empowering engineering teams and improving the developer experience at enterprise scale. With over 25 years at Vanguard, Nicole is deeply connected to the firm’s mission to give all investors the chance at investment success. She believes that mission is realized through strong engineering—by enabling developers with the tools, platforms, and environments they need to deliver reliable, high‑quality outcomes. Having spent the early part of her career in individual contributor roles, Nicole brings a practitioner’s perspective to leadership. She has since found her passion in developing crew, fostering growth, and building empowered teams that translate engineering excellence into meaningful client impact.
