Reflections as a worker vs consultant when it comes to digital transformation

OK, I haven't posted here for some time, and I don't tend to write personal reflections here, mainly snide comments on other content. I thought I would write out some thoughts about running a site like this on the side of my desk, now as a sector worker rather than as a consultant.

When I was a consultant, this site was incredibly important to me. I was learning a lot. And I wanted to share it all. Sometimes even make sense of it. For me, my clients, and others in the sector. Invariably, posting something that actually got read led to other conversations that led to more learning, sharing, and connections.

I feel like I've lost that. Part of it is the fact that at the end of a long work day, the last thing I want to do is sit in front of another computer and try to create something useful or even remotely insightful. The other thing is that now that I've moved away from a day to day focused on digital transformation, those conversations have also moved further away.

It's been interesting to see. I feel less part of those conversations in the sector. In part because they're not happening in public. In part because we're not actively working on operationalizing tech in a meaningful way in my organization. In part because, yet again, the sector has to focus on its survival. It has to constantly justify itself to its main funder. It's incredibly frustrating to see and be part of.

And there are many other wicked problems facing out sector where our limited resources need to be focused - anti-immigrant sentiment, attacks against refugees and refugee claimants, an overall disrespect of the entire social and community sector (not just the immigrant and refugee-serving sector), as well as trying to figure out where immigrant and settlement fit in a "new world order" as a middle power.

At the same time, we're completely overwhelmed with the leap, threat, and opportunities of AI. In some cases we're not doing anything. In others, we're leapfrogging basic digital maturity and transformation in a way that means we're building AI on a shaky, 3-legged table. It's wobbly, it's going to collapse, it's not going to work. And we're going to be blamed for what goes wrong. I've always believed that to be true.

And, yes, there are more and more digital transformation and AI frameworks, small-scale training, consultants, blogs, Substacks, and other places where you can get your fill of what it all means for nonprofits and charities. But it's completely overwhelming. And most people want you to follow their path, pay them for their course/webinar/insight, etc. Who knows what the right path is?

I've never really known, but I try to surface things are interesting and accessible, as well as voices in the community who are connected to both our work as well as fluent in the practical operationalization of the tech. And when I say tech, I don't just mean AI.

So, for the immediate future I think I want to share those perspectives for you. I'm mostly too tired or lazy to do most of the analysis myself, so I'll lean on AI. Of course, I'll be transparent about that. But instead of reading, collecting, and waiting for a moment to share it in a coherent way, I'll see where AI can help. Why not? I feel like that's one of the strengths of most of the Generative AI I use.

When I can or feel up to it, I'll take that analysis and add my own. When I don't, but feel like you should see it sooner rather than later, I'll share what the AI shares based on my questions/prompts and hopefully that will be useful enough - the analysis will at least come from my specific questions, what I'm wondering about, how I might fuse different sources together, etc.

Hope you find that useful.