The treadmill got faster

In the time it’s taken me to get my act together, update this site, and start weeknoting again, everything has accelerated.

I often describe working in digital as running on a treadmill. You have to keep pace, because if you slow down or stand still, you fall off.

I’m, of course, referring to the rapid and widespread adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In over 20 years working at the digital coalface, I’ve seen a lot of change, new technologies, platforms, devices, methodologies, capabilities, and standards. But this feels different. I don’t think I’ve seen this speed and breadth of adoption before. Generative AI has moved from the realm of geeks and early adopters to the mainstream within months.

My mum now asks ChatGPT questions multiple times a day. It’s only her second smartphone. She never bothered with Siri, yet she’s already writing prompts.

Almost everyone I speak to describes the same head-spinning feeling. It’s why I’m finally back here, weeknoting again. I need an outlet, a space to think and digest what’s happening.

For that reason, I won’t be using AI to write these posts. I won’t be dictating them either. The act of thinking and writing is precisely what I need.

I believe in thinking aloud, working in the open, and sharing what I learn. So here’s to a new pair of running shoes, and the excitement, fear, and fatigue that come with heading in a new direction.

Noteworthy this week

• My squad within 111 Online has been given the opportunity to work on a long-standing problem that may be unlocked using AI and large language models. It has already shown me that I have a lot of reading to do.

• People are beginning to announce that they have taken voluntary redundancy from NHS England as part of the planned merger with the Department of Health and Social Care. Some very good people won’t be in my team within weeks. Sigh.

• I was recently invited to form a working group with other lead designers from across the NHS. Our purpose is to enable teams to design and develop directly for and within the NHS App. This reflects a practical recognition that it is not scalable for a central team to do everything. It is also about establishing practices of working in the open, creating transferable design assurance, and opening up opportunities for wider and more diverse contributions.

• I have been mentoring a member of the team. They are still at the beginning of their career, talented, and in my opinion working above the grade they are officially designated. It is well publicised that the NHS is restructuring, which brings with it a freeze on recruitment and advancement opportunities. That likely means there will be a glut of opportunities when things settle, so I’ve been working with them to make sure they are ready.

Links

• I built an AI Service Mapping Tool – Sarah explores using AI to build creative tools and reflects on how design has operated in recent years.
• AI and the human voice – Giles on writing with AI.
• ./missing-semester – A lovely online course teaching “computing ecosystem literacy”.
• BuzzFeed goes AI then goes broke – “Peretti is clearly unable to tell good writing from slop, and he’s sure you can’t either”.