JT Mudge

I've seen people criticize the AICPA and state societies for not taking political positions. The first segment of this podcast describes the impact of a scientific journal taking a "social justice" position and how it impacts the trust in science. As accountants and auditors we are seen as the "arbiters of truth" and I am glad that our professional associations are not putting our position as the most trusted profession at risk. #transformaccounting https://lnkd.in/gGF-MDQi

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Forms of one type or another are a major channel that people use to communicate with their government, service providers, suppliers, legal system. They are notoriously also a major impediment for people, preventing them getting what they need. As if by design intent. So, a big step in the right direction by the White House. But usability testing only has value, validity and reliability when it’s done by experienced user researchers. Poorly done usability testing is worse than no testing. Good user researcher working in partnership with good content design = win-win. An opportunity to raise the bar? #ux #usability #userresearch #ucd #ur #usertesting #formfilling #userexperience #contentdesign

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Some conversations strike a deep, deep chord. I love all the episodes of the Boundaryless Conversations podcast. Still, this one with Erika Hall conveys so much wisdom on some of the most recurring mistakes we make in organizations - especially when aligning decision-making with customer insights - that I suggest ALL OF YOU sit down for one hour and listen to her voice. It's a monumental episode!

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Great to see this blueprint coming out of the States today. Further endorsement we can more effectively create policies and programs for more equitable outcomes when we combine behavioural insights, data science and design. NZ public sector, take note ! “Human behavior is a key component of every major national and global challenge. Social and behavioral science examines if, when, and how people’s actions and interactions influence decisions and outcomes. Understanding human behavior through social and behavioral science is vitally important for creating federal policies and programs that open opportunities for everyone.”

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The Office of Management and Budget, through its Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), has released new guidance to improve usability testing for federal forms and services. This initiative is a step toward making government interactions simpler, more accessible, and equitable for everyone. By leveraging user feedback, federal agencies can identify pain points and reduce unnecessary burdens on the public, ensuring that services and benefits are easy to access and understand. Read more about this initiative: https://lnkd.in/dVd_BXg2 #GovernmentEfficiency #UsabilityTesting #OMB #OIRA #UXDesign #Accessibility #DigitalTransformation

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This is a big deal. For a very long time, many service designers in government have been told that user research, particularly usability testing, required review under the Paperwork Reduction Act. This was never really true, exactly, but because it has been unclear to agency PRA officers and others, it has meant that teams in government often don't test forms and websites to understand how their users experience them because the process to get clearance to do so would take too long. So they don't things like: Do users understand the questions? Do they have the data or documentation they're being asked for? Which questions should go first, and which later? Does this question even need to be asked at all, or right now? How can government service designers make this easier on the public and businesses? But now OIRA has issued guidance making it clear that usability testing does not need review by their office. The guidance is written plain language and uses clear examples. Service designers need to download this guidance and have it handy. This should clear up any confusion with their agency PRA officers. It will save enormous amounts of time and result in less burdensome, easier to use government forms and websites. The best part about this, IMHO, is that OIRA further clarifies that when government staff learn something through this testing and research, they should simply act on it. Read it for yourself: *** Part II: Incorporating Improvements Based on Usability Testing Usability testing is designed to identify issues with—and potential improvements to— new or existing paper or digital forms, websites, or services. When standing up a new program, form, or online system, agencies can incorporate any pre-launch usability feedback during its creation and initial PRA approval. If feedback about an existing paper or digital form identifies potential improvements, OIRA encourages agencies to quickly incorporate those changes. If left unaddressed, these issues can significantly decrease the usefulness of the product, unnecessarily burdening the public or the agency. *** Hats off to the teams at OIRA and USDS who made this happen. Particular shout outs to Sam Berger, whose deep concern about this issue and championship of it has been evident for over a year, and to Natalie Moore, a genius of usability testing. I know that there are many more who made this happen who I don't personally know, and Natalie thanks Rita Young, Michael McManus, and Laura Chang. Also, thank you to Ezra Klein for asking me about this when I did his show over a year ago. It was the last thing I thought a podcast host would pick up on, just a few paragraphs in my book, but that episode helped spark some very meaningful conversations.

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We're entering an era where technology isn't just a tool, but an extension of our fundamental humanity. With AI and digital assistants becoming increasingly woven into our daily lives, we must ensure this integration enhances rather than diminishes human agency and dignity. This vision drives The Scott-Morgan Foundation's north star: ensuring that those most impacted by technology are active participants in its design. Meaningful innovation in accessibility must be created with, not for, the disability community – because when technology truly becomes an extension of ourselves, everyone's voice must be heard in shaping how it evolves. This is why I'm particularly excited to share news about Zero Project's Equitable AI Alliance, who I hope you'll follow. This initiative perfectly aligns with our foundation's mission to ensure that accessibility isn't an afterthought but rather a fundamental principle in AI development – especially as these technologies become more intimately connected to how we live, work, and express ourselves. Alun Owen Andrew Morgan Esther Duran Thorsten Stremlau Eric K. Micah Wong Tariq Wadi Anwesha Sahu Justin Eure Ada Lopez #EquitableAI #AccessibleAI #AIforGood #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs #TechForGood

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Here's my 2024 LinkedIn Rewind, by Coauthor.studio: In healthcare, meaningful transformation happens when lived experience meets technological innovation. My journey through 2024 proved this repeatedly - navigating complex systems not just as an advisor, but as someone who understands healthcare's human core. After experiencing a traumatic brain injury, I've dedicated my work to ensuring technology serves patients, not just systems. This year, that mission took significant strides across multiple strategic initiatives. Key highlights that redefined patient-centered digital health: • Appointed to NetZeroAICT's AI-enhanced Computed Tomography project steering committee, bringing patient perspectives into advanced diagnostic technologies • Awarded 2024 DIA Patient Fellowship, recognizing decade-long advocacy work • Joined NHS Stakeholder Research Advisory Group, amplifying patient voices in national health strategy • Continued leadership on NICE Technology Appraisal Committee, ensuring equitable healthcare access Three posts that captured our collective journey: 1. DIA Patient Fellowship Recognition "Delighted to be awarded a 2024 DIA Patient Fellowship" https://lnkd.in/e3vV7hiB 2. AI in Healthcare at London Tech Week "I'm excited to talk about AI at London Tech Week" https://lnkd.in/e6vW9AZu 3. ABPI Conference Collaboration Insights "Moving from 'joined-up thinking' to 'joined-up action' ... with ALL stakeholders collaborating" https://lnkd.in/e89s-_WE As we enter 2025, the convergence of AI and healthcare demands more than technological prowess - it requires deep empathy. My tri-national background and personal health journey continue informing a holistic approach where patient experience drives innovation. The future of healthcare isn't just about solving problems - it's about understanding human complexity behind every data point, every diagnosis, every treatment. #AIinHealthcare #DigitalHealth #PatientAdvocacy #LinkedInRewind #2024wrapped -- Get your 2024 LinkedIn Rewind! Go to coauthor.studio

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In what feels like such a long time coming, read about my PhD research into how "justification practices" emerge in charities! Milestones, targets, and outcomes aren't neutral tools of "measurement"—they shift people's working practices and prevent people doing their best work. That doesn't mean we throw the whole thing out—but a focus on evaluation rather than learning leads to poor working conditions.

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Happy New Year all! ICYMI before Christmas, I shared some of my research into the emergence of "justification practices" in charities, which mostly emerges around evaluation and impact. Milestones, targets, and outcomes aren't neutral tools of "measurement"—they shift people's working practices and prevent people doing their best work. That doesn't mean we throw the whole thing out—but a focus on evaluation rather than learning leads to poor working conditions.

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When #AI can conduct #foresight at "superhuman" level (which according to Dan Hendrycks is already a thing), what value do human strategists (and foresight professionals) offer? In my perspective, and in my strategic advisory practice, it is three things: 1. #Systems: Ability to be versed in how systems are shaping what is happening, and how they are implicated in what lies ahead. (The graphic below is of how I am mentally looking at the world and the convergences. ) 2. #Context: Being able to distill all the information from superhuman AI foresight tools and contextually place them within relevant systems at play. 3. #Narrative: The art of storytelling and sensemaking of the AI foresight, the systems at play and the relevant context. In the comments you'll find information about Dan Hendrycks's superhuman foresight AI and the prompt he used to create it.

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ClimateTech is an important piece of the puzzle in addressing climate change, but it’s not a magic wand. What should we prioritize in climate technologies? I'm thrilled to announce "Climate Change Progress," a new monthly series I'm writing for Forbes. In it, I hope to explore the ClimateTech companies and founders doing the most good while causing the least harm—which might sound simple but is actually staggeringly complex. Another way of stating the question is: what are the ClimateTech initiatives that are (getting closest to) positively interacting with the Polycrisis? Read more: https://lnkd.in/gbf8yQff "In many projections, especially those funded or produced by oil companies, climate technologies like carbon capture figure prominently in our path to decreasing global warming. One glimpse at all the above and it’s hard to argue that new technologies shouldn’t play a role in mitigating harm and increasing resilience. "At the same time, not all climate technologies are created equal—and some risk inadvertently prolonging or exacerbating aspects of climate change. How should the public balance their thinking on climate technologies between conflicting realities? .... [I]f the situation is as dire as the climate science community believes it to be, new technologies and a culture of enthusiasm, innovation, and creative problem-solving will be a critical piece of the puzzle to mitigate as much of the harm caused by climate change as possible." Are there #climatetech founders or companies I should be in touch with? DM me! #postgrowth #polycrisis #climatechange #sustainability

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How do we truly advance equity? This question has been driving my personal and professional projects for a long time. Recently, I had the privilege of participating in a fascinating study as part of the #BudgetEquity project. The research examined how cities and counties are leveraging federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to promote racial and economic equity in their communities. This experience was not only enriching but also reinforced ideas I've been exploring: Evaluation is key, but not as a simple quantification exercise. It's a valuable opportunity for reflection and collective learning. Through this project, I observed firsthand how learning cultures at a national level can identify possibilities for change and facilitate informed decision-making. This work allowed me to explore how equity translates into concrete actions, from fund allocation to policy implementation. I'm deeply satisfied to have contributed to research that highlights ARPA's impact on local communities and equity in public spending.

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Fascinating read on how alignment/misalignment, especially in language and cultural aspects lead to potential & unfortunate (unintended) biases in LLMs https://buff.ly/3Ax5XQ3 #ai #llm #bias #humancenteredAI

This is by no means a new or hot take, but an important one: qualitatively data is not just bad quantitative data. In this GovLoop article, I cite Indi Young’s data spectrum, a wonderful meme I saw on UXinsight, and provide rebuttals to some of the common misconceptions on qualitative data. #qualitativedata #mixedmethods #research #uxr #civictech #govcon

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There was such a great discussion about public input and user research based on my post last week that added a few thoughts, pulling on threads from Peter Bonner, 🚀 Molly Cain MBA, CVP, Marina Nitze and quoting Genevieve Gaudet. This one talks not just who we ask for input, but when, and what we for input on. And comes back to the connection between complexity and capture, and the role of product management in countering capture. https://lnkd.in/gjaePqh9

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🎯 When Dr. Peter Scott-Morgan envisioned AI-powered avatars for people with #ALS and #MND, he saw beyond assistive technology. He saw the future of human-AI interaction itself. Here's a reality check: While 1 in 4 of us currently live with a disability, disability isn't about "them" - it's about ALL of us. 100% of us will experience disability at some point, whether through aging, illness, or injury. That's why designing accessible technology is about everyone's future. The Scott-Morgan Foundation and partners like D-ID and ElevenLabs are proving this through the "curb cut effect." What we call "assistive technology" today becomes tomorrow's universal design But here's the powerful twist: People with disabilities aren't just users of this technology - they're becoming its face and voice. Through hyper-realistic AI avatars, individuals once silenced by conditions like ALS are: Advocating for fairer, more equitable AI Pushing for better representation in AI training data Demonstrating how AI can preserve and amplify human identity This is why our collaboration with the Zero Project and its network of 12,000+ members across 160+ countries is crucial. By bringing together disability activists, technologists, designers, and policymakers, we ensure solutions are shaped by those who will use them. Innovation flourishes when diverse voices collaborate. Through hyper-realistic D-ID avatars and ElevenLabs' voice synthesis (supporting 32 languages from Arabic to Vietnamese), people once silenced by conditions like ALS are becoming the face and voice of technological change. At Lenovo Tech World '24, Iomar and Erin demonstrated this power - using their preserved voices and avatars to welcome a global audience. The future of AI isn't just about technology - it's about ensuring everyone, regardless of language or ability, has a seat at the table and a voice in the conversation. Ultimately, we're building for our future selves. 🎯 Human-centric design isn't just a buzzword - it's the foundation of truly accessible technology. * Starting with real human needs, not technical capabilities * Co-creating solutions with the people who will use them * Preserving individual identity and personality in AI tools * Ensuring technology adapts to humans, not the other way around This philosophy drives our development of AI-powered communication tools. What matters isn't just THAT someone can communicate - it's HOW they communicate. Their personality, humor, and unique way of expressing themselves are essential to human identity that technology must preserve. https://lnkd.in/gSHC8DB2 #AI #Accessibility #InclusiveDesign #Innovation #UniversalDesign #GlobalAccess #AIForGood Thorsten Stremlau Andrew Morgan Esther Duran Alun Owen Shiran Mlamdovsky Somech Ron Friedman Joe Murphy Micah Wong Justin Eure Ada Lopez Scott Tease Eric K.

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