2024 Public Sector Reflections on Data & AI:

It’s that reflective season again, and time to take stock of the projects I’ve tackled and the remarkable experiences that shaped me over the last 12 months. This year I was focused on the Public Sector industry, and it really opened my eyes to both the complexity and promise of data and AI. Below are the most impactful lessons I picked up along the way, each grounded in a real story, minus the customer names, of course.

1. Leap frog your Data Culture, using AI to Bring numbers to Life

This year, I worked on projects where provinces were grappling with how to optimize its budget or metrics for maximum impact. Numbers for impact. Leveraging AI-driven analytics they cleaned really dirty data (ugly like you have never seen - I promise), prioritized metrics, uncovering inefficiencies and identifying high-impact areas. The key takeaway?

AI can turn dirty data into clean numbers and graphs, and then into actionable readable narrative insights, enabling better decisions.

Due to the rife data culture gap in government, leaders can find themselves looking at pretty dashboards but still be a bit lost to know what the numbers mean or what they should do next. AI can be used to turn the numbers and dashboards into readable insights. And help leaders understand the number they see in front of them! Growing and even leapfrogging the organizational data culture. For anyone managing public or private budgets and KPIs, remember: AI isn’t just a tool it’s the lens that makes can make your priorities crystal clear.

2. Modernizing Legacy Systems Requires Vision, Not Just Technology

This year I partnered with many a team managing a legacy systems that had outlived its initial purpose. While upgrading the tech was critical, the real insight came in realizing that modernizing operations requires a shared vision across all stakeholders. It’s not just about migrating systems; it’s about ensuring the people using them embrace the change. It's like trying to navigate an unfamiliar forest: without a compass, you can make some progress, but you’re likely to get lost or waste time retracing steps.

For leaders, the message is clear: transformation happens when vision and technology evolve together.

For someone like me in the industry, it really helps to know and share the limits of technology. Its our responsibility to expose organisations to those limits. Even when we really want to bring the new, we need to exercise restraint - else there are expensive lessons to learn.

3. Hackathons Build Bridges, Not Just Solutions

This year, I had the privilege to be engaged in a government hackathon designed to address real challenges. Anyone who knows me, I'm a super big fan of Hackathons. What stood out for me in this one was how the event helped to build bridges of collaboration across departments that don’t typically engage with one another. It helped people from different backgrounds, world views, and experiences come together and build something amazing. The most amazing thing is that it was done intentionally so – in Government!

More than quick wins, hackathons are a bridge to sustained partnerships and fresh ideas.

For those looking to innovate, the lesson is to create environments where diverse minds can come together and innovate with purpose.

Here is the big tip: Hack on something that business wants to solve. Not just what groups feel like doing.

It means budgets can be fast tracked to bring the project into production.

4. Data Can Be a Product, Not Just a Byproduct

One of the most exciting shifts I’ve seen is that some of government is starting to think of data as a product. I’ve seen a big shift from thinking of data as just records to be reported, to something more than that. When treated this way, data becomes a reusable asset driving value across multiple departments.

The big learning is that realizing this vision takes maturity, clarity on objectives, and intentionality in execution. That means people, skills, budgets and leadership behind the vision.

Organizations that invest in this approach position themselves for long-term impact. Unfortunately, I’ve also seen (too many) the result of municipalities or government agencies who don’t invest this way. The point is, its up to us in the Data and AI industry educate and introduce this insight when don't see this approach.

?5. Relationships Is the Foundation of Transformation

Whether it was working with teams navigating the most cutting edge citizen engagement AI we have seen on the African continent or bringing boring government documents to live with a chat interface or helping an agency dipping their toes into advanced analytics, the common thread this year was relationships. Trust and collaboration often determined whether a project floundered or thrived; received the budget or never even got started. For anyone leading projects, this is the most critical insight:

take the time to build genuine relationships. Really understand the environment. Yes, understanding takes time and grows with experience, but there are no viable shortcuts.

Technology can change the world, but relationships transform outcomes. If there was a deck of cards for digital transformation, the relationship card would trump all. It’s like planting a tree: the best tools and perfect soil mean nothing if the roots don’t have the time and support to grow deep and strong. That takes relationships. Relationships are also needed in this: there would be no root to nurture without the person who trusts you with their precious seed.

Summary

So in closing, this year has been one of immense growth and learning, both personally and professionally. Reflecting on these lessons, I’m reminded of the value of collaboration, the importance of vision, and the role technology plays in enabling impact.

For 2025, I’m committed to building on these experiences, driving innovation, and, most importantly, working with others to make meaningful change.