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Digitalization & Me – My Perspective from DIAS

The Everyday Presence of Digitalization

Digitalization is no longer a buzzword – it’s the background noise of everyday life. I experience it as a professional, as a parent, and as a citizen. From booking appointments to tracking parcel deliveries and even handling my children’s school and kindergarten communication, digital tools and platforms are deeply woven into how I live and work.

As someone working in a technology-driven housing transaction platform Digitaalinen asuntokauppa-DIAS, I’m privileged to see the practical impact of digital transformation daily. DIAS enables people to buy and sell homes completely digitally – from contract signing to ownership registration and payments. For a process as significant and sensitive as a property transaction, this shift is profound.

But while we build and support high-level digital solutions, I also recognize how easy it is to forget that for many, digitalization isn’t seamless. The challenge isn’t in the technology itself, but in ensuring it truly serves people – across generations, digital skill levels and life situations.

Digitalization at DIAS – Real Changes, Real Challenges

In my role, I work directly with customers, banks and real estate professionals. I train users, gather feedback, support new users, and also participate in developing new features. I see how automation and intuitive design reduce manual work and friction in everyday processes. Still, not everything is perfect: some of the most tedious pain points in digital services come from unclear user journeys or fragmented communication.

I strongly believe in a future where digital services are built with users, not just for them. That means listening, observing and iterating continuously. It also means combining customer understanding with development work – and that’s where I see digitalization not just as a technical shift, but as a cultural one.

The Future: Human-Centric Tech, AI & Collaboration

Looking ahead, I believe digitalization will be most impactful when it strengthens—not replaces—human relationships. One of the trends I’m excited about is predictive and proactive services, where user needs can be identified early. But I agree with one peer who reflected that digital tools should never replace everything – especially in care or emotionally sensitive contexts.

In our work at DIAS, I see increasing potential for AI-supported communication, data-based decision-making and smarter automation. Still, success won’t come from technology alone. It will depend on how we align digital solutions with real customer problems and everyday behaviors.

Risks and the Role of GDPR in My Work

As digital services evolve, so does the need for regulation and trust. One of the most relevant frameworks in this area is GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). In our organization, we handle sensitive transaction and personal data, so it’s essential that all team members understand who can access what, how long data is stored, and how it’s protected. We also monitor access logs, train staff, and develop internal guidelines continuously.

GDPR is not just a rulebook – it’s part of building customer trust. However, I also see how strict privacy regulations can sometimes slow down development or limit the sharing of valuable data between actors. A balance must be found between innovation and protection, something many of my peers also reflected on in their blog posts.

And perhaps most importantly, GDPR has made privacy a conversation – not only for developers and lawyers, but for everyone involved in digital service design.

Testing ChatGPT – A Glimpse Into Everyday AI

As part of this assignment, I asked ChatGPT several questions related to my field – including how to simplify the housing transaction process for first-time homebuyers, and how to explain DIAS to a non-technical audience. The responses were helpful and surprisingly human-sounding. ChatGPT offered clear suggestions and structure, and even mirrored some of the ways we explain the service in real life.

However, the responses felt a bit too general and lacked depth in some areas. For example, it described general housing processes without recognizing country-specific legal elements. In another answer, it offered overly optimistic views on how fast automation could replace manual steps.

Still, I see ChatGPT as a valuable thinking partner. It’s not a decision-maker, but a tool for ideation, content drafting and language polishing. Like one student wrote in their blog, the true potential of AI lies in how we use it, not what it can do by default.

Self-Evaluation – What I Took Away

This blog assignment helped me step back and reflect on how much has changed – not just in the last decade, but even over the past few years. I realized how central digitalization is to my role and how deeply it affects customer relationships, internal collaboration and even organizational structure.

I also became more aware of the limitations we still face: lack of digital access for some users, complex regulation, and the challenge of integrating ethical thinking into technological design.

I’m particularly interested in developing my own skills in data use, communication and AI-supported service design. I believe the people who can bridge tech and empathy will be the ones shaping the digital world ahead.

Final Thoughts

Digitalization is not going away. It’s not “just for IT people” or something on the side of work. It is the way forward – and those who embrace it thoughtfully will be able to build more meaningful, efficient and inclusive systems for the future.

What kind of digital world do I want to help shape? One that works for people, not just for machines. That’s the ride I want to be on.

Pictures downloaded from: Unsplash.com

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