DIGI SOCIETY

Digitalization Through a Business and Data Lens

My professional background is strongly founded on developing and managing business-centric IT systems. Over the years, I have worked extensively with systems such as CRM platforms supporting sales and service processes, often with a strong focus on data and analytics. Looking back, every project I have been involved in has, in one way or another, been a form of digitalization. It is typically the strategic foundation for becoming more agile and efficient, generating better data, and gaining deeper insight into the everyday work of people within an organization.

Working with business-centric systems requires not only technical understanding, but also a deep understanding of business processes and the ability to rethink how work is done. Over time, I have learned that technology alone is never sufficient for successful digitalization. Adoption, change management, and people’s ability to integrate new ways of working are often the decisive success factors. Even today, digitalization is frequently discussed primarily in technological terms, while the broader systemic change it requires receives less attention.

Living in an Open and Data-Driven Society

In my professional life, the idea of an “open and data-driven society” becomes visible primarily through regulation, compliance, and everyday security practices. Working with business-centric systems means being constantly aware of what kinds of data are handled and how they must be protected. When regulations such as GDPR came into force, tools containing personal or sensitive information had to be adapted to meet new requirements.

From my perspective, the introduction of GDPR has had clear positive effects in both professional and personal contexts. It has increased awareness of data protection, clarified responsibilities, and strengthened trust in how personal data is handled within digital systems. At the same time, compliance has also introduced additional complexity, documentation requirements, and development effort, particularly when working with systems that process sensitive data.

Beyond formal regulation, cyber security is a practical and continuous consideration in my everyday work. Managing user access, defining permissions, and ensuring that different users or customers can only view appropriate information are part of daily routines when working with digital business systems. In addition, staying vigilant at an individual level is essential: recognizing suspicious emails, managing passwords securely, and following organizational compliance practices are all part of maintaining trust in digital working environments. In this sense, security is not a separate activity, but an integral part of how digital work is organized.

Outside of work, however, the “open digital society” is something I navigate through practical choices, habits, and awareness. I pay attention to how and when I share personal data, what kinds of permissions I grant to applications, and how I manage access to services that contain personal or financial information. Using tools such as password managers and multi-factor authentication has become a natural part of everyday digital life rather than a deliberate security exercise. In this context, curiosity plays an important role in personal data literacy. I find that being aware of where personal data might flow, how it may be used, and what is received in return creates a more reflective relationship with digital services.

Artificial Intelligence and Changing Nature of Work

Working in IT requires continuous professional and personal development, as new tools, technologies, and business environments constantly reshape how work is done. Adapting to these changes has always been a fundamental part of the field. I use artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, regularly in both my professional and personal life. From my perspective, AI is best understood as a tool that can make work easier and more efficient when it is applied with a clear purpose.

As a practical example, I find AI as a highly effective technical support. Alongside my professional work, I spend time on creative projects involving video editing and 3D modeling, which often require learning complex software and workflows. In these situations, AI provides quick explanations, alternative approaches, and problem-solving guidance, reducing the time spent searching for information and allowing me to focus more on the creative process itself.

In my conversations with ChatGPT, the changing nature of work appears as a reallocator of human attention. AI will change what we spend our cognitive energy on and, what kinds of efforts are still worth paying for. But AI does not absorb contextual judgement, redefining what value means, or navigating emotion and organizational reality. Rather than disappearing altogether, many forms of work will be mutating. Tasks that were previously manual, repetitive, or time-consuming are increasingly automated or supported by AI, while new emphasis is placed on interpretation and decision-making. In this sense, roles evolve as technology absorbs certain activities and reshapes what is expected from human expertise.

Looking ahead, I expect that business-centric IT and data-related roles will continue to evolve toward a stronger emphasis on value creation, interpretation, and decision-making. For instance, many cloud-based CRM platforms already include built-in AI and machine learning features that help users prioritize, focus, and act on relevant insights. As AI increasingly automates routine tasks and lowers technical barriers, professionals in these fields are likely to spend less time on manual execution and more time on understanding business context, guiding change, and translating data into meaningful insights.

Short Reflection

This assignment helped me to reflect on digitalization not as a collection of technologies, but as a broader change in how work is organized and understood. Writing these sections helped me connect familiar concepts, such as data, AI, and digital tools in everyday working life.

Rather than changing my views, the process clarified and reinforced them. It highlighted the importance of adaptability, data literacy, and critical awareness as central skills in a digitized working environment. It also emphasized how technology alone is never enough, and how value is ultimately created through people’s ability to interpret, apply, and integrate digital tools into meaningful work.

I commented on the following blogs: Heidi and Iida