As technologists, we have a moral imperative to harness our skills for the betterment of society

Interview with Chief Technology Office Alison Ramsay, Infoxchange Chief Technology Officer of Infoxchange Alison Ramsay’s foray into the realm of technology started from a very young age, amidst the hum of desktop computers in her father’s accounting office at the age of five to “keep her busy”.

From writing bits of code to learning about the inner workings of computers, Alison’s innate curiosity for technology paved the way for a career trajectory marked by diversity and continuous learning.

She completed a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Computer Science from the University of Dundee in Scotland, diving into software development before leading teams on software architecture, Research and Development, a Project Management Office (PMO) responsible for building organisational tech standards, as well as cybersecurity and software governance.

Leadership in the landscape of technology for social justice

Today, Alison stands at the technology helm as the CTO of Infoxchange, with a core mission to upscale the digital capabilities of Australia’s not-for-profits helping provide vital assistance to communities in need. Her role encapsulates a range of responsibilities, from spearheading tech development initiatives to ensuring robust governance of digital frameworks.

In a landscape characterised by rapid technological advancements, staying abreast of emerging trends is critical. When asked how she manages to keep up, Alison shares she navigates the ever-evolving and changing terrain with voracious reading and strategic foresight, acknowledging the balancing act between innovation and pragmatism.

“I read … a lot …” Alison emphasises. “It’s a matter of knowing the technologies that will disrupt or create opportunities for our organisation and the people we support. You can limit some of the technology directions that you need to research to ensure you’re focusing on the right spaces – otherwise, you’d never be able to keep up.”

From increased cyber security risks to advancements in technologies like AI, it’s a large task to stay ahead. “It’s just as important for us to know what might happen if we don’t do something and how that might affect our ability to do our job well – that might include a regulatory change with something that comes in quickly and affects us. Or it might be something like AI, which is a real enabling technology. These technological advancements can help us be more efficient when used appropriately and without harm – and we have a responsibility to help our communities understand how to utilise these new technologies as a force for good.”

She acknowledges that there’s no one person that will know everything about all key technologies, and that it’s a matter of seeking out those expert individuals that have a deep and passionate knowledge about certain areas that can help on that journey as well.

“Australian not-for-profits are both resource and time-poor, so it’s important that we can provide guidance on the impact that improving capabilities through data and AI can bring. The landscape “As technologists, we have a moral imperative to harness our skills for the betterment of society” is changing very rapidly, and that support might come through education, or through advancements in our SaaS offerings like our Client Case Management system. Or, it could be for the organisations and government or sector bodies who rely on the demand reporting we do via the use of our Directory-centric products like Ask Izzy. They’re relying on us as an organisation to have our finger on the pulse,” she says.

Responding to the needs of the not-for-profit sector in a rapidly changing digital world

In Infoxchange’s 2023 Digital Technology in the Not-for-Profit report, surveying more than 1,000 organisations across the country, one in four not-for-profit and charity organisations reported they were already using artificial intelligence. Nearly 70% confirmed they plan to use AI tools in the next year.

In 2024, we expect the number of organisations using AI to increase – but Australians in particular remain extra cautious about the nascent technology. A recent report from Ipsos found that Australians are “the most nervous about AI of any country globally”, with 69% of respondents stating they were nervous about the technology.

This is despite Australia commitment to leading responsible use of AI. Standards Australia adopted the world’s first standard on AI management systems in February this year, developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO). And the National AI Centre (NAIC) developed Australia’s first ‘Implementing Australia’s AI Ethics Principles: A selection of Responsible AI practices and resources’ report.

“It’s super important for us to be in front of technology,” Alison says. “We’re not a large organisation, and just like the rest of the sector we’re struggling with the same financial pressures as our peers. When you compare our sector to the small business or corporate sector, there’s not a lot of money. So, for us to try and figure out all of the nuances and the best path through the different ways of accommodating data requirements is a big ask, but we don’t try and take all that on ourselves. Instead, we seek out expert partners in the field, peak bodies and develop strong networks to secure the best solutions for our customers and communities.”

Implementing game-changing technology at life-changing organisations

When asked what’s challenging the sector in technology adoption, Alison shared that change management from the start and inclusion of all teams in the process, is key.

“Change management is often just something that happens at the end of the road. But, if you get this right at the beginning, you get people involved right the way through the process. And when you do get them involved, you not only create awareness of what the change is, but real interest and desire to participate and enable action.

Equally, Alison shared that human-centred design and “lived experience” – a critical process of Ask Izzy, the service directory providing urgent support for Australia’s most vulnerable, should be made a bigger priority from the technology industry.

“Human-centred design is, unfortunately, not a common term used within the software industry itself. It’s so important we can include subject matter experts and people with lived experience to understand what the users of our services do on a day-to-day basis, what they need, what works for them, what are their pain points and making sure they are truly understood. Then we can adapt our design and solutions, accordingly.” she says.

“That’s something I’ve been involved in throughout my entire career – using the end users of the solution with the management teams to understand where they want to direct the solution to get the best value out of it. By understanding exactly how these decisions will impact them, we can ensure that software design, development and change management can be brought together effectively.”

“As technologists, we have a moral imperative to harness our skills for the betterment of society”

For Alison, Infoxchange’s Technology for Social Justice Conference is an important moment for our sector “…to create visibility over all the really great things the sector is doing. I’ve been here for nearly two years now and I’m still discovering the impact that we have in either helping those who are directly serving the sector, and in serving the sector ourselves,” she says.

“This conference allows us to celebrate our great work while advancing the digital capabilities and impact we make as a collective community.”

You can hear from Alison Ramsay in discussion with Marcus Harvey, Digital Transformation Hub Manager at the session covering “Top Tips for Digital Transformation”, from 4.00-5.00pm on Wednesday the 1 st of May.

Interview by Samantha Howard, Communications Lead at Infoxchange