Fiona MacNeill

@[email protected]
131 Followers
153 Following
141 Posts
#ux person: #learning #accessibility #A11y #RStats - find me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionamacneill/ #JoinMastodon
Researcher, Designer, Technologist#ux #fhea
Websitehttps://fionamacneill.co.uk/blog
Pronounshttps://name.pn/fiona-macneill
Proud Bi/Pan#LGBTQIA
Fiona MacNeillOct 20
Pavel A. SamsonovOct 20

There's a type of guy whose only contribution at work is sheer volume of outputs, whether or not they serve any purpose. #AI tools ask us, "what if everyone could be that guy?"

It turns out that the result is bad for everyone. Systems lose their ability to evaluate whether outputs are fit for purpose. Shared intent disappears.

Scaling up trash only makes more trash. Work that doesn't pave a road to a better system is waste.

#UX #tech #softwaredevelopment

https://productpicnic.beehiiv.com/p/all-your-problems-are-people-problems-don-t-just-do-things-part-2

All your problems are people problems (Don't Just Do Things, Part 2)

If you want to do strategy, you must be willing to do process transformation first.

The Product Picnic
Show threadFiona MacNeillOct 20
…To describe ‘AI’ as a ‘revolution’ bestows power and gravitas on a set of technologies that are indeed disruptive, but are not a forgone conclusion. The Industrial Revolution encompassed many innovations and socio-political changes. It seems to me that an era change can only be applied in retrospect once you can see the whole impact — so I’m afraid that describing ‘AI’ as a ‘revolution’ immediately turns on my BS alarm and I’ll be less inclined to believe what you say #SmellsLikeASalesPitch
Fiona MacNeillOct 20
Rant alert 🚨
I am so tired of fellow people in tech describing AI as a ‘revolution’. The word ‘revolution’ comes from the Latin, ‘revolutio’ ~ a turn around. As far as I can tell AI (as a term for describing a set of losely interrelated technologies) is very much business-as-usual, in fact it further consolidates power in the hands of the few. To liken it to the Industrial Revolution seems fundamentally flawed, because it is not akin the agrarian shift in terms of societal shift and impact…
Show threadFiona MacNeillJun 9, 2025
@emilymbender Thank you for your confidence backed up by sound academic reasoning and references that actually exist 😎
Show threadFiona MacNeillJun 9, 2025

A link to the main site for the book so you can take your pick of where to get your copy: https://thecon.ai/

Adam Curtis' films series, 'All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace' (2011 - this stuff ain't new!): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1955162/

THE AI CON

How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want

THE AI CON
Fiona MacNeillJun 9, 2025

Listened to 'The AI Con' by @emilymbender and Alex Hanna. The book does a great job of assessing the AI hype rhetoric in one place. Drawing connections and deconstructing it for what it really is...The authors are not anti-tech and nor am I (I love tech!). However, I think to be a good technologist you also need to be a practiced skeptic. Would makes a great companion piece to Adam Curtis' film series: 'All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace' - relevant links in the replies.

#AI #Tech

Show threadFiona MacNeillJun 9, 2025
@jimgar Tree inspired gymnastics is a perfect! 😂
There was a fair speed to the skid. Serves me right for trying to eat a pretzel and run at the same time. Some little woodland critter will have enjoyed their pretzel snack though!
Show threadFiona MacNeillJun 8, 2025
FYI @jimgar 👆
Show threadFiona MacNeillJun 8, 2025

If you want to read the details or chip-in for the main campaign, you still can.

My campaign page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/fiona-seven-sisters

The main campaign page (please give to this one): https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/hope-for-skye

Help raise £500 to fund an assistance dog for Skye – JustGiving Crowdfunding

Iʼm raising money to fund an assistance dog for Skye. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page.

JustGiving
Fiona MacNeillJun 8, 2025

A huge thank you to everyone who supported my fundraiser for Skye's assistance dog. I am delighted to have come in third-place in the Women's Category in my first Marathon yesterday. This was in-spite of taking a tumble over a tree stump halfway through. Years of rugby and kickboxing have taught me how to fall gracefully and in a way to minimise injury. Those sports have also taught me to get up and keep fighting! 🌳 🏃🏻🥊

We raised £525 towards the £10995 goal.

#Marathon #MagnaCarta #Fundraising