What I Learned from Four Weeks of Applied AI (And How It Transformed My Organization's Approach)

This is a guest post by Mia Velasco a participant in the XD131 Applied AI course. Mia is currently a global operations leader at Namati, a global nonprofit that empowers people to know, use, and shape the law.
Over the past decade, MIA has helped organizations maximize their mission impact by building efficient systems and leading change initiatives. Her background includes extensive M&E experience at both Namati and the Firelight Foundation, and deep systems and tech expertise across international programs in land rights, health justice, and citizenship. What drives me is knowing that behind every operational improvement is the potential to serve more communities and create lasting change.

I just wrapped up the XD131 Applied AI online course by Exchange Design and TechChange and what started as a way to get smarter about AI tools turned into a complete reframe of how my organization should approach this technology. If you're feeling the pressure to "figure out AI" for your workplace, this reflection might resonate.

The four-week cohort-based course featured speakers from organizations such as the Urban Institute, Mercy Corps, and Exchange Design. But the most valuable part wasn't the tool demonstrations; it was the strategic insights from practitioners who've been in the trenches.

Two Game-Changing Insights

Week 2 completely shifted my thinking, particularly through presentations by Graham MacDonald (CIO at Urban Institute) and Shadrock Roberts, formerly of Mercy Corps.

Being Behind Isn't Bad: Graham's most counterintuitive advice? Being a little bit behind on AI is actually helpful. This hit me hard because I've been feeling intense pressure to have my organization on the cutting edge. But waiting allows you to cut down on time spent vetting tools, writing policies, and dealing with early adopter headaches. Sometimes the best strategy is strategic patience.

Data Governance Comes First: Shadrock emphasized that starting with an AI policy isn't the right approach if you don't have data governance in place first. His recommendation: establish strong data governance foundations—working groups, responsible data policies—before diving into AI-specific guidelines. AI can then sit under these existing frameworks rather than operating in isolation.

This completely changed how I approached my final project.

From Policy to Strategy Brief

For my final project, I was already working on an AI usage policy for Namati (where I work). But the course helped me reframe this as an AI strategy brief rather than a rigid policy document. The distinction matters; policies feel permanent, while strategy briefs acknowledge the dynamic nature of this technology.

My strategy brief for Namati includes clear boundaries (what's permitted versus prohibited), approved tools, data protection guidelines, review requirements, and governance structures. Drawing from the course insights, I built this on our existing data governance foundation rather than creating AI rules from scratch.

The Urban Institute's approach influenced my thinking on balancing productivity and security, while Shadrock's emphasis on organizational processes shaped the governance structure.

Key Takeaways for Any Organization

If you're developing AI guidance for your workplace:

Start with data governance. If you don't have clear policies around data handling and security, AI guidelines will be built on shaky ground.

Embrace strategic patience. You don't need to be first to every new AI tool. Let others work out the kinks while you build solid foundations.

Think strategy, not policy. Frame your guidance as living documents that can evolve rather than static policies that become outdated quickly.

Focus on enablement. Help your team understand how to use AI effectively rather than just telling them what not to do.

The brief I created is just a starting point. But I feel much more confident about the implementation work ahead. The course didn't just teach me about AI tools; it gave me frameworks for thinking strategically about AI adoption.

If you're navigating AI strategy in your organization, I'd love to hear about your approach. The more we share these experiences, the better we all get at thoughtful AI implementation.

Interested in the Applied AI course? It's offered by TechChange and focuses on practical, hands-on experience with expert guidance. The cohort-based format and access to practitioners made all the difference for me.