01CEO / AI-FIRST VISION
Redesign the work.
Mike Collins argues for rethinking how jobs and workflows function—not simply adding AI to old processes.
Read CEO perspectiveAn operating perspective for Alumni Ventures
From AI-firstto AI-in-use.
Product thinking, connected workflows, and practical AI implementation around the systems you already have.
JOSEPH FULA15+ years of product & UX experience
Independent AI tools · Systems thinking · Hands-on building
Independent AI tools · Systems thinking · Hands-on building
THE LAYERED APPROACH
01
BUSINESS
Start with the real work and intended outcome
02
PRODUCT
Make the workflow intuitive and adopted
03
SYSTEMS
Connect approved data, tools, and rules
04
APPLIED AI
Add focused assistance where it earns its place
01 / Perspective
Aligned with your public priorities
The direction is already clear.
Leadership and hiring signals point to AI-enabled workflows—not just new AI tools.
02AI ASSOCIATE ROLE
Make AI repeatable.
The role calls for practical, cross-functional AI workflows, consistent methods and adoption.
View careers ↗03OPERATIONS + ENGINEERING
Connect the systems.
Earlier public role descriptions referenced reporting, data integrity, integrations, and operational modernization.
My working hypothesis
The opportunity is dependable execution across people, data, and systems—not access to AI itself.
A hypothesis based on public material; not an assessment of Alumni Ventures' internal systems. Earlier job links may no longer be active.
02 / Alignment
Where I complement the technology team
The last mile is a product challenge.
Strong technical capability creates value when the entire workflow is understandable, useful, and trusted.
◇
PEOPLE
Decisions, roles and accountability
▤
SYSTEMS
Approved records, tools and APIs
✳
AI CAPABILITIES
Focused, fit-for-purpose assistance
WORKFLOW + UXMap → Connect
Map → Connect
Check → Approve
RIGHT CAPABILITY · RIGHT STEP
A tool people actually use.
Source visibility
Clear ownership
Built-in human review
My contribution: connect discovery, interface design, implementation, and adoption.
03 / Workflow architecture
One example worth validating with your team
Investor reporting: exceptions, not guesswork.
A possible workflow informed by published investor-operations and engineering priorities.
ILLUSTRATIVE WORKFLOW SIMULATION
01
APPROVED INPUTSAuthorized records
Read only the source data and documents the workflow is allowed to access.
02
DETERMINISTIC RULESCheck & reconcile
Flag missing fields, mismatches and control totals using ordinary code.
03
AI-ASSISTED TRIAGEExplain exceptions
Prepare traceable summaries and suggested routing, linked to sources.
04
HUMAN OWNERSHIPReview & decide
A responsible person approves any material change or external output.
RECORDS Authorized sources receivedRULES An exception is flaggedREVIEW Routed for human decision
RULES VERIFY → AI SUMMARIZES → PEOPLE DECIDE
This is a hypothetical candidate workflow, not a claim about AV's current systems. Financial calculations and consequential decisions remain outside generative AI.
04 / Illustrative prototype
How I would work with your team
A focused pilot. An evidence trail.
Start with one real task, a process owner, and someone from technology—not a company-wide AI replacement.
01
MAPUnderstand the work
Observe the task. Identify owners, permissions, handoffs and the baseline.
02
CONNECTUse what exists
Integrate approved systems, APIs, source records and business rules.
03
PROTOTYPEBuild the missing layer
Use focused AI only where useful, with a practical review interface.
04
EVALUATEDecide with evidence
Assess accuracy, speed, risk, usability and whether the team adopts it.
MEASURE AGAINST THE ACTUAL BASELINE — NOT SPECULATIVE ROI
◷Time per case
◇Exception detection
✓Review corrections
↗Team adoption
05 / Method and metrics
What I bring to your existing team
Product judgment. Hands-on building.
A complementary mix of product, UX, software workflows, applied AI, and communication.
15+
years in product + UX
Research, interaction design, stakeholder alignment, iterative testing, and turning ideas into usable digital products.
What I can contribute
Workflow discovery & opportunity mapping
Custom applications & interface design
AI agents, roles & handoffs
APIs, automation & existing tools
Human oversight, testing & adoption
Services: discovery · custom tools · AI agents · integrations · prototyping · team trainingExplore services ↗
06 / Skills and evidence
A practical next conversation
Which workflow is worth examining together?
One process owner + one engineer. Understand what's already solved, locate one meaningful friction point, and decide whether a small prototype is warranted.
Product design · AI workflows · practical implementation
ONE USEFUL
WORKFLOW
PROCESS OWNERENGINEERINGPRODUCT + UX
WORKFLOW
07 / Let's compare notes