Category Archives: Digital Dexterity

Reclaiming Time and Elevating Our Work

AI, Digital Dexterity, Thoughts, , ,

Over the past six months, we’ve been working closely with colleagues across the university to better understand how Microsoft Copilot is shaping our day-to-day operations. While much of the attention around these technologies focuses on novelty or experimentation, what we are seeing and hearing is something more practical and powerful, it is creating time.

Using our workforce data as a baseline, we know the median annual salary at UT Austin is and what that equates to as an hourly wage. From there, it’s not hard to observe the potential for measuring impact. If each of our active 2,296 Copilot license holders, nearly all of whom are in administrative roles, saves just two hours a week, that represents $8.5 million in regained value annually. At three hours, it rises to $12.8 million. Four hours brings the total past $17.1 million. What our community of users is telling us is that they are using these tools to recapture no less than two hours of time back each week.

Those are big numbers, and they get your attention. But what excites me isn’t just the financial story, it’s the operational one. Every reclaimed hour represents capacity. That’s time that can be redirected away from repetitive tasks and toward higher-value work. It means more space to think critically, connect meaningfully with our students, colleagues, and the community focusing on advancing the mission of the university.

Graph showing dollar amount of savings based on time saved with Copilot.
Screenshot

Before I get a ton of hate mail for conflating actual savings for reclaimed time, I will admit that these types of calculations don’t tell much of a real story. But if you dig right below the skepticism and start to think about how nearly all of our time is divided across dozens of micro-tasks each day, finding low level opportunities to recapture some it can mean quite a bit. Today it is happening here and there with a tough email that we need to write or respond to, or in summarizing a new piece of legislature, to do a quick review of a contract, or any of the other things we all do each day in support of the university. Now think of all of that in the aggregate and you can begin to see how much time can actually be saved. And in my world, where I am trying to fit more work into every single moment, this matters.

We often talk about innovation in terms of new tools, but the real innovation here may be how we choose to use the time we’re getting back. AI can’t simply be about doing things faster, it must also be about creating the breathing room we need to elevate our work and to think differently about what’s possible. What I am looking for are stories that come from the community where our AI tools are saving you time, opening new thinking, or impacting current practice in ways that allows you more space to breathe, think, and engage more broadly.

Living the Digital Transformation We Preach

AI, Digital Dexterity, SLT, Thoughts, UTET, , ,

As the IT leaders at UT Austin, we spend a lot of time talking about digital transformation. We encourage campus to embrace modern tools, work smarter, and take advantage of the technology investments we’ve made. But here’s the real question, are we practicing what we preach? If we want to lead the university into a more digital, connected, and efficient future, we need to start with ourselves. We need to live in the environment we’re asking others to adopt, not dismiss it, not just support it, but fully commit to it.

Right now, we’re operating in a fragmented digital world. Some teams use Slack, others use Teams. Files are scattered across OneDrive, SharePoint, Box, Wikis, and more. Some meetings are on Zoom, others on Teams. We are juggling platforms when we could be harnessing the power of our enterprise-supported ecosystem and putting Copilot to work for us.

When groups on campus reach out for help improving their digital workflows, we should be the experts they turn to. But how can we do that if we aren’t fully invested ourselves? If we don’t know Teams inside and out, how can we teach others to maximize it? If we’re not using OneDrive and SharePoint to store our work, how can we expect others to move away from Box? This isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about leadership. The best way to drive change across campus is to lean into the change. And imagine the stories we can share with the community as we do!

Here’s our challenge, we need to standardize our own workflows before we can credibly push others to do the same.

  • Teams over Slack. All our internal communications should happen on Teams—chats, channels, file sharing, and collaboration. We can’t ask campus to make the switch if we haven’t fully embraced it.
  • OneDrive & SharePoint over Box. Moving documents to a single, integrated storage platform makes collaboration easier and security more resilient. I am not talking about engineering new workflows that support campus operations, I am primarily concerned with our internal workflows.
  • Teams Meetings over Zoom. We already have a robust, enterprise-supported meeting platform in Teams. It integrates with our calendars, our files, and our workflows. Let’s stop defaulting to Zoom when Teams can do the job. I completely understand that incoming meetings are often up to the organizer, but once we can start to show value in the automation that Copilot in Teams meetings provide, we have a reason for other groups on campus to make the change.
  • Microsoft Forms over Qualtrics. I am honestly tired of responding to basic questions using our most powerful enterprise survey tool. MS Forms should be used for all lightweight data collection.
  • AI & Automation with Copilot. Microsoft Copilot is already here, and it should be changing the way we work. But we won’t understand its full impact unless we actively use it. How can AI streamline our daily tasks? What reports, emails, and meetings can we automate? The only way to know is to test, learn, and apply. The SLT has decided that we are providing M365 Copilot to the entire organization.

I want to be clear, every time we use tools outside our enterprise systems, we create more work, more risk, and more fragmentation. We make it harder to secure data, harder to collaborate, and harder to support the very systems we advocate for. If we want campus to streamline their tech stack, we have to start with our own teams. That means cutting out redundant tools and fully investing in M365, not just because we’re told to, but because it makes our work more effective.

Digital transformation isn’t just about technology, it’s a cultural shift. It’s about building habits that make work easier, faster, and more connected. But culture change starts with us. I am asking us to set the example.

I want us to create a comprehensive plan for making this the new normal within Enterprise Technology. I know who some of the people are who can help lead this, but I am actively looking for people who can help and will take some responsibility in leading this.

OpenAI generated image showing people working together in a UT themed room.

Image created by OpenAI.

Is it Possible to Embrace a Common Digital Platform?

Digital Dexterity, Thoughts,

In today’s fast-paced academic and professional environments, our ability to effectively leverage technology is more important than ever. As a campus community, we have an opportunity to take a transformative step forward by embracing a shared approach to digital tools, specifically through the adoption of Microsoft 365 (M365). This is not simply about using software—it’s about creating a consistent, collaborative, and accessible framework for how we work together.

I talk about the notion of Digital Dexterity quite a bit, but I don’t think I have ever really defined it from my point of view. I see it as the ability to adapt to new technologies and workflows to achieve our goals. For faculty, it means enhancing teaching and research capabilities. For staff, it means streamlining workflows and improving service delivery. At its heart, digital dexterity empowers all of us to innovate and collaborate effectively in support of our shared mission.

In my mind, achieving this goal requires alignment. I am not one to be prescriptive, but when I look around campus, I see a need for us all to be ready to commit to a common set of tools and practices to really move our collective digital dexterity forward. By consolidating our efforts, we can reduce fragmentation in the tools we use, simplify training and support, and ensure that everyone has access to secure, reliable, and accessible technology. Oh, and we would save the university a lot of money.

Coming together offers more than just productivity — it is a platform that enhances:

  • Workflow Efficiency: Integrated tools like Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive enable seamless transitions from ideation to execution.
  • Collaboration: Whether across departments or with external partners, we have to fosters dynamic, real-time collaboration.
  • Consistency: A shared platform standardizes how we work, reducing confusion and promoting best practices.
  • Security: Built-in compliance features protect our data and ensure alignment with institutional policies.
  • Accessibility: Tools like Immersive Reader and real-time transcription services empower all users to engage fully, regardless of ability.

Moving toward a common approach is a decision we must make together. It’s an opportunity to rally around a shared vision of digital transformation that serves teaching, learning, research, and productivity. By committing to a common platform, we can focus our resources on training and support, ensuring that every member of our community feels confident and capable in using these tools.

I recognize that change can be challenging, but it is also necessary. As we embark on this journey, we will ensure robust training, accessible resources, and ongoing support. Together, we can create a culture where technology serves as a foundation for creativity, connection, and success.

I am inviting every member of the campus community to join us in moving closer together in the use of the tools we pay for within our larger ecosystem. This is not just a technical shift but a cultural one—a commitment to collaboration, innovation, and a shared future. If anyone out there wants help in moving forward with a platform shift within your organization, please reach out!