Insights from the Foundry
Practical thinking for what comes next.
Perspectives, tools, and applied experiments for leaders navigating people, systems, technology, and AI.
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Ideas for turning possibility into progress.
Foster + Foundry connects emerging shifts in work and technology to practical, human-centered action. These articles help leaders separate signal from noise and make better choices for their people and organizations.
Each article begins with a practical organizational question and works toward a useful next step.
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This is a home for selected tools, prototypes, and AI-enhanced experiments developed through Foster + Foundry. Project notes and public demonstrations will be added as they are ready.
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- Details
- Written by: Kevin Andrews
- Category: Human-centered AI
The WITH AI framework provides a practical, human-centered method for using generative AI without surrendering responsibility. Users begin by asking what they are trying to accomplish, invite AI only where it adds value, test the result, and ensure human judgment owns the outcome. The framework positions AI as a working partner while preserving human purpose, critical thinking, ethical responsibility, and accountability.
- Details
- Written by: Kevin Andrews
- Category: Human-centered AI
AI can contribute far more than polished messages. It can help people compare information, stress-test plans, map processes, identify friction, prepare questions, practice conversations, design learning activities, and turn meetings into action. These uses create value only when employees use approved tools, verify outputs, protect sensitive information, and retain responsibility for every consequential decision.
- Details
- Written by: Kevin Andrews
- Category: Human-centered AI
A first AI response is usually a starting point, not finished work. Strong results come from examining what is generic, incorrect, missing, or misaligned, then adding context, isolating changes, requesting alternatives, applying standards, and verifying the result. Iteration does not remove human responsibility. It is one of the ways human judgment actively shapes AI-assisted work.
- Details
- Written by: Kevin Andrews
- Category: Human-centered AI
Vague instructions leave the recipient to define success. “Clean your room” might mean organizing everything properly or pushing clutter into a closet. AI behaves similarly by filling missing context with common assumptions. Better instructions explain the purpose, audience, relevant background, boundaries, examples, and standard for success while leaving appropriate room for judgment.
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- Written by: Kevin Andrews
- Category: Human-centered AI
AI adoption can place experienced professionals in the uncomfortable position of becoming beginners again. Leaders should recognize that hesitation may reflect concerns about competence, identity, risk, or professional standards rather than simple resistance. People build confidence when they can start with a real problem, connect new tools to familiar knowledge, practice safely, and learn visibly alongside leaders and peers.
- Details
- Written by: Kevin Andrews
- Category: Human-centered AI
AI adoption succeeds when an organization treats it as a change in work, not merely a technology purchase. Leaders must provide a clear purpose, practical guardrails, visible support, time to learn, and thoughtful workflow redesign. Sustainable value comes from helping people understand where AI belongs, how to use it responsibly, and how their roles and decisions may change.
- Details
- Written by: Kevin Andrews
- Category: Human-centered AI
Responsible AI governance does not require a large department or a hundred-page policy. Growing organizations can begin with an accountable owner, approved tools, clear data boundaries, risk-based review, human ownership, incident reporting, and periodic evaluation. The goal is to create a safe path for useful adoption, not so many barriers that employees quietly choose riskier alternatives.
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- Written by: Kevin Andrews
- Category: Human-centered AI
Organizations should investigate the workflow and the problem before selecting an AI product. Mapping the work reveals delays, duplication, unclear decisions, and places where human judgment must remain central. A bounded, measurable use case allows the organization to test whether AI improves the outcome or whether a simpler process, better data, clearer policy, or an existing tool would create more value.
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- Written by: Kevin Andrews
- Category: Talent & leadership
Meaningful recognition is defined less by price than by attention, specificity, timing, and fit. Some employees value public appreciation while others prefer privacy, time with a leader, developmental opportunity, flexibility, or a handwritten note. Managers can learn preferences through observation and natural conversation rather than relying on generic rewards or elementary questionnaires.
- Details
- Written by: Kevin Andrews
- Category: Talent & leadership
A tightly managed weekly all-hands can create connection, recognition, shared context, and learning without becoming another burdensome meeting. Starting and ending on time builds trust. A consistent format creates familiarity, while keeping the featured topic a surprise gives employees a reason to attend. The value comes from the ritual, not the length.