Field Notes

Practical writing for product leaders and boutique advisors – on deciding what to build, answering the hard questions, and running a sharper practice.

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Consulting Operations

Not One of 300 QA Engineers Fully Trusts AI-Generated Code

Three hundred QA engineers rated their trust in AI-generated code. Not one gave it full marks, and their workload rose while their headcount didn't.

6 min read
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Consulting Operations

Most M&A Happens in Private Markets. Most AI Was Trained on Public Data.

AI due-diligence tools mostly learned from public disclosures. Most M&A deals never generate a public disclosure at all.

5 min read
Editorial photograph illustrating "82% of Clients Expect AI-Powered Service. Only 1 in 4 Firms That Built One See a Return."
Consulting Operations

82% of Clients Expect AI-Powered Service. Only 1 in 4 Firms That Built One See a Return.

A survey of 200+ accounting firms found 82% feel more AI pressure from clients. Only 1 in 4 who acted on it saw a real return.

5 min read
Scrabble, scrabble pieces, lettering, letters, wood, scrabble tiles, white background, words, quote, letters, type, typography, design, layout, focus, bokeh, blur, photography, images, image, get over it, move on, press on, don't mope, mither not, no regrets, start again, learn from your mistakes, mindfulness, life will not wait, keep going, take initiative, be a self starter, do it now, don't wait forever, procrastination, excuses, don't make excuses, learn from failure,
Consulting Operations

AI Doesn't Fail on Capability. It Fails on Governance.

A 950-leader survey found governance failures beat model capability as the top reason AI projects underperform – by 15 points.

5 min read
In the town that was home to the film Hot Fuzz, Wells is one of my fave places. Growing up in Avon, as it was called back in the day, Wells was where we came for an afternoon out, the Bishops Palace was where my dad desperately wanted to go, us kids would complain until he took us to the park around the corner. Awesome memories, love coming back here.
Consulting Operations

Knowledge Stopped Being the Moat. Here's What Replaced It.

As AI makes knowledge and effort nearly free, one coach who works inside OpenAI argues the scarce skill left isn't expertise. It's something else.

5 min read
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Consulting Operations

57% of Your Team Is Hiding Their AI Use From You

A global study of 48,000+ employees found 57% hide their AI use and pass the work off as their own. Most managers have no idea.

5 min read
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Consulting Operations

Meta Replaced the PRD With a Morning Dashboard. Here's What That Costs You.

A Meta exec replaced his own status reports with an AI system. It took six months before he trusted it – and that six months is the actual story.

6 min read
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Consulting Operations

A Consulting Firm Is Giving Away Free AI Strategy Reports. Boutique Advisors Should Pay Attention.

West Monroe now gives away the strategy report boutique advisors bill for. Its own AI chief says that proves what's actually still worth paying for.

5 min read
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Consulting Operations

Telling People You Use AI Might Lose You Their Trust

A study of 4,000+ people found saying you used AI cost trust more than staying quiet – even when the work itself was identical.

6 min read