Case study 2: Using Assist in practice
From baby babble to AI adoption
The challenge
After returning from 15 months of extended maternity leave, Justine found herself struggling to reintegrate into her role at the Ministry of Defence. Working remotely for 22 hours per week and 200 miles from the office, she faced challenges in rebuilding her skills, expanding her network, and regaining confidence. The situation was compounded by feelings of parental guilt and the sense that she had forgotten how to do her job effectively.
How Assist helped
Justine took proactive steps to address these challenges, including taking the GCS ‘AI for Communicators’ course. She successfully gained access to Assist, the GCS conversational tool. Assist’s embedded GCS-specific guidance, resources and frameworks, proved invaluable.
Assist helped Justine to:
1. Improve her communications plans by identifying where and how accessibility could be improved.
2. Draft comprehensive evaluation plans and website content, adapting comms for different audiences.
3. Summarise important developments she missed during maternity leave, and share guidance on where to find more information.
Outcomes
- Increased efficiency: Justine was able to be productive despite working reduced hours.
- Enhanced quality of work: Assist helped improve various aspects of Justine’s communication work, from accessibility improvements to creating customised content.
- Faster reintegration: Assist helped to fill gaps in knowledge by quickly summarising changes, supporting Justine’s return to work
- Improved work-life balance: The efficiency gains allowed Justine to better manage her professional responsibilities alongside her family commitments.
- Continuous learning: Engaging an AI tool helped develop her skills and adapt to new technologies.
Why was this important
This case study shows how AI tools like Assist can be transformative in supporting flexible working arrangements, promoting inclusivity, and enhancing productivity in government communications. The tool emphasises the value of embracing AI technologies to help adapt to changing work dynamics and maintain high standards of communication in an evolving digital landscape.