> about this workshop
A field journal from a slightly weird, very practical AI workshop.
I'm Kelly Hodsdon. I build and test human-first, AI-enriched systems for real workflows. Less Miserable Tech is where I share the parts that actually helped.
the mission
Make useful technology fit the work.
Technology gets miserable when the tool becomes the project. This site starts earlier: the moment a person gets stuck, repeats a frustrating task, or has to carry too much context in their head.
The podcast and field notes show practical experiments in making work calmer and clearer. There will be AI here, but never as a substitute for understanding the person doing the work.
Most of this starts with a real person, a real workflow, and a moment where the software is technically working but the work still feels harder than it should.
working principles
The rules on the workshop wall.
These are the operating principles behind the field notes. The full version lives on the Principles page.
Read all seven principlesName the problem before picking the tool
If you cannot name the friction, you are not ready to choose the software.
Build the smallest useful fix
You don’t have to fix everything at once or build a whole new system to remove one real obstacle.
AI needs the backstory
The task tells AI what to do; the backstory helps it understand what matters.
Trust is earned one useful moment at a time
People learn to trust technology when it reliably makes the next step easier and leaves less to guess about.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
If it is not causing real friction, leave it alone and spend your energy where it matters.
Build the net for the river you’re already standing in
If useful ideas, questions, or opportunities keep showing up, build a simple way to capture and reuse them.
Hide the plumbing
You shouldn’t have to understand the machinery to get the help.
follow along
Follow along
Pick the format that creates the least friction for you.