AI, Stories, and the Future of Human Experience (feat. Andy Sitison)
Explore how AI and storytelling can uncover authentic human experiences beyond traditional surveys, helping organizations improve trust, engagement, and decision-making.
In this episode, Krish Palaniappan speaks with Andy Sitison, CEO of ShareMoreStories, a technology expert focused on enhancing human experience through storytelling and AI. They discuss the importance of understanding human emotions in business, the process of collecting and analyzing stories, and the role of trust in obtaining authentic feedback. Andy shares real-world applications of his work, including projects with Virginia tourism and the YMCA, and emphasizes the need for organizations to engage with their communities. The conversation also touches on employee engagement, retention strategies, and the balance between art and science in data analysis. Andy concludes with advice for new graduates about the importance of community involvement and enjoying one's work.
Takeaways
AI is transforming how we understand human experiences.
Storytelling provides deeper insights than traditional metrics.
Creating trust is essential for authentic feedback.
Joy is a more meaningful measure than happiness.
Engaging with communities leads to richer data.
The process of collecting stories involves careful prompting.
Analyzing responses requires a blend of qualitative and quantitative methods.
The future of work may shift towards less traditional hours.
Community engagement is vital for personal and professional growth.
Enjoying your work is crucial for long-term satisfaction.
Podcast
Summary
Andy’s Background & Focus
Transitioned from cloud adoption work in the 2010s to improving human experience.
Founded/works at a company that collects and analyzes community stories to measure emotion (joy, anxiety, sentiment).
Uses AI to identify patterns, personas, and insights from stories—going deeper than traditional metrics like clicks or surveys.
Defining Human Experience
Goes beyond UI/UX metrics into how technology impacts humans at scale.
Example: Long, personal stories reveal deeper truths (e.g., caring for an elderly parent).
Contrast: Surveys provide quick snapshots, but stories capture authentic feelings and connections.
Case Studies & Applications
Virginia Tourism:
Explored experiences of minority visitors.
Found both joy and pain in stories.
Insights helped Virginia win national awards in tourism (2018).
YMCA:
Collected stories from employees/volunteers.
Revealed dedication but also pain points in scaling a mission-driven organization.
Helped leadership improve trust and engagement.
Process & Workflow
Engagement often starts with HR, CEOs, or Chief Experience Officers.
Steps:
Define learning roadmap (goals, hypotheses, impacts).
Design prompts (questions for participants).
Recruit participants (employees, customers, minority groups, caregivers, etc.).
Guide them in telling authentic stories.
Analyze stories using AI + human validation.
Prompts can be tailored (e.g., gun control debates, conference feedback, long-term care).
Data Analysis & Insights
AI techniques applied: feature analysis, regression, clustering, classification.
Extracts patterns, sentiment, commonalities, and anomalies.
Example: Developers might give short answers, but analysis can still identify tech trends, satisfaction levels, or anxieties.
Value: Balance between quantitative rigor and qualitative richness.
Art vs. Science in Analysis
Research involves both qualitative (art) and quantitative (science).
Andy’s team uses AI to scale qualitative research (hundreds of stories).
Believes the “magic” lies in blending art + science to create meaningful insights.
Employee Market Dynamics & Future of Work
Discussion on attrition, retention, and employee joy.
Krish raises concerns about AI shrinking teams and trends like “996 culture” (9 am–9 pm, 6 days a week).
Andy’s view: Jobs evolve rather than vanish; change requires adaptation.
Advocates for rethinking work-life balance, possibly shorter workdays enabled by tech.
Advice to Young Professionals
Andy’s message to graduates:
Enjoy your career—you’ll spend decades on it.
More importantly: engage with your community from day one.
Community service builds networks, grounds you, and provides fulfillment.
Personal reflection: Spent years focused only on work, now “redeeming” by giving back.
Closing Exchange
Krish resonates, sharing a personal story about helping someone improve English.
Both agree that giving back is deeply rewarding.
Krish shares about Snowpal’s journey (APIs, web/mobile apps, new FinTech product in progress).
Final note: Don’t manufacture problems—solve real, experienced problems for meaningful impact.
