Rather than building AI around technology, we chose to build it around the people who use it every day. We listened to colleagues, identified bottlenecks in their work, and focused on creating practical solutions that solve real challenges. The goal was never AI for AI’s sake. The goal was to help people spend less time on administrative tasks and more time on work that creates value.

Until recently, planning costs across multiple donors, countries, and assignments meant pulling together data from different systems and spending hours on manual calculations. The ICT data team set out to change that. Working closely with colleagues across UNV—including administration, finance and more—the data team developed a comprehensive Cost Planning Tool that brings financial, volunteer and planning data into a single platform. 

UNV has taken a major step forward in strengthening the digital foundations that support its global work. Building on earlier progress in moving systems to the cloud, the organization has now modernized the core network infrastructure that connects staff, offices, and services—often unseen, but essential to daily operations. At the United Nations Campus in Bonn, this meant replacing over 300 network switches, many of which had been in use since 2006. The upgrade has given network speeds up to ten times faster across all UNV-supported offices and workspaces. 

Over the past four years, the United Volunteering Platform has operated at a global scale, responding to continuous demand, evolving requirements, and operational challenges. Through it all, the platform has remained steady—adapting, improving, and growing stronger with every upgrade and every piece of feedback. 

Then came a pivotal moment. The United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Information and Technology Management team visited UNV headquarters in Bonn and offered a candid assessment: our systems were due for a significant upgrade. UNV responded with determination. It was an opportunity to review our systems and think of solutions.We didn't just patch up things. We rethought everything.Physical servers? Slashed from 7 to 2.Virtual machines? Down from 47 to 9.Legacy systems that translated web addresses? Gone. Replaced by Cloud-based platforms.

The focus? Supercharging delivery, utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, and aligning on key initiatives—especially the business process streamlining project. But beyond the tech, the gathering was a celebration of what really powers development: people. From seasoned engineers to rising talent, participants shared one mission. Build better, smarter, and more human-centered UVP solutions. Whether onsite or remote, everyone brought their voice to the table, proving that great code starts with great communication and leads to stronger technical outcomes.

In 2024, UNV worked with a specialized accessibility testing company to thoroughly test IT systems. Detailed reports highlighted necessary changes that have been implemented, preparing UNV to validate these changes and aim for the next level of accessibility certification.  The goal for 2025 is to have UNV systems certified as fully compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA. 

To have A-I-ready data is already a very successful differentiator for organizations over the last few years.Being able to use large amounts of data and provide visually appealing reports and dashboards helps fact-based decision-making and brings transparency, visibility and strategic, tactical and operational benefits.The reports and the dashboards are the visible tip of the data iceberg.

In 2023 UNV launched two separate, but interconnected initiatives. Several UN Volunteers with disabilities were contacted and requested to provide feedback on the accessibility of the UNV applications. Highly valuable feedback was received, including a comprehensive Keyboard Accessibility Assessment Report, prepared by Hudoykul Hafizov, UN Volunteer who served as Disability Inclusion Advisor with UNDP in Uzbekistan.  

Hugo brought to UNDP his strong background in communications and digital marketing, technical skills, as well as a drive to contribute to the development of his home country, Guatemala. He has made a significant impact in various projects. One of these is En Marcha Digital, a strategic initiative that supports entrepreneurs in adapting their business models during the COVID-19 pandemic, equipping them with free digital tools to reach their clients in novel ways.