User needs are at the heart of everything we do. My work as a content designer and content strategist has given me an in-depth understanding of how vital it is to put users first. In line with Government Digital Service (GDS) guidelines, I have spent countless hours interviewing users, gathering feedback, and analysing data to understand exactly what people need. This is done often in ways they can’t fully articulate themselves.

But user needs aren’t just a concern for digital teams. Management support professionals are experts in understanding user needs too. Whether supporting executives, managing teams, or ensuring the smooth running of operations, they are highly attuned to the needs of the people they work with. They anticipate, adapt, and respond to shifting priorities long before they are formally articulated.

The challenge? User needs evolve. What an executive required five years ago may be very different from what they need today. Technology, working styles, and expectations shift, and those in support roles must be flexible enough to adjust.

AI is just the latest major transformation in the workplace. But AI doesn’t define user needs; people do. Management support professionals have a crucial role to play in analysing how AI fits into their work, ensuring that it serves genuine needs rather than being implemented for the sake of it. Equally, they must consider their own evolving role in a changing landscape, adapting their skills and responsibilities to remain indispensable.

The ability to anticipate, interpret, and respond to user needs is what makes management support professionals so valuable. That won’t change. What will change are the tools we use and the ways we deliver value. By staying adaptable, analytical, and proactive, management support professionals don’t just react to change. They thrive on it.