Hi, I’m Karl Williams.
I’ve spent more than two decades working with data, software, automation, document composition and governance.
My background is very much hands-on: building systems, improving workflows, solving operational problems and helping businesses manage data in a way that actually works in the real world.
Today, I’m Director of Data & Composition Systems and DPO at Precision Proco, working across technology, data, governance, production and commercial delivery.
That means dealing with the practical side of data every day — how it moves, how it is transformed, how it is protected, and how it supports the systems and communications businesses rely on.
No Grey Suits.
I don’t believe good advice needs to sound complicated.
Some of the best conversations happen when people can talk openly, ask straightforward questions and get a straight answer.
I’d much rather sit down with someone, understand the problem properly and explain it in plain English than hide behind jargon, buzzwords or a giant slide deck that puts everyone to sleep.
That’s what No Grey Suits means to me.
There can be serious technical depth behind the work, but the conversation itself should still feel human.
Practical experience first.
My work spans data engineering, automation, document composition, information governance, data protection and large-scale communication systems.
Over time, I’ve become increasingly focused on governance and responsible data management, but always from an operational point of view.
Good governance should make a business easier to control, reduce risk, improve trust and give people a stronger foundation to build on.
It shouldn’t exist just to create paperwork.
That same thinking is what interests me about AI.
AI can dramatically accelerate analysis, documentation, development and decision-making, but the technology is only as useful as the understanding behind it.
You still need people who understand the business, the data, the systems and the consequences of the decisions being made.
That combination of real-world experience and modern AI is what Data Formatter is all about.
Why Data Formatter exists.
Data Formatter is where I share what I’ve learned from doing this work in practice.
That includes data and automation, governance and risk, document composition, production systems, AI and the lessons that sit between them.
The aim is simple:
Real problems. Practical experiments. Useful lessons.
No consultancy theatre.
No unnecessary jargon.
Just useful knowledge from the real world.
Away from the screen.
I’m also a car fanatic, foodie and snowboard whenever I get the chance.
I’ve always liked understanding how things work, whether that’s a production workflow, a piece of software or a car.
That curiosity probably explains a lot about how I approach work too: take something complicated, understand what really matters, and find a better way to make it work.