Weeknotes

Weeknote 771 – bookish

This week I have learned: in the PlayCards that I built a few years ago, one of the suggested actions was to attend a conference in a field that you know nothing about. I sort of did that this week with a trip to The London Book Fair and I found it, for the most … Continue reading Weeknote 771 – bookish

Weeknotes

Weeknote 770: backtoback

This week I have learned: I'm going to be upping my short-form video content as I get ready for the book to launch. Here was my first, slightly half-arsed attempt. They will improve. Talking of the book, it has at last gone into production this week. A series of random delays - just the Suez … Continue reading Weeknote 770: backtoback

Weeknotes

Weeknote 769: back to it

Things I have learned this week: I'm incredibly privileged to have the group of friends that I do. Still no news on the publication date I'm ready for London Book Fair the week after next, though! Doing lots of one-to-one meetings with a big team is proving hugely fruitful, but also very draining. Trying to … Continue reading Weeknote 769: back to it

General

Roll Your Own Software

Once upon a time, maybe in the middle of the decade before last, there was an idea that was called "Bring Your Own Device". iPhones and MacBook Airs showed that computing devices didn't need to be heavy and ugly. They could be light and stylish, with batteries that lasted more than an hour. The mostly … Continue reading Roll Your Own Software

Weeknotes

Weeknote 768: West Coast

This week I have learned: You've got to be in it to win it. If you don't ask you don't get. And similar sayings. I don't think I'm ever going to get truly comfortable with talking about my strengths. But I have reached a point where I'm able to acknowledge them and highlight them. That's … Continue reading Weeknote 768: West Coast

General

Good enough

Most of the prose produced in most organisations is, at best, mediocre. Business cases, status update reports, performance reviews, job descriptions, policies and procedures, terms and conditions, onboarding documentation, strategy documents, change request forms, tender responses... the list goes on. Bilge, for the most part, the lot of it. Documents over which hours of effort … Continue reading Good enough

Weeknotes

Weeknote 767: leaning in

This week I have learned: that I had hit a moment where I was feeling that things were happening to me, out of my control. Time to lean in, and take a role rather than wait to be given one. Hopefully that’s been helpful already. the Random talk seems to work. I delivered it to … Continue reading Weeknote 767: leaning in

Weeknotes

Weeknote 766: establishing

This week I have learned: sometimes consulting feels a bit like being part of a David Attenborough production, watching things in their natural habitats. I'm increasingly of the view that talking about software products distracts from the bigger message of the move from a project-based approach to software delivery: namely, that a piece of software … Continue reading Weeknote 766: establishing

General

Is it really happening that quickly? 2025 edition

I had a conversation with a colleague yesterday about AI and how fast everything seems to be moving. The sense that this time feels genuinely different. That we're in the middle of something exponential. It reminded me of a piece I wrote back in 2014. The argument then was simple: despite all the noise about … Continue reading Is it really happening that quickly? 2025 edition

Weeknotes

Weeknote 765: directions

This week I have learned: Getting people together to think and talk is of such value. I'm increasingly using audio recording and NotebookLM to analyse after the fact. It means everyone can focus on the conversations. Production complications might hit our release date. It's been a busy week, with big set pieces for both of … Continue reading Weeknote 765: directions