98th of 100

Today's coffee companion works in DevOps. We talked about: the nature of what constitutes BIG data, and whether it's possible to describe a scale that starts with a single bit, and goes up into the biggest imaginable sets of data (for example, Visa and Mastercard transactions?). what would be at the top end of that … Continue reading 98th of 100

Weeknote 645: breaking up

This week I have learned: the gods of work activity obviously think it's funny to have lots of stuff happen in the week before I go on holiday. Hopefully, everything will be left in a state where it won't be "in a state" when I get back. The way in which money cycles around businesses … Continue reading Weeknote 645: breaking up

97th of 100

Today's second coffee companion is a product person. We talked about: how Edinburgh is a different city during the festival adjusting to a new city when moving during a pandemic the differences between the NHS in England and in Scotland the stretch to make space for an hour of conversation the value in going out … Continue reading 97th of 100

96th of 100

Today's first coffee companion is in business development. We talked about: the strange ways in which incentivisation of salespeople impacts how they and those around them behave what sales without bonuses might look like Italian heritage, and the August shutdown where I got my fear of heights creativity at work, and framing things as art … Continue reading 96th of 100

A subversive sixty minutes

A few years ago I had a fascinating conversation with a journalist about a particular aspect of the psychology of working in an office. He told me that when he needed to read a book as part of his work, in the office he found it impossible because of an overbearing feeling that reading a … Continue reading A subversive sixty minutes

95th of 100

Today's coffee companion is a colleague. We talked about: the advantages of degree apprentices switching from a big consulting firm to Equal Experts new parenthood the last opportunities for travelling before the tyranny of school holidays hovercrafts electric vehicles bad user experiences leading to companies exposing their divisions Barbados the new football season Sean Dyche … Continue reading 95th of 100

94th of 100

Today's coffee companion is a marketer. We talked about: how going for coffee becomes easier when you go freelance the emotional blocks and perception of decadence from freeing up time for something like coffee how something turns up out of one in six coffees building business after the pandemic how the post-pandemic period is now … Continue reading 94th of 100

93rd of 100

Today's second coffee companion is a writer. We talked about: the serendipity and humanity that's missing in life how the internet means we get less spontaneous - checking reviews, checking the surfing forecast, checking availability the importance of history James Burke's The Day the Universe Changed the way that the tech industry thinks it's inventing … Continue reading 93rd of 100

92nd of 100

Today's first coffee companion does agile delivery. We talked about: out-of-season holidaying, and how August closes down (but is a good time to get some work done) going to events in succession how different events, on the same topic, can have such different feels the delights of eclectic events adapting organisations to the world of … Continue reading 92nd of 100

Weeknote 643: Bolognese

This week I have learned: Italian train ticket machines are even more confusing than UK ones. Emilia Romagna is a beautiful bit of the world. some of my former team colleagues from my days at Imagination still talk about some of the things that I did (in a good way). Intentionally unintentional feels like a … Continue reading Weeknote 643: Bolognese