Things I have learned this week: for supply chain organizations it's the same story: "How do we innovate?"; "How do we scale that innovation?" problem is, supply chain organizations are geared for scaled supply chains, not innovating. case studies trump models just about every time - practice over theory. thing is, case studies are just … Continue reading Weeknote 280: Rubik’s revenge
Category: Themes
The recent hubbub about Google's Go-Playing Artificial intelligence beating one of the world's finest human players got me thinking myself. Firstly, one of the interesting reflections on the tournament was that the machine was playing moves that a human just wouldn't have thought appropriate (or even thought of). What this seems to belie is that … Continue reading OK, Go
We aren't the sort of family that has much in the way of heirlooms passed from generation to generation. In fact I think that the only thing that I have inherited (other than my wit and dashing good looks, naturally) is a bound edition of a volume of the satirical magazine Punch from around 1918. … Continue reading Advertorial
This week I learned: sometimes the new gigs literally just appear. This is why I just network endlessly rather than worrying about a pipeline. new gig is a time for application of what I've been learning over the past few years (more details to come shortly). the creative process is painful and slow and painful … Continue reading Weeknote 278: timing
Earlier this week I ordered a new pair of glasses. I did it online. Last summer I was looking for a new pair of prescription sunglasses. After getting my eyes tested, and selecting some frames, the high street optician I was using (one of the chains) came up with a number in excess of £500 … Continue reading The first time…
I've said it before, and no doubt I'll say it again: technology projects in the public sector are subject to a level of transparent scrutiny the likes of which would make most people in the private sector turn into gibbering wrecks. If it's not the National Audit Office raking over the coals, it's Parliament's Public … Continue reading When digital isn’t the answer
I've always found the telephone a stressful device. For as long as I have remembered I've generally found the idea of calling someone - particularly someone I don't know - a bit daunting. I know I'm not alone in this. On the other hand, for the most part, the written word - whether in the … Continue reading The spoken word
There's a friend of mine Tracey who is a little bit obsessed with collecting photographs of things that look like faces. We humans are subject to a phenomenon called pareidolia which means that if we spot the basic topography of eyes, noise and mouth then or brains fill in the gaps and say "Ooh, it's … Continue reading The rise of the anthropomorphs
Yesterday I spent some time with students from a school in East London talking about careers in technology. The kids were in Year 8 and so starting to face choices about what subjects they should choose for GCSEs. It’s the second such event I’ve been involved with since the beginning of the year. It's a … Continue reading Making choices
Right at the beginning of my career I remember my dad giving me a piece of advice: that where ever I found myself working in my career I should always regard myself as a supplier, providing my services to my client (my employer). Dad's an organizational psychologist, so he was speaking from a professional as … Continue reading Parent/Child
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