Today's first coffee companion is a counsellor specialising in helping prevent burnout. We talked about: our respective careers working without purpose making significant career changes his counselling proposition how burnout is something that our work culture makes difficult to self-identify (if work isn't hurting, somehow you're not working hard enough) how when you have burnt … Continue reading 63rd of 100
Today's guest is a startup founder. We talked about: the delights of e-bikes and my first commute into the office the startup that he's started up raising awareness of carbon impact amongst school-aged children the skills gaps in the decarbonization sector gamification, and whether it's getting to a point where it's so common is it … Continue reading 62nd of 100
This week I have learned: going out and talking about the PlayCards is hard work. Here's a thing that I have made, into which I have ploughed a lot of thought and energy over the years. Putting it in front of people makes me feel incredibly vulnerable. The conversations are good, but I can't help … Continue reading Weeknote 630: revision
The methods of user-centric design approaches have increasingly permeated the consciousness of software development teams in many sectors. By no means universal, but the general idea that you start by understanding the needs of the user before you start to build things to meet those needs has increasingly been adopted as good practice. But what … Continue reading User-centred technology teams
The second of my coffee companions today helps organisations become more (little 'a') agile. We talked about: how the Elizabeth Line's changing of my mental model of London resulted in me being quite early the way in which new technologies often get introduced in remarkably sub-optimal ways and how it takes time for the world … Continue reading 61st of 100
Today's first coffee companion works in the world of developing people's talents. We talked about: The way in which the Elizabeth Line disrupts our mental models of London. Taking big ideas to the board of a company and getting their approval. The long shakeout ahead for how organisations will expect people to work The need … Continue reading 60th of 100
Today's coffee companion is a former colleague from my days at the BBC. We talked about: how my current job is going how the PlayCards are going how different environments aid memory of conversations North Kensington and the North Pole Pub the remaining reasons why people might be digital refuseniks how to encourage people to … Continue reading 59th of 100
Today's coffee companion is a technologist who works in government. We talked about Why multitasking in humans is a myth, and how single tasking increases your productivity The tendency for any generation to use the prevailing technology of the time as a metaphor for how humans work How still most computers don't actually multi-task, they … Continue reading 58th of 100
The furore around the workplace style of the former Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary is both fascinating and scary. Politically it seems terrifying to me that the party of the establishment, in power for 13 years, might use this episode as an excuse to try to politicise Civil Service roles because of a vaguely-defined … Continue reading Making the hard decisions
Some background hints and tips for anyone working with me. Feedback and observations on the content are most welcomed because I don't know what I don't know! Conditions I like to work in For individual working (writing, jockeying spreadsheets, preparing presentations) I’m happiest in my home office. I find this sort of work hard in … Continue reading My User Manual
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