Day 12 – 17 January 2014
There are two main groups that I attend which represent ICT in the region, the Society of ICT Managers (SOCITM) and the North East ICT Managers (NEICT). My friend Roy chairs the first and I chair the latter.
Today it is the turn of SOCITM. This group covers the whole of local government and public sector across the twelve authorities that make up our region. We meet quarterly and it has a distinct advantage over the NEICT in that lunch is provided. It’s always a decent lunch as well because the meetings are held at the Ramside Hall hotel just outside Durham. The pink ginger cordial is nice as well. The hotel has a golf course and so if you are a golfer, which I am not, SOCITM could be a great day out.
Our industry is riddled with jargon. Most of it I’m aware of but TOGAF was a new one. The Open Group Architecture Framework is a framework for enterprise architecture which provides a comprehensive approach for designing, planning, implementing, and governing an enterprise information architecture. Now I know and feel less inadequate.
There were three main things on the agenda: Public Services Network (PSN) of course (we seem to talk about this at every opportunity); Troubled families and; Top Talent, an IBM sponsored people development programme.
It is really encouraging to be part of discussions about how ICT will make a difference rather than just about technology. Troubled families are characterised, according to the Department for Communities and Local Government, by there being no adult in the family working, children not being in school and family members being involved in crime and anti-social behaviour. Lots of agencies are involved with these families but no one was addressing the whole. It is about wholesale service change to deliver a coordinated approach and it has opportunity for ICT written all over it. Possibly one for social media as well.
12 hours spent directly with customers this week not including travelling time. Good show!
Learning points for today: Having a beard is an open invitation for anyone to pass comment; Five letter acronyms are the order of the day; All my colleagues are having similar issues to address and; Odd things are happening in the market but you cannot apply reason to an unreasonable situation.
Today’s enjoyment rating 9/10 – Lunch helped.
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 