The Shape of water is a book by Andrea Camilleri. It is a quote from a Bruce Lee films. It is the shape that our service needs to be. This is a topic that I keep coming back to. It haunts me and excites me. Water can be any shape. Try it. It can be … Continue reading Shaping Water
That’s floor 5 done
Finally, I now know where our bat database is kept. Not the actual database, that is in the data centre (the bat cave?) but rather the place where it is used. Where else but in the belfry at County Hall? Okay, we don't actually have a belfry but it is right up near the roof … Continue reading That’s floor 5 done
Technology direction statement
The ICT strategy is always a difficult document to write. Getting the balance between the strategic, which it is supposed to be, and the tactical, which is what people want to see is a challenge. I am not sure if I have got this balance right. In fact I am sure. Over the last seven … Continue reading Technology direction statement
Forget bimodal
Have you heard about bimodal IT? It's a new one on me. Apparently it is one of Gartner’s and has been around for a while. I can't be expected to keep all of the jargon. That would be a lifetime's work. In short, bimodal means that there are two types of IT. The stuff that … Continue reading Forget bimodal
#DurHack 2017
University seems to be so much more fun when I was there. Perhaps it was the subject that I did or perhaps it's all the cool stuff they get to play with now. The students do work hard though. Again a lot more than when I was there. If I remember rightly my years at … Continue reading #DurHack 2017
Guerrilla Archaeology
Who knew we had archaeologists? I’d never really thought about it before today until I invaded their space. I was doing my Guerrilla Working thing and wandering round the fifth floor looking for a place to rest my weary laptop when I came across a door I had never been into. It was just asking … Continue reading Guerrilla Archaeology
Symbiosis or parasite
We hear a lot about disrupters these days. Technology so a disruptive industry. It has allowed new business models to emerge and firms have sprung up overnight that are sweeping away the old guard and rewriting the rules on how firms should operate. They have disrupted. Organisations such as Google, Facebook, Uber, Airbnb and Hungryhouse … Continue reading Symbiosis or parasite
Age versus youth
Annand house is a warren of corridors and small meeting rooms. My pass let me in but it took some time for me to find Debbie. I even ended up on the wrong floor. Our paths have crossed a number of times over the last few weeks. Ever since the elephant eating party we seem … Continue reading Age versus youth
A project waiting for an opportunity
Sometimes we try things too early. We set ideas away in the hope that they get some traction only for them to sit on a virtual shelf for lack of interest. That does not mean that they were bad ideas, at least not always. To move our business forward we need to have good ideas … Continue reading A project waiting for an opportunity
Re-election season
I have been re-elected as the president of Socitm North East for another year, in absentia, which is nice. Last week was our annual general meeting but with one thing and another I wasn't able to attend for the first half. I gather I wasn't opposed. Richard has also been re-elected as vice chair. … Continue reading Re-election season
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 