Learning a language can be hard especially if you are fluent in your mother tongue. Foreigners speak in different ways. They construct their sentences in ways that seem alien to the English speaking world, with strange word order and an ill-defined use of the definite article. What’s the matter with them? I’ve been struggling with … Continue reading Unfolding plans 31 – the concept of separable verbs
Unfolding plans 30 – Are we living in parallel universes?
Are we living in parallel universes? I was due at a meeting of the North East ICT Managers and was a little early so I did what I always do and looked for somewhere with free WiFi. It was at Newcastle Civic Centre and the city centre offers a lot of choice for the online … Continue reading Unfolding plans 30 – Are we living in parallel universes?
Unfolding plans 29 – customers are our core business
Account management can be difficult to justify, especially in these straightened times. It is an overhead that we can ill afford. When we are being asked to watch every penny and cut out all waste, having a team of people who work with the customer, both internal and external, can be seen as a luxury. … Continue reading Unfolding plans 29 – customers are our core business
Unfolding plans 28 – tech in meetings
Some people get really hung up about tech in meetings. It grates on them that someone can be tapping away on their laptop, tablet or smartphone and give the impression that they are not paying attention. I’m not one of them. It doesn’t really bother me. It just seems to be the way things are … Continue reading Unfolding plans 28 – tech in meetings
Unfolding plans 27 – a bit of town planning
Digital, is it a curse or saviour? I mentioned last year that a group of us had come together to see if we could use online technologies to help with the regeneration of Stanley. I’d put a report together to try and generate some interest and this week it was my opportunity to present it … Continue reading Unfolding plans 27 – a bit of town planning
Unfolding plans 26 – There are those that tell and those that ask
There are those that tell and those that ask, apparently. No human system is so binary yet most of us fall towards one end of the ask or tell continuum. We may prefer to ask but from time to time find the need to tell. We may feel that we ask when indeed we are … Continue reading Unfolding plans 26 – There are those that tell and those that ask
Unfolding plans 25 – Something has to give and the technology is going to help
I’ve noticed a subtle change. Services are coming to us asking for help. The drive to use technology is growing at pace. I don’t know if austerity has helped but it has certainly sharpened our focus. As the cuts have gone deeper and deeper there is an increasing realisation that we can’t do the same … Continue reading Unfolding plans 25 – Something has to give and the technology is going to help
Unfolding plans 24 – the true test of artificial intelligence is for it to deliver something unpredictable
It’s an interesting concept. How do you test artificial intelligence? It is a concept that is difficult to define yet we all can understand that human intelligence is different from so called artificial intelligence. I’ve already said in a previous piece that I struggle with the definition of artificial intelligence, or machine intelligence as all … Continue reading Unfolding plans 24 – the true test of artificial intelligence is for it to deliver something unpredictable
Unfolding plans 23 – bad data gives off the repulsive odour of decay
Aren’t graphs great? You can make them say whatever you like. Play about with the x and y axis and you can make things look better or worse as you wish. Alan showed us some at the extended management team to do with channel shift. The optimists amongst us saw the lines getting better while … Continue reading Unfolding plans 23 – bad data gives off the repulsive odour of decay
Unfolding plans 22 – It might be time for a rethink
It might be time for a rethink about our Strategic ICT Group. It has met every other month or so for a few years and the agenda has changed to accommodate the new things that we have done but basically the format has remained the same: an update on projects; agree new projects; discussion on … Continue reading Unfolding plans 22 – It might be time for a rethink
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 