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
Unfolding plans 20 – coming back to apprentices
I said I would come back to apprentices. I’ll keep coming back to them throughout the year as they are important in so many ways. They are also the seventh thing I want to achieve this year. According to the North-East Chamber of Commerce the region faces a "ticking time bomb" due to a lack … Continue reading Unfolding plans 20 – coming back to apprentices
Unfolding plans 19 – the value tree
I was intrigued. The invite said that during the meeting we ‘will capture these (Mission Statement, objectives and priorities) in a “Value Tree” which is a graphical way of presenting the key objectives that requires them to be ranked in order of importance. The Value Tree can then be used at future “Gateways” to check … Continue reading Unfolding plans 19 – the value tree
Unfolding plans 17 – Who remembers the future?
Who remembers the future? We were going to be living in the sky, with hover cars to get us about and robots to do our bidding. We were going to wear futuristic clothes, usually in silver and have pills instead of meals. Do you remember that happening? In the movie ‘Back to the future’ 2015 … Continue reading Unfolding plans 17 – Who remembers the future?
Unfolding plans 12 – are we a bureaucratic nation?
Sugata Mitra is a very interesting man. Get to see him if you can. I’ve mentioned him several times both around his school in the cloud work and also the development of self-learning environments. That reminds me that I must do something about my wish to create a self-learning work environment (number eight on my … Continue reading Unfolding plans 12 – are we a bureaucratic nation?
Unfolding plans 11 – In the future all business will rely upon technology.
It was an interesting meeting with Durham BID. Their offices are in the centre of Durham, just next to Greggs in case you are wondering. BID stands for business improvement district and they have the role of trying to improve the lot of the businesses, all four hundred and sixty of them, within what is … Continue reading Unfolding plans 11 – In the future all business will rely upon technology.
Unfolding plans 10 – Durham is the ideal place to site your data centre
I’ve been told that Durham is the ideal place to site your data centre. It’s something to do with the ambient temperature. You don’t need air conditioning - you just need to open the doors. Those of you down south paying over the odds for expensive cooling take note. We’ve been applying this principle in … Continue reading Unfolding plans 10 – Durham is the ideal place to site your data centre
Unfolding plans 6 – Mentoring is something I’ve never done before
Mentoring is something I’ve never done before (third or second thing this year?). Last year the Senior Leadership Team was asked if this is something we could provide and towards the back end of last year we all attended some training and offered our services to the wider management group. Everyone was offered a first … Continue reading Unfolding plans 6 – Mentoring is something I’ve never done before
Unfolding plans 2
The English language is a funny thing. Nearly every word has both a positive and a negative connotation. Take the word flexible for instance. As an adjective it can mean capable of being bent or susceptible to modification or adaptation. As an adjective there is a whiff of the sinister. I can take something that … Continue reading Unfolding plans 2
A year of work in progress – day 223
Day 223 – 24 December 2014 So here it is, the last working day of my year and so the last day of this blog. I managed to get there without missing a post and without running out of things to say. Sometimes the words tripped off the ends of my fingers and there were … Continue reading A year of work in progress – day 223
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 