There are a lot of problems out there that need fixing. Some are big, and complicated. Others are quite small, and simple. Why not try picking one of the small and simple ones, and fix it? Back in 2007, I started a new job in local government. I was a risk manager! I hadn’t beenRead… Read more »
The way to make things happen is to let them go. I learned this from hard experience. For the last three or four years I spent my time trying to build a business. It didn’t go very well. It turns out I’m best working alone, within organisations, helping them to get things done. My businessRead… Read more »
The term digital transformation is being bandied about rather a lot at the moment. That’s fine – people often argue about words and phrases and what they mean and whether they are helpful. Usually they aren’t perfect but do a job as a sort of shorthand that everyone has a broad – if occasionally divergentRead… Read more »
I’ve found myself banging on a lot recently at events and other engagements about pretty much the same stuff. It’s what organisations need to do to grasp the digital opportunity – but which isn’t about actual tools on the internet. At least, not just about that. Embedded below is the first attempt I have madeRead… Read more »
Here’s an idea for those wanting to get some engagement going within your organisation. Send some emails. Actually, let’s be more specific. Send some really good emails. People are inundated with email at work, and adding to the burden might sound counter-productive. How about sending an email that reduces the burden though? Since I’ve beenRead… Read more »
At the DH digital champions summit on Tuesday, during the afternoon open space session, an interesting discussion broke out. One among many, I’m sure! Anyway, what was being discussed was the sheer unusability of government systems and processes. Only, not the ones that the public uses, but the ones that civil servants use. I’ve workedRead… Read more »
I’ve been doing work with local councillors for some time now – helping them see how they can use the internet to better engage with citizens, and communicate with them too. This takes the form of running training workshops usually. There’s probably a better way of doing it, but they are probably a bit trickyRead… Read more »
I find this stuff so you don’t have to: Delivering alpha performance reporting dashboards | Digital Health Origami – Design prototyping with Quartz Composer (free from Facebook) Daring Fireball: Microsoft, Past and Future – excellent read Splat the rat – our never ending web rationalisation | Digital Health The endemic flaw in the BBC’s digitalRead… Read more »
Or maybe not actually rethinking email, but taking it back to what it was meant to be about… Working with a colleague the other day in a government organisation, I saw him looking for a document, that he was sent in an email. He was looking for it in his email client (Outlook in thisRead… Read more »
Sometimes to make collaboration work you need to set some ground rules. It’s easy to say, “let’s start up a google doc!” – and imagine everyone leaping in to give their ideas. But it’s not so simple as that, especially if folk haven’t had the experience or confidence in this way of working. Instead it’sRead… Read more »