Two weeks, one note. That's weeks and note.
Work
The user base of the product I work on at HMPPS widened so it is now available for probation staff out of hours as well as in hours. A blog post another time for how you design a service that works for both of those working periods. And maybe another on onboarding users (rather than dumping something on then and then legging it). A case of waiting for staff feedback now. No matter how much (or little) forethought you put into your product it is all hypothetical design until staff are using it for real etc etc.
Five weeks left at HMPPS for me and the other create/change people so a bit of this week was getting tight on what we’re doing in that time and making sure we’re involving the two civil servants staying on in the team in everything — and there’s a road map that drifts beyond May. (Need to firm up that last bit.)
Some good chats about why we’re recording metrics.
Spent some time planning and running with some other good people a forward-looking day-long workshop with the NHS vaccination leadership. Sometimes in life you just get the feeling this is your place where things join up and that time was one of them.
Work adjacent
(I think Tom Dolan uses this heading. Trying it to create a soft line.)
Not quite work, sharing last week’s weeknote to four social networks — LinkedIn, Mastadon, BlueSky, Threads — reminded me of the demise of Twitter, at least as a place where my work-and-play social network. For a long while Twitter was a place where I could observe and have reasonable, rational conversations. A lot of the community I was part of have moved on. I dip into Twitter for a quick bit most weekends for the (Grimsby) football, but that’s it. The last few years I’ve also massively reduced my use of social media. On Tuesday when I shared my weeknote I remembered the time to keep on top of one — Twitter — was. Regularly checking in on all four of those social networks would take a large chunk of my free time.
Had two half hour virtual coffees, with people from the Agile in the Ether and Product in the A(e)ther communities. (If you fancy a half an hour just hit me up.)
Not every decision is a pivot.
Reminded sometimes it’s good to just get together with some worky type people and have some chat, food and fun.
I re-saw the post on LinkedIn from the CEO of Zoe about their recent layoffs. A big bit of me is still is writing about that on a social network really the right thing?. Lots of other VC people and CEOs (and some “CEOs”) saying this is the truth, well done for saying it. But… what about the people laid off? Just… numbers? For a product that seems to be about us understanding humans, the post didn’t seem very empathetic to those laid off. Anyway.
Turns out Apple Notes aren't as web-share friendly as Evernote notes are, he says learning from sharing links to some of his Apple Notes in the previous weeknote...
General life notes
- Got some bad family news on Monday 29th April. Was on a watching brief for the week, it hanging at the back of my mind all week and the worse news came on the Saturday, having to drive the kids to Leeds General Infirmary at 1:30am. The outcome meant putting off going to Camp Digital and a weekend away in Dublin this coming week. Family first, eh. Oh, and protect the NHS etc etc etc.
That culture
- Listened to a lot of Goldfrapp.
- Continued watching X-Men 97.
- Getting through Forget the Alamo.
- Nipped across the road to Salts Mill for the Ian Beesley and People Powered Press exhibitions (catch both through May — and if you’re in Saltaire, come by and say hi!) and nipped to Caroline Street Social Club to see Jenna Greenwood’s stuff.
- Gave The Predator a go. Tonally not quite sure the young son fits in quite so well but I quite enjoyed it in a sit back and just let it happen kind of way.
- Bank holiday weekend watch: Better Off Dead…. I thought it was the first time but there’s bits in there I am sure I’ve seen before. It’s hard not to like it, treading the fun kooky side of surreal.
Running and fitness
Week commencing 22 April
🏃🏻♂️ 6 runs, totally 42.3km 👍🏼 👍🏼
🚶🏻♂️Tracked 19.9km of walking 👍🏼
🧗♂️ 1 climb, half an hour 👍🏼
🏋️♂️ No weights or aerobics.
Week commencing 29 April
🏃🏻♂️ 2 runs, totally 13.5km 😞
🚶🏻♂️Tracked 22.8km of walking 👍🏼
🧗♂️ Didn’t climb.
🏋️♂️ No weights or aerobics.
Race/organised runs plan. I track most activities on Strava.
Home improvements
Got the keys to the new house on 27 October 2023. Four months of renovation. Moved in start of March. Lots of things left to do.
Over these two weeks:
- Bath taps fixed (I think — I still nervously go downstairs after having the first shower of the day and expect there to be dripping in the kitchen)
- Started replacing the inside door locks. This isn’t as straightforward as expected. But what is in this house.
- Removed the rubble from the backyard. That might count as aerobic exercise actually. Them bags were HEAVY.
The home improvement log (needs the tasks sizing and prioritising)
Interesting links (some of them)
- Love the NPR Tiny Desk performances. The latest is a Hot Chip one.
- Mr Bates vs Post Office drama lost £1m, ITV boss says
- The councils selling the family silver to pay bills
- Climate Policy Radar - Public Product Roadmap
Looking forwards
Work / work adjacent
- Four weeks at HMPPS to go.
- Find something else for June onwards.
- Try and start one of those blog posts I keep hinting at.
- Agile in the Ether on Friday.
Health and fitness goals
- Run at least 25km.
- Weight down to 88kg.
- One weights/aerobic session.
Life
- Need to plan a longer break.
- Still need to try and read some of those 400-odd browser tabs in my phone.
- Final stretch of accounts / taxes.
Home improvement
- Fix the sideboards on by the oven.
- Finish replacing the inside door locks.
- Find and replace indoor door handles.
- Continue clearing the backyard.
- Touch up the walls in bedroom 2.
- Hang some pictures.
Diary management
- Agile in the Ether, Friday 10 May 2024
- Interesting 24, London, Wednesday 15 May 2024
- Product for the People, Leeds, Thursday 13 June 2024
- Dublin, Friday 21 June 2024 to Sunday 23 June 2024
- CSS, the Brude, Leeds, Monday 24 June 2024