So that’s all folks. A quiet – almost Irish – goodbye (well not quite – I’ve still got a couple of hours left but I messed up the scheduled publishing so…)

The speed with which things have moved from initial verbal resignation to today’s finale has caused a little whiplash but also is greatly appreciated. Dragging these things out is painful.

It did reinforce my feeling that I’d been on the edge of things – the periphery – for quite some time. A recurring guest star in other people’s story arcs rather than top of the call sheet in my own story line. I wasn’t even sure who to tell I was leaving or where (in our Slack galaxy) to do it. I’ve been contributing right up to the end but it has been (as it so often has been) as a connector, an historian, a sounding board. I’m a little morose that I couldn’t make it work as I’ll miss loads of the people I did get the opportunity to spend time with and miss the opportunity to work with many others I really wanted to…

…but I do have some really exciting conversations lined up about what I might do next and I am really itching to get closer to product and delivery activity. The market is tough and I am not expecting things to fall into my lap but there are some really interesting things starting to happen and I want to be a part of it. One last dance. 

Anyway. Hire me?

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Richard’s book is available for pre-order. If you are reading this you should read it.

Let’s get rid of job titles!…or at least embrace generalists again and move away from the silofication of digital.

We should let the government actually do stuff…more delivery, fewer consultations and (unsaid but imagined by your author) discoveries!

Switzerland now requires all government software to be open source…this seems great though I suspect it is that open source vs coding in the open nuance again but still extremely positive.

Former colleagues at the Department for Business and Trade talking about their, careful and considered, work with Generative AI. Wish more folk were approaching “AI” in this kind of thoughtful manner.

Mr Mann writes about the power of institutional memory and avoiding the missteps of the past (including the drop in authentic, open blogging in Government).

The weird and wonderful ways people are now finding out the breaking news…and it is not the BBC app.

Martin wrote a brilliant four part series about better diagrams. A must read for most people because I know hardly anyone who does it well (except Martin).

Formfest is back in December.

Ben wrote a great series of posts about building a data-driven public sector that is well worth a read and feels timely.

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I’m watching the gladiators and gangsters show – Those About to Die – on Amazon. It looks amazing but it suffers in comparison to Rome.

My unexpected unemployment luckily coincides with the Olympics where I am excited about seeing →

Basketball
Basketball 3×3
Beach Volleyball
Breaking
Handball
7s Rugby
Skating
Speed climbing
Surfing

…and totally uninterested in anything that includes sitting (on bikes, boats, horses etc) or splashing (swimming, diving etc). Does not mean I do not admire everybody involved! Well apart from that Dutch rapist. WTF!

Going to be Deadpool vs Wolverine tomorrow morning. Yes I am 51 – what of it!

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Not sure whether I’ll continue these notes past this edition – might wait until I am working again. I guess it depends if anything happens next week apart from my leaving drinks!

That’ll do I reckon.

Take care gang.