Asking for Feedback, Twitter as a Super Power and Workspaces
I’ve been working on…
- We’ve been speaking to those lovely people at DooPoll again. The concept of easy anonymous feedback is an interesting one. It’s sparked some discussion around how we ask for feedback now. Do we inadvertently end up asking LOADS of questions when it’s being sent out on a paper form? What do we do with that data (is it actionable?). How do we tell people that as a result of this feedback we’ve done this thing! (You said, we did!). On the face of it, it seems like this might be a bit of a cultural shift from asking loads of questions once/twice a year, to smaller more focused questions more regularly. A sort of constant feedback loop. The trick is — you have to avoid survey fatigue! I’ve got a follow up meeting booked with colleagues in two weeks time to think about how we can start experimenting with this concept.
- I’ve been talking to tenants this week about digital services (again). We attempted to use Skype to enable people to join the conversation without having to physically travel. The results were a bit variable (not least because the venue wifi died) but we took away plenty of learning that we can implement and use again.
- In the run up to the tenant digital services meeting, we were experimenting with a few different video calling options — Google Hangouts in particular. We had a few colleagues on the same floor join a chat and test the experience of joining a video call. It was interesting to see how people reacted, how much laughing ensued and how people readily engaged with it. Considering how long video calling has been around, I’ve often wondered why it’s not used more. Does it go beyond people feeling camera shy?
- I took to Twitter this week to help a colleague to find examples of container living. I’ve spoken about it before, but in these situations I’m reminded that being able to draw upon a diverse network of people really is a super power. Thanks to some very lovely generous people, I was able to find out about container schemes in places that would’ve taken hours of Google-ing to find. If anyone has any doubts about the usefulness of social media — here’s the proof in the pudding (but as you’re reading this via Twitter, you probably know that already, right?)
I’ve been reading…
- Paul Taylor says the future of work in small networked teams, not the departmental silos we all know (and love?). I tend to agree.
https://paulitaylor.com/2017/02/10/why-we-love-silo-working-and-what-to-do-about-it/ - This short Co-op digital blog post describes the subtle differences of working with a digital team to deliver a service. The subtle shift from having all the answers to talking to users to discover problems and learn.
https://digitalblog.coop.co.uk/2017/02/13/transforming-the-co-op-wills-service-by-combining-legal-expertise-and-digital-skills/ - Transport for London just released a load of data from a passenger wifi tracking trial they conducted between November and December last year. The ways in which they can use the data to plan stations & routes is astonishing.
http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2017/02/heres-what-tfl-learned-from-tracking-your-phone-on-the-tube/ - Your work from home policy is probably rubbish. Here’s why.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141204164621-12715656-scrap-your-work-from-home-policy - Cracking stuff from Microsoft on inclusive design personas.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/design/inclusive - Is our educational system nurturing the skills that will be needed for the future of work? I think about this a lot!
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/15/robots-schools-teaching-children-redundant-testing-learn-future?CMP=soc_3156 - Here’s an excellent primer on using personas to design digital services. Sterling work from Dyfrig Williams.
https://goodpracticeexchange.wordpress.com/2017/02/15/developing-personas-for-a-user-focused-service/ - Most of us don’t get to experience the services we provide. This account of a hospital visit is a reminder that fixing the problem is not enough, we must be mindful of the human connect to the problem also. There’s a litany of inefficiency in here too which could be scrubbed out with a person centred design approach.
https://johnbromford.wordpress.com/2017/02/14/small-is-beautiful-under-the-covers-part-2 - The surprising benefits of failure. Experimentation & testing results in growth & insights.
https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/benefits-of-failure-marketing-analytics.html - Why you don’t need a digital strategy via Phil Rumens.
http://philrumens.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/why-you-dont-need-digital-strategy.html?m=1 - Women setup free unconference in response to male dominated Northern Powerhouse event.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/feb/15/female-council-chiefs-stage-rival-all-male-northern-powerhouse-conference?CMP=share_btn_tw - “Every great new product is killed at least three times by managers”. Interesting read about the meandering invention of the humble Post-It note.
http://scottberkun.com/2017/how-the-post-it-note-was-invented/ - Here’s another excellent call to action for work that is based purely on results, not time spent at a desk.
https://3minuteleadership.org/2017/02/17/want-greater-staff-retention-less-sickness-absence-and-increased-productivity-join-the-results-based-revolution-and-unleash-the-power-within/ - Ben Proctor muses on what a good physical workspace looks like. Something which is given little thought past aesthetics for most office space.
https://medium.com/the-satori-lab/corporeal-being-meets-remote-working-bcbfd3b84dbd#.qe0fmp9cx - Finished at 50? Actually, your career might be just getting started.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/02/finished-at-50-careers-ageing-population
I’ve been listening to…
- Desolation Radio : Housing and Renting in Wales feat. Jen Hoolachan, Steffan Evans and Nas.
http://pca.st/9Rni - Work in Progress #16 : For Love of Country
http://pca.st/a8n8 - IWA Debate : Should the Brexit deal for Wales include the free movement of people?
http://pca.st/ZtIi