Working my way back to you(sers)…

Week notes — w/c 25/01/2021

I had a four day week this week because I treated myself to a long weekend which was totally delicious.

We did a show and tell with our schools this week via Zoom which was successful, and we got a lot of insight from it. I was quite nervous about this, as I don’t use Zoom very often, but it went without any hitches and we got some great feedback.

I have completed a process map for one of my work streams, OK, it was the smallest one but I’m taking it as win — hurrah!!

Had a prototyping session with Sam McLaren this week, the outcome being more questions and scenarios, not previously thought of before, so its back to the working group for some subject matter expert advice and brainstorming to be done next week.

Had some super advice from T as well, I’ve taken it onboard and have hatched a plan…..thanks for the pearls T!

I also had a couple of digital team sessions this week which were quite fun and interactive, and I managed to show my colleagues how to do a ‘grapevine’ (aerobics circa 1992) from the comfort of my broom cupboard (office). Which they were impressed with, mostly!

Had another show and tell at the end of the week for the project team and the wider service. We invite our digital colleagues to these sessions so we can understand what work we are doing and get constructive feedback from our peers. We got some realistic feedback from an attendee about not delivering on the project. I think this was a fair and honest comment. When the business isn’t fully immersed with what the project team are doing, it’s easy to feel that we aren’t delivering; however, not having an understanding of the project, its constraints and our challenges, is something that the wider team isn’t often exposed to. That’s why its important to convey this. I am passionate about culture and our users, and my aim for the next show and tell is to be more open about the challenges we face as a project team, in order for them to have a better understanding about why it might seem to be slow going. Quick, iterative, tangible wins which the wider team can see, will be how we get buy in across the board with this.

Finished the week off with a Retro on the last project sprint which was nice way to roundup.

We concluded that we have worked hard, we are all knackered and we will continue to be knackered and we are looking forward to the weekend.

Until next time…..