Went to see another customer for discovery work. Pharma company with a vast campus with over 4,000 employees. The customer showed amazing levels of advocacy for the software. The amount of personal engagement in the product it great to see but does give me a little concern. I feel it is due to the amount of effort involved to get the value from the system, as well as how much it helps day to day obviously, and I worry about the loss of mastery when people move to the new version. My concern is where we may have made things previously only they understood by them more understandable by others, clearly a win for most users but a potential threat to our biggest advocates. A good problem to have but a potential problem none the less.
Started designing a design process. We don’t really have one. I want to get more user centric and all that good stuff. Need to get a bit of buy in as it feels like a bit of a lone effort at the moment and I need it to be a team one. The fact it came out so strongly of our retro shows it is the right thing to do but making it happen another thing.
We held our third ProductTank event. It was hosted by my employers on one of the floors of our shared office building in Aizlewood’s Mill. I was very stressed getting things ready for some reason, I got back from the aforementioned customer visit at 5, event started at six. it felt like having a party at home and you are always on as the host not relaxing. Speakers were all really good and carried the event as we felt a bit disorganised. These are probably things only I worry about and the feedback suggests everyone had a good time. Other things that stressed me, I asked a question of one of the speakers and then started worrying about something else that needed doing for the next speaker. Speaker called me out for not listening…ironically when they were talking about active listening. I also spoke over another speaker when they were asked to explain their bacjground, I was trying to pay them a massive compliment but it felt like a mistake. Felt very anxious the day after. Maybe I shoiuld have drunk more before/after to chill out. Did I say the speakers were all brilliant? I learnt loads and not just about being a worrying dick.
In less stressful news running went well this week and for the whole of February. Wednesday run was really hard and I felt like I had gone backwards a bit as I had lost pace. Saturday though I managed a half marathon and a pretty hilly one at that. Managed to run 140k in february with over 1500m of climb. My most ever in a month both distance and climb. Pretty proud of that.
Finished the story mode on God of War. Excellent story. Great game. Now finishing off side quests and the very difficult battles with Valkyries. Kind of don’t want it to end but also hankering for a new gaming experience preferably not involving lots of axe based murder with sprinklings of father son bonding.
Still feel like I am shying away from writing what I want. Just cursory notes. No feeling. No humour. This may reflect my life. I have these whines every so often then do sod all about it. Story of my life I guess…so here is my first attempt to add a bit more structure that might me to force about them differently. Also want these things to change some other behaviours or be a record of trying to do that. So here are my new weekly questions…are these right for me? Are they sustainable? We will see
What did I learn/practice this week?
The half marathon was a very much about setting myself a goal, run a half marathon by the end of February, and then preparing for it, no beer on Friday for one. Then a lot of positive mental attitide, not my strong suit, and telling myself to keep going. A lesson in here somewhere.
I want to apply this kind of goal and focus to work so that will be next weeks challenge..although I have a short working week next week. Always with the excuses
What made me happy/proud this week?
The running obviously. My son also did some great work at school where he just got and created a project without any real assistance. We did not even know about it where as lots of other parents seem to have been working on the project at home. The fact he ot to choose what genuinely interested him seems to have helped him greatly.
What/Who inspired me this week?
My wife applied for a role that might be beyond her current skills but she just cracked on and did it. Very impressive.
Let’s see how they focus my mind. Still not sure they will make them funnier than Alice’s and maybe that is what I want really. To make myself laugh.
Leave a Reply