Disruptive thinking in COVID times

In this, my latest blog, I thought I'd share some of the articles and podcasts I've enjoyed reading and listening to over the past couple of months whilst we've been on lockdown. To me these either challenge the usual way of thinking or at least offer what I find to be an engaging opinion on how things have changed during this period of unprecedented turbulence.

IT Skills Gap - an interesting take from Simon Ratcliffe, principal consultant at Ensono and someone I've known for almost 15 years, on the IT skills gap and how there isn’t really a skills crisis at all (something we rarely acknowledge). Read more

Remote Learning - Despite not being a parent, I found this was an appealing read on using remote learning to keep things normal for school children and how effective this can be. Indeed, will it become part of the new norm? Read more

Re-invigorated Focus - Remote working revelations. And getting our house in order. It can take something extra ordinary to make us seriously look at how we are doing things and why we are doing them. And with the right mind-set some good can come out of a difficult situation (a small silver lining perhaps).

Tech is a Force for Good - This post, written during the early stages of the lockdown (were we even in lockdown then, I can't remember?) looked at how tech and the tech companies can be and are being a force for good in the age of Covid-19. Read more

The Market View - Continuing on the topic of tech goodness, I have been an avid reader of TechMarketView for quite a few years and always enjoy reading their daily UKHotViews newsletter. Recently they have been doing a great series on what some tech companies, large and small, are doing to help fight Covid-19 and support others during the pandemic. Well worth signing up to read if you don't already. Read more

Listening to the New IT Generation - And lastly, back to Simon for his podcast series taking a fresh look at technology in the modern world through the eyes of a middle aged IT consultant (his words, not mine) and his teenage son. I am really enjoying this, especially the different perspectives and how what we (from another middle aged IT professional of sorts) view as the norm is rightly being questioned. My big fear, and takeaway, is as an older generation we don't force our ways of working on the young bloods as they join the workforce but instead listen and adopt some of their ways of working. I can live in hope anyway! Read more