Published in Notbinary·PinnedActivating High-Performing TeamsConnection eats control for breakfast — Leadership direction has been stated. No one’s going to argue with that. For better, for worse, documents are written, PowerPoint decks proclaim the vision, objectives are cascaded, teams are mobilised and, before you know it, you’ve got conflict. Progress is grinding. Something’s not working. Ideas that shone like pristine snow…Leadership6 min read
Published in Notbinary·PinnedThe Paradox of ScaleNetflix couldn’t build Netflix — There are a bunch of heroes in the digital world that are held up as aspirational examples in conversations about digital business, technology and ways of working. Netflix, Spotify, Uber, Amazon and a host of our favourite characters, but these myths can become damaging fictions. Admired and respected as towering…Digital Transformation4 min read
Published in Notbinary·PinnedPyramids and DandelionsHow the Information Age explains Digital Transformation — I’ve been thinking hard about what I do, how I do it and why. I’ve always found it tricky to explain the power of holding technology, culture and transformation in creative tension, but there’s insight in that combination. I’m lucky to have been introduced to technology at a young age…Digital Transformation7 min read
Published in Notbinary·PinnedPeople are not resourcesTransforming organisations starts with changing our language — The word “resource” gets used, without a second thought, to mean people. It’s so pervasive and normalised that I’ve heard myself slip into using it. I intend to continue refusing this inertia. Resource. If you stop and think about it, it’s a terrible way to speak about people. A resource…4 min read
Published in Notbinary·PinnedAn engineering solution to a design problemLess eats more for breakfast — I design and build systems. Sometimes those systems are made of technology and sometimes they’re made of people. I’ve learned, and keep learning, that doing less is invariably greater than doing more. The phrase keeps coming to me: “it’s an engineering solution to a design problem”. I’m giving a name…Konmari5 min read
Oct 22, 2020Securing your private parts in AzureReal world private endpoints for Cosmos DB, Storage and Redis — If you’re anything like me, you were shocked to discover the default configuration of backing services in Azure is public. When you create resources like Cosmos DB, Redis and Storage, the most intimate and sensitive parts of your infrastructure, these resources come into the world nakedly exposed to the internet…Azure14 min read
Jun 11, 2020A Three-Cloud PrismTriangulating AWS, Azure, and GCP for perspective — Here’s something I found myself saying — it’s stuck with me and that’s prompted me to look into it: “Technology isn’t a thing you do, it’s a metaphor for exploring a philosophy of being” There’s a moment in every discipline, art, craft and practice when you find yourself reaching beyond…AWS6 min read
Mar 6, 2020Serverless is not functionsUnlearnings from Serverlessdays Cardiff 2020 — Do not try and bend the spoon. That’s impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth. There is no spoon. Then you’ll see that it is not the spoon that bends. It is only yourself — The Matrix I had the pleasure of being a part of Serverless Days Cardiff…Serverless7 min read
Nov 23, 2019How to win at hackathonsA stack for your hack — You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. ― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go! I like this sentiment for hackathons. The stories of Dr Seuss have stuck with me, peeping out from time to time from…8 min read
Sep 19, 2019Introduction to Containers in PracticeIf you missed Swanseacon 2019, here are the spoilers — Containers are complex, but they needn’t be mysterious. Here’s my de-jargoned guide to what they are and why they matter. I had the pleasure of speaking at SwanseaCon this year for the second time and wanted to spread some love and understanding about containers. I find it’s great to be…Docker4 min read
