Five for Friday, on a Monday

Dave Briggs

Most Fridays I publish a list of five interesting links that I have spotted that week. I thought that maybe folk here would enjoy them too, so here they are. Let me know if it is useful and I'll try and remember to do it next week as well.

Digital Workplace Leader – a fun looking job going at Thanet District Council. “The digital workplace leader will be an experienced professional who leads the effort to create a work environment that exploits digital trends and encourages digital dexterity through the adroit use of technology. The goal is to improve employee agility and engagement so that Thanet District Council can profit from changing business models and improved workforce effectiveness in order to achieve its organisational goals.” If you get it, good luck in getting all that done in the year the job lasts for (!).
‘I don’t know how to use a computer!’: the stories of our most dangerous public servants – this story from Leah Lockhart got a lot of Twitter attention and rightly so. Hard not to laugh at this stuff at times, but of course it is in fact a complete disgrace. Wearing your ignorance as a badge of honour is never cool.
Publishers and the pursuit of the past – there’s nowt so tedious than the future of journalism discussion, but Ben Thompson at least brings in some strategic thinking about business models and incentives that’s worth digging into.
A networked organisation – Cassie Robinson is on fire at the moment – I feel like she should be given her own slot here every week. Here she articulates what it means to be a networked organisation – and how that differs from the activity ‘networking’.
Building a digital culture in DWP – another nice list of things that digital cultures look and feel like, this time by Jon Osborn. I do like “less process, more progress” and might start saying it on regular occasions, irregardless of context.

As always, these have mostly all been tweeted during the week, and you can find everything I’ve found interesting and bookmarked here.

Thanks so much for sharing Dave!

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Leah said: when someone says ‘I don’t use social media. No one wants to know what I had for breakfast! *chortle*’ I hear, ‘I don’t have the vaguest interest in understanding how an increasing number of citizens get information or choose to interact.’ That's a fair comment, but the reality is that some of the greyer people in the world (not just in the public sector) have the perception that social media is all about sharing what I had for breakfast or watched on the telly. Then they hear about users being trolled and their disinterest becomes aversion. Their lack of understanding may extend to having never seen Facebook or Twitter etc. and having absolutely no idea how to benefit from using either. Some, no doubt, have concerns about privacy and security, about how to avoid objectionable content. If it's important for your job to know how to use a computer then it's for your employer to train you (or recruit staff who already know how to use one). Laying the failure of employers to adequately train staff at the door of those staff is simply wrong

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Nope. It has always been the case that an indiviual's personal development is their own responsiblity, whether we are talking about computers or not. What sets technology apart is the apparent pride in which some people seem to take in their ignorance. It's fine for people not to know about something, but if they reject the opportunity to learn about it, or lack the curiosity to find out more for themselves, then they probably aren't a gerat fit for the modern workplace.

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Seriously? So a user who has no interest in using social media outside the workplace (or SQL server or Excel) should invest their own time (and posibbly money)? What sets technology apart is the arrogance that makes those who are capable users assume that everyone wants or needs to be as capable them.

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Somehow my reply disappeared when I edited a typo. So here it is (paraphrased) again :) Seriously? So someone who has no interest outside work in using social media (or SQL Server or Excel) should invest their own time and possibly money? What sets technology apart is that some capable users are so arrogant as to assume that everyone wants or needs to be as capable as them. The attitude that you're exhibiting is precisely why some older people stay away from social media.

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I don't think that believing that an individual is responsible for their own personal development is arrogant. Whether it's computer-related or not, it is up to people to ensure that they are comfortable using the tools to do work in the modern workplace, whatever that might mean for their individual context. I think Leah's article, and certainly my comments, are anyhow directed more at those people who claim their ignorance as a badge of honour - the "oh, I don't do email" etc viewpoint. It's actually nothing to do with social media (or indeed age) and everything to do with an individual's curiosity and willingness to find things out, learn, and experiment. Precisely the kind of attitudes I would always look for in a person if I am hiring.

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