Tag Archives: Tools

30 Informative Websites for 2025: Boost Your PKMS

27 Monday Jan 2025

Posted by in 21st Century Human, Productivity, Tools

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Following on from my recent post on PKMS (Personal Knowledge Management System) and (20 Informative Podcasts for 2025: Boost Your PKMS) I am next listing 30 sites that are in my Feedly feed. There are a lot more that I use and this is a snapshot of a few of them.

Feedly provides an aggregation tool that collects stories from various blogs and websites that I find useful for research and information . This generates a list of stories that can be quickly scanned on a single screen without having to visit multiple sites. Clicking on a story displays a snippet from the source site and provides a link to read the full article, if necessary. Using a series of keystrokes, it is possible to read the headlines, then move through the articles efficiently, stopping and opening them as needed.

Sources can be categorized to allow an all-view or just what’s new in a category.

List of Websites

  1. BCS – Latest insights, ideas and perspectives from BCS and its community.
  2. TechRepublic – News, tips, and advice for IT professionals.
  3. CIO – Analysis, trends, and tips for IT leaders.
  4. Forbes – CIO Network -Analysis, trends, and tips for IT leaders.
  5. Forrester Blog for CIOs – Insights from industry veterans and analysts.
  6. WSJ CIO Journal – News and analysis for technology executives.
  7. CIOInsight – Insights on the evolving technology landscape.
  8. CTOvision – Technologies and trends for enterprise technologists.
  9. Gartner Technology Blogs – Analysis and insights for tech leaders.
  10. Rands in Repose – Michael Lopp’s thoughts on technology leadership.
  11. TechCrunch – Startups, new internet products, and breaking tech news.
  12. Wired – Current and future trends in technology.
  13. The Verge – How technology will change life in the future.
  14. Ars Technica – News and reviews on technology, science, and culture.
  15. Engadget – News, reviews, and videos about the latest in tech.
  16. Gizmodo – Design, technology, science, and science fiction.
  17. Mashable – Tech, digital culture, and entertainment content.
  18. CNET – Consumer technology breakthroughs.
  19. Digital Trends – News, reviews, how-tos, and videos about technology.
  20. VentureBeat – Technology innovation news and events.
  21. ZDNet – News, analysis, and research on IT trends.
  22. TechRadar – News and reviews on the latest gadgets and technology.
  23. SiliconANGLE – Research, publishing, and live video for tech audiences.
  24. Slashdot – News for nerds, stuff that matters.
  25. GigaOM – News, analysis, and opinions on emerging technologies.
  26. TechSpot – Computer hardware and technology news.
  27. Tom’s Hardware – Reviews and news on computer hardware and software.
  28. How-To Geek – Tutorials and guides for tech enthusiasts.
  29. InfoWorld – News, analysis, and how-tos for IT professionals.
  30. Geekwire – news, expert analysis and unique insights into the technology industry.

What are your top websites for news, insights and opinion?

Embracing Humility: Staying Open to Feedback and Continuous Improvement in Tech

20 Monday Jan 2025

Posted by in 21st Century Human, Mindset, Technologists Toolkit, Tools

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Humility might seem like an unusual trait to emphasise in a field driven by hard data and cutting-edge advancements. However, it is humility that fosters a culture of learning and adaptability.

When tech professionals recognise that they don’t have all the answers, they become more open to new ideas and perspectives. This openness is essential for innovation and problem-solving.

Humility is the quality of having a modest view of one’s own importance. It involves understanding and accepting one’s limitations and faults, as well as showing respect and consideration for others. Humility is often associated with being open to feedback, willing to learn, and acknowledging that there’s always room for personal and professional growth.

In essence, humility is about balancing self-confidence with self-awareness and respect for others.

Why Humility Matters

Here are some key reasons why humility matters:

Openness to Learning – Humility nurtures a mindset that acknowledges there is always more to learn. Openness to new ideas and perspectives will develop your continuous improvement in skills and knowledge. It helps prevents complacency and promotes a growth-oriented attitude.

Better Collaboration – Humble individuals tend to listen more and value others’ input. This approach fosters a collaborative environment where team members feel respected and heard. In such settings, diverse ideas can flourish, leading to more innovative and effective solutions to problems. Collaboration can also help address any ambiguity on a problem or solution through the diverse experience and knowledge that each team member brings.

Adaptability – Humility is crucial for adapting to change. Admitting and knowing that you do not have all the answers allows you to embrace new technologies, methodologies, and perspectives. This adaptability is essential for every professional.

Personal Growth – Accepting feedback and learning from mistakes are cornerstones of personal and professional development. Humility encourages self-reflection and a commitment to self-improvement. By viewing setbacks as opportunities for growth, you can develop resilience and a continuous learning mindset.

Building Trust – Humility is fundamental in building trust with colleagues and stakeholders. When you admit your limitations and seek input from others, you demonstrate integrity and reliability. This transparency fosters an environment of mutual respect and trust, which is essential for effective teamwork and leadership.

Enhanced Leadership – Humble leaders are more likely to inspire and motivate their teams and promotes a culture of mutual respect and shared success. Through valuing team members’ contributions and being open to their ideas, humble leaders can build stronger, more cohesive teams.

Creating Inclusive Environments – Humility helps create inclusive and dynamic professional environments. By understanding and appreciating that everyone has something valuable to contribute, humble individuals can foster a sense of belonging and collaboration. This inclusivity can lead to greater innovation and success for the entire team.

How to Practice Humility

Practicing humility involves several actionable steps that can enrich both personal and professional interactions. The more you practice humility, the easier it becomes and is one of your good habits.

Seek Feedback – Actively seek feedback from colleagues, mentors, leaders and peers. You need to be open to constructive criticism and use it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Requesting regular feedback sessions, whether formal or informal can help you stay on track and identify areas where you can enhance your skills.

Acknowledge Mistakes – It is important to know that everyone makes mistakes. When you make a mistake, acknowledge it and take responsibility. Use mistakes as learning experiences and share what you’ve learned with others. This can take different forms, however it is important to write it down so any learnings are not forgotten. This openness can prevent similar errors in the future and reinforce a culture of continuous improvement.

Listen Actively – Practice active listening by giving your full attention to others when they speak. Show that you value their perspectives and are willing to consider their ideas. This not only builds trust but also encourages a more open exchange of ideas, leading to better decision-making.

Celebrate Others’ Successes – A good leader observes the achievements of their colleagues and celebrates them with others. Promoting what they have done by showing appreciation for their contributions and supporting their growth. Publicly acknowledging their successes can boost morale and foster a positive team dynamic.

Stay Curious – You can maintain a sense of curiosity and a desire to learn by staying ahead of the curve. Be curious and approach new challenges with an open mind and a willingness to explore different solutions. This mindset keeps you adaptable and ready to face any new developments in your field.

Reflect Regularly – Take time to reflect on your experiences and identify areas for improvement. Writing down your reflections in a journal ensures you capture thoughts and feelings that you can review and learn from. Discussing your reflections with a mentor, team colleague or peers can help you gain insights and stay focused on growth. Regular self-reflection helps you stay grounded and aligned with your personal and professional goals.

Continuous Learning – Developing your CPD (Continuous Development Plan) allows you to invest in your own education and professional development. This could include attending workshops, seminars, or enrolling in courses. Keeping your knowledge up-to-date ensures you remain competent and capable in your role and a CPD will allow you to reflect on what you have learnt and what you need to learn going forward.

Build Empathy – Understanding and empathising with others’ perspectives can help you practice humility. Building and strengthening out our quotients (IQ, EQ, CQ, DQ, etc) will help you become a well rounded person and enhance your empathy. Empathy also comes from experience and engaging in activities that broaden your worldview, such as volunteering or working with diverse teams helps as well. Empathy can help to strengthen relationships and foster a more inclusive work environment.

Be Open to Change – Mastering change can be a hard thing to accomplish and having the right mindset can help overcome any resistance to change. Embrace change as an opportunity for growth rather than a threat. Being open to new methods, technologies, and ideas demonstrates humility and a willingness to adapt.

Real-World Examples

Nelson Mandela – the former President of South Africa, is a prime example of a leader who expressed humility. Despite enduring 27 years of imprisonment, Mandela harboured no resentment towards his captors. Instead, he focused on reconciliation and bringing together a divided nation. His humility allowed him to listen to others’ perspectives and foster unity, which was instrumental in the peaceful transition from apartheid to a democratic society.

Jacinda Ardern – the Prime Minister of New Zealand, is renowned for her empathetic and humble leadership style. During crises such as the Christchurch mosque shootings and the COVID-19 pandemic, Ardern consistently demonstrated compassion and a willingness to listen to the concerns of her citizens. Her ability to communicate openly and admit mistakes has garnered widespread respect and trust, highlighting the power of humility in leadership.

Satya Nadella – the CEO of Microsoft, has been praised for transforming the company’s culture through humility. Nadella encourages a growth mindset, knowing that learning and development are continuous processes. By fostering an environment where employees feel valued and heard, he has driven innovation and collaboration within the organisation. His humble approach has contributed significantly to Microsoft’s success and revitalisation.

Conclusion

Humility is not about diminishing your own worth but rather about appreciating that everyone has something valuable to contribute. Embracing humility is essential for staying open to feedback and continuous improvement as a professional. By seeking feedback, acknowledging mistakes, listening actively, celebrating others’ successes, staying curious, and reflecting regularly, you can cultivate humility and drive personal and professional growth. Remember, humility is not about thinking less of yourself but about being open to learning and valuing the contributions of others. In the ever-changing world of technology, humility will help you navigate challenges, build strong relationships, and achieve lasting success.

Further Reading

Using the best of the Q Continuum
Turning Failures into Success: The Mindset of Failing Forward for Technologists
Stay Ahead of the Curve: Essential Strategies for Technologists to Stay Informed
Mastering the CPD Cycle for Professional Growth

Pen based Productivity Tools – The Chronodex 2025

15 Wednesday Jan 2025

Posted by in Productivity, Tools

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It is good to see that the Chronodex is still going strong with the release of the first half of the year 2025 version now available. The Chronodex is a clock-shaped calendar designed to help you visualise and manage your time more effectively.

Scription Chronodex Weekly Planner Jan – Jun 2025 Released

The format of the downloads are primarily meant for the Midori Traveller Notebook system (Patrick is associated with the Traveller Company), but it can be used without by printing out and using an elastic band to hold the pages together.

This is a productivity tool that I have used on and off for a good number of years now. From printing out the half year versions, I have moved to a stamp version I can put into my journal when needed using an ink pad and a steady hand.

I use the Chronodex as it has a visual appeal, with its circular design giving an engaging visual overview of how you are spending (or spent) your time, allowing easy review to check productivity vs getting the tasks done that need to be done. Using a colour code system helps quickly identify the most important tasks and see how the time is distributed across different activities.

I could very well achieve the same things using modern tools and AI, but occasionally it’s good to keep my hand in writing rather than typing and I don’t want to be tethered to a device 24 x 7 just to check a schedule.

Further Reading

No Batteries Required: My Personal Journal
2025 PKMS Updates: Boost Productivity and Knowledge Retention

20 Informative Podcasts for 2025: Boost Your PKMS

13 Monday Jan 2025

Posted by in 21st Century Human, Technologists Toolkit, Tools

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Following on from my recent post on PKMS (Personal Knowledge Management System), I thought I would share what is on my Podcast list for 2025 and what I am currently listening to. These are not listed in any particular order, other than how they appeared in my podcast library when I wrote this blog post.

I find my best time to listen and consume podcasts is walking the dog morning and evening (acts as my commute whilst working at home) or travelling. Hopefully this list will help inspire you and I would welcome any suggestions you have for other podcasts I should be listening to!

I have linked these on Spotify, but they should be available where you normally consume you podcasts. I have used AI to help write a summary of each podcast.

Impulse to Innovation – IMechE I2I

The Impulse to Innovation podcast by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is a series that explores various topics related to engineering and innovation. Each episode features interviews with experts and thought leaders who share their insights and experiences on how technological advancements and innovative thinking can drive progress in different fields.

Spotify Link – Impulse to Innovation

The Innovation Engine Podcast – 3Pillar Global

The Innovation Engine Podcast by 3Pillar Global features interviews with best-selling authors and innovation experts from around the world. The podcast focuses on innovation in software and product engineering, corporate leadership, and emerging technologies. Each episode delves into how companies and individuals drive innovation, tackle challenges, and leverage new technologies to stay competitive.

Spotify Link – The Innovation Engine Podcast

The Pitch – Josh Muccio

The Pitch is a podcast hosted by Josh Muccio that gives listeners an inside look into the world of start up funding. Each episode features real start up founders pitching their businesses to a panel of investors, similar to the TV show “Shark Tank”. The podcast aims to capture the essence of what happens behind closed doors during these pitches, providing an engaging and educational experience for listeners.

Spotify Link – The Pitch

Pivot – New York Magazine

Pivot is a podcast hosted by tech journalist Kara Swisher and NYU Professor Scott Galloway. Released every Tuesday and Friday, the podcast offers sharp, unfiltered insights into the biggest stories in tech, business, and politics. The hosts make bold predictions, pick winners and losers, and engage in lively banter, providing listeners with thought-provoking discussions and analysis.

Spotify Link – Pivot

a16z Podcast – Andreessen Horowitz

The a16z Podcast by Andreessen Horowitz covers a wide range of topics related to technology, business, and culture. Each episode features conversations with industry experts, business leaders, and thought-provoking voices from around the world. The podcast aims to help listeners understand how technology is changing everything—from Silicon Valley to traditional industries, and how it impacts the way we work, live, eat, learn, and play.

Spotify Link – a16z Podcast

Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders – Stanford e-Corner

summarise Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders – Stanford e-Corner

Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders is a podcast series produced by Stanford eCorner. Each week, experienced entrepreneurs and innovators come to Stanford University to share candid lessons they’ve learned while developing, launching, and scaling disruptive ideas. The series provides valuable insights into the entrepreneurial journey, highlighting both the secrets and setbacks behind real success.

Spotify Link – Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders

One Business Book per Day – Palonio.com

One Business Book per Day is a dynamic podcast designed to provide busy entrepreneurs and professionals with bite-sized summaries of the most popular and influential business books. Each episode distils the key concepts, strategies, and insights from a best-selling business book into an easily digestible format, allowing listeners to quickly grasp and apply valuable lessons in their own lives and careers.

Spotify Link – One Business Book per Day

Disruptive Innovators – Disruptive Innovations

Disruptive Innovators: Champions of Digital Business is a podcast hosted by David Wright, Founder & CEO of Disruptive Innovations. The podcast features weekly interviews with CIOs and IT/Digital leaders from around the world. Each episode dives into their personal backstories, career journeys, current roles, trends they’ve observed, and their visions for the future.

Spotify Link – Disruptive Innovators

The Future of Everything – Stanford Engineering

The Future of Everything is a podcast hosted by Stanford bioengineering professor Russ Altman. The podcast explores how technology, science, and medicine are shaping our lives. Each episode features discussions with experts on a wide range of topics, including stretchable electronics, ecological surveillance, foldable microscopes, and video editing with artificial intelligence. Altman engages his guests in conversations about their role in creating the future across various domains.

Spotify Link – The Future of Everything

ReThinking – Adam Grant

ReThinking with Adam Grant is a podcast where the organizational psychologist explores new thoughts and ways of thinking by having lively discussions and debates with some of the world’s most interesting thinkers, creators, achievers, and leaders. Adam challenges conventional wisdom and encourages listeners to rethink their assumptions and embrace new ideas.

Spotify Link – ReThinking

HBR on Strategy – Harvard Business Review

HBR on Strategy is a podcast by Harvard Business Review that provides hand-curated insights and inspiration to help unlock new ways of doing business. Hosted by Alison Beard and Curt Nickisch, the podcast features conversations with top business and management experts, focusing on strategy, adaptive leadership, organizational transformation, and collaboration.

Spotify Link – HBR on Strategy

HBR on Leadership – Harvard Business Review

HBR on Leadership is a podcast by Harvard Business Review that provides a series of discussions that feature experts, scholars, and experienced leaders offering insights on a variety of leadership topics.

Spotify Link – HBR on Leadership

HBR IdeaCast – Harvard Business Review

HBR IdeaCast is a weekly podcast by Harvard Business Review that features conversations with leading thinkers in business and management. Hosted by Alison Beard and Curt Nickisch, the podcast covers a wide range of topics, including strategy, leadership, innovation, and organizational transformation. Each episode provides valuable insights and practical advice, helping listeners navigate complex business challenges and stay ahead in their careers.

Spotify Link – HBR IdeaCast

The CTO Advisor – Keith Townsend

The CTO Advisor podcast, hosted by Keith Townsend, is a valuable resource for technology leaders and CTOs. Each episode features conversations with industry experts on a wide range of topics, including application development, IT governance, infrastructure architecture, and emerging technologies. The podcast aims to provide insights into technology trends, best practices, and leadership strategies to help CTOs navigate the complexities of their roles and stay ahead in the industry.

Spotify Link – The CTO Advisor

CTOTalk: Leadership, AI and the Digital Economy – Michael Krigsman

CTOTalk: Leadership, AI and the Digital Economy is a podcast hosted by Michael Krigsman that features in-depth conversations with senior leaders from top global companies. The podcast covers topics such as leadership, enterprise AI, and the digital economy, providing insights into how technology is transforming business and society.

Spotify Link – CTOTalk: Leadership, AI and the Digital Economy

The CTO Playbook – Adam Horner

The CTO Playbook is a podcast hosted by Adam Horner, a CTO with over 30 years of experience in the tech industry. The podcast is dedicated to helping CTOs and tech leaders excel in their roles by providing clear insights, innovative strategies, and practical advice from top leaders in tech1. Each episode covers essential topics such as tackling complex projects, fostering innovation, leading teams, and shaping tech strategy

Spotify Link – The CTO Playbook

TED Talks Daily – TED

TED Talks Daily is a podcast hosted by journalist Elise Hu that brings you the latest TED Talks in audio format every weekday. The podcast covers a wide range of thought-provoking topics, from artificial intelligence to zoology, and everything in between. Each episode features talks by world-renowned thinkers and creators, offering listeners new perspectives, igniting curiosity, and providing opportunities to learn something new every day.

Spotify Link – Ted Talks Daily

TED Tech – TED

TED Tech is a podcast hosted by Sherrell Dorsey that explores how technology is rapidly changing our world. Each episode delves into the latest ideas from TED Speakers, addressing the intersection of technology, society, science, design, business, and innovation. Sherrell guides listeners through riveting questions and thought-provoking discussions, helping to uncover the potential and challenges of technological advancements

Spotify Link – TED Tech

TED Business – TED

TED Business is a podcast hosted by Modupe Akinola, a professor at Columbia Business School. Every Monday, Modupe presents powerful and surprising ideas that illuminate the business world. Each episode features a TED Talk followed by a mini-lesson from Modupe on how to apply the ideas discussed in the talk to your own life. The podcast covers a wide range of business topics, from leadership and diversity to innovation and personal development.

Spotify Link – TED Business

The Infinite Monkey Cage – BBC 4 Radio

The Infinite Monkey Cage is a BBC Radio 4 podcast hosted by physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince. The show takes an irreverent and witty look at science and the world through the eyes of scientists and science enthusiasts. Each episode features a panel of experts, including scientists, comedians, and celebrities, who discuss a wide range of topics, from the latest scientific discoveries to quirky and thought-provoking questions about the universe.

Spotify Link – The Infinite Monkey Cage

Adaptability: The Key to Thriving as a Technologist

08 Wednesday Jan 2025

Posted by in 21st Century Human, Innovation, Mindset, Technologists Toolkit, Tools

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Adaptability isn’t just a skill—it’s a survival instinct for technologists. From rapidly shifting industry trends to the emergence of innovative technologies, the ability to pivot, learn, and integrate new knowledge is what sets successful technologists apart.

Adaptability enables us to turn challenges into opportunities, fosters innovation, and drives continuous personal and professional growth.

Why Adaptability Matters

Adaptability as a technologist is crucial for staying flexible and open to new ways of thinking, technologies and methodologies. The ability to adapt is not just a valuable skill, but a necessity in today’s world. Advancements and new technologies are appearing everyday, from energising artificial intelligence to quantum computing. Technologists must be ready to learn, pivot to and embrace these changes.

This flexibility allows technologists to continuously update their knowledge and skills, ensuring they are relevant and competitive. By staying at the forefront of technological advancements, a technologist can help to drive innovation and improve efficiency within their organisation and customers.

An adaptable mindset also enhances problem solving abilities, enabling technologists to explore various solutions and approaches to overcome challenges.

Rapid Technological Advancements

To stay relevant and competitive, it is essential to keep abreast of technological advancements and changes, some of which happen at a fast pace. This involves not just learning about new technologies, but also understanding their implications and applications.

A good method for keeping up is to have in place a PKMS (Personal Knowledge Management System).

Problem Solving

Adaptability can greatly enhance problem solving skills. When faced with challenges, an adaptable mindset allows technologists to explore various solutions and approaches, which may lead to more effective outcomes.

An adaptable technologist is not confined to a single way of thinking or a rigid set of tools. Instead, they are open to experimenting with different techniques and technologies to find the best possible solution. This might involve integrating new programming languages, leveraging emerging frameworks, or applying innovative development methodologies.

Using standard problem solving techniques can help, some of which are listed below:

  • Brainstorming: In a group setting, generating various ideas and solutions while encouraging creativity and open-mindedness.
  • Root Cause Analysis: Finding the main cause of a problem using techniques like the 5 Whys and Fishbone Diagrams.
  • SWOT Analysis: Assessing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with a problem or decision.
  • Mind Mapping: Visualise ideas and their interconnections to enhance understanding of the problem and identify potential solutions.
  • Trial and Error: Experiment with various solutions to determine the most effective approach, learning from any mistakes.
  • Decision Matrix: Compare different options using specific criteria to identify the optimal solution.
  • Pareto Analysis: Apply the 80/20 rule to prioritise the most significant factors that will have the greatest impact on resolving the issue.
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis: Evaluate the costs and benefits of different solutions to select the most efficient one.
  • Six Thinking Hats: Analyse the problem from six distinct perspectives (logical, emotional, creative,) to obtain a comprehensive view.
  • PDCA Cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act): Follow a continuous improvement process involving planning a solution, implementing it, checking the outcomes, and acting on the insights gained.
  • Flowcharting: Create a visual representation of the process steps to identify potential problem areas.
  • Force Field Analysis: Identify forces that support or hinder a change or solution and develop strategies to strengthen supporting forces while mitigating hindering ones.

Innovation

Being open to new ideas and methodologies encourages innovation. By accepting change, you can create solutions that explore new possibilities.

When technologists embrace innovation, they are more likely to experiment with emerging technologies and unconventional approaches. This can lead to breakthroughs that significantly enhance productivity, efficiency, and creativity within organisations and customers. For example, exploring the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning can result in more accurate predictive models and data analysis tools that provide deeper insights into business operations.

Being innovative also means continuously questioning the status quo and seeking ways to improve existing processes. This proactive mindset can lead to the development of new products and services that meet evolving market demands and provides a competitive edge. Additionally, fostering a culture of innovation can inspire colleagues to think creatively and collaboratively, leading to a more dynamic and forward-thinking work environment.

Innovation is not limited to technological advancements alone. It can also involve reimagining organisational structures, workflows, and management practices to tackle modern challenges.

Career Growth

Employers value technologists who can swiftly adapt to new environments and technologies. Demonstrating adaptability opens more career opportunities and aids advancement in a field driven by innovation. It shows that you can learn new skills and embrace change.

Adaptability also enhances your ability to work in diverse settings, which is crucial with remote work and global teams. Being flexible with different cultures, time zones, and working styles ensures effective collaboration.

On a personal level, adaptability fosters a growth mindset, viewing challenges as learning opportunities. This leads to greater job satisfaction and resilience, keeping you motivated and engaged as your career evolves with technological advancements.

How to Cultivate Adaptability

Cultivating adaptability can be broken down into several actionable steps:

Continuous Learning

Continuous learning is ongoing journey of education through engaging in online courses, participating in workshops, and reviewing industry publications to remain knowledgeable about the latest trends and technologies. Continuous learning helps you stay ahead of the curve and be prepared for any technological shifts. It allows you to develop a deeper understanding of your field and refine your skills, ensuring that you remain a valuable asset to your team and organisation. By consistently updating your knowledge, you can also identify and capitalise on emerging opportunities.

Continuous learning fosters a mindset of curiosity and creativity, inspiring you to explore new areas and experiment with innovative ideas and building your growth mindset.

Experimentation

Allocate time for side projects to explore and apply new tools and methodologies without deadline pressure. Embrace a mindset of innovation and creativity, allowing yourself to experiment with different approaches and solutions.

Don’t be afraid to fail and learn from it. Each experiment, whether successful or not, provides valuable insights and fosters a culture of continuous improvement. By experimenting, you can uncover new ways of solving problems, optimise existing processes, and discover untapped potential within your work.

Networking

Networking is engaging with other professionals in your field by joining relevant tech communities, attending conferences, and participating in forums to exchange knowledge and learn from others’ experiences.

Networking provides opportunities to stay informed about industry trends, gain insights from seasoned professionals, and discover new career opportunities. By building a strong professional network, you can also find mentors who can offer guidance and support as you navigate your career.

Networking can lead to collaborative projects, where you can apply your skills and learn new ones in a team environment. Engaging with a diverse group of professionals can expose you to different perspectives and approaches, further enhancing your adaptability and problem-solving abilities.

Embrace Change

Develop a positive attitude towards change instead of resisting new technologies by viewing them as opportunities to grow and improve your skills. When faced with new tools or methodologies, approach them with curiosity and a willingness to learn. This mindset can help you stay relevant in a constantly evolving industry and make the transition to new practices smoother.

Furthermore, embracing change can lead to personal growth beyond your technical abilities. It fosters resilience, as you learn to navigate and adapt to new situations with confidence. This adaptability becomes a valuable asset, enabling you to handle uncertainty and challenges more effectively.

Flexibility

Being flexible is key to being adaptable and pivoting when necessary. Flexibility means being open to new ideas and methodologies, and being ready to adapt your strategies to meet evolving challenges. It involves not being rigid in your thinking and being prepared to shift course when needed to achieve better outcomes.

Further Reading

Blog Posts and Articles:

2025 PKMS Updates: Boost Productivity and Knowledge Retention

02 Thursday Jan 2025

Posted by in 21st Century Human, Technologists Toolkit, Tools

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As 2025 begins, I am again updating my PKMS (Personal Knowledge Management System) to keep up with the latest developments in knowledge management and my own priorities.

One of the key habits that I have been focusing on is micro learning by taking opportunities where I may have spent time scrolling a device, turning the time to be more productive through spending the time on learning and AI is playing a part in this.

I am publishing these updates so you can use this as a pattern to help create your own PKMS and stay informed and ahead of the curve.

What is a PKMS?

A PKMS, or Personal Knowledge Management System, is a structured framework designed to help someone manage and organise their personal and professional knowledge. In today’s world there is a lot of information produced daily. It also serves as a repository for capturing, storing, retrieving information and making it easier to access relevant data when needed.

The primary objective of a PKMS is to enhance a person’s ability to learn, retain, and apply knowledge efficiently.

A well formed PKMS can help provide several benefits:

  • Continuous Learning: With a growth mindset, a PKMS facilitates a structured approach to acquiring, organising, and reviewing knowledge.
  • Increased Productivity: Access to relevant, organised information as you need it, keeping you ahead of the curve.
  • Knowledge Retention: The ability to store and retrieve information as required in an organised repository.
  • Adaptability: Technology, information, and data evolve daily, and it is important to stay informed.

I still believe strongly in separating my personal social and business social, although there is the occasional need for the two to cross. These are the tools that I use. There are lots of other tools available that you could use to build a PKMS yourself. Maintaining a distinction between personal social and business social is important, though there are instances where they may overlap. Here are some tools used for this purpose. Numerous other tools are also available for building a Personal Knowledge Management System (PKMS).

Professional Life

Research

Research is an integral part of my Personal Knowledge Management System (PKMS). It involves gathering information that supports learning and integration into my work. Continuous learning is my key goal of my PKMS to stay ahead as a Technologist. Below is a high-level list of the types of content that I utilise for research and learning.

  • AI
  • Streaming Services
  • RSS Feeds
  • Podcasts
  • TED Talks
  • Web Searches
  • Blog Posts
  • Learning
  • Micro Learning
  • Reading

Some of these are fairly self explanatory as sources. I may expand on some of the sources I use in future posts.

AI (Artificial Intelligence)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is growing in use and works well in my PKMS to enhance the way information is gathered, organised, and retrieved.

AI is a good tool to ask as an assistant when researching, asking questions and can provide a reasonable summary of long documents and papers.

RSS

Some sites have an RSS feed which allows me to pull updates from sites directly into Feedly.

Podcasts

Podcasts cover both audio and video casts that I watch/stream online or download to my phone/media player to listen to when I am on journeys in the car or other transportation methods or out walking the dog. Daily walks with the dog provide a good time to listen to these.

Feedly

Feedly provides an aggregation tool that collects stories from various blogs and websites that I find useful for research and information . This generates a list of stories that can be quickly scanned on a single screen without having to visit multiple sites. Clicking on a story displays a snippet from the source site and provides a link to read the full article, if necessary. Using a series of keystrokes, it is possible to read the headlines, then move through the articles efficiently, stopping and opening them as needed.

Sources can be categorized to allow an all-view or just what’s new in a category.

Thinking Time

Thinking Time covers the time that I spend absorbing the PKMS information coming in from the different sources and then processing and applying it in different ways. It is also good to spend time reflecting on what I have learned and think of different and new ways to use the information and learnings.

Note Taking

I use two tools now for note-taking: OneNote and Obsidian. I favour Obsidian as it uses Markdown, which I use a lot for documentation, and its ability to structure data in a logical way and allows you to query data in an interactive graph.

Being Social

I use several social channels to publish my thoughts as a Technologist. The main channel I use is this blog site.

Blog Site

www.maxhemingway.com is my main published site that I use to share my thoughts, leadership and updates through. From this I send out links to various social channels.

Podcast

My podcast “Technology Couch Podcast” has not had an update for a while , but hopefully this will change soon. This can be found on my blog page and also normal podcast streaming sites.

Social Sites

I use social sites to publish my blog and podcast updates.

GitHub

I use GitHub to store any code or projects that I want to publish externally.

Personal Life

Personal Journal

My personal journals have always been Moleskine plain pocket books, be more recently I have made a switch to using Rhodia range of pocket books with dots. My main reason was on price as Moleskine has risen a fair bit for their products. I have used a couple of Rhodia pocket books since my switch and I actually find the paper a lot better and its slightly thicker which can support more inks without a bleed through to the pages below.

I still favour the Pilot ball ink pens as before in 0.5 or 0.7 size.

No batteries or charging needed for this type of personal journal.

Social Media

To keep my work life separate from my personal life, I use social platforms like Instagram and Facebook for friends and family, ensuring that two-factor authentication and appropriate security settings are in place.

Even with these precautions, it’s essential to remember that anything posted online could potentially become public in the future.

Further Reading

If you are looking for inspiration in creating your own PKMS, Reddit has a great list of PKMS tools that is worth a look and a discussion board on setting up a PKMS.

Previous related blog post:

Stay Ahead of the Curve: Essential Strategies for Technologists to Stay Informed

Turning Failures into Success: The Mindset of Failing Forward for Technologists

16 Friday Aug 2024

Posted by in 21st Century Human, Technologists Toolkit, Tools

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As technologists, we often find ourselves navigating a landscape of constant innovation, rapid changes, and complex problem-solving. In this dynamic environment, failure is not only inevitable but also an essential part of our journey.

Rather than fearing failure, we can learn to embrace it as a catalyst for personal growth and professional development.

”Failure is another stepping stone to greatness” – Oprah Winfrey

What Is Failing Forward?

“Failing forward” is a mindset that encourages us to view failures as steps toward success. Instead of seeing failure as a problem and something that causes issues and pain with no way forward, look at it as a valuable learning experience that strengthens you going forward. Embrace the failure, learn from it and move onwards.

Learning Opportunities

Every failure provides an opportunity to learn. Whether this is a missed deadline, code bug, or something else, there is always a learning and something for you to gain from the experience.

Reflecting on what you did and what happened can help inform you and allow you to make decisions based on experience gained. Extract the lessons that can help shape your future and if needed write them down so you can refer to them at a later date.

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas A. Edison

Iterative Improvements

Learning from failures allows you to try again and approaching things in iterative improvements and steps brings you closer to success. Even the most successful products and technologies available today went through multiple iterations before reaching their current state.

Resilience

Resilience is build through failing forward and is a crucial skill for technologists, especially in a field where challenges are constant. Developing ability to bounce back, adapt, and keep moving forward helps to build this resilience.

Normalize Failure

Normalizing failure is the hardest step as not everyone wants to see or hear of failure, but most will experience it within their lives. Sharing failure with others and celebrating the learning from it helps to bring a change in talking positively about failure.

It’s okay to stumble; it’s part of the journey, learn from it.

Mastering Storytelling Through Dungeons & Dragons: A Guide for Technologists

21 Friday Jun 2024

Posted by in 21st Century Human, Story Telling, Technologists Toolkit, Tools

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Let’s geek out for a moment. If you’re a technologist eager to master storytelling, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) might just be your secret weapon. Whether you’re a seasoned player from your school days or someone who’s never rolled a twenty-sided die, there’s something in D&D for you. And if you’re new to the realm of tabletop RPGs, buckle up for an adventure that’s as educational as it is entertaining.

D&D is a fantasy table top role-playing game (RPG) where players embark on imaginary adventures within a fantasy setting. A player designated as the Dungeon Master (DM) serves as the game’s referee and storyteller, while also maintaining the setting in which the adventures occur, and playing the role of the inhabitants. Players each create characters to represent themselves within the game, making choices for their characters and engaging in a structured yet open-ended storytelling experience. The outcomes of the characters’ choices are determined by the rules of the game, how the DM tells the story and player choices guided by dice rolls which add an element of chance to the proceedings. It provides a unique blend of structured rules and spontaneous storytelling which allow for an immersive gaming experience that encourages creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving.

Storytelling is an essential skill in the world of business and technology. It’s not just about conveying information; it’s about engaging your audience, sharing experiences, and inspiring action.

For technologists, whose work often involves complex concepts, data and understanding the customers business needs and outcomes. The ability to tell a compelling story can be the difference between being heard and being overlooked.

Enter Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), the classic fantasy role-playing game known for its rich narratives and imaginative gameplay. You may be familiar with D&D and it may seem like a something that should be dismissed, however it is a powerful tool for honing the art of storytelling and building your skills.

If you get an opportunity to try, it is worth a go. If not there are lots of good videos on YouTube with games you can watch and learn from.

Also worth noting that this Saturday 22nd June is Free RPG Day where you can go to a gaming shop and try out some RPG and walk away with a short free game to play. Some will be available on the internet if your not able to attend an event.

Here’s how playing D&D can transform technologists into master storytellers.

Embrace Creativity and Improvisation

D&D is a game of imagination. Players create characters and embark on adventures in a fantasy world, guided by a Dungeon Master (DM) who narrates the story. This requires a high level of creativity and the ability to improvise, as the narrative can change with each roll of the dice.

Technologists can learn from this by practicing how to think on their feet and adapt their narratives to suit different audiences and situations. Whether you’re explaining a new software feature or pitching an innovative product, the ability to weave a story that resonates with your listeners is invaluable.

Understand Your Audience

A good DM knows their players and crafts a story that caters to their interests and motivations. Similarly, technologists must understand their audience to communicate effectively. By playing D&D, you learn to anticipate reactions, tailor your message, and engage listeners by addressing their needs and desires.

Understanding your audience is a critical skill for technologists including recognising the diverse needs, preferences, and challenges faced by business and the end users. A technologist needs to tailor the approach to the audience’s level of expertise, interests, and expectations using language that is accessible, providing examples that are relatable, and anticipating questions or concerns that may arise. Storytelling provides the way to do this and by putting yourself in the audience’s shoes, you can communicate more effectively, and ultimately, ensure that your story achieves the intended impact.

Develop Empathy

Role-playing in D&D requires players to step into the shoes of their characters, understanding their backgrounds, motivations, and emotions. This exercise in empathy is directly transferable to the world of technology. By understanding the user’s perspective, technologists can create more user-centric products and explain them in a way that highlights their benefits to the end-user.

For technologists, developing empathy is about more than just understanding users’ needs. Developing skills and ability to see beyond the data and algorithm, to the people they impact provides a deeper prospective and helps build a stronger story to tell. It is also important to listen actively, asking the right questions, and being open to feedback.

Collaborate and Build Teamwork

D&D is a collaborative game. Players work together, each contributing their unique skills to achieve a common goal. In the tech industry, collaboration is key. Working on projects, especially in agile environments, mirrors the teamwork in D&D. Learning to collaborate in the game can improve how you work with others professionally, leading to more cohesive and successful outcomes.

Collaboration and teamwork are not just beneficial to a technologist; they are essential. Building a culture of teamwork means fostering an environment where diverse ideas and skills converge to innovate and solve complex problems. A good technologist recognises that the sum of a team’s collective expertise is greater than its individual parts. Using a team to help develop the story and sound/test it on can help push the boundaries of what’s possible and drive technological advancement.

Playing Dungeons & Dragons is more than just entertainment; it’s a training ground for the mind. It teaches technologists to be creative, empathetic, and collaborative storytellers. Playing games like D&D (other RPG’s are available) can help sharpen your storytelling skills as well as having some fun.

Further Reading

Data Storytelling

Delving into the Digital Pantry: Another cookie in the jar

04 Thursday Jan 2024

Posted by in Security, Tools

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A year ago I wrote about the hidden cost of reading articles and visiting websites. Cookies were created in 1994 by Lou Montulli who was a web browser programmer at Netscape Communications at the time. Cookies are an important part of a site being able to provide information and help track a user with purchasing items and store items in their basket. They also help provide marketing revenue for sites and clicks to products based on a users usage habits.

However 30 years on from the first cookie, is our relationship with cookies becoming more strained? 2024 will see more developments with cookies and API’s as a replacement and this year will see more developments in this area.

I regularly clear out my cookies via an automated task, I get the inevitable popup and text, asking me to accept cookies to proceed to the site I am on. Sites can create and track their own cookies, and some use third party tools and services to provide cookies and manage them.

Visiting a site I get a popup asking me to share access to my device and data allowing 1550 other companies to store and access cookies on my browser. This is isn’t really something I want to do and dont really have anything to do with the site I am visiting. Only the ability to Accept All is available and I do not really want to spend the time checking through 1550 partners to see what they really want to do on my device. No thanks. I will find the information or product via a different site that provides better options to manage these.

These services do have a Reject All option, but some sites choose not to display this ability.

Whilst there is a need for cookies, I can’t help but wonder how many people just click the accept all button and how many people will really sit and review the information on the 1550 partners that their data will be shared with?

The ICO has published guidelines on cookies, their use and the information that must be provided to the end users.

Browser companies have already started to block or phase out support for third party cookies for the past couple of years. The 4th January 2024 marks the start of Google starting to phase out the use of third party cookies, with a full phasing out by the end of Q3 2024.

Third-party cookies are the main mechanism that enables cross-site tracking. Several major browsers have either already placed restrictions on third-party cookies in some way or are planning to. Third-party cookies also enable many valid use cases, such as managing state in embedded content or enabling user sessions across multiple sites.

As part of the Privacy Sandbox project, Chrome is phasing out support for third-party cookies and proposing new functionality for cookies along with purpose-built APIs to continue supporting legitimate use cases while preserving user privacy. The phase out will be gradual and starts from January 4th, 2024 with disabling third-party cookies for 1% of users to facilitate testing.

Source: https://developers.google.com/privacy-sandbox/3pcd

2024 will be the year of change in the use of third party cookies.

Boosting productivity with a Personal Knowledge Management System for 2024

02 Tuesday Jan 2024

Posted by in 21st Century Human, Mindset, Productivity, Tools

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As 2024 begins I have updated my PKMS (Personal Knowledge Management System) to keep up with the latest developments in knowledge management and my own priorities. You can use this as a pattern to help create your own PKMS and stay informed and ahead of the curve.

A PKMS is a system that can help you manage and organise personal knowledge, which includes information that is relevant to your personal and professional life.

A well crafted and maintained PKMS can provide a capability for:

  1. Continuous Learning:
    • Together with a growth mindset a PKMS facilitates a structured approach to acquiring, organising, and reviewing knowledge.
  2. Increased Productivity:
    • Access to relevant organised information as you need it, keeping you ahead of the curve.
  3. Knowledge Retention:
    • Ability to store and retrieve information as required in an organised repository.
  4. Adaptability:
    • Technology, Information and Data evolves on a daily basis and it is important to stay informed.

I still believe strongly in separating my personal social and business social, although there is the occasional need for the two to cross. These are the tools that I use. There are lots of other tools available that you could use to build a PKMS yourself.

Personal Life

Personal Journal

My go to notebook of choice for Journaling is still the Moleskine plain pocket book and I am on journal number 37, soon to be no 38. Its quality and paper is good enough for my needs and archival quality. I still favour the Pilot ball ink pens (0.5 or 0.7) as they flow nicely on the page. See my blog post No batteries required for further details.

Social Media

In keeping my work life separate from my personal life, I use platforms such as Instagram and Facebook for friends and family with appropriate two factory and security settings in place. Even with those settings you still need to consider that once something is online, it could be public in the future.

Professional Life

Research

This is split into several areas and these are a few of the inputs that I use to grab information, feeds, data from:

  • Streaming Services
  • RSS Feeds
  • Podcasts
  • TED Talks
  • Web Searches
  • Blog Posts
  • Courses
  • Reading

This is a high level list of the types of content that I gain information from for research and learning.

Streaming Services covers platforms such as YouTube. The availability of cameras and online streaming platforms, more content is being made available and recorded by people to pass on their knowledge.

RSS Feeds low my to pull updates from sites into Feedly.

Podcasts cover both Audio and Video casts that I watch/stream online or download to my Phone / Media Player (Audio and Videos) to listen to when I am on journeys in the car or other transportation methods or out walking the dog. Daily walks with the dog provide a good time to listen to these.

The amount of online learning available today is huge from free MOOC’s (Massive Open Online Courses) to paid for course such as Udemy and LinkedIn. Lots of vendors now provide a good level of free training for their products and solutions. This category also covers courses that I can take through work.

Feedly

Feedly provides an aggregation tool which I use to collect the stories from blogs and web sites.  This provides a list of stories that can be scanned tin a few minutes on a single screen without going via multiple sites. Clicking on a story will bring up a snippet from the source site and provide the link to read the source article if required. Using a series of key strokes you can read the headlines, then move down the articles at a reasonable speed, stopping and opening when needed.

Sources can be categorised to allow an all view or just whats new in a category.

Thinking Time

Thinking Time covers the time that I spend absorbing the PKMS information coming in from the different sources and then also process and apply in different ways. It is also good to spend time reflecting on what I have learnt and think of different and new way to use the information and learnings.

Note Taking

I use two tools now for note taking, OneNote and Obsidian. I favour obsidian as it uses markdown which I use a lot in GitHub for documentation, and its ability to structure data in a logical way and allows you to query data in an interactive graph.

Blogging and Being Social

Following my Thinking Time I gather my thoughts and research and write these down through my blogs and podcasts and publish these on Social Media, WordPress and GitHub.

AI

I have not yet introduced any AI to my PKMS, but hopefully in 2024 I will find the right tool to help automate and filter the information I am consuming and keep me on top of my learning.

Further Reading

If you are looking for inspiration in creating your own PKMS, Reddit has a great list of PKMS tools that is worth a look and a discussion board on setting up a PKMS.