Nick Smith
@skynick.bsky.social
I'm not new here anymore. I do agile-ish things for government.
The unintended consequence of asking "what can we say we've done?" is the focus it can create on comms as the primary strategy.
Comms _is_ important, it takes time and energy to get right, but it's not everything. Changing the question, focussing on delivery unlocks so much (inc comms, ironically).
Comms _is_ important, it takes time and energy to get right, but it's not everything. Changing the question, focussing on delivery unlocks so much (inc comms, ironically).
October 30, 2025 at 2:59 PM
The unintended consequence of asking "what can we say we've done?" is the focus it can create on comms as the primary strategy.
Comms _is_ important, it takes time and energy to get right, but it's not everything. Changing the question, focussing on delivery unlocks so much (inc comms, ironically).
Comms _is_ important, it takes time and energy to get right, but it's not everything. Changing the question, focussing on delivery unlocks so much (inc comms, ironically).
15 years and Amazon "never validated [their] core assumptions". The sad thing is that this still seems pretty common in the tech industry. aka HIPPO (highest paid person's opinion). I've also heard it called "vibes and shiny".
bsky.app/profile/leti...
bsky.app/profile/leti...
I legitimately didn't know they were competing with Steam and it's crazy to me that they burnt so much money on what sounds like something with very little (or wildly misguided) market research.
October 29, 2025 at 8:46 AM
15 years and Amazon "never validated [their] core assumptions". The sad thing is that this still seems pretty common in the tech industry. aka HIPPO (highest paid person's opinion). I've also heard it called "vibes and shiny".
bsky.app/profile/leti...
bsky.app/profile/leti...
Reposted by Nick Smith
They say AI will replace the web as we know it, and this time they mean it. Here follows a short list of previous times they also meant it, starting way back in 1997.
Receipts: a brief list of prominent articles proclaiming the death of the web.
They say AI will replace the web as we know it, and this time they mean it. Here follows a short list of previous times they also meant it, starting way back in 1997. Wired: March 1, 1997: “You can kiss your web browser goodbye” – Kevin Kelly and Gary Wolf, The Big Story. 1Inspired by the success of PointCast, a clever application that displayed news headlines as a screensaver, our "Push!" story argued that Web browsers were about to become obsolete.
zeldman.com
October 25, 2025 at 10:23 AM
They say AI will replace the web as we know it, and this time they mean it. Here follows a short list of previous times they also meant it, starting way back in 1997.
Last night I rewatched Tron Legacy and am ready for Tron Ares tonight at the IMAX. Based on reviews I’ve set my expectations low but am looking forward to the nostalgia and escapism
October 23, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Last night I rewatched Tron Legacy and am ready for Tron Ares tonight at the IMAX. Based on reviews I’ve set my expectations low but am looking forward to the nostalgia and escapism
My understanding is, and nobody seems to talk about this, a big difference between how Google Workspace and MS Sharepoint works: files in Google retain a canonical link. So moving a file between folders in Google, the link to the file stays the same. Move a file in Sharepoint and the link changes
October 8, 2025 at 1:27 PM
My understanding is, and nobody seems to talk about this, a big difference between how Google Workspace and MS Sharepoint works: files in Google retain a canonical link. So moving a file between folders in Google, the link to the file stays the same. Move a file in Sharepoint and the link changes
I just started #Daily30 (a food supplement) and can say I have more energy and am eating less. It’s part of attempting marginal gains to improve my diet and lose weight
October 6, 2025 at 4:12 PM
I just started #Daily30 (a food supplement) and can say I have more energy and am eating less. It’s part of attempting marginal gains to improve my diet and lose weight
This post sent with the smugness of someone who, after 5 months, has finally switched off all of the ways Microsoft services like to play sounds with notifications
October 6, 2025 at 8:54 AM
This post sent with the smugness of someone who, after 5 months, has finally switched off all of the ways Microsoft services like to play sounds with notifications
Why use 'whilst' where 'while' will do? 'Whilst' doesn't make your sentence more formal
October 1, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Why use 'whilst' where 'while' will do? 'Whilst' doesn't make your sentence more formal
So interesting. Pollinator Pathmaker. Design your own garden for free. An art project using code to design gardens for pollinators (and humans). Art, code and gardens, right up my street. Featured on BBC Gardener’s World last night: pollinator.art
Pollinator Pathmaker
Design and plant gardens for endangered bees, butterflies and other pollinators using the algorithmic tool - an artwork by Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg.
pollinator.art
September 13, 2025 at 10:26 AM
So interesting. Pollinator Pathmaker. Design your own garden for free. An art project using code to design gardens for pollinators (and humans). Art, code and gardens, right up my street. Featured on BBC Gardener’s World last night: pollinator.art
Agile delivery manager ≠ project manager.
There's crossover in what they do and they can learn from each other, but they are not the same. Assuming they are devalues them both.
There's crossover in what they do and they can learn from each other, but they are not the same. Assuming they are devalues them both.
September 11, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Agile delivery manager ≠ project manager.
There's crossover in what they do and they can learn from each other, but they are not the same. Assuming they are devalues them both.
There's crossover in what they do and they can learn from each other, but they are not the same. Assuming they are devalues them both.
Solar install update. Our first year.
Since April we’ve had a better than expected June. August was a smidge less solar than predicted. Our peak was 34 kWh on 8 July. It came out of nowhere.
Solar is down in August but still greater than the energy we used in January 🎉
bsky.app/profile/skyn...
Since April we’ve had a better than expected June. August was a smidge less solar than predicted. Our peak was 34 kWh on 8 July. It came out of nowhere.
Solar is down in August but still greater than the energy we used in January 🎉
bsky.app/profile/skyn...
September 1, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Solar install update. Our first year.
Since April we’ve had a better than expected June. August was a smidge less solar than predicted. Our peak was 34 kWh on 8 July. It came out of nowhere.
Solar is down in August but still greater than the energy we used in January 🎉
bsky.app/profile/skyn...
Since April we’ve had a better than expected June. August was a smidge less solar than predicted. Our peak was 34 kWh on 8 July. It came out of nowhere.
Solar is down in August but still greater than the energy we used in January 🎉
bsky.app/profile/skyn...
Despite their eagerness, I'm never going to sign in to the BBC News website to read the news
August 20, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Despite their eagerness, I'm never going to sign in to the BBC News website to read the news
Without going into specifics, and without trying to seem like I have all of the answers, my job over the last while seems to have been coaching many levels of an org to have a healthy approach to change. Being deliberate. Being aware of my own emotions. Trying to find the words people need to hear.
August 12, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Without going into specifics, and without trying to seem like I have all of the answers, my job over the last while seems to have been coaching many levels of an org to have a healthy approach to change. Being deliberate. Being aware of my own emotions. Trying to find the words people need to hear.
A bit of fun…
Hey AI, create an image that literally shows 'driving change'
Hey AI, create an image that literally shows 'driving change'
July 15, 2025 at 4:09 PM
A bit of fun…
Hey AI, create an image that literally shows 'driving change'
Hey AI, create an image that literally shows 'driving change'
Status report on edibles raised bed. Tomatoes (front), courgettes (sides, in pots), pumpkins (back). Everyone seems happy. This year I’ve extended the bamboo frame to 2.4m high, so the eventual canopy gets less congested.
#gardening #verticalgardening
#gardening #verticalgardening
May 24, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Status report on edibles raised bed. Tomatoes (front), courgettes (sides, in pots), pumpkins (back). Everyone seems happy. This year I’ve extended the bamboo frame to 2.4m high, so the eventual canopy gets less congested.
#gardening #verticalgardening
#gardening #verticalgardening
I've realised you could use AI to help you have the conversation about how you're going to adopt AI, which is also an efficiency saving because you could shorten the conversation (this looks like a joke, and it sort of is, but it's also all true)
May 22, 2025 at 12:55 PM
I've realised you could use AI to help you have the conversation about how you're going to adopt AI, which is also an efficiency saving because you could shorten the conversation (this looks like a joke, and it sort of is, but it's also all true)
I’m a huge introvert. I often say that and recently people tell me that’s not obvious. A while ago I learned to switch things on and off, to know when to switch modes.
(This skeet very much written from a deep and needed restorative niche after extroverting for about 2 hours this afternoon)
(This skeet very much written from a deep and needed restorative niche after extroverting for about 2 hours this afternoon)
May 1, 2025 at 4:03 PM
I’m a huge introvert. I often say that and recently people tell me that’s not obvious. A while ago I learned to switch things on and off, to know when to switch modes.
(This skeet very much written from a deep and needed restorative niche after extroverting for about 2 hours this afternoon)
(This skeet very much written from a deep and needed restorative niche after extroverting for about 2 hours this afternoon)
We had solar installed in December.
Since then we had a cloudy December and January. We also had to evict some pigeons in April. But the installer’s prediction for solar generation is uncannily accurate.
April solar equalled our usage from January 🎉
bsky.app/profile/skyn...
Since then we had a cloudy December and January. We also had to evict some pigeons in April. But the installer’s prediction for solar generation is uncannily accurate.
April solar equalled our usage from January 🎉
bsky.app/profile/skyn...
May 1, 2025 at 5:34 AM
We had solar installed in December.
Since then we had a cloudy December and January. We also had to evict some pigeons in April. But the installer’s prediction for solar generation is uncannily accurate.
April solar equalled our usage from January 🎉
bsky.app/profile/skyn...
Since then we had a cloudy December and January. We also had to evict some pigeons in April. But the installer’s prediction for solar generation is uncannily accurate.
April solar equalled our usage from January 🎉
bsky.app/profile/skyn...
Yesterday I emailed my MP to voice my concern for the protection of trans human rights in the UK. I can't remember the last time I emailed my MP. I asked them to encourage their colleagues to educate themselves and listen to trans voices
April 23, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Yesterday I emailed my MP to voice my concern for the protection of trans human rights in the UK. I can't remember the last time I emailed my MP. I asked them to encourage their colleagues to educate themselves and listen to trans voices
Reposted by Nick Smith
✨ The Government Design Principles have been updated, adding 'Minimise environmental impact' 🌳
🪨 They are an invaluable cornerstone for government's user-centred digital work.
👀 Blog post: services.blog.gov.uk/2025/04/02/a...
👀 Principles: www.gov.uk/guidance/gov... #govdesign
🪨 They are an invaluable cornerstone for government's user-centred digital work.
👀 Blog post: services.blog.gov.uk/2025/04/02/a...
👀 Principles: www.gov.uk/guidance/gov... #govdesign
services.blog.gov.uk
April 2, 2025 at 10:43 AM
✨ The Government Design Principles have been updated, adding 'Minimise environmental impact' 🌳
🪨 They are an invaluable cornerstone for government's user-centred digital work.
👀 Blog post: services.blog.gov.uk/2025/04/02/a...
👀 Principles: www.gov.uk/guidance/gov... #govdesign
🪨 They are an invaluable cornerstone for government's user-centred digital work.
👀 Blog post: services.blog.gov.uk/2025/04/02/a...
👀 Principles: www.gov.uk/guidance/gov... #govdesign
Reposted by Nick Smith
This is very good by @mattedgar.social.coop.ap.brid.gy (who knows what he's talking about) on creating the conditions for innovation in government blog.mattedgar.com/2025/03/29/b...
Between the tepid bath and the cloud of vapour: a plea for pragmatic ambition
A man visiting a health resort is sitting in a steam box. Engraving, May 1869. Wellcome Collection In my most recent weeknote, I promised a blog post… Somewhere in all this between the t…
blog.mattedgar.com
March 31, 2025 at 6:35 AM
This is very good by @mattedgar.social.coop.ap.brid.gy (who knows what he's talking about) on creating the conditions for innovation in government blog.mattedgar.com/2025/03/29/b...
Reposted by Nick Smith
GDS is hiring a senior content designer to work on the Service Standard and Service Manual.
£56,070 - £70,219
Deadline end of Wednesday.
www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi...
#govdesign
£56,070 - £70,219
Deadline end of Wednesday.
www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi...
#govdesign
March 27, 2025 at 8:31 PM
GDS is hiring a senior content designer to work on the Service Standard and Service Manual.
£56,070 - £70,219
Deadline end of Wednesday.
www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi...
#govdesign
£56,070 - £70,219
Deadline end of Wednesday.
www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi...
#govdesign
If you're interested in the conversation about digital government in the UK then I encourage you to watch this from 9:46:45 onwards: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
Parliamentlive.tv
Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
parliamentlive.tv
March 27, 2025 at 5:53 PM
If you're interested in the conversation about digital government in the UK then I encourage you to watch this from 9:46:45 onwards: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/...
Knowing (even vaguely) what question you're answering is the beginning of most things
March 27, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Knowing (even vaguely) what question you're answering is the beginning of most things