Weeknotes - Mid-year Review

I loathe performance reviews. OKRs, KPIs, EYRs? Bleugh! There's a level of introspection which always makes me intrinsicly uncomfortable. Besides, I always feel like I've done nothing worthwhile other than arse about on a computer.

In my new job, I decided to keep an achievement journal. Well, a Trello list of tasks I've done well.

This has been most useful. I looked though my record of achievement and picked out the highlights. This isn't a new tip - but one I'm glad to have rediscovered.

In no particular order, with no SMART analysis, no Success Profiles, and with suitable redactions, this is what I've done over the last two months.

Advisory

• Edited several papers for █████
  • Reviewing subs for █████ and ensuring they were technically sound.
  • Feeding back to teams when the sub was imprecise or unclear.
• Provided technical input for █████ keynote speech
• Gave in-depth technical guidance on pager technology, 5G, encryption standards, open standards, and Project █████.
• Contributed to █████ architecture discussions.
• With █████ reviewed their work on NHS API access.
• Worked with ████ to draft email security standard advice.
• Created high-level slide deck on Open Standards for █████ and ████.

NHSX

• Contributed to drafting of founding principles
• Procured domain name
• Set up social media (Twitter, LinkedIn)
• Working with Twitter's public sector liaison to recover @nhsx from a dormant account and get the account verified.
• Set up Open Source repositories (GitHub, GitLab)
• Work on IT / Tools steering group with █████ and █████
• Made policy decisions on which tools to evaluate
• Set up trials of █████
• Conducted user research
• Setting up G-Suite with █████ / █████
• Worked with █████ and █████ to ensure their vision for NHSX was properly communicated.

Team

• Acted as a technical assessor for the GP IT Futures alpha assessment - identifying risks within the project.
• Visited Wolverhampton Hospital, learning about their cyber security, patient tracking, and technology difficulties. Conducted user research.
• Worked with e-Rostering team to ensure open standards are at the heart of any new development.
• Provided ad-hoc technical advice and guidance.
  • DHSC tech team - API standards, open source policy, working in the open.
• Team prioritisation and objective planning.
• Supporting managers where appropriate
• Pastoral support to some team members
• Promoted open standards and open source projects within the team.
• Support ALB tech meeting with expert advice.
• Work with new comms team
  • Ensure social media policy was robust
  • Created plans for website
• Edits and suggestions to press releases

Conferences and Outreach

• Welsh Interoperability Symposium
• HealthTech Oxford Community Event
• NCSC Digital Loft
• Emergency and Urgent Care Conference (upcoming)

Training

• Provided AI masterclass to GDS Academy
  • At the request of GDS, I provided a training package for colleagues celebrating the Digital Academy's anniversary.
  • Preparing to deliver internally
• Provided training on digital policy-making to Future Leaders Scheme
  • At the request of █████, I created a workshop and presentation on the challenges of NHSX and future policy making

Corporate Contribution

• Acted as a mentor to BAME colleague.
• Arranged LGBT+ ally lanyards to be delivered to the office.
• Worked with Canadian Open Source contacts during a fact-finding visit to the UK
• Created t-shirts bearing inspirational slogans.

---

I was wondering why I was feeling emotionally and intellectually exhausted. Looks like I've been working pretty hard. Might be time for a holiday soon.