Back into gear

This week at work

Pretty much everyone is back to work this week, so things are really kicking back into gear. The things “in progress” on my to do list have started to balloon as result. Here are some highlights, in no particular order.

    To do

  • Business case updates

    Doing

  • Prep for Away Day
  • Q4 roadmapping
  • Legal advice
  • Interviewing
  • Business planning

    Done

  • Bill briefing
  • Scheme recognition meeting
  • Register

Briefing for the Bill

Last week was all about preparing to brief members of the House of Lords on our legislation; and this week we did it. I think it went well, but the proof will be in the pudding during the next stages of Bill scrutiny.

Away Day and roadmapping

Next week we’ve got an all team Away Day. It’s thrillingly both a full day and actually away from our main office – although only at a room in our other office down the road!

Anyway, I’ll be running a 90 minute session to pull together the team’s Q4 roadmap. I’ve spent most of today sorting out the logistics for that; and think I have a cogent plan for the session. I’ve tested this process pretty extensively with my own teams for the past few months, so I feel pretty confident it’ll work.

Scheme recognition meeting

We had a certification scheme review meeting with our UKAS assessors this week which went fairly well. We received some constructive feedback on areas where the scheme had weaknesses that I think we can address relatively quickly, meaning accreditation uplifts can hopefully be planned out and get underway soon.

Register and registrations

I’ve spent a good chunk of time working our lawyers to make sure our operational work surrounding the register is up to snuff. I’m reminded yet again how bloody brilliant the lawyers I work with are. It must be super annoying working with someone like me who bands around with too many ideas and prattling about user needs, and yet they are endlessly patient and unflinchingly clear as we work through my nonsense.

There have been a few fresh certifications come through this week for our register of trusted services too. This is a pretty routine thing for us, but publishing the updated list was literally the last thing I’ve dealt with this week, so I thought I’d mention it!

Spending Review and business planning

The ongoing work of figuring out budgets and headcount’s continues. Luckily I’ve been able to draw in some extra support in dealing with it from across the team this week, so I’m hoping I can focus my efforts elsewhere soon!

Interviewing

We’ve started the process of interviewing HEO and SEO candidates this week for our team. It’s going to take literally all month to finish it because of the interview scheduling; but soon we will have a fully staffed team!

Outside of work

Goals

It may only be week 2 of the New Year, but progress with my goals for 2025 is on track.

Technically there is some double counting going on in those last two, but never mind.

Gaming

It’s been a chunky gaming week, bagging not one, but two PlayStation Platinum trophies; one from a slightly frustrating and buggy replay of The Plucky Squire, and the second from the grizzly Metroidvania, Carrion.

Progressing the legal dispute

I’m coordinating legal advice to take our leasehold management company to court over mismanagement of service charge accounts; and blimey is it expensive.

The system is so complicated to navigate on your own and the issues we are disputing are so complex that we’ve no choice but to engage a solicitor, but it’s not exactly thrilling to be throwing more money at a problem that’s already cost us all thousands!

Found interesting