Dennis Temper

First up at #LeadDevBerlin we have Irina Stanescu talking us through how to lead in these current times of scarcity “Less staff, more work, everything will be great” gets a good chuckle from the audience What do we actually need to do? Develop capacity. Capacity in terms of Technology, Process & People. Tech: audit & address inefficiencies (tech debt, automate, build vs buy) Process: audit & address inefficiencies (streamline eg great meeting hygiene), ruthless prioritization (get in the details! Say no faster) People: remember anxiety has an effect on our brains! Put your oxygen mask on first (self-care, personal boundaries, seek out support), manage anxiety using circles of control/influence/concern Build capacity via our leaders: - upward visibility is paramount - manage expectations (reduce upward anxiety) - use data to justify priorities, risks & resource needs Build capacity in our reports: - key is to empower our team so we can scale ourselves - be careful about mood contagion - lead like a coach (support, shift focus from delivery —> development, directing —> enabling) - let them take the wheel - make the team feel like a team (shared goal, connection, buddy systems, mentoring, giving kudos to each other) - teach people to self-manage (managing timelines & delivery, problem solving & decision making, handling conflicts & disagreements, giving constructive feedback, stakeholder management, emotional self-management) - teach people to manage up (help you to help them! Push important info up, communicate risks early, provide feedback, solutions & initiative, being proactive, help lower your cognitive load) - help reduce anxiety (focus! Reframe overwhelm, provide clarity on expectations & feedback, listen & empathize, be vulnerable, be transparent)

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Following the release of the UK Government’s National Payments Vision on 14th November, there’s been a lot of talk around the potential removal of PSD2 SCA. This idea comes from section 3.53, specifically the government expressing its agreement with the 2023 Garner Future of Payments Review 2023 which identified post-Brexit opportunities for additional flexibility and recommended an “outcomes-based approach” that “can improve the shopping experience and further reduce fraud” I believe this is hinting at a more subtle change than some anticipate. Rather than to do away with SCA outright they are proposing to tone down the highly specific requirements in favour of guidance. We agree with the findings of the Garner Review and we welcome the National Payments Vision – with the caveat that such a move further complicates merchants’ operations as they transact because of further divergence between international regulatory regimes. Time will tell how exactly the sentiments expressed in the Payments Vision are translated into law, but rest assured whatever happens Ravelin will be there with you.

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How can lenders streamline mortgages from affordability check to closing with Oper? Watch this video to find out 🚀 Ready to take the next step towards digitising your mortgage processes? Book a demo with our expert today 👇 https://lnkd.in/eWdd3My6 #digitalmortgages #mortgagesoftware #mortgagesolution

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🚀 Empowering communities, unlocking potential Our Community ENABLE Funding programme will drive change for underserved businesses across the UK, unlocking up to £150m of additional funding in the next two years. The programme is aimed at social impact lenders like Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) 💡 Why CDFIs matter: These non-for-profit lenders play a crucial role in the social impact sector, providing finance to businesses that mainstream lenders overlook. In 2023, they lent £102m to 4,546 businesses, with 98% of lending going to businesses outside London and 60% supporting disadvantaged areas. The Community ENABLE Funding Programme will enable CDFIs to reach more small businesses, especially those led by underrepresented groups, fuelling local growth, creating jobs, and strengthening communities. Read more about the programme here: https://lnkd.in/dAymWRZ7

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HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has appointed a new supplier of ‘Confirmation of Payee’ (CoP) technology using a nascent public sector-wide ‘dynamic purchasing system’. Global Government Fintech can reveal that the UK department has hired Modulr through the ‘Open Banking (Data, Digital Payments & Confirmation of Payee Services) Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS)’ established by the Crown Commercial Service at the turn of the year with the ultimate aim of ‘reducing the costs of receiving money into public sector organisations, as well as reducing fraud’. HMRC has used National Westminster Bank (NatWest) to provide CoP for the past three years. The bank – one of the UK’s best known high-street financial brands – is now in the process of transitioning its HMRC CoP responsibilities to Modulr, which has not previously worked with HMRC. Read all about it => https://lnkd.in/erK_Jf34 Global Government Forum Ian Hall #procurement #publicsector #payments #fintech #paytech

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🔐 The Payment Systems Regulator is consulting on a proposed lower cap of £85,000 on the maximum amount that banks and payment firms would have to payout to victims of APP fraud. It follows a review into high-value APP fraud claims, as well as concerns voiced by the payments industry 🗣 David Geale, the PSR's MD said: “Under our proposals, consumers in the UK will still receive world-leading protection, payment providers will still be heavily incentivised to improve anti-fraud protections and we maintain effective market competition and innovation.” Read more at the 🔗 including industry reaction from Stefano Vaccino Janine Hirt and Tony Craddock The Payments Association Yapily Innovate Finance #fraud #fraudprevention #scams #paymentfraud #payments #openbanking #paymentproviders #fintechs #banks https://lnkd.in/dfAVqi6Y

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We've asked 📱 Rory Prior, our iOS Developer, to describe his recent experience at iOSDevUK 24. iOSDevUK is an annual conference about software development for iOS and related Apple technologies. It is run by the Department of Computer Science at Aberystwyth University in mid-Wales, UK. "I’ve had a great week in sunny ☀️ Aberystwyth at the 12th iOSDevUK conference – what has to be one of the longest-running iOS development conferences in the world. Chris Price and Neil Taylor put together an excellent and diverse set of speakers who gave talks on everything from accessibility to developing for the Vision Pro. Particular highlights for me included Anna Beltrami’s talk on sentiment analysis using machine learning, something we’re interested in here at Pocketworks. Rebecca Owen’s talk on improving app accessibility was also excellent, with a focus on how we can quickly and relatively painlessly add support for accessibility features that open our apps up to the widest possible audience. As well as talks about tech itself, iOSDevUK also includes speakers who highlight other important subjects that we as software developers and people in the tech industry face. This year François-Olivier Leblanc spoke to us about how we can look after our mental health and how that can positively affect our work. Another more general talk that I thought was great was 👩🏼‍💻 Danijela Vrzan’s on creating better pull requests (the act of peer reviewing code before we merge it into our source code repositories’ main branches). This highlighted the things we can do as developers to make this task easier and more enjoyable for our peers. I’m looking forward to next year’s iOSDevUK already, although perhaps not the five-hour train journey from Leeds to Aberystwyth! 😅" At Pocketworks, we encourage everyone in the team to take part in events and conferences like iOSDevUK. We believe that attending these gatherings not only helps our developers stay updated with the latest industry trends and technologies but also fosters personal growth and inspiration. 📧 We often share details about upcoming events in our newsletter. If you're keen to know more and stay in the loop, join our newsletter and meet us at the next event! We look forward to connecting with you. - Subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/dvVnPNaR #iOSDevUK #iOS #AppDevelopment #SoftwareDevelopment

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Downing Street’s digital payments platform is looking to improve accessibility, including allowing people to pay for services with their own banking app. The Government Digital Services [#GDS] has issued a request for information [#RFI] from payment service providers with the aim of procuring open banking technology. The announcement shows a doubling down on previously confirmed hopes of embedding more fintech solutions into government operations. According to a previous information notice, the department wants to ‘understand the market and service offerings for processing credit and debit card payments and pay-by-bank functionality.’ This latest published n0tice comes around 12 months after GDS’ Deputy Director of Digital Services Platforms, Amanda Dahl, mentioned in a blog post that the organisation wanted to explore the opportunity of open banking technology. ‘Later this year we’ll be investigating how Gov.UK Pay might offer open banking, which means that people will have the option to pay for services conveniently using their own banking app,’ she said, confirming that the platform had onboarded 163 services in the preceding 12 months, including the #ForestryCommission and #NHS Business Services Authority. In doing so, these organisations were now able to receive payments digitally, while Recurring Card Payments had also been launched with #Kent County Council leading the way. Almost half of all service users are currently local government, with central and devolved administrations, arms length bodies and executive agencies, police forces, NHS trusts and the NHS also onboarded. The RFI was published last week with a deadline of Monday 23rd September for clarification questions, which will receive responses by the end of Wednesday 25th September. Responses must be received by GDS no later than Wednesday 2nd October 2024. ‘Responses to this RFI will inform a potential future procurement for a payment service provider to underpin the Gov.UK Pay platform, specifically for processing credit and debit card payments and pay by bank (open banking) payments made by end users to services operated by local government, police, the armed forces and some other public sector organisations,’ the RFI states.

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Our latest case study showcases how Three Rivers District Council and Watford Borough Council successfully transitioned to cloud-based payments, significantly improving both efficiency and security in their payment processes. Read the full article in Open Access Government learn about the challenges faced and the innovative strategies implemented to achieve remarkable results. 👉 https://ow.ly/PaHJ50T3MhK #CloudPayments #AccessPaySuite #CaseStudy #Innovation #FinanceTransformation #Payments

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I think I'll start a series of short stories sharing my experiences with various teams I've worked with over the years. Here's Chapter I about a micromanager Product Owner! 📖🕯️. I hope you enjoy it! #Leadership #TeamDynamics #Micromanagement #WorkplaceStories #TechLeadership #CareerLessons #ProfessionalGrowth

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From Crisis to Opportunity The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges for businesses in the UK and around the globe. GC Business Finance needed a solution fast and that's where GoodCore Software Limited stepped in and delivered a digital transformation that helped them survive and thrive. Discover how our loan management platform enabled them to offer swift, efficient lending services during the pandemic and beyond. Learn more about this success story 👉 https://lnkd.in/dDhtie_7 #FinTech #LoanManagementSoftware #WebAppDevelopment #BespokeSoftware

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Is your company being left behind in the competitive race for tech expertise? 🧐 Orla Fitzsimons, Head of Contract Recruitment, highlights a 2024 resurgence driven by the new IR35 offset rule and increased demand for skills in DevOps, AI & ML, and Cyber Security. Download your free copy of The UK Technology Salary Survey, it’s the ultimate guide to navigating the tech industry and hiring top talent. 👇 https://lnkd.in/eJfRzwhe #SalarySurvey #TechJobs #UKTechnology #TechnologyCareers 

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“Bad regulation doesn’t mean regulation is bad.” June is a busy time for #Fintech folks. I’m at Fintech Week London today hearing about the importance of right size regulation as an enabler of innovation and a driver of inward investment from Lord Holmes. #Fintech #OpenBanking #Payments #Regulation

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Reflecting on the beginning of my tech journey, I can't help but notice the significant advantages that today’s newbies have compared to when I started about 8 years ago. Back then, especially for those of us working remotely pre-COVID, our commitment wasn't always taken seriously—particularly by our African parents, who often saw us as just spending too much time on our laptops. Today, there’s a lot more evidence of success and viability in tech careers. To all the parents, teachers, and mentors out there, here are some key ways you can support the young tech enthusiasts in your life: 1. The Power of Encouragement: Encouragement is crucial. Recognize and celebrate curiosity, no matter how trivial it may seem. Whether your kids are interested in video games or fascinated by artificial intelligence, your support can ignite their passion and drive. 2. The Role of Mentorship: Mentorship takes that spark and turns it into a flame. Connect young people with mentors who can guide them through the complex tech landscape. Whether through formal school programs or informal networking, experienced professionals can offer valuable technical guidance and career advice. Mentorship not only enhances technical skills but also provides valuable professional connections and a clearer understanding of potential career paths. 3. Exposure to Opportunities: Providing access to resources like coding bootcamps, tech workshops, and internships can be game-changing. Schools and communities should partner with tech companies to offer these opportunities. Seeing what a tech career involves firsthand can make the industry more accessible and turn abstract dreams into concrete goals. While partnering with schools can be challenging, persistence is key to making a lasting impact. 4. Dream Big, Start Small: Encourage big dreams but start with achievable steps. Set realistic goals and celebrate small victories. This builds confidence and a sense of accomplishment. Starting small might mean joining a beginner’s coding class or a local tech club. As skills grow, so can the ambition of their projects. The journey from curious beginner to skilled professional is made of many small, deliberate steps.   In conclusion, inspiring the next generation of tech innovators in every dimension will stress you, and that's a fact. However, by fostering a supportive environment, we can provide the right support to today’s students, enabling them to become tomorrow’s tech leaders, driving innovation, and making significant contributions to the industry. I am still looking forward to partnering with schools and local communities that are willing to impact the younger generation with the right tech knowledge. Let’s empower our youth to reach their full potential in technology! #TechCareers #Mentorship #YouthInTech #Innovation #DreamBigStartSmall

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Self-checkout isn't the problem; poor technology design and lack of user experience testing are! I recently visited Cardiff’s new Pull&Bear store for a spot of Christmas shopping and was looking forward to trying out their RFID self-checkouts. The first impressions of the store were very good, and the aesthetics and design were excellent. We selected a few items and made our way to the self-checkouts. This is where my inner geek took over, and I started to explain to my wife about all the different technology that was in use. Whilst she was initially impressed, after a short while (roughly around the time I got to explaining how the coin recyclers work), my wife had wandered off, leaving me to finish the transaction. I placed two jumpers into the RFID tray, and immediately the items were identified and displayed on the LED screen, which is hidden behind mirrored glass. That worked well in theory. I then noticed that one of the jumpers had been incorrectly identified as a pair of trousers. I moved checkouts (to see if the issue followed). At self-checkout number two, I placed the items in the basket, and again trousers appeared. By this point, my wife was now interested again as the tech that I was telling her about clearly was not working. I called over an assistant and explained to them that the jumper had been incorrectly RFID tagged. After a few minutes of discussion, the assistant finally agreed and went off to find another jumper. Whilst waiting, I watched other shoppers all struggling to work out how to use various functions of the self-checkouts. A man on the next self-checkout was struggling to remove the tags off the garments he had bought, the lady to his right was poking the mirrored touchscreen glass with increasing ferocity, and another person on the end self-checkout looked completely perplexed. Anyway, have no fear, the assistant was back with a fresh jumper and tag. Into the basket it goes, and ping, it appears on screen. A cheeky smile to my wife (as she is clearly impressed). Just need to pay, or so I thought! The self-checkout then displayed a message about a receipt. However, the lights above the self-checkout were bright and the screen highly reflective that it was hard to read the on-screen instructions, and I ended up selecting an email receipt through guesswork. Entering my email was just as much fun. Finally, all paid, receipt in inbox, now to de-tag. Easy on jumper number one, but jumper number two took a few attempts. Whilst it is a great tech concept, the implementation is poor. I saw a few customers give up and leave their goods as they simply could not work out how to use the systems. I am a big supporter of physical retail, but poor implementation and lack of user experience testing will only drive customers online. https://lnkd.in/eGA3QzZT

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🚀 Redefining Mortgage Access with Fintech Innovation Startup 🌟 In 2020, over 4.5 million creditworthy UK borrowers couldn’t secure a mortgage—a figure set to rise with tightening lending standards and escalating housing costs. At DigitSign, we're partnering with a leading fintech startup to transform this reality through innovative mortgage models. 🏠💡 We're actively seeking investors to join us in this pivotal journey. Let’s make homeownership accessible for all. Interested? Reach out to explore investment opportunities. #MortgageInnovation #Fintech #InvestmentOpportunity #DigitSign

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🤦‍♂️. App downloads ≠ monthly active users (#MAU) And: MAUs ≠ transactional accounts with salary mandates / regular income (ie profitable) I think I have 10+ payment / banking apps installed on my phone that I haven’t clicked on this year, let alone this month… https://lnkd.in/dZBEcqws #champion #challenger #neobanks #fintech #payments

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𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝? 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐝𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐱 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐘𝐄𝐒. Yesterday’s launch of the Lloyds Bank #ConsumerDigitalIndex revealed shocking gaps in digital skills that impact every corner of the UK workforce—and the consequences are massive. 🚨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝-𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬: ➡Less than half of the workforce (48%) can handle essential digital work tasks. ➡Young adults aren’t immune: Only 57% of 18–24-year-olds feel confident using digital tools at work. ➡The gender gap is growing: Just 44% of women can complete essential digital tasks vs. 52% of men. 💬 Why does this matter? Because these gaps are stalling careers, widening inequalities, and slowing down the UK’s economy. And if we don’t act fast, the digital divide will only deepen. As Julie Hawker, MBE, FRSA , Our CEO, puts it: "The Lloyds report is a crucial reminder that the digital skills gap is a nationwide issue. With the right support, we can empower individuals everywhere to fully engage in a digital world and enhance their financial resilience. But to make this happen, we need strong and determined government backing, business action and a nationally coordinated approach to digital skills inclusion. This is a golden moment in time to achieve real progress and impact." 📖 Explore the full story on our blog: https://lnkd.in/emhNq3G3 ✨ Swipe through to see why this matters to you, your business, and the UK’s future. 💡 What do you think needs to change? Let’s start the conversation below. #LloydsBank #DigitalSkills #DigitalInclusion #FutureOfWork #DigitalTransformation

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