James Archer

My role in a DORA project was both from a risk management expertise and a lead for the strategy and governance parts. Knowing what I know now, I think I would have loved to be the programme manager for it. 😁 The role of the programme manager is fundamental. He or she will need to be the link between some very strategic sponsors and the project team. They must understand DORA - what is DORA, to which of your divisions applies, what portfolio (not all financial services are impacted) is under DORA, what knowledge and skill gaps you have in the business and how best to resource those gaps. Other success factors: ·      EXPLORATORY APPROACH. I would take an approach similar to product development, EXPLORATORY. Start from a set of requirements and explore possibilities of compliance. Involve many perspectives and people. Brainstorm ideas. Test and learn. The opposite approach is command-and-control. You use command-and-control in crisis situations but using it in the design phase simply limits the options. The SPONSOR should be a facilitator for exploring the best ideas. ·      PROJECT OBJECTIVE. This is very clear - to be DORA compliant. The project objective should then INFLUENCE ALL THE DECISIONS : e.g., the external consultant profile, the type of contractor used (for areas where you lack expertise), what tools you will use, budget. For example, you will need an asset inventory. Is excel good enough given the complexity of your IT architecture? Would a more sophisticated asset inventory tool put you in a better COMPLIANCE position? ·      UPFRONT TRAINING ON ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE PROJECT. What is the role of the SPONSOR, PROGRAMME MANAGER, PROJECT MANAGER? Authorities? Can the PROGRAMME MANAGER challenge the SPONSOR? In which situation? What is the role of the EXTERNAL CONSULTANT? ·      UPFRONT TRAINING AND AGREEMENT ON DORA REQUIREMENT. Facilitate an agreement session. I would put the requirements on a screen. For each requirement I would facilitate a discussion. This is also a brainstorming session as part of the exploratory approach. It is unacceptable that the project team does not know the DORA requirements and deliver what they THINK DORA requires. ·      SMALLER PROJECTS AND DELIVERABLES. The monster separated in small deliverables that you can deliver quickly, celebrate the success to create momentum and have the power to move forward. I even celebrated the risk taxonomy. I needed the boost to make the team to get going. I led the strategy and governance workstreams, with eight deliverables. For each of the deliverable, I created a concept paper with the following sections: ·      DORA requirement. The exact DORA wording and related standards. ·      Consultants’ initial recommendations. ·      Proposed (by me) solution. ·      Validation of solution by consultants. ·      Action plan. I then scheduled one hour meeting with my team to discuss the solution and action plan and from there I just monitored the action plan.

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We have integrity at the core of what we do. This sometimes means that clients dont see why they need to sign terms and comply with the computer misuse act. Or, and often more seriously, providing a signed authorisation for *social engineering* where we're trying to convince someone to allow us access to restricted areas. But it's more than these surface level requirements. Doing everything right is at the core of what we do. ➡ We wont take a vulnerability out of a report just because it might make you look bad to your clients. You need to fix the vulnerability first. ➡ We won't start the testing anyway - whilst we wait for the Director to sign the terms. ➡ We won't start trying to blag our way through the front desk and see whether the authorities are called without a signed authorisation form. This sounds like a rant but it's definitely not. When you meet with a client and they're asking all of the questions you want them to ask and they have integrity and long lasting relationships at the heart of their partner-client meetings. It makes me know that we should never - and will never - compromise on our core values. 🙂

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Organisations are incredibly optimistic about the potential of GenAI but often overlook some of the essential foundations; good quality data, robust data governance, structured document management systems and consistency in information sources. You know what they say.... #AI #datagovernance

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If you're delivering products to public sector organisations, you should make them accessible! Legislation has dictated this for years now, yet still, I often get responses claiming ignorance. “We didn't know” “Nobody asked that before”. I find that response hard to believe. You should be aware of the requirements of your target market, stippled out in their procurement requirements. And accessibility is in there. Even if the procurement team didn't ask for it, which, let's be honest, they should have asked for, but it happens with decentralised purchasing. Also, don't fully blame the resulting effort on your client and charge them for it. Sure, if both parties didn't call it out, it's a shared responsibility, but don't just put up your hand and say “not our fault”. The same goes for the public sector body, they should invest in training so people purchasing things know what to ask for! Another thing I frequently see is price hikes as soon as accessibility is mentioned. No! If you're currently delivering to the public sector, you should know things need to be accessible. That means it should be covered in your prices already, as it should be your default in these processes. And because you know how to do it, it doesn't cost you much extra. And any marginal costs are easily off set by the extra revenue you can get because your deliverables are accessible and somebody else's aren't, so people will come to you. Know your playing field. Make accessible the default! Need help uplifting your accessibility capabilities to ensure you deliver accessible work to your public sector clients? Get in touch, I'm happy to help out! #accessibility #publicSector #toegankelijkheid #a11y Nomensa #RonnyTalksA11y

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5 Comments

I learnt a really powerful lesson this week in #productownership ! A bug was raised on Monday where it would have taken me two hours to fix, while setting up new users. However, on the backlog was User Management which was put lower on the backlog (I suspected 2 or 3 weeks) In three days we used a #bug to refine the backlog and the users inputs to get the User Management functionality working. Now we will launch the v2.0 with full User Management. Add new organisational users and edit their access. Voila :) Sometimes the GREATER time period results in the GREATER Maximisation of resources (aka me)

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Thought for the weekend... Numerous redundancies across the Microsoft sector right now, amongst others in Tech. But does this lead to future contract opportunities??? How it could impact the market... 1. Immediate Fallout   •     Layoffs in Specific Roles: If redundancies target specific areas (e.g., Architects, PjM's, or Developers), could leave gaps in expertise that need to be backfilled with contractors.   •     Project Cancellations or Delays: Reductions in workforce might lead to paused or deprioritized projects, which could later require contractors to restart or finish. WE'RE SEEING PROJECT DELAYS 2. Increased Demand for Contract Work   •     Cost Flexibility: Companies often turn to contractors after layoffs because it’s a more flexible way to manage costs. Contractors don’t require the long-term commitments (e.g., benefits, severance) associated with full-time employees.   •     Specialised Skills on Demand: Hiring contractors allows organizations to bring in highly skilled workers for short-term projects, especially in high-demand areas like AI, FO, or Azure.   •     Post-Layoff Catch-Up: After significant cuts, companies often realise they need help to meet business goals, creating contract opportunities to address immediate skill shortages. 3. Risks to Contractors   •     Budget Constraints: Layoffs might indicate broader cost-cutting, which could limit contractor budgets in the near term.   •     Competition: With many newly unemployed individuals in the market, competition for contracts could increase, potentially driving rates down. We're seeing POOR BUDGETS! 4. Opportunities for Niche Expertise   •     Specialised Knowledge: Contractors with expertise in areas that align with Microsoft’s strategic priorities (e.g., AI, Azure, FO, BC or CE) may find increased demand.   •     Reskilling and Upskilling: If the layoffs create a significant talent vacuum in emerging technologies, contractors with cutting-edge skills could be well-positioned. Do you have the NICHE skills required? 5. Broader Ecosystem Effects   •     Partner Ecosystem: Microsoft’s layoffs will push its partners and vendors to rely more heavily on external consultants to fill gaps left by MS and their partners.   •     Industry Ripple Effects: Other tech firms are likely to follow suit, creating similar situations across the industry. In summary, whilst I feel redundancies do lead to a lack of talent within a business, it comes down to the requirement at hand. Is that person required full time or can a business afford to lose them, then replace with a contractor / freelancer for shorter period of time? #Microsoft #D365 #redundancies #contractors #freelancers #OpportunitiesOntheHorizon

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"He said: “A lot of ministers come in for stick, but I hold the civil service more to blame in a lot of the instances and [for the reasons] why things didn’t progress at the time. I am sure between [the civil service] and the Post Office they were briefing ministers in the direction they wanted.”" I wonder if the civil service needs MORE authority to check that the suppliers are kept accountable for discovery and delivery and ensure that procurement policy is based on a great track record and performance not lobbying or favouritism. #Bias The civil service must govern with more rigour and vigour as the regulators are failing? 🤔The civil service must ensure that suppliers are technically competent and organisationally aligned. Give authority to the information. Give control and create leaders. #Trust #PsychologicalSafety #SystemicFailure #Transparency #Collaboration #CultureChange #CultureAcceptance #MoralLeadership

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A fantastic article by our very own Scott Drayton discusses the importance of having the right culture and mindset for effective delivery. Many people reduce agile to numerous processes and tools, but it's the creation of the right culture and the encouragement of the right mindset that enable teams to deliver effectively. That's where the real change and impact lie with agile ways of working.

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At boardcycle when we say "built for Company Secretaries" we mean the person doing the job - irrespective of whether your title includes those words. The interesting thing about the CoSec role is how many people doing it are 'accidental' company secretaries - from double-hatting lawyers to CFOs, board administrators and EAs to the CEO/CFO/GC. One challenge these people often face is simply not being sure what good looks like - and I love that boardcycle Agendas can play a role in helping them with that. boardcycle Agendas is built on real experience: hundreds of board meetings, thousands of agenda iterations and countless hours of minute drafting. It's also shaped by hundreds of interviews with a diverse range of CoSecs - from listed to NFP, career and 'accidental'. The result? A tool that gives you the framework to deliver great agendas and clear, concise minutes every single time - and lets you do that faster than ever before. #CompanySecretary #BoardAgenda #Governance #boardcycle

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Back-to-back calls can be tedious, but it's often better than the alternative. At a recent client, they had a no-meeting rule on Wednesday mornings in much of technology. Unfortunately.... The rule was honoured more in the breach than the keeping. We actually had weekly sprint planning/refinement on Wednesday mornings. I didn't set this up - it had always been that way from what I could tell. So we decided in our team to change that, and infact we sought to eliminate *all* morning meetings as the developers preferred to have their mornings clear - we did actually keep the stand-ups in the morning in order to allow maximal lunch-break flexibility. I've probably been as guilty of the quick call as anybody else over the years, but I've learnt over time to avoid doing it in the morning unless absolutely necessary. The deep work is where the value is, and we prevent it at our peril.

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"He has also called for an Office of the Whistleblower “so people know that there’s someone to go to if they have concerns that their organisation is lying on an industrial scale”." I want to see more ethics and professionalism throughout the whole software and development lifecycle (SDLC). Testing LifeCycle (TLC) Test Planning Monitoring and Control (TPMC) #Risks #TestStrategy #GoodGovernance #HighPerformance #Accountability #PsychologicalSafety #StructuralReform #Audit #Traceability #DefectManagement #EngineerInQualityFromTheStart #IQ #EQ Overcome #KnowledgeBias #AuthorityBias #NarcissistHacking

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Very pleased to have my new POV posted on how designing and embedding a Target Operating Model could be revolutionised. If you are in the situation where your are facing the potential long, exhausting, drawn out process of defining a Target Operating Model, in a dark room and secrecy... If this is not right for you or your organisation and you want a more agile approach - then please have a read, watch the video. .. and I would welcome your feedback and ideas - as always :0) #operatingmodel #change #agile PartnersInChange #innovation

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I was talking to a client who was looking to engage a Fixed-Term Contract (FTC) transformation director for a critical and complex digital transformation project. A project of this complexity entails certain risks that may not be immediately apparent but can have significant implications for the project's success. Here's why opting for an FTC in this situation can be considered a substantial risk: 1.     Limited Commitment: FTC arrangements typically offer limited commitment from the employee's side. Since their tenure is predetermined, they may lack the long-term commitment and dedication necessary for successfully seeing the project through its entirety. This can lead to challenges in continuity, knowledge transfer, and sustained momentum, especially in projects as extensive as digital transformations. 2.     Fixed Costs, Variable Outcomes: With an FTC, you commit to a fixed salary regardless of the project's progress or outcomes achieved. This can create a misalignment of incentives, where the employee may prioritise fulfilling their contractual obligations over driving real value and achieving project objectives. In contrast, an outcome-based model ties compensation directly to performance, ensuring that payment is contingent upon tangible results. 3.     Limited Flexibility: FTC arrangements offer limited flexibility in adapting to evolving project needs and circumstances. If the project scope changes or unforeseen challenges arise, it can be challenging to renegotiate terms or adjust resource allocation within the confines of a fixed contract. An outcome-based approach allows for greater flexibility, enabling agile responses to changing requirements and maximising the project's adaptability and resilience. 4.     Risk of Underperformance: Given the high stakes and business-critical nature of the digital transformation project, the risk of underperformance with an FTC hire is particularly significant. If the appointed director fails to meet expectations or deliver desired outcomes within the contracted timeframe, it can have far-reaching consequences, including project delays, cost overruns, and diminished business impact. An outcome-based engagement mitigates this risk by incentivising performance and ensuring accountability for results. 5.     Opportunity Cost: By opting for an FTC, you may miss out on the opportunity to leverage the expertise and innovative approaches of top-tier candidates who prefer outcome-based engagements. These candidates, motivated by the prospect of delivering tangible value and sharing in the project's success, can bring a higher level of commitment, energy, and creativity to the table, ultimately driving superior results and maximising the project's return on investment. Osprey Clarke Interim Executives don't do FTCs in transformation roles so unfortunately we had to walk away from the opportunity. NOT EVERYONE WHO IS IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE IS AN INTERIM!

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"What if we" - the three words that preface every out of the box idea.   Whilst this post isn't the opening of a TED Talk - it is the beginning of a new idea on how we can, and should, approach approvals for resource projects.   By changing the way we approach approvals, we can reduce timeframes by as much as half - what a concept. Naturally ambitious but not entirely unrealistic.   As the world continues to pursue a new era of energy and resource utilisation - upwards of 40+ new Copper mines will be required in Australia alone if Net Zero targets are to be achieved. Yet, according to AusIMM research, the average timeframe from discovery to operation of a new resource project in Australia is 15.7 years. On that trajectory even an optimist would start to crack when asked if we can meet global Net Zero targets.   Over the past six months, I've had the opportunity to work with a great project team to explore permitting challenges in resource projects on a global scale. Whilst jurisdictional requirements vary, issues that cause approval delays are near identical project to project. The main barriers we identified? - the quality of Stakeholder Engagement and Environmental Impact Studies.     What we found - by changing the strategy on how and when we execute technical studies - we can rewrite the way we approach approvals for resource projects. The outcome? - A potential near 50% reduction in approval timeframes.   Now ask yourself - what does an approval in 1/2 the time it would ordinarily take do to the value of your resource asset? Are approvals really cost negative at that point? #mineapprovals #mining #criticalminerals #permits #opportunities #stratergy #themineapprovalweallwanttosee #ERMAspireprogram Mifanwy Press Scott Mainey Hari Priyadi Maneh Kotikian Howe

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Here Matthew Morris links the role hiearachy into the data model because it allows the questions like who is doing what and who needs access to what. The other key p iece of information is volume of data - whether there is volatility in transactions so that non functional requirements and design can be done correctly. With co-host Vanessa Grant #BadAssBA #BusinessAnalyst #BusinessAnalysis #BABA #OnThePeiroll

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Be the common sense police. A majority of the client-facing job is applying common sense a solution to see if it makes sense for them. Spoiler alert - A huge percentage of the time whatever you are looking at fails this test. We are all drowning in information, so where you add value is curating that info into only things that don't get immediately shot down. Sorting through hundreds of potential options and applying common sense to it never goes out of style. So many potential solutions don't pass the common sense test. Want to add value? Be the common sense police on anything that goes out to your clients and they will appreciate it.

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Lessons from a Global IT outage. In our view, no single player will be able to solve for ‘resilience’ challenges alone. Collective action will be required to overcome the challenges of operating in a highly interconnected and complex digital ecosystem. But, as with any significant incident of this nature, there are always valuable lessons. Together with the team at Deloitte we have put together our key insights and considerations for organisations and industry alike. Samresh Ramjith Leishen Pillay Nombulelo Kambule Paul Orffer

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I’m currently reading Good Services by Lou Downe. It covers 15 principles for good service design and is written in a really digestible/accessible format. Does anyone have any good recommendations for other service design books/resources? TIA 😁 #servicedesign

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Yes - I'm on a walking treadmill!! Not one of my usual technical or strategy posts - but one based on a few conversations I've been having over the past 6 weeks. The rule with automation if your performing the task manually more than 3 times then you automate it. My rule with writing is that if I'm having the same coversation more than 3 times then I write it down so here it is: https://lnkd.in/e94_rbb5

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