One of the RSA talks nails it again: [Audio File] How can we get people more engaged, more productive, and happier at work? Is technology part of the problem — and could it also be part of the solution? Dave Coplin, Chief Envisioning Officer at Microsoft, imagines what might be possible if more organisations embraced … Continue reading “Work: Interrupted”
How can we get people more engaged, more productive, and happier at work? Is technology part of the problem — and could it also be part of the solution?
Dave Coplin, Chief Envisioning Officer at Microsoft, imagines what might be possible if more organisations embraced the full, empowering potential of technology and encouraged a truly open, collaborative and flexible working culture.
This is the way I’ve tried to work over the last five years. It’s meant resisting 1970s micro-managers and 1990s macro-managers to enable myself to be doing stuff most of the time. It means I’m inevitably involved in everything. It also means that it doesn’t feel like work. This isn’t anything magical, it’s just the way people work in this era.
By default, we are open. This is exactly the opposite way of working in the past. That part of the video really resonates with me.
Because I’ve been out of circulation, I’m kinda forced to triage some stuff here. If you don’t find anything interesting from this list then you’re at the wrong blog anyway. This project turns prisoners into entrepreneurs. It boasts a cracking success rate on a small sample but it’s that sort of model that interests me. … Continue reading “A bit of linked-list triage.”
Because I’ve been out of circulation, I’m kinda forced to triage some stuff here. If you don’t find anything interesting from this list then you’re at the wrong blog anyway.
This project turns prisoners into entrepreneurs. It boasts a cracking success rate on a small sample but it’s that sort of model that interests me. How to turn around people who are self-destructive and also harming society into being productive, and more importantly, rewarded for helping themselves.
Article in The Economist: NORTHERN Ireland’s second city, once accustomed to violence, is now embracing hi-tech startups. The result is a handful of entrepreneurs intent on improving their city
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland Intercultural Arts Grants Programme has opened for constituted community and voluntary groups working at a local level with minority ethnic communities. The programme aims to provide opportunities for minority ethnic communities across Northern Ireland to access the arts and use artistic activities as a creative vehicle in which to explore and highlight social issues that impede access and participation in the arts.
5% (7,850) of the UK creative media workforce is now employed in NI, up from 4% in 2009;
31% of the workforce in NI are freelancers, down from 44% in 2009 – this is mainly because we’ve stopped counting community radio volunteers as freelancers;
women represent 37% of the workforce here, up from 23% in 2009;
1.8% are from a BAME background, lower than the 2.9% across the wider working population in NI.
From Kottke.org The rarest of these specialists, he says, is an authentic genius — a person capable of having seemingly good ideas not in general circulation. “A genius working alone,” he says, “is invariably ignored as a lunatic.” The second sort of specialist is a lot easier to find: a highly intelligent citizen in good … Continue reading “Essential ingredients for a Revolution”
The rarest of these specialists, he says, is an authentic genius — a person capable of having seemingly good ideas not in general circulation. “A genius working alone,” he says, “is invariably ignored as a lunatic.”
The second sort of specialist is a lot easier to find: a highly intelligent citizen in good standing in his or her community, who understands and admires the fresh ideas of the genius, and who testifies that the genius is far from mad. “A person like this working alone,” says Slazinger, “can only yearn loud for changes, but fail to say what their shapes should be.”
The third sort of specialist is a person who can explain everything, no matter how complicated, to the satisfaction of most people, no matter how stupid or pigheaded they may be. “He will say almost anything in order to be interesting and exciting,” says Slazinger. “Working alone, depending solely on his own shallow ideas, he would be regarded as being as full of shit as a Christmas turkey.”
I know some of these people. And if they could be convinced to work together, it could change the face of our country. Chances are, you know some of them too.
For the last couple of years I’ve been listening to Denis Stewart talk about Civic Conversations. Last summer I got to take part in one (in Riddell Hall) and again earlier this year (in the Crescent Arts Centre). This time, it’s in the MAC. A further gathering of citizens in this place to continue with … Continue reading “More on Civic Conversations”
For the last couple of years I’ve been listening to Denis Stewart talk about Civic Conversations. Last summer I got to take part in one (in Riddell Hall) and again earlier this year (in the Crescent Arts Centre). This time, it’s in the MAC.
A further gathering of citizens in this place to continue with ‘civic conversation’ – conversation that is both aspirational and grounded, visionary and pragmatic.
This gathering will provide opportunity for open conversation. And there will also be time for more focused talking together about themes that emerged in from the civic conversation that took place in February. What should the next chapter in Northern Ireland’s story say? What can be done to help shape and write that ‘next story’?
But what is a Civic Conversation?
To find out, you will have to come along but I’ll give you my perspectives.
At the Conversation last year, Graham and Andrew from the International Futures Forum and Denis put forward the notion that arguments are disagreements among friends.
At the February Conversation, I proposed my basic position was to hold everyone in high regard. I explained this in terms of agape, that being passionately committed to the well-being of others was not a religious exclusive.
Another participant mentioned that it was cathartic to talk about the things Northern Ireland does not talk about.
Earlier this week, having lunch with Denis, I said my aim for this Conversation was to leave on better terms with the individuals involved than I had been at the start.
These events are driven by the people who need to be there. People for whom being part of the architecture of the future of Northern Ireland is without question. People who know we must move forwards. If that describes you, I’m sure you’ll be there.
How Etsy Attracted More Female Engineers The key, says Elliott-McCrea, was partnering with other companies to fund a training program that would attract candidates ready to learn. Etsy, together with 37Signals and Yammer, kicked in for $7,000 per student in grants to cover women’s living expenses for a Hacker School session held at Etsy’s offices … Continue reading “Hacker Schools show results. Duh.”
The key, says Elliott-McCrea, was partnering with other companies to fund a training program that would attract candidates ready to learn. Etsy, together with 37Signals and Yammer, kicked in for $7,000 per student in grants to cover women’s living expenses for a Hacker School session held at Etsy’s offices in the summer of 2012. (For the uninitiated, Hacker School is a three-month intensive free coding training program in New York that trades on its culture of mutual respect.) Over 600 women applied, which Hacker School narrowed down to 23 attendees, or nearly half of the session for that semester.
The solution seems obvious in retrospect, which means it’s innovative. If women are being burned by a male-dominated culture, then you have to grow them differently. To be fair, I don’t see male-culture as inherently bad, but it’s easy to see how male monocultures become increasingly self-absorbed, even selfish in nature. They work to perpetuate themselves by providing fertile grounds for the same (sometimes obnoxious) behaviours.
Provide an environment not polluted by male monoculture and females excel. This is no surprise to many of us. It’s never really been about gender per se, it’s always been about toxic monocultures.
I guess the question is:-
If this process works then why would a nation-state-city not provide it by default? Are we not accelerating towards a future where knowledge workers are dominant? And if we are, why is your government not seeding the future now?
Getting people together to do things can be hard. But, interestingly enough, a Pi can be powered by the USB port on a Time Machine or Airport. Which makes it a cinch to get on the network. Related posts: Mobile/Portable Computing Caveats MWSF2008: The Good, the Bad and the Fugly BarCamp WiFi Disaster Solar…portable…renewable
Getting people together to do things can be hard.
But, interestingly enough, a Pi can be powered by the USB port on a Time Machine or Airport. Which makes it a cinch to get on the network.
Sir Ken Robinson: The problem is that the current system of education was designed and conceived and structured for a different age. It was conceived in the intellectual culture of the Enlightenment, and in the economic circumstances of the Industrial Revolution. Before the middle of the 19th Century, there were no systems of public education. … Continue reading “Public Education was a challenge in the 19th Century. Public Transport is our challenge.”
Sir Ken Robinson:
The problem is that the current system of education was designed and conceived and structured for a different age.
It was conceived in the intellectual culture of the Enlightenment, and in the economic circumstances of the Industrial Revolution. Before the middle of the 19th Century, there were no systems of public education.
… But public education, paid for from taxation, compulsory to everybody, and free at the point of delivery – that was a revolutionary idea. And many people objected to it. They said it’s not possible for many street kids, working class children to benefit from public education.
Free public transport, paid for by taxation, available to everyone and free at the point of delivery. That’s a revolutionary idea. And many people are objecting to it. They say that the system will be abused by “those people” without directly pointing the finger at low income individuals and families – those who the system will benefit the most.
How long can Northern Ireland tolerate a public transportation system that is simply unfit for purpose? Where rush hour buses are 2/3 empty? Where the expense of using it is grudgingly similar to a car for a single person but absolutely intolerable for a family journey? Where the process of getting a bus hasn’t changed in over 30 years? Where the caretaker company has deliberately obstructed attempts to use technology to improve public transport uptake? Where they have repeatedly made dubious investments in technology which were more concerned with correct billing of customers rather than making it easier and more convenient for customers.
The benefits to economic and social mobility, the improvements in quality of life and the benefits to environment, community are all easily extrapolated from other regions who have decided to serve their citizens better. And the reduction in traffic on the roads would be of immense benefit to those people who, for their own reasons, have to drive.
I measure transportation on three axes. Reliability, Flexibility and Cost. Buses will never be as flexible as owning your own car. Therefore you have to make the system 100% reliable or do something with the cost.
The reliability of the bus system is affected by traffic, primarily, so to increase reliability, you have to decrease the number of cars on the roads. So you have to look at costs.
To get people out of their cars, to increase the reliability of the system, you have to make it that the individual would be crazy to use a car (or would have it mandated by their employer).
The only leverage you have is cost. Make it so cheap that only special cases would choose to use private transport. And at some point, the machinery, the collection and the transport and security over collecting the money becomes uneconomical in itself. The process of collecting the money becomes the barrier to collecting the money. So you make it free.
You guarantee the right of mobility to citizens and tourists alike. You energise the individual and the family to travel the length and breadth of Northern Ireland cost-free. To spend their hard-earned cash in other areas.
You enable the individual to choose to work in the next town, commuting every morning without having to consider the percentage that commute will take out of his or her minimum wage job. You empower people to take advantage of employment.
You encourage travel across the province for tourism, helping to resolve an issue that the vast majority of visitors to Northern Ireland do not leave the cities.
Even if you are a dyed-in-the-wool petrol head, a decrease of traffic should interest you. A reduction in the wear and tear on the roads should interest you. Even if you never use a bus, you could start to think of those for whom public transport is the only opportunity to move beyond their immediate community and the positive effects that could have on our society.
I recently attended a “Civic Conversation” workshop where a group of committed, thoughtful people discussed their views on civic innovation. This is the process of finding ways to change society for the collective betterment of all. These changes don’t have to be “groundbreaking” but they have to represent some sort of change. My own submission … Continue reading “Civic Conversations”
I recently attended a “Civic Conversation” workshop where a group of committed, thoughtful people discussed their views on civic innovation. This is the process of finding ways to change society for the collective betterment of all. These changes don’t have to be “groundbreaking” but they have to represent some sort of change. My own submission was in Free Public Transport, something I feel ever stronger about.
The Conversation was the brainchild of Denis Stewart FRSA (@denisstewart). We were ably assisted by Graham Leicester and Andrew Lyon from the International Futures Forum.
A project mentioned by Andrew Lyon was Galgael (“friend of the Gael”) in Govan, Scotland. This project, based in inner-city Glasgow, seeks to provide a different set of values to those assumed by their location.
galgael.org
I’ve spoken to a few people about something similar in Northern Ireland. I’ve spent altogether too much time looking at boats and boatyards. Found unfortunate locations throughout Northern Ireland which hark back to our island past.
Translink said in their annual report that they had 77 million passenger journeys. I’m sending an FOI request into Translink to ask some questions that I think need answering. Dear Translink, I would appreciate some information about the operation of your services. According to your 2010/11 Annual Report, on page 59, it seems to say … Continue reading “Questions for Translink #FOI”
Translink said in their annual report that they had 77 million passenger journeys.
I would appreciate some information about the operation of your services.
According to your 2010/11 Annual Report, on page 59, it seems to say that you have 1,469 buses and 34 trains.
can you clarify if this is correct and whether I have interpreted the figures correctly?
can you clarify the breakdown of vehicles between Metro, Ulsterbus, Enterprise and other services?
Can you clarify how many seats you have across all of your services:
how many of these buses are single decker and how many are double decker?
how many seats are there on each of these bus types?
According to your 2010/11 Annual Report, you claim 77 million passenger journeys. Can you clarify the following:
can you provide a breakdown of the time of day for these journeys?
What percentage were before 9 am?
What percentage were between 9 am and 5 pm?
What percentage were between 9 am and 7 pm?
What percentage were after 7 pm?
can you provide a customer profile for these journeys?
What percentage of these journeys were subsidised fares due to the traveller being pensioned, possessing an ELB pass other concessions due to low income, disability or unemployment?
What percentage of these journeys used monthly or annual ticket arrangements to reduce costs?
What percentage of these journeys paid full price?
can you provide a regional profile for these journeys?
by county, how many of these journeys originated in each of the counties of Northern Ireland?
by county, what percentage of their journeys attracted a concessionary or subsidised fare (see above)?
by county, what was the approximate revenue obtained from each county?
And with special reference to Derry~Londonderry, can you provide the following information?
by timetable, how many individual buses and trains service Derry~Londonderry?
by timetable, how many inbound and outbound journeys are there servicing Derry~Londonderry?
how many of the 77 million passenger journeys were attributed to the Derry~Londonderry region?
by occupancy, can you define the percentage usage of the buses and trains servicing Derry~Londonderry?
Many thanks for your patience.
As I said earlier, my aim is to piece information to create a business case for the following pilot –
free buses and train transport in the North West from 1st Jan – 31st December 2013
free buses and train transport for anyone outside the North West travelling TO Derry/Londonderry from 1st Jan – 31st December 2013
All of this in support of UK City of Culture 2013.
You have to start somewhere.
Andrew Leonard sent this link: Translink Annual Report 2010-2011 Much of the report is given up to Translink talking about new ways they have introduced to incrementally reduce the cost of transport including weekly, monthly and annual tickets, maintaining a network of 900 top-up points across the province and tax incentives. All of this expense … Continue reading “Translink Annual Report – #freepublictransport”
Much of the report is given up to Translink talking about new ways they have introduced to incrementally reduce the cost of transport including weekly, monthly and annual tickets, maintaining a network of 900 top-up points across the province and tax incentives. All of this expense and effort could be wiped out with FreePublicTransport.
They include this diagram on Page 7.
Meaningless stats
Without numbers and context, this is ultimately meaningless. If anyone can tell me the difference between “Will Be Delivered” and “A Little Behind Target But Likely To Be Delivered”, I’m all ears.
On page 10, we’re assaulted by some more statistics. First of all – CSAT numbers are meaningless for a government-subsidised monopoly. The people surveyed likely have no choice and they have nothing to compare it to.
Translink reports there were 77 million passenger journeys in 2010/11. This sounds like quite a lot. According to NISRA, of 686,644 working persons (aged 16-74) in Northern Ireland, only 47,719 took the bus or train to work. But they’re likely to have worked probably 250 days a year, maybe more, resulting in around 2.4 million journeys just for work assuming they only took one instance of public transport to work and one instance back. My mother in law, for instance, takes two buses to work and two to return home even though she lives and works in Belfast. Add to this schoolkids, unemployed persons, the retired (who get free transport) and you can see how this stacks up. Considering that Translink is only attracting less than 7% of the NI workforce speaks about the impact it is having on the economy.
Research on a sample of key corridors shows even with bus priority measures, over a ten year period (2001-11) bus speeds have reduced on average by 12%.
Considering that the average bus speeds are much lower than they need to be (see diagram above), Translink is not a viable option for most workers in the current form. This is going to be mostly due to road contention so the question is – how do you make buses run on time during rush hour? The easy answer? Less cars on the road. So how do you get 490,260 people who currently drive (or car pool) to work to consider using the public transport network? And that doesn’t include 16,011 people who use a taxi.
On page 56, we get into the meat of the report. The issue I have with the punctuality reports is that there is no context. Ulsterbus may have a 95% on-time record but that number is meaningless without context. You can expect all of the services which run between 10 am and 3 pm to run on time. And all of the services after 6:30 pm probably run on time. But the time critical services, during rush hour for work and school runs, are where the most major impact is seen. Why not strip those figures out? Because they’re bad?
I am also amused that ‘On time’ for bus services defined as within 7 minutes of timetable; for rail services within 5 minutes (local)/10 minutes (long haul). So, even if the bus or train is late, it’s still on time.
It’s obvious that our public transport system is not busy. This indicates to me that Translink is facing a death spiral where costs will continually increase while passenger numbers dwindle (even while population increases). Translink is simply not cost effective when you take into account the relative inflexibility of public transport systems.
Translink also complains that due to the economic downturn, passenger numbers decreased. Is this not the exact opposite of what you should expect for a public transport system? I would assume that cars mean financial independence and security and that trying economic times would drive people away from the increasing costs of cars and into the welcome arms of public transport. But, it would seem, the opposite occurs.
This is quite encouraging, a small loss on a large revenue. Perfect. But that’s not the whole story.
So, Translink had turnover of £187.8 million pounds and then received an additional £130.4 million to keep the service running. Considering that government is currently paying for for 41% of Translink, it’s not a stretch to imagine that they could start to pay for 100%. Especially after they realise the reduced costs in no longer needing to collect cash, issue and advertise multiple redundant promotions to sell tickets and start to monetize the service through smarter ways. And yes, we have some ideas about that.
Turning the amount of advertising Translink puts out there to advertise it’s own services into opportunities to advertise third party products to their captive audiences and, at the same time, sell premium services, seems to me like a no-brainer.
The flexibility and convenience of a car cannot be matched by public transport. This is obvious. Even when you consider the rising costs of fuel and the recent rise in parking fees, cars remain extremely competitive in the face of our heavily subsidised public transport system. For a public transport system to be used by the general public,
I want to challenge the assumption that public transport competes with private transport. It’s a different thing entirely. But there must be a way to both increase usage of public transport and convince people to use their cars less.
The question being: has anyone in government investigated this? And if not, why not?
