These weeks are blasting past. Christmas items are in the shops and I’m a tad bitter we aren’t going on the road trip of dreams like last year around America and having Halloween in Salem.

Went to Sunnybank on the weekend and absolutely loved the pizza there. Grumpy’s was an absolute banger of a pizza and lunch, and Sunny Bank Mills ain’t too shabby either.

Monday

Monday starts with a stand-up.

They always do.

The most useful meeting of the week, the place where I read my notes and think, “Ahhh, I did this last week and this is what I’m doing next.”

Thank God I’m a prolific notes-writer.

Got loads to work on, certainly no time to sit on hands. I love coffee and this is exactly why I drink so much!

I did mention this before, but the power and skills of the BA on the team are incredible and she’s an absolute send-from-the-product-gods.

Bobbin-wise, it’s hands on deck. Removing old ads, rearranging homepage links to match customer tastes and behaviour, and I’m kicking my own arse for not updating the creative on the homepage often enough.

So shit that I completely left it for 2 months and us having no stock is a shocker from me, especially when I’m knee-deep in the data.

Tip to future Mikey C: watch the stock, have a system in place for the stock and change the website when stock goes down… you twat.

Tuesday

I got to wear a hi-vis vest.

Goooo meeeee.

Mikey in his finest hi-vis

Dropped off a new product at the fulfilment centre, the first time going for me, and it was a jaw-dropping moment.

Seeing all our products in a warehouse, meeting the pickers and seeing it in full motion is a reminder that this thing is worth the extra work and the late nights.

I’ve always thought physical products freak me the hell out compared to digital.

I can change a word here and there, even buttons or UX flows, quickly. But a real-life thing that is in the hands of users scares the fuck outta me.

It also impresses the hell out of me that people love our things and use our things.

Some even use our products to announce a birth.

That’s a privilege!

Wednesday

Tough day, for one reason or another, but working out of the house today at a wicked place called Galleria in Armley, I believe.

£6 all-day coffee. Well, 10am-3pm.

The main issue was that no bugger told me it’s self-serve, so I was knee-deep in meetings waiting on service like I’m back in America!

I am sure I’ll put a photo of my lunch here, but I could never commit to doing that properly!

Starting to work away from the home office is such a good vibe. It’s a creative maker and makes me feel a lot more alive.

BTW, my lunch was an absolute banger.

Thursday

Work-wise, I’ve been looking into making sure everything flows correctly.

I don’t mean ways of working, but making sure more people can make informed decisions without me being there 24 hours a day.

So this means, basically, we all lean on the design system I have created.

With rules in place.

Small decisions, very minor things only!

They know not to make sweeping UX choices without the users or me. The vision is held somewhere in a safe place, and I and a small number of others have seen it: BA, PM, DM and Service Owner.

It’s not a secret, but not everyone needs to know useless information!

Went out for dinner with the fam, Korean BBQ.

Absolutely ate my body weight and more.

I’ll defo sleep well tonight.

Friday

Fridays are for coffee and getting shit done.

Usually, the public sector is quiet on Fridays. From my experience, it’s the day you tidy up loose ends, prep for next week, and make sure you’ve delivered all the dreams and hopes you promised.

Today’s no different.

I am trying to wrap up the end of one project to jump onto the next.

One has concentrated on more development and back-end delivery, ensuring it’s faster, safer and more polished in providing users cleaner data and search results.

The other is at the start of its life.

This means I can move on, as I am months ahead.

Long term, I am unsure what happens after my 3-month contract here.

There is tons to do, loads outstanding, and user needs coming out of our ears, but…

Contracting life is such a puzzle!

Listen of the week

Bringing this back, as a couple of you lovely viewers asked me what I listen to.

I am obsessed with Starbucks, I know.

Some see them as problematic for reasons that aren’t for this week’s notes, but they also provide positives.

BUT…

I enjoyed this podcast because of the story, the growth, the creative differences between directors, the staff, and the sheer determination of a coffee shop turning into one of the biggest brands out there.

Acquired is a golden podcast in a pond full of noise, and this episode is brilliant.

It’s 4 hours long, but every minute was golden.

Acquired: Starbucks with Howard Schultz

It’s also on YouTube:

Watch the Starbucks episode on YouTube

Roll on next week! ✌️