for W3c validation

The challenges continue. This week all the Remote Working Group were under stricter lockdown conditions, but varying periods of time. The distractions we had discussed in our first meetup continued, the strategies for managing them became more innovative and levels of tolerance or was it resignation, were apparent.

From last week, we had some homework to review our home technology infrastructures. You guessed, only a few people did it!! (Some things never change!). For those who did – the stand out vulnerability was lack of updates that had been applied to home devices. This wouldn’t have been an issue, except now, under stay-at-home circumstances, these devices (like older iPads) were now in use.

Personally, I reinstated my password manager, and after some tricky set-up blips (I couldn’t remember my master password) I now have this running in the background on all my devices and things are synching beautifully. Why didn’t I do this before? No idea, but I love it now!!

Our focus topic for this week related to what did we envision work might look like, post-COVID, and what lessons had we learned from our current circumstances that might impact the future practices. To stimulate the conversation a short poll asked for opinions across a number of scenarios.

Although a small sample, the standout items related to new approaches to flexible working, elimination (or a reduction at least) in the stigma previously attached with working from home, the use of digital tools and how to be more effective with communication. The other point we discussed was the redesign of ways of working, informed by their current experiences. But also, accepting that lockdown scenarios could continue for some time and maybe something that becomes a new normal for the short to mid-term.

Concerns about the Zoom security issues were raised and pointed to the caution with rapid deployments that address urgent needs, but perhaps without the due diligence of selection processes. Expanding on the rapid deployments was also the need to review new platforms and processes that had been taken up during work from home periods. Should they be sustained and integrated into the digital toolset? And what type of research and change management processes would be necessary to ensure any integrations were addressed in a robust manner?

And then, we talked about Easter. Overwhelmingly Easter became a completely different event this year. No longer a 4 day weekend. Many traditions, whether family or religious, would not happen this year. There was only one thing left to do – eat more chocolate!! And along that theme we decided to still have a meetup this Friday, 10th April. More informal, more checking in and hanging out. If Good Friday is feeling weird or you’d just like to join in for a chat – please remember to RSVP and we’ll see you online Friday!

Stay safe – stay home!