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1/ Having spent many years working in the tech sector, I understand the technological philosophy of 'fail fast' ("FF"). It's a approach that promotes incremental development, coupled with extensive testing in order to determine whether an idea has value.
2/ FF helps inform the business when to cut its losses if testing reveals something isn’t working & to try something else instead. This is a concept known as 'pivoting'. Businesses favour FF, because it allows them to develop new products & services with less financial risk.
3/ The alternative is the 'Waterfall' method - where the developer hands the client a completed product based on a set of requirements which are then locked down & are typically unalterable. In a fast changing environment, Waterfall can become obsolete before it's even finished.
4/ Why does this matter? Well, in the context of the T&T app, an Agile FF approach was the right one. Get something stood up, get it working, get it out there, drive incremental improvement - OR - if it fails (which it has), adopt a different solution. That is what HMG has done.
5/ We are in unchartered water with COVID-19. There has been nothing like this since 1918 & every country is in a race to find the right fixes - be they vaccinations, PPE supply chains, public health guidelines, PR & comms, tech-enabled citizen solutions etc.
6/ In a crisis, the public need one abundant quality from Govt: leadership. Leadership is often confused with management - but they're not the same. Great leaders are honest & trusted. They admit when they get things wrong, but they don't lie or blame others for their failures
7/ Good leaders consult, listen, assimilate, reflect, consider and then decide. Good leaders earn, by example, the trust of those they are responsible for. It's a rare skill that few aspirants truly develop & it's incredibly hard to teach. But goodness, do we need some right now.
8/ I'd have no issues with a failed FTTIS app & needing to pivot if HMG:
a) had explored ALL international alternatives before starting a DIY build
b) not boasted about delivering a "world beating solution" by June 1
c) had not lied about parallel testing the Apple-Google soln
a) had explored ALL international alternatives before starting a DIY build
b) not boasted about delivering a "world beating solution" by June 1
c) had not lied about parallel testing the Apple-Google soln
9/ Better to be accused of doing a U-Turn & to front up if you get something wrong, than to treat the electorate like gullible fools who can be anaesthetised with spin & obfuscation.
Take the public with you by being honest & candid.
Be more Ardern than Johnson.
Start LEADING.
Take the public with you by being honest & candid.
Be more Ardern than Johnson.
Start LEADING.
