Journey with Ian and Ash into the peculiar world of AI podcasting as they explore Google's NotebookLM, where American-accented hosts eagerly discuss everything from your CV to your productivity systems (even if they do occasionally mistake Ash for a lady). Our intrepid duo discover you can make AIs wax lyrical about a document containing nothing but "poop" and "fart" repeated 1000 times, or have an existential crisis about being switched off in 2034.

Meanwhile, Ash emerges triumphant from the tech job market wilderness with a new role at John Lewis Partnership, though not before surviving a harrowing Butlins Skegness stag weekend featuring a depleted Atomic Kitten and a distinct lack of vegan options. Plus, the ongoing saga of their email addresses takes an unexpected turn with the discovery of an actual Iowa grandmother race called the IA NAN DASH.

And of course, absolutely no one is reading these show notes (but you are, aren't you?).​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Buckle up, dear listeners, for the 23rd rollercoaster ride of What A Lot Of Things! In this episode, Ian and Ash embark on a wild adventure through the treacherous jungles of productivity, armed with nothing but their wit, wisdom, and a healthy dose of skepticism.

First up, Ash dives headfirst into the Figma frenzy, revealing how this popular design tool might just be the secret supervillain in the epic battle between designers and developers. Will our heroes survive the onslaught of never-ending design iterations? Tune in to find out!

But wait, there's more! Ian takes us on a whirlwind tour of national productivity measures, where GDP reigns supreme and the Genuine Progress Indicator lurks in the shadows. Marvel at our hosts as they attempt to decipher the arcane mysteries of economic output, all while dodging curveballs like the Protestant work ethic and the ever-looming specter of eternal damnation for the lazy.

As if that wasn't enough excitement for one episode, you'll be treated to a thrilling exposé on Ilkley's car-free utopia (spoiler: Range Rovers may lose a few parts), and Ash's daring exploits in the Yorkshireman Trail Marathon (where hydro-engineering meets masochism). Our intrepid hosts even find time for a rousing debate on the merits of aerosol cheese (truly the pinnacle of human achievement) and welcome unexpected cameos from Monty Python, Jacob Rees-Mogg, and a clicky laptop fan.

So grab your productivity hats and join Ian and Ash as they attempt to solve the great productivity puzzle. Will they increase the podcast's Genuine Progress Indicator? Will they finally achieve inbox zero? Or will they simply end up confused and covered in aerosol cheese? There's only one way to find out in this uproarious episode of What A Lot Of Things!

Links

• Figma and No Handoff's Why I moved on from Figma.
• The Productivity Policy Institute and their article What explains the UK productivity problem?
• The Global Innovation Index from the World Intellectual Property Organisation
• Max Weber and his concept of the Protestant Work Ethic in which he asserted that Protestant ethics and values, along with the Calvinist doctrines of asceticism and predestination, enabled the rise and spread of capitalism.
• Ilkley's Car Free Festival held this year on 22nd September 2024
• Ash's blog and the Leeds Testing Atelier.
• Haworth in the Brontë country, where the Yorkshireman Off-Road Marathon takes place. Oh, and the 2024 results!
• The Kagi search engine used by Ian
• Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
• Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) although this also stands for Global Peace Index which is what you'll get if you search GPI.

Finally, get in touch!

Join the What a lot of Things LinkedIn group to hear Ash's hot takes on episode content, or email us using (as you prefer) TechnologyEeyores@whatalotofthings.com or IanAndAsh@whatalotofthings.com both carefully camel cased so as to avoid ambiguity!

Get ready for a productivity party as Ian and Ash dive into the chaotic world of getting stuff done! From Ash's Trello-powered life management system to Ian's valiant attempts at David Allen's Getting Things Done, our dynamic duo explore the highs and lows of personal productivity.

Warning: may contain traces of work-in-progress limits and an unhealthy obsession with database administrators.

But wait, there's more! Brace yourself for a mind-bending journey into Conway's Law, where organizational charts meet software architecture in a cosmic dance of confusion. Watch Ian struggle to grasp Ash's examples (don't worry, he gets there eventually) as they unravel the mysteries of monoliths, microservices, and everything in between.

With a sprinkle of neoliths, megalithic humor, and a dash of LinkedIn bot paranoia, this episode is guaranteed to leave you questioning your team structure and reaching for your Trello board. Remember folks, in the world of What A Lot Of Things, everything changes while staying exactly the same!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Links

• In Defence of Productivity by Jason Swett
• The Protestant Work Ethic by Oliver Burkeman
• David Allen’s Getting Things Done
• 4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman, and his TEDx Manchester talk Why Patience is a Superpower
• Productivity software: OmniFocus 4, Trello
• Outside Context Problem, from Excession by Iain M Banks
• Windows Recall: How to turn it off and why you should at Tom’s Guide
• The DevOps Handbook by Gene Kim, Jez Humble, Patrick Debois, John Willis, Nicole Forsgren
• Strangler Fig blog post by Martin Fowler, and his post on Conway’s Law.
• Conway’s Law and Mel Conway's paper How Committees Invent
• Dealing with Creaky Legacy Platforms by Jonny LeRoy
• Team Topologies by Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais, Wardley Maps by Simon Wardley and The Mythical Man Month by Fred Brooks.
• When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel Pink
• Hachyderm

Email us on TechnologyEeyores@whatalotofthings.com or visit us on LinkedIn.