I’m coming off one anti-depressant and moving on to another at the moment. This is having a number of adverse effects that should pass and then, hopefully, I’ll have an improved overall mood and suffer fewer side-effects than before. Change was needed, thought about, and the new regime is welcome.

In the software industry one of the roles I’ve most enjoyed is Service Transition Manager. It’s a broad role that, loosely speaking, ensures the smooth introduction of development work so that project benefits are felt without unintended disruption. If it’s consistently done well, a lot of people will have little appreciation of the importance of it.

• Change is necessary
• Plans are made
• Work is carried out
• <insert all sorts of problems here />
• Things have improved

The COVID-19 restrictions placed on the UK are, to my mind, beneficial and should be fully supported. The assistance being delivered is welcome and necessary. Unfortunately the announcements and follow-up haven’t been clear enough on detail, for the whole country to be sure of how to obey the curbs or reach out for financial aid. A service transition problem, if you will. The kinks will be worked out and we’ll feel the benefit in due course.

What lessons can we learn to prevent such upheaval and uncertainty in future?