I'm not quite sure why but I quite enjoy talking with Svein... perhaps it's because he has such a unique and refreshing perspective. Or that he's not afraid to speak honestly about topics that matter in the same way that he'll talk about the playful side of life.
In any event, this is the second time in the past few months that we've had an extended interview. The previous time it was to talk about doping, you'll find excerpts from that in the latest print issue of Pedal. This time it was to talk about AC/DC, an Olympian grandparent, cross country skiing, and a little bit about cycling...
Here's the online audio interview, published via Pedal Magazine.
http://pedalmag.com/interview-w-svein-tuft-majorca-training-2014-season-and-xc-skiing-in-norway/
Monday, January 27, 2014
Monday, January 13, 2014
2014 starts with the fruits of labour
Welcome to 2014!
I'm really excited by the prospect of getting back on the road, back into photography, back into the things I was stoked about it at the start of 2013. I'm hoping it plays out better this year! So far so good...
Here's how it started for me:
1. I worked until about 10pm on the 31st as the project I'm working on got launched.
2. I went out to a New Years Eve Party.
3. I came home and monitored how things were going, including submitting what was likely one of the first applications for the new product once it went live.
In my over 30 years of experience in IT, I would put less than 10 events on my list of major accomplishments in that time. This one is definitely in the top 5.
The short list of projects I view as accomplishments over all those years has nothing to do with my ability to deliver or the quality of my work... it's the nature of the business. The vast majority of IT projects fail. And the bigger they are the greater the likelihood failure will be the outcome. So I actually take it as a personal pleasure as well as a professional accomplishment to see this one become reality. And I'll contrast this all with the immense pleasure I get from capturing photographs I'm proud of or doing interviews with some amazing people... the opportunity to deliver happens much more frequently in my photography/ journalism work than it ever has in my IT career. And I'll say bluntly: never underestimate how important it is to deliver something (hopefully on schedule, on budget and of at least the quality you know you're capable of). Races tend to be bite sized and the schedule tends to be "now". Big projects can be measured in weeks, perhaps a month or two... and you know early if it's going to work or not. That's in stark contrast to some of the IT projects that have taken up to 4 years before they either launch or fade to nothing. This is one of the medium length success stories!
It's the first time I've seen a project through from the early stages until it went live and then got to see it become something I would carry around in my pocket over the days/weeks/months/years to come.
In my top 5 list there are carefully crafted business continuity plans that are still being updated and revised... very much alive. There are also websites that exist with some functionality, look & feel or design patterns that have my finger prints and those of teams I've been part of all over them. There are even web sites I use personally, something that has brought a little sense of pride in delivery. This time though, I have this in my wallet... it's the result of about 9 months of effort. No labour pains though, one good thing about an IT delivery is that careful and detailed planning can eliminate the pain (no epidural required!)
So here it is... my first business credit card (one of the line of cards launched as part of this project).
I'm really excited by the prospect of getting back on the road, back into photography, back into the things I was stoked about it at the start of 2013. I'm hoping it plays out better this year! So far so good...
Here's how it started for me:
1. I worked until about 10pm on the 31st as the project I'm working on got launched.
2. I went out to a New Years Eve Party.
3. I came home and monitored how things were going, including submitting what was likely one of the first applications for the new product once it went live.
In my over 30 years of experience in IT, I would put less than 10 events on my list of major accomplishments in that time. This one is definitely in the top 5.
The short list of projects I view as accomplishments over all those years has nothing to do with my ability to deliver or the quality of my work... it's the nature of the business. The vast majority of IT projects fail. And the bigger they are the greater the likelihood failure will be the outcome. So I actually take it as a personal pleasure as well as a professional accomplishment to see this one become reality. And I'll contrast this all with the immense pleasure I get from capturing photographs I'm proud of or doing interviews with some amazing people... the opportunity to deliver happens much more frequently in my photography/ journalism work than it ever has in my IT career. And I'll say bluntly: never underestimate how important it is to deliver something (hopefully on schedule, on budget and of at least the quality you know you're capable of). Races tend to be bite sized and the schedule tends to be "now". Big projects can be measured in weeks, perhaps a month or two... and you know early if it's going to work or not. That's in stark contrast to some of the IT projects that have taken up to 4 years before they either launch or fade to nothing. This is one of the medium length success stories!
It's the first time I've seen a project through from the early stages until it went live and then got to see it become something I would carry around in my pocket over the days/weeks/months/years to come.
In my top 5 list there are carefully crafted business continuity plans that are still being updated and revised... very much alive. There are also websites that exist with some functionality, look & feel or design patterns that have my finger prints and those of teams I've been part of all over them. There are even web sites I use personally, something that has brought a little sense of pride in delivery. This time though, I have this in my wallet... it's the result of about 9 months of effort. No labour pains though, one good thing about an IT delivery is that careful and detailed planning can eliminate the pain (no epidural required!)
So here it is... my first business credit card (one of the line of cards launched as part of this project).
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