This is a simple post on how to write a blog post, based on my own experiences over the last few years writing numerous posts, mainly on technology and innovation.

It’s not trying to teach how to get views or how to make money — it’s more about how to plan the structure and content of a post.

Types of blogs

I see two main types:

• Opinions — posts with your opinions, commentary or predictions on a subject e.g. “Best JS Frameworks in 2021”, “How to Write a Blog Post” or “Why Wandavision Is The Best Show Since The Mandalorian”.
• Tutorials — how…

There are no beginnings or endings

One amazing piece of good news in these awful times is that Robert Jordan’s epic Wheel of Time book series is being made into a major TV series by Amazon and should be released in 2021! For anyone who hasn’t heard of it, it’s a 14 book fantasy series with amazing characters, story and world-building, complete with thousands of years of backstory. If Amazon handles it properly, it should be TV gold and last for years. So hopefully more Game of Thrones than Legend of the Seeker. Bonus points if you remember that one!

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This epic-length guide journeys through all the buzzwords and trends that you may encounter in 2021 in emerging technology and innovation. This is edition #2 of the A to Z of Innovation — see the inaugural 2020 version here. So get yourself a cup of tea, put Teams on Do Not Disturb and lock the attic door to keep the kids away, because this is a long one.

Guide to the A to Z

This year, I’ve added in some extra features to the A to Z, mainly as it’s either that or watch more Netflix. So:

• Some entries have a (Hot) beside them if they’re…

Three years ago I wrote a post here on Medium called ‘One Hour of Side Project Coding a Day* — A New Year’s Resolution Worth Keeping’ (with the asterisk being ‘Except when my wife gives birth’!). That post has been one of my most popular, mainly due to what I suspect are all the other people also struggling to make time for side-projects.

Three years later, and during a pandemic: it’s still difficult, but still worth trying to do.

Why side-projects are worth it

I’m lucky/privileged enough to still have a great job, in a company that’s really stepped up and supported its employees during…

This is a quick tutorial on how to use an AWS IoT button to create what I like to call a Not-For-Emergencies Parent Button! I say quick because it’s a lot easier than it used to be to set it all up, and I say Not-For-Emergencies as I wouldn’t necessarily rely on it!

What’s the “business case”?

I’m lucky enough to have a great job that has me working from home during COVID, until at least May 2021. …

TLDR there were some interesting talks at remote Web Summit this year, but the real value of Web Summit is the ad-hoc meeting and chatting with people, seeing what startups from across the world are working on, and seeing just in general what the tech world is up to. All of which is much more difficult remotely.

Last week I attended the Web Summit tech conference for what I think was the 6th time. I went two or maybe three times in Dublin (I must be getting old if I can’t remember my conference visits!), …

I recently gave a talk on Innovation at the Digital DNA conference in Ireland (remotely!) and this post is more or less the written version of it, except for the bit where my dog interrupted!

What is Innovation?

Innovation is a much used word in enterprises, and can mean lots of different things to different people.

Is this innovation:

I’m (thankfully) really busy at the minute, with actual work and also an app I’m making for heart patients stuck at home because of Covid-19 (with the Team-OSV community). However, my wife mentioned that the residents’ association that she chairs needed a way to get info out during the lockdown and I magnanimously (AKA foolishly) said,”I could make you a website, easy” … so that’s how I found myself needing to create a website that I didn’t have time to make … one evening after dinner.

I know there’s quick-fix options like Wordpress, or those sites that you can pay…