A year of talking to strangers
The idea was borrowed from the NHS' Randomised Coffee Trial and similar initiatives, though in my version the selection of participants was anything but random.
I wanted to discuss technology, data, and the internet as they relate to the design and delivery of public services, though we could talk about anything, provided:it isn’t:
A product or service you’d like to sell me
A political party or politician
Working for me, or me working for you
I expected a handful of takers in the first few weeks. A year and a new role later, it's still going.
The topics have been as varied as I’d hoped. Artificial intelligence came up often, from the ethics of agentic AI to specific tools and the case for small language models.
Other conversations went deep on Universal Property Reference Numbers, development capacity in local government, and the broader challenges of digital public services.
Then there were the tangents I didn't see coming: someone asking me to help format their data; a shared memory of attending UEFA Women's Euro 2022; and a conversation about how the public's behaviour towards a former police officer changed entirely depending on whether or not they were carrying a firearm.
Only a couple of times did things drift toward a sales pitch, though I should note that my own job description involves working with vendors, and roughly half my guests have come from the private or third sector.
I won't pretend I wasn't nervous at first, but I can honestly say I look forward to these conversations. Each one has been rewarding in its own way, and I've learned far more across those twelve months than I expected.
If you're thinking of doing something similar, my advice is straightforward: set your own rules, remind people of them at the start, and don't hesitate to click the leave button if you need to.
Here's to another year of varied and unexpected conversation. If you'd like to chat, don't be a stranger, you can book a slot, usually at 4.30pm on a Thursday, right here.