Lmst

When faced with obstacles, don't change your goals. Change your action plan. 🗺️ #ActionPlan

"How States Can Lead the Way for Workers: A State Playbook":
https://tcf.org/content/report/state-playbook-how-states-can-lead-the-way-for-workers/
#labor #politics #ActionPlan

UK Games Growth Relief: Scotland Is Ready To Deliver

The Scottish Games Network strongly supports the new open letter from Ukie to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, calling for a new “Games Growth Relief” fund. This push for significant new UK-wide investment is critical and validates the core thesis of our own work.

This is a powerful moment for the UK industry. However, the crucial question for Scotland now is: How do we ensure that any new UK funding is strategically leveraged to the greatest effect within Scotland’s games ecosystem?

The Scottish Games Action Plan is the answer.

Our community-driven blueprint is complete and ready for implementation. It is designed to act as the essential, strategic delivery mechanism for growth, guaranteeing that any new national investment translates directly into high-value jobs and IP creation here in Scotland.

How the Games Action Plan is the Essential Vehicle:

Targeted Investment: Our proposed Dedicated Games Investment Fund is a pragmatic pilot designed specifically to integrate with and amplify the returns of any new UK fund. This ensures UK investment is strategically allocated and maximised, rather than fragmented.
Strategic Leadership: The planned Chief Games Officer (CGO) role will be critical. The CGO will be the strategic lead responsible for ensuring Scotland secures its fair share of the new UK fund and that it aligns with our national innovation goals.
Proven ROI: Unlike speculative demands, our plan is grounded in proof, with our own models (such as InGAME’s £15.90 GVA return) demonstrating clearly that Scotland can deliver the results from this investment.

Scotland is ready to be the anchor for this UK-wide growth. By implementing the Action Plan now, the Scottish Government ensures that every pound of future funding is leveraged to create a new Games Supercluster here in Scotland.

We support the push for growth and the need for scale. Now, we must seize the opportunity in front of us.

Next Steps:

The community has provided the blueprint. The Games Action Plan for Scotland will be formally launched and debated at the Cross-Party Group on Scotland’s Games Ecosystem on Tuesday, November 18th.

We hope to see you there.

#actionPlan #games #GamesActionPlan #GamesGrowthRelief #scotland

The Quiet Work: An Update on the Next Chapter for Scottish Games

You may have noticed that the news feed on the Scottish Games Network has been quieter than usual over the past week.

That quiet has not been for a lack of activity. In fact, it’s been precisely the opposite.

Behind the scenes, this has been a period of intense and focused work. It’s been a week of meetings and conversations with organisations across – and around – the entire games ecosystem. It’s been about starting new dialogues, continuing long-running collaborations, and nurturing the relationships and connections necessary to build even more effectively in 2026 and beyond.

For years, I have worked to build a blueprint. Now, we, collectively, are laying the foundations for what comes next.

Part of that foundational work is recognising that as Scotland’s games ecosystem matures, it requires more specialised and focused organisations to drive it forward. The days of one organisation (and more honestly, one person) trying to be all things to all people must end if we are to be truly effective.

All of the recent changes across Scotland mark a strategic evolution. The SGDA is a dedicated voice for developers and studios – their new accelerator is a perfect example of this vital, focused work. The Scottish Games Network can now fully embrace its role as the ecosystem organisation: the connective tissue linking our brilliant developers to education, to government, to the wider creative industries, tech, screen and the rest of the world.

Part of embracing that role means evolving our own platform. To that end, another key workstream has been the upcoming restructure and redesign of the Scottish Games Network website itself. Our goal is to transform it into the central, authoritative hub for the entire ecosystem.

Back in August 2025, I asked for help building and evolving the editorial output from SGN. I was humbled when over 30 people from across the ecosystem volunteered their time and expertise to help with this project, and I want to publicly thank them – and assure them this is still happening – I… just had to get the Games Action Plan finished and ready for publication (more of which below). Together, we will build a far more comprehensive media channel that not only reports the news, but actively investigates, supports and showcases the incredible people, organisations and work being done across Scotland.

This is not a division – it is a sign of an evolving and maturing sector.

This new direction is already being delivered through the projects that have been the focus of this quiet work:

The Games Action Plan: The completed, community-generated, national blueprint that provides the entire ecosystem with a unified, data-driven path forward.
Hello World!: The talent pipeline, delivering on the Action Plan’s promise to inspire and cultivate the next generation of studios, developers and creators.
More Than Games: The innovation engine, connecting the incredible skills of our industry to the wider digital and creative economy.

The quiet phase is nearly complete. Over the next few weeks, you will see a series of major announcements as the scaffolding comes down and the results of this work are revealed.

The pivotal moment will be the meeting of the Cross-Party Group on Scotland’s Games Ecosystem on Tuesday, November 18th. This will be the public forum where we, as a newly focused and aligned community, will formally present the Action Plan and begin the next exciting chapter for games in Scotland.

The work continues, and I look forward to sharing the next steps with you all in the near future.

#actionPlan #comingSoon #games #HelloWorld_ #MoreThanGames #scotland #SGF26

Flood Hydrology Roadmap [UK]
--
https://www.gov.uk/flood-and-coastal-erosion-risk-management-research-reports/flood-hydrology-roadmap <-- shared technical details
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https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62335ac2e90e070a54e18185/FRS18196_Flood_hydrology_roadmap_-_report.pdf <-- shared roadmap as a PDF
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https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2022.053 <-- shared paper
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#water #hydrology #flood flooding risk hazard roadmap UK Britain cost #economics #publicsafety #publichealth #extremeweather #government #program #policy #mitigation #fluvial #floodhydrology #actionplan #England #Wales #Scotland #NorthernIreland #engineering #fluvial #pluvial #sewers #groundwater #reservoir #research #logistics #methods #operations #data #spatial #GIS #mapping #management #partnership #collaboration #regulations #interagency #riskmanagement #riskanalysis #practice #design #systems #landuse #change #climatechange

Scotland’s Innovation Summit: The Games Action Plan Delivers The Call for “Innovation at Scale.”

An Open Letter To Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes MSP and Business Minister Richard Lochhead MSP

The Scottish Games Network is celebrating the success and ambition of last week’s National Innovation Summit. The event you created – bringing together innovators, pioneers, business leaders, academia, and government – is hugely beneficial for Scotland’s future.

We were inspired by the Deputy First Minister’s clear and urgent call for “greater collaboration to support innovation at scale” and her vision for empowering people with the tools and freedom they need to succeed. We particularly welcome the focus on maximising the impact of existing support mechanisms and recognising the vital role of the private sector in driving innovation.

This vision is built on a strong foundation, and we recognise the success driven by initiatives including the Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review (STER), the Techscaler network, the National Innovation Strategy and the government’s unwavering support for entrepreneurship.

The Scottish games community has been working hard to deliver upon this shared vision for our future: Scotland’s Games Action Plan.

The Action Plan: A Proven Solution for Innovation

The Games Action Plan is the result of two years of intensive consultation, drawing input from over 350 individuals and dozens of companies.

It is a de-risked pilot designed to deliver your goals for Innovation at Scale and Collaboration by providing:

A Unified Leadership Model: A structure designed to break down government silos and ensure strategic alignment with the Chief Entrepreneur and the STER agenda.
Targeted High-ROI Investment: A funding strategy based on the proven success of existing models like the InGAME R&D centre and the UK Games Fund, ensuring public investment is leveraged for maximum private capital return.
Integrated Business Support: A complete system to strategically link our high-value talent pipeline with existing infrastructure and specialist enterprise support, ensuring our incredibly productive sector delivers scale and sustainability.
Cross-Sectoral Collaboration: A mechanism to foster the “unlikely alliances” of collaboration by systematically connecting the games ecosystem with key Innovation Centres like The Data Lab, CENSIS, the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre and others.

The community has completed the work. The plan is a ready-to-implement strategic blueprint that requires no new bureaucracy, only political will to support an existing, proven engine of growth.

We look forward to formally presenting the complete plan, including detailed operational models and business case, at the Cross-Party Group on Scotland’s Games Ecosystem on Tuesday, November 18th, at the Scottish Parliament, and securing a commitment to this vital piece of national economic and creative policy.

Let’s make games a key sector for Scotland’s innovation agenda.

#actionPlan #games #government #innovation #scotland

Games Action Plan - Scotland's Innovation Agenda

Level Up Scotland: From Games Day to Games Supercluster

Last week, the global games industry turned its attention to Scotland. Thanks to the hard work of the Academy of Interactive Sciences (DICE Europe), the Scottish Games Association (SGDA), the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and countless others, there was an undeniable and welcome surge of energy, ambition, and recognition – both in the room and across the media.

I was at the SGDA’s Games Day in Dundee, listening to the conversations and briefing key partners. It was fantastic to see, but it also raised a crucial question for me: what happens now?

The Scottish games community knows that a day of celebration, no matter how spectacular, doesn’t necessarily bring about change. We have seen firsthand how the energy of a moment (SGW 22, 23 and…) can dissipate without a clear, unified path forward. In 2025, the stakes are too high, and the opportunity to build greater understanding of and support for the games ecosystem is too great to let that happen again.

Fortunately, we are not starting from scratch. While the spotlight was on the events, the Scottish games community has been engaged in the painstaking work of building a consensus for a way forward. For the last two years, I have listened to hundreds of you – studios, developers, educators, artists, engineers, esports players, and public sector bodies – to forge a new consensus and transform the way that games are understood and supported across Scotland.

It is a vision supported and strengthened by insights from pioneering countries and regions in Finland, Australia, Northern Ireland and across North America, which have shown us that proactive government support is the key to creating a world-class games sector.

That blueprint is the Games Action Plan for Scotland.

This is not one person’s vision or one organisation’s plan. It is a data-driven, community-led strategy that provides the clear direction we have been missing. It is the answer to the question of “what’s next?” It is the framework that can buil upon last week’s energy and turn it into tangible, coordinated action for the years ahead.

What Is A Games Supercluster?

I’ll be making the final draft of the plan public, once the final elements have been added – and then discussing all of the key recommendations and outcomes across the Scottish Games Network.

The challenge is now one of alignment. The community has provided the plan, and the forum for its public launch is set. The Cross-Party Group on Scotland’s Games Ecosystem on Tuesday, November 18th is our moment to show a united front.

So, let this be a clear, public, and constructive invitation. We formally invite the leadership of Interactive Entertainment Scotland, the SGDA, and our partners across the Scottish Government to join us at this public forum.

Let’s stand together and back the Games Action Plan as the undisputed national strategy for our industry. Let us show our community, our policymakers, and the world that we are united in our vision.

The community has done the work. Now, it is time for us all to align and to build.

See you there,

#actionPlan #edinburgh #games #GamesDay #IES #scotland #SGDA

"Our guardrails are failing us.
But with discipline, Democrats can get the message out":
https://contrarian.substack.com/p/our-guardrails-are-failing-us?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
"We’re witnessing a level of presidential corruption far greater
than in every earlier administration in history combined."
copy: @renewedresistance #politics #ActionPlan

SGN Welcomes Scotland’s First National Innovation Week, Highlights Games as a Core Driver of Transformative Tech

At the Scottish Games Network we are delighted with the announcement of Scotland’s first National Innovation Week, a new initiative from the Scottish Government set to take place from Monday 22 to Friday 26 September. This is a fantastic and much-needed celebration of the country’s legacy as a nation of “inventors, creators and problem solvers.”

The week aims to showcase Scotland’s global leadership in the transformative technologies and industries of the future, turning ambition into action. The government’s National Innovation Strategy rightly focuses on key areas such as advanced manufacturing, energy transition, health and life sciences, and data and digital technologies.

While we celebrate this initiative, it also presents a vital opportunity to highlight the central role that Scotland’s games sector plays across every single one of these priority areas.

Games: The Engine Room of Innovation

When we talk about “data and digital technologies,” the games industry is not just a participant; it is a pioneer. Our sector is at the bleeding edge of real-time 3D visualisation, immersive technologies, virtual production, AI, and interactive design. The technologies and skills honed in Scottish games studios are the very tools being adopted by other industries to solve their biggest challenges.

In advanced manufacturing and energy transition, our expertise in creating complex digital twins and real-time simulations is invaluable for design, training, and operational management.
In health and life sciences, Scottish developers are already creating applications for digital therapeutics, mental health diagnostics, surgical training and more.
In data and digital, our industry is a masterclass in managing vast, complex systems and creating engaging, intuitive, user-centric experiences.
In the wider creative industries, technologies from the games world are becoming the primary creative tools for a growing range of designers, creators, artists and businesses of all kinds.

As Business Minister Richard Lochhead stated, these technologies are “powerful tools to tackle the global challenges of our time.” The Scottish games sector is the engine room where many of these tools are being forged.

Mr Lochhead said:

Scotland is a nation of inventors, creators and problem solvers. We invented the steam engine and the television, and discovered penicillin. Today we stand at the forefront of the next wave of transformative technologies which not only offer immense potential for economic growth but also powerful tools to tackle the global challenges of our time – from healthcare and energy to climate change.
Companies across Scotland are speeding up the development of new drugs and medicines through automation, pioneering the energy systems of the future and developing the space and satellite technology to help tackle climate change – to give just a few examples.
It is essential that we seize these opportunities to benefit both our economy and society. Scotland’s first National Innovation Week marks a pivotal moment to turn ambition into action and cement our place as a truly global innovation nation.

Connecting to the Games Action Plan

The case for games as a transformative technology is a core pillar of the Scottish Games Action Plan, currently in the final stages of development. For Scotland to fully realise its potential as a “truly global innovation nation,” it is essential that the games industry is integrated into the national strategy. Our sector is a living laboratory for innovation, and we are eager to collaborate with the government and other industries to share our expertise.

The Scottish Games Network and the entire games ecosystem look forward to participating in the first National Innovation Week. We are ready to showcase how Scotland’s games industry is not just part of the creative economy, but a fundamental driver of the country’s entire innovation agenda.

Share the AWESOME

#actionPlan #business #games #innovation #scotland #scottishGovernment #strategy

Scotland's National Innovation Week 2025. Richard Lochhead MSP.

Trump’s AI Action Plan Is a Crusade Against ‘Bias’—and Regulation

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.wired.com/story/trumps-ai-action-plan-crusade-against-bias-regulation/

A layoff isn't a dead end. It can be a strategic launchpad.

My 3-step action plan after a job loss:
🧭 Reclaim Time: Pause to define your 'why'.
🛡️ Fortify Finances: Act from a place of power, not fear.
🧠 Stay Relevant: Use the time to learn new skills.

https://zurl.co/ObsVT

#ActionPlan #Transition #EQ

@un.org #COP30 Presidency, stop ignoring gender! With #WGC_Climate, we demand real leadership on #GenderEquality & #WomensRights. #COP30 must deliver: 🟣#GenderJustice as a clear priority 🟣An #ActionPlan w/ milestones & resourcing 🟣#Gender experts shaping negotiations 👉 bit.ly/4nesrsQ

COP30 Presidency, This Will No...

Game On for Scotland: Reflecting On The Sector’s Voice And Our Shared Future

Last week, Holyrood Magazine published a significant feature on Scotland’s games ecosystem, titled ‘Game on: Will Scotland lead the sector’s next economic boom?‘ It’s a piece I was pleased to contribute to, and one that I believe captures both the immense, often overlooked, potential of our games sector here in Scotland, and some of the very real challenges we face in unlocking it.

Reading the article and seeing the stories of the incredible Abertay students alongside reflections on our industry’s legacy and current landscape serves as a timely reminder of several key things. Firstly, the sheer talent and creativity bubbling up from our educational institutions is something we should not only be proud of, but showcase more widely. Secondly, the passion and resilience within our development community, which has weathered the recent storms and produced world-beating titles from the days of DMA Design to the innovative studios of today, is undeniable.

The Holyrood piece rightly highlights that while we have this incredible foundation, Scotland’s games ecosystem is “not as cherished or supported as it could be” and often fails to “receive any kind of focused attention”. This lack of dedicated support, funding, and a cohesive voice has been a persistent hurdle. The disconnect, at times, between our amazing educational pipeline and the industry itself is another area we must collectively address.

However, what also shines through is a powerful sense of optimism and a recognition of the “golden opportunity” before us. The article touches upon the work many of us are engaged in right now – striving to build better connections, advocate for the support our industry deserves, and demonstrate the profound economic and societal impact games can have, well beyond entertainment, in areas like education and healthcare.

This is where the real work begins, and where we, as a sector, need to come together with renewed focus and collaborative spirit. The development of the Games Action Plan for Scotland, a project I am currently leading, is designed to address many of the issues raised. It aims to provide that much-needed strategic framework, to champion our sector’s needs, and to create tangible pathways for growth, investment, and support.

The Holyrood article serves as an excellent independent viewpoint, underscoring why this strategic work is so vital. But the action plan – or any strategy – is only as strong as the collective will and effort behind it.

This is our moment to ensure the Scottish games sector is not just recognised for its past achievements or its current potential, but is actively empowered to become the economic and cultural powerhouse we know it can be. It’s time to ensure we are properly represented, that our contributions are valued, and that the path for the next generation of talent is clearer and better supported.

I encourage everyone in the Scottish games community to read the Holyrood Magazine article. Let it be a catalyst for conversation, for renewed determination, and for a shared commitment to:

Maintain Focus: On the strategic priorities that will make the biggest difference.
Support the Work: Engage with initiatives like Scotland’s Games Action Plan, share your insights, and help us build the strongest possible case for our sector.
Work Together: Collaboration between studios, educators, government agencies, and support organisations is paramount. We are stronger together.

As I said in the article, I believe games can be Scotland’s “secret weapon”. Now, let’s work together to make that a widely known and celebrated reality. The opportunity is here; let’s seize it.

~Brian

#actionPlan #ecosystem #games #holyrood #media #scotland

Scotland’s Games Action Plan V2

The second version of Scotland’s Games Action Plan is now available for industry consultation, feedback and review.

The plan is a series of recommendations to the Scottish Government to increase knowledge and understanding of the games ecosystem across all levels of government, build more dedicated support for it, and create a more connected, collaborative, and successful games sector in Scotland (it’s the first step in the creation of a National Games Strategy).

The goal is very simple: build Scotland from the fifth-largest games cluster in the UK to one of the top five worldwide.

Scotland’s Games Action Plan

Following a year of discussions with stakeholders, organisations, and partners across Scotland, the UK and worldwide, the Action Plan has been redrafted with a new focus on five key strategic recommendations.

Five Key Strategic Recommendations

These recommendations address all of the key findings from the workshops held in 2024, along with all of the comments, feedback and excellent input received for the initial draft of the Action Plan. It’s also far more deliverable and practical than the initial 50+ recommendations from the earlier version.

The recommendations address each of the key areas we identified as limiting the potential of the games ecosystem in Scotland:

Formal Recognition and Strategic Alignment: Position games at the heart of Scotland’s future.
Dedicated Funding and Investment: Create a dedicated Games Investment Fund to fuel growth and innovation.
Skills and Talent Development: Invest in a comprehensive education and skills pipeline to nurture talent from classroom to career.
Industry Collaboration and Cluster Development: Strengthen connections between game studios, educational institutions, and other sectors.
Promotion and Visibility: Raise the global profile of Scottish games and studios.

Please Read

ALL of the above recommendations are broken down in detail, with supporting evidence across the whole document. The Action Plan has been written as a single point of reference. With the appendices, definitions, etc. it clocks in at 30 pages. It’s been designed to be read by people who do not necessarily know the games sector. So there is a lot of context, background, case studies, etc.

I know it’s a big chunk of text. However, it’s been ordered with the key information, recommendations, etc. up front. So if you work in games, you’re probably OK to focus on the recommendations and skip the appendices, definitions, etc. – for now.

Next Steps

The ACTION PLAN is open for comments and feedback now. I will also be organising online sessions for discussion around the plan and to ensure I hear from stakeholders across the whole games community. Dates for those sessions will be published in the next day or so.

There is also a dedicated Action Plan Discord Channel where you can talk about the plan, ask questions and hear from others – including me. April 22nd.

I’m working with a Graphic Designer to turn this working text file into a far more accessible and easily digested document. I’m also reaching out to partners to get updated data and information on some of the numbers and figures used across the Plan.

If you have an idea for images, data, graphics, tables, charts, etc. within the plan, do please let me know.

The goal from this point is to get it to the point where it can be presented to government as quickly as possible and published (with a launch event) early in the next financial year.

Please Help!

This is the first step in what I believe will be transformative change for the games sector in Scotland. The support and feedback from across the sector to date has been fantastic. The new approach and the five key strategic recommendations alone would create an entirely new environment for games and give us a completely different level of understanding.

I know it has been a long process (far longer than I initially planned), but we’re very close to a final version of the plan. Please do take some time to read the plan and I hope to speak to you directly at one of the forthcoming feedback and Q&A sessions.

Thank you,

~Brian

#actionPlan #games #NationalGamesStrategy #scotland #scottishGovernment #scottishParliament

Do you want to be happy?
Do you want to feel like your life has meaning and purpose?
If so, then it's time to take action.
Stop waiting for happiness or fulfillment in the future.
Start by making a plan for what you need right now.
#sidehustleaccelerator
#happinessnow #meaningfulife #taketheadventure #actionplan #fulfillment #sidehustle #entrepreneurmindset #pursueyourdreams #changeyourmindset #findyourpassion

Sunday December 8th, 2024

With #Mars now #retrograde until February 23,

we need to rethink our action plans. 🤔

Mars, the warrior planet, the planet of

✨ passion and will
✨ courage
✨ risk-taking

goes backward ↩️ over old territory

reminding you to consider whether 🧐

your actions are getting you...

where you want to go! 🚀

Details in this video https://youtu.be/6jemCjOfBkM

#SelfCare #Astrology #AstrologyHeals #EvolutionaryAstrology #Horoscope #MarsRetrograde #MarsInLeo #ActionPlan #Strategy

Sen. Elizabeth Warren wants immediate action in the Senate until January 3rd: "Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer must use every minute of the end-of-year legislative session to confirm federal judges and key regulators, none of whom can be removed by the next President." #ActionPlan

G7 dei Garanti privacy: bilancio positivo dell’incontro di Roma: Si e’ concluso lo scorso 11 ottobre a Roma il quarto appuntamento del G7 delle Autorita’ di protezione dati (Roma. 9-11 ottobre). L’evento, coordinato quest’anno...
#Garanteprivacy #G7protezionedati #actionplan #sicurezzadati #educazionedigitale http://dlvr.it/TFSjqj

L’Unione Europea, resasi conto che le valutazioni quantitative della ricerca producono solo quantità, ha sollecitato valutatori, università, enti di ricerca e società scientifiche a unirsi in una coalizione per la riforma della valutazione stessa (COARA) a cui ha aderito anche l’ANVUR. Entrando in COARA, l’ANVUR si è impegnata a trattare la bibliometria come complementare rispetto a forme […]

https://aisa.sp.unipi.it/di-statistica-e-virtu-i-criteri-della-vqr-2020-2024-e-la-riforma-europea-della-valutazione-della-ricerca/

Ideas need action to breathe. Without action, inspiration is just a fleeting thought.” #Inspiration #ActionPlan #ExecuteIdeas #BusinessMinds

#actionplan

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