This paper reports on the perceptions of university teachers of two consecutive disruptions: moving to a new learning management system that was immediately followed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this research was to understand the role of planned and unplanned disruptions in facilitating or hindering the transformation of teaching practices. Through the lens of practice architecture and five analysis cycles, interview and survey data were interpreted. Findings demonstrate that what matters in teaching is human engagement as academics came together and supported each other during the pandemic crisis. To maximise the benefits of disruptions, academics need to act with agency and purpose and perceive disruptions as an invitation for change. Future studies should investigate the longer-term impact of disruptions on self-owned teaching practices, teacher agency and creative teaching.