For a series of recent talks I’ve given, I’ve been thinking about the changing expectations that people have for services that are ‘digital’.
Services are a familiar part of our lives and our expectations for how they should work are continuously changing. Continue reading…
When leading service design with teams, the conversation often focuses on user needs.
It’s important to start with user needs, but I’ve found it’s not always clear what we mean by ‘user needs’. Continue reading…
At the end of May, I ran an afternoon workshop with Kate Tarling at UX London 2017.
We called the workshop Leading Service Design (view the workshop slide deck). Continue reading…
I’m leaving my job at DWP Digital in August.
This will be just short of 4 years working in government, first at the Government Digital Service (GDS) and then at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for the past 3 years.
It feels like the right time for a change and the right time to move on. Continue reading…
Almost a year ago I shared my summer reading list for 2016.
Looking back I managed to get through most of the books. It took me until the end of the year and I picked up a few more along the way.
As we reach the school holidays I’m about to head off with my family to the beaches of Cornwall again. Continue reading…
Yesterday I published a retrospective from the UX London Leading Service Design workshop I ran with Kate Tarling.
We designed and printed posters for people to refer to in the workshop break out sessions and to take away with them after the event. Continue reading…
Working with other people.
Anyone can be a source of light and optimism in any situation.
Look for other people that shine because they reflect the light back at you.
Great teams sparkle. They reflect each other. They have rough edges. Continue reading…
While we were in Purdah (the pre-election period) I started to write down a number of thoughts that were loosely joined around strategy.
The question I’m thinking about is: how do we start to work towards future services that respond to expectations that are rising immeasurably in an increasingly digital world? Continue reading…
This is Striding Edge in the English Lake District. It’s a famous ridge near Helvellyn known for it’s sheer drop at either side. A notorious accident spot for hikers especially in winter conditions.
This doesn’t stop people walking the ridge. Continue reading…
Some thoughts about change:
Change happens when you set a clear direction. It’s when you have enough focus to keep working towards where you want to be.
The direction of travel and the momentum you have to keep moving forwards is everything in life (and politics). Continue reading…
This is Forton services on the M6 motorway (highway) in the North of England. It always makes me smile.
It has an hexagonal concrete tower (grade II listed in 2012 according to Wikipedia). This was designed to look like an air traffic control tower originally housing an up market restaurant and sun deck with views to Morecambe bay. Continue reading…