What leadership teamwork did I see? Over the past couple of weeks I've got more involved in the creation of a large and complex new NHS-branded service. I'm encouraged by its leaders' focus on getting the user experience right, and on the importance of earning and keeping people's trust. It has also given me a … Continue reading Weeknote: 18 to 24 May 2020
Weeknote: 13 to 19 April 2020 – notes from the top of a hill
Both literally and metaphorically, I live at the top of a hill. Leeds city centre lies in a dip where smoke and traffic fumes linger, so the middle classes have long chosen this leafy suburb, 100 metres higher, as a place to be socially distant. Here I am holed up in a house that’s big … Continue reading Weeknote: 13 to 19 April 2020 – notes from the top of a hill
Weeknote: 6 to 10 April 2020
Slowing the pace a little after a couple of full-on weeks where several of our teams delivered new services, and I shuttled virtually between them to help make sure we would deliver a joined-up user experience. On Monday evening, while I was on a call about another new service in the pipeline, someone in my … Continue reading Weeknote: 6 to 10 April 2020
Weeknote: 30 March to 4 April 2020
What inspired me this week? In last week’s note, I mentioned the weekend working with colleagues on a new service to help the NHS prepare and respond to coronavirus. Coronavirus status checker, or "Tell the NHS about your experience of coronavirus," went live last Sunday evening for people who had completed 111 Online. This week, … Continue reading Weeknote: 30 March to 4 April 2020
Weeknote: 23 to 29 March 2020
What inspired me this week? New co-workers - my wife and our sons aged 13, 17, and 20 - getting on with their work while I do mine. Halfway through the week, I moved my improvised office from the dining table, which was rather too much in the middle of everything, to a sunny window … Continue reading Weeknote: 23 to 29 March 2020
Weeknote: 16 to 22 March 2020
What inspired me this week? So much to choose from, but these tweets from James sum it up... https://twitter.com/jiggott/status/1241308962718461952 Our user researchers moving rapidly away from face-to-face research without remotely compromising on the importance of involving users. This has been a real community effort, with lots of hints, tips and tools being shared under the … Continue reading Weeknote: 16 to 22 March 2020
Weeknote: 9 to 13 March 2020 – “We have the best team” edition
For a couple of Christmases I was part of the NHS.UK senior leadership team. When they were making the holiday cover rota, I used to joke, "you know where I am if there's a service design emergency". Well I won't be making that joke again. We have a Slack channel where designers share weekly updates … Continue reading Weeknote: 9 to 13 March 2020 – “We have the best team” edition
Weeknote: 2 to 6 March 2020
What inspired me this week? Conversations with candidates at our graduate traineeships assessment centre in London. The candidates are always impressive. A preview of Rochelle, Shirley and Emma's talk at Service Design in Government. By all accounts they did brilliantly. A joint show and tell by two of our teams. The NHS App team showed … Continue reading Weeknote: 2 to 6 March 2020
“No one’s laughing at the lenses”, or the service-dominant logic of my new pair of specs
I'm typing this on the sofa. Across the living room, the laptop display is mirrored to the television. I can comfortably read them both. Unremarkable to you, maybe. To me it seems like magic because just before Christmas I picked up my first pair of varifocals. While people have been complimenting me on the frames … Continue reading “No one’s laughing at the lenses”, or the service-dominant logic of my new pair of specs
Weeknote: 24 to 28 February 2020
What connections did I make? Met more people who care deeply about digital, data and technology (DDAT) skills in health and care at the second of the DDAT in health unconferences, this time in Leeds. As in London the week before, the event was excellently run by the organising team. Had a call with a … Continue reading Weeknote: 24 to 28 February 2020
Weeknotes: 10 to 21 February 2020
What inspired me? A design huddle in our new accessibility lab. Seeing colleagues present their work to visitors from the computer science faculty at Durham University. Listening to presentations on Screening, the NHS App and NHS.UK, I was proud of the user-centred work these teams are doing, and how they might work together as a … Continue reading Weeknotes: 10 to 21 February 2020
Weeknote: 3 to 7 February 2020
What leadership teamwork did I see? As we discuss new ways of working for our product development directorate, I had catch-ups with several of our senior leaders who are figuring out what this means for their own areas. We have many demands on us as a directorate, and are working within constraints, but everyone wants … Continue reading Weeknote: 3 to 7 February 2020
Weeknote: 27 to 31 January 2020
What inspired me this week? The design team away day brilliantly produced by Brie, Becca and Andrew. I couldn’t stay for the whole day, but it was lovely to see the community assemble, and to hear head of design Tero and practice lead Dean outlining their vision for design at NHS Digital and beyond. Starting … Continue reading Weeknote: 27 to 31 January 2020
Delivering digital service: this much I have learned
The year is 2000. I am a product manager. I’ve worked with designers and a usability specialist to specify a new feature for a consumer news service for a major telecoms operator. But what comes back from engineering is unrecognisable. It doesn't work as we specified. Worse than that, the engineers have added all sorts … Continue reading Delivering digital service: this much I have learned
Weeknote: 20 to 24 January 2020
What inspired me this week? The discovery team on Book, Refer & Manage Appointments is making progress on user research and mapping at an impressive rate, picking up new team members as it goes. Ideally, teams like this should start together. Having new people join 2 or 3 weeks in can be disruptive, so it's … Continue reading Weeknote: 20 to 24 January 2020
