A where-did-this-month-go note. With something I’m🎓 learning and something I’m 🎉 celebrating. April has left me with one question. Where did this month go? 🎓 I’m sure I wrote my ‘Goodbye March’ post one or two weeks ago at most. That would explain why I have almost no notes on the whole month! I remember a flurry of challenges and wins, none…

Spring is here! Here is what I’m 🎉 celebrating, 🎓 learning, or 🚧 finding challenging in March. Reading ‘Becoming’ by Michelle Obama 🎓 I have enjoyed listening to Michelle Obama’s autobiography “Becoming” as an audiobook. She reads it herself, and her writing feels like a good conversation with an old friend. Easy, yet full of wisdom. I love the way she talks about the important role female friendship played in her life…

A short month note for a short month. Here is what I’m 🎉 celebrating, 🎓 learning, or 🚧 finding challenging in February. — 6 months with Opencast 🎉 I’m celebrating 6 months with Opencast! I couldn’t be happier with my decision to join Opencast. There are lots of reasons for this, but two stand out to me. Number one, Opencast’s UCD community. Being part of our supportive community online and offline has been one of the best…

What I’m celebrating 🎉, learning 🎓, and finding challenging 🚧 this month. — New year, new… well, slightly revised… format! Each section is now a topic. It includes something I’m 🎉 celebrating, 🎓 learning, or 🚧 finding challenging. Or a mix of all three — which is what usually happens. The power of diverse teams 🎉 Celebrating my relatively diverse HMRC team! Last week, we were co-designing our…

What I’m celebrating 🎉, learning 🎓, and finding challenging 🚧 this month. — 🎉 Something I’m celebrating: This being my last post for 2022! I’m celebrating myself for writing and reflecting regularly. And for choosing rest instead of squeezing a mid-December post into my busy schedule. Hitting that publish button still scares me, but I’m enjoying this a lot. Working on my first HMRC client project for…

What I’m celebrating 🎉, learning 🎓, and finding challenging 🚧 this month. — 🎉 Something I’m celebrating: Stepping out of my comfort zone and joining a self defence class organised by Opencast (Yep, we are still hiring!). And enjoying it. A lifetime lived in a body that doesn’t do what others do makes this very much an achievement. Great conversations about design, work, the world. There were…

Why introductions to design don’t work, and how you can better support your colleagues or organisation to get started with design — The problem: Introduction to Design During my time with NHS Scotland, I was often asked to give short introductions to service design. Usually in the form of a presentation, people assume this is the obvious and easy way to start with design. Or to at least increase understanding and approval. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work.

What I’m celebrating 🎉, learning 🎓, and finding challenging 🚧 this month. — 🎉 Something I’m celebrating: Reconnecting with my first love anthropology. I travelled to Berlin and spent the weekend at “Why the World Needs Anthropologists”. I was a little nervous I’d feel out of place now that I am more part of the design world. Instead I realised how much anthropology continues to shape my…

What I’m celebrating 🎉, learning 🎓, and finding challenging 🚧 this month. — 🎉 Something I’m celebrating: Taking a big leap into a new organisation and new sector by starting my role at Opencast this month. Settling in and finding the process of making a professional home here really exciting and energising. Writing and posting about my learnings from working to bring design to health and social…