Jekyll2019-03-05T19:15:11+00:00https://www.johnpauldickie.co.uk/feed.xmlJohn-Paul DickieContent designer working at the Government Digital Service.John-Paul DickieBeing introduced to the ‘multidisciplinary team’2018-12-27T00:00:00+00:002018-12-27T00:00:00+00:00https://www.johnpauldickie.co.uk/blog/being-introduced-to-the-multidisciplinary-team<p class="lead">Timeboxed to build, test and deliver a new thing. Here’s three things I learnt when I joined a multidisciplinary team for the first time.</p> <!--more--> <p>A team was assembled of policy experts, communications colleagues along with your standard array of digital roles; developers, content designers, user researchers, performance analysts, designers, product and delivery managers.</p> <p>This was something quite new to me. I’ve worked at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/gds">GDS</a> for well over a year now but I’ve only been a junior content designer for about five months and worked in team made up of mainly content designers.</p> <h2 id="day-one-">Day one 🌇</h2> <p>I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting. I knew I’d be with four other content designers (later two others), the work was somewhat fast paced so we had to be quick with our decisions yet be able to explain why we did something a certain way.</p> <p>One of the first things which had to be done on my first day (technically day three of the eight day sprint) was turn policy definitions and explanations into something which could be easily understood by users.</p> <p>That involved tweaking, adjusting or rewriting to make it as plain English as possible. Sometimes it’s quite easy, sometimes less so. Our policy colleagues explained to us what the things were and worked with us to make them more user-centred.</p> <p>It was quite refreshing working together with policy colleagues in the same place trying to tackle the same issue. Something it’ll do more of in future pieces of work.</p> <h2 id="iteration-is-key-">Iteration is key 🔑</h2> <p>During the first sprint, we knew the content in our tool wasn’t the best or even perfect, we knew it could be better.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1600/1*qUVSsS97923mtYgdDGYZXA.png" alt="Photo of sticker on a laptop with &quot;doing the hard things to make it simple&quot;." class="img-fluid" /></p> <p>Knowing something isn’t quite perfect is something I’ve struggled to deal with in the past. It doesn’t get to me as much as it used to but it’s still a bit difficult to look at something you’ve worked on and know it’s not perfect, however, we knew we’d get it in the user research lab, test it and then iterate.</p> <p>It was good to get the chance to observe two days of user research to then iterate it to firm up some of the content we weren’t particularly happy about.</p> <p>Our second round of user research a couple of weeks later shown the changes we’d made in between had made a difference in users understanding what they were being asked.</p> <h2 id="the-what-and-why-">The ‘what’ and ‘why’ 🤔</h2> <p>Typically as a content designer working on ‘business as usual’, we get the bulk of our information to do a piece of work, like updating a piece of content, through a ticket including the user needs, the changes and any additional information.</p> <p>In this project, since we’re working with a range of disciplines, our product manager recommended including ‘what’ and ‘why’ into each of our cards when we were adding something to the backlog.</p> <p>Including ‘what’ and ‘why’ didn’t just help the person on the team picking up my card to understand what needed doing, it also help me to understand what needed doing in the first place and articulate the task clearer. It made you think first rather than just putting a card in which could be quite vague.</p> <p>I’ll be sure to use this method again.</p> <h2 id="sit-back-and-reflect-">Sit back and reflect ✍</h2> <p>Over the past few days, I’ve had time to reflect and review the past few weeks.</p> <p>There’s definitely some practices and techniques I’ve developed, there’s still room to develop, especially around those tricky situations, but safe to say it’s been a great few weeks and more new experiences in the new year.</p>John-Paul DickieTimeboxed to build, test and deliver a new thing. Here’s three things I learnt when I joined a multidisciplinary team for the first time.One month in, one cross-government content conference down2017-10-12T00:00:00+00:002017-10-12T00:00:00+00:00https://www.johnpauldickie.co.uk/blog/one-month-in-one-cross-government-content-conference-down<p class="lead"> Attended some meetups, juggled training across the country, oh, and organised one big cross-government content conference — it’s only been 37 days since this journey started. </p> <!--more--> <p><img src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/800/1*PxnPGHUQn7NmZLEb8fjvNQ.jpeg" alt="Audience in the main hall at ConCon6" class="img-fluid" /></p> <p><small>Picture: Laura Billings (<a href="https://twitter.com/laurabillings/status/918057683873357824">Twitter</a>)<small></small></small></p> <p>I <a href="https://medium.com/@johnpauldickie/on-the-move-joining-gds-e382bc3cc82c">joined</a> the <a href="http://gov.uk/gds">Government Digital Service (GDS)</a> just over one month ago. I’m sort of trying to still figure out how a) it’s already been a month, b) how much has happened in that space of time. 5 September feels like a long time ago.</p> <p>I’m part of a small but perfectly formed <a href="http://twitter.com/laurabillings">t</a><a href="https://twitter.com/SueDavis68">e</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Ben_Hazell">a</a><a href="http://twitter.com/johnpauldickie">m</a> who look after training and learning needs of the cross-government content community, aptly named the ‘content community team’ based in the GOV.UK team.</p> <p>Safe to say, it’s been a pretty amazing start.</p> <h3 id="communities-are-hugely-important--not-just-to-network-but-to-learn-and-be-inspired-by-others">Communities are hugely important — not just to network, but to learn and be inspired by others</h3> <p>One of the best ways to understand a different community in government is to visit one of their meet-ups. My first was the cross-government design meetup, which happened during London Design Festival.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Crossing communities this afternoon at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/govdesign?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#govdesign</a> meet up at the <a href="https://twitter.com/DesignMuseum?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DesignMuseum</a>. <a href="https://t.co/wW5VQhDNKr">pic.twitter.com/wW5VQhDNKr</a></p>&mdash; John-Paul Dickie (@johnpauldickie) <a href="https://twitter.com/johnpauldickie/status/909779507040661505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <p>Many things were shared about what is taking place in terms of service design across government to help users, for us — the citizen (<a href="https://twitter.com/LouiseDowne/status/909794643042275328">remembering civil servants are users too!</a>).</p> <p>Services being designed and put together which can help people know more about <a href="https://twitter.com/LouiseDowne/status/909786495451631616">floods in their area</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/LouiseDowne/status/909791576502755328">registering and booking an appointment at a GP surgery</a> ultimately taking out the hassle when moving and making the complicated simpler such as the <a href="https://twitter.com/JoCArthur/status/909787784520577025">personal tax account</a>.</p> <h3 id="bringing-the-community-together-provides-ultimate-knowledge-exchange">Bringing the community together provides ultimate knowledge exchange</h3> <p>Yesterday was the sixth edition of ConCon — the cross-government content conference. Over 240 content designers from 56 departments and agencies — from the big central government departments to small support agencies — attended ConCon. They came from all over the country to learn from one another. The tickets were so popular they sold out faster than a band playing at the O2 (maybe not that much but it wasn’t far off).</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Full house for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/concon6?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#concon6</a> the cross-government content conference :) View from the stage! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/govcontent?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#govcontent</a> <a href="https://t.co/1fuV6LppOC">pic.twitter.com/1fuV6LppOC</a></p>&mdash; Laura Billings (@laurabillings) <a href="https://twitter.com/laurabillings/status/918057683873357824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <p>Sessions ranging from accessibility, product management, data, policy, user journey mapping and clear writing — just to name a few. It was also about reflecting where the community was at in terms of skills, <a href="https://twitter.com/1mikeowen/status/918054434860617728">mapping capability</a> against the Digital, Data and Technology profession <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/content-designer-skills-they-need/content-designer-skills-they-need">‘Content designer: skills they need’</a> guidance.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ConCon6?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ConCon6</a>: 240 colleagues from 56 departments and agencies from 24 locations are collaborating on content design today. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GovContent?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GovContent</a> <a href="https://t.co/Cg1X4et8Mj">pic.twitter.com/Cg1X4et8Mj</a></p>&mdash; GDS (@GDSTeam) <a href="https://twitter.com/GDSTeam/status/918032118374174720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <p>There will be a longer detailed blog post coming up in the next couple of weeks about the day on one of the GDS blogs but to be involved in pulling together and running ConCon6 was such a rewarding experience to see the reaction and feedback coming through on Twitter, knowing the impact it will make back in departments and agencies.</p> <p>As I <a href="https://twitter.com/johnpauldickie/status/918170326604963841">tweeted</a> yesterday, it wouldn’t have been possible without the community helping on the day to make sure it happened, speaking and running workshops but mainly attending the conference. The people make the community what it is.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/concon6?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#concon6</a> is easily the best government community gathering of its sort. Sets the standard. Well done <a href="https://twitter.com/laurabillings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@laurabillings</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/johnpauldickie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@johnpauldickie</a> and crew.</p>&mdash; Ross Ferguson (@rossferg) <a href="https://twitter.com/rossferg/status/918095641510805504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">One of the strongest tools we have for the next stage of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/govcontent?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#govcontent</a> is our content community <a href="https://twitter.com/tjrdoyle?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tjrdoyle</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/concon6?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#concon6</a></p>&mdash; Melanie Cannon (@Melanie__Cannon) <a href="https://twitter.com/Melanie__Cannon/status/918047635398889472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I second that - fab day full of great talks and workshops. And to top it off guest speaker <a href="https://twitter.com/boagworld?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@boagworld</a> What more could you ask for? 👌</p>&mdash; Sue Spevack (@SuepremeDesign) <a href="https://twitter.com/SuepremeDesign/status/918170860040675328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <h3 id="theres-always-more-to-learn-always-someone-to-be-trained">There’s always more to learn, always someone to be trained.</h3> <p>ConCon6 has finished but thats not just the learning experiences. GDS runs training nearly every week of the year for <a href="https://gds.blog.gov.uk/tag/training/">content designers, press officers and statisticians</a> to help learn how to write for GOV.UK but more advanced training on <a href="https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2016/09/21/it-takes-2-how-we-use-pair-writing/">pair writing</a>, training others in <a href="https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2017/03/15/clear-writing-training-helps-the-whole-organisation/">clear writing</a> and user journeys.</p> <p>I pull all this together — the logistics of making sure people who need training, get trained, by a trainer, with the right training resources afterwards. I’m lucky to work with a great team — which I mentioned those at the start of this post.</p>John-Paul DickieAttended some meetups, juggled training across the country, oh, and organised one big cross-government content conference — it’s only been 37 days since this journey started.On the move, joining GDS2017-08-25T00:00:00+00:002017-08-25T00:00:00+00:00https://www.johnpauldickie.co.uk/blog/on-the-move-joining-gds<p class="lead">After a short time working in higher education student voice, it’s time to move on to my next adventure. </p> <!--more--> <p>It’s been quite a whirlwind 12 months; <a href="https://twitter.com/johnpauldickie/status/773568328497528832">graduating from my degree</a> at the <a href="http://lincoln.ac.uk/">University of Lincoln</a>, spending a year as a full time students’ union officer at <a href="http://lincolnsu.com/">Lincoln SU</a> and moving to the Bath in May to start a role coordinating <a href="http://thesubath.com/academicreps">academic representation</a> at <a href="http://thesubath.com/">The SU Bath</a> but today is my last day there.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1200/1*sDffW5pluJKI9hRNN9G7Mg.png" alt="Screenshot of GOV.UK" class="img-fluid" /></p> <p>On 5 September, I’ll be joining the <a href="http://gov.uk/gds">Government Digital Service</a> (GDS), <a href="https://gds.blog.gov.uk/about/">who are leading the digital transformation of government</a>, part of the GOV.UK content community team as Content Training Assistant.</p> <p>I’ll be supporting the training that GDS runs for content designers cross-government, communication and evaluation of training alongside building a growing community. I’m really excited to be joining the team create, develop and share experiences.</p> <p>Although working in higher education, specifically on student voice and representation in students’ unions, has been hugely rewarding to see the impact that has been made, I’m taking a steer back to my degree along with the part of my work I always enjoyed which was training and giving people new skills and experiences.</p> <p>I hope to pick back up writing at the same time once I’ve settled in my new home city, writing about my experiences and goings on.</p>John-Paul DickieAfter a short time working in higher education student voice, it’s time to move on to my next adventure.Looking back at JiscCAN172017-04-23T00:00:00+00:002017-04-23T00:00:00+00:00https://www.johnpauldickie.co.uk/blog/looking-back-at-jisccan17<p class="lead">Partnership is very much alive and well in further and higher education.</p> <!--more--> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/sFbDzA55ROI" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </div> <p><small>Video of the <a href="https://can.jiscinvolve.org/wp/files/2016/06/University-of-Lincoln-Keynote.pdf">keynote</a>, <em>The University of Lincoln: A Research-Engaged and Collaborative Community, with Dr Karin Crawford.</em> (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFbDzA55ROI">YouTube</a>)</small></p> <p>Last year, I was first introduced to the <a href="https://can.jiscinvolve.org/wp/">Change Agents Network</a> at Jisc as a student and volunteer SU officer when the <a href="http://edeu.lincoln.ac.uk/event/jisc/">University of Lincoln</a> hosted it’s annual meet-up. I was asked to co-present the keynote at the start of the conference on <a href="https://can.jiscinvolve.org/wp/files/2016/06/University-of-Lincoln-Keynote.pdf">‘The University of Lincoln: a research-engaged and collaborative community’</a> with Dr Karin Crawford, the Director of the Educational Development and Enhancement Unit, Lincoln’s former learning and teaching unit, following our own experiences of the student as producer ethos.</p> <hr /> <p><img src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1200/1*eSmybacr_qvjT5cE826oXg.png" alt="Presentation of academic representation structure displayed" class="img-fluid" /></p> <p><small>Opening keynote at Jisc Change Agents’ Network 2017 with <a href="https://twitter.com/HibberdJake">Jake Hibberd</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/FXU_Exeter">Tom Murray-Richards</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ExeEducation">Harry Reeve</a>.</small></p> <h3 id="supporting-effective-partnerships-was-the-theme-at-this-years-jisc-change-agents-network-2017-hosted-by-the-university-of-exeter">Supporting Effective Partnerships’ was the theme at this year’s <a href="http://www.exeter.ac.uk/academic-skills-engagement-team/student-engagement/can2017/">Jisc Change Agents’ Network 2017</a>, hosted by the University of Exeter.</h3> <p>The conference programme this year was across two days with a mixture of parallel presentations and workshops as well as keynotes.</p> <p>One thing that stood out strong this year is that <strong>partnership is alive and well</strong> — between staff and students or between universities and students’ unions.</p> <p>The University of Exeter has a strong culture and passion for <a href="http://www.exeter.ac.uk/academic-skills-engagement-team/student-engagement/change/">Students as Change Agents</a>, as noted with their project, throughout the institution which set the tone for the rest of the two days.</p> <p>For me, I picked up some really good ideas and best practice which I have taken away from the event, two examples from Exeter; Student Quality Champions and online student-staff partnership boards.</p> <p>Student quality champions are the Deputy Subject Chairs, elected by students, who have responsibility in a particular area for quality matters so staff have one student contact to discuss changes to programmes or surveys as well as sit on Academic Offences panels for students in other departments.</p> <p><img src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1200/1*dZtjMcf0f2GHTtYl_qRmwg.png" alt="Photo of presentation with two presenters explaining student-staff partnership boards" class="img-fluid" /></p> <p>Student-staff partnership boards take place within the College of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Exeter, where the college is based across three different campuses, therefore typical feedback and partnership work previously has struggled until video conference capabilities enabled partnership boards to be launched including Exeter Students’ Guild, Falmouth and Exeter Students’ Union, staff from the college and student subject chairs from the various different departments.</p> <p>This approach is very interesting in closing the feedback and communication loop between students and representatives across different campuses, something which I found useful while looking at distance learning representation.</p> <hr /> <h3 id="the-power-of-partnerships-using-data-collaboratively-to-enhance-the-student-experience">The Power of Partnerships; using data collaboratively to enhance the student experience.</h3> <p><img src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1200/1*AV8qh1rJAaRJ3S92cysO3w.png" alt="Photo of sketch board created throughout the conference" class="img-fluid" /></p> <p><small><a href="http://twitter.com/SandraHowgate">@SandraHowgate</a></small></p> <p>As part of one of the sessions in the conference programme, a team from the University of Lincoln and University of Lincoln Students’ Union delivered a workshop on using survey data in partnership to help enhance the student experience.</p> <p>The specific example used was our Module Evaluations, which are facilitated by the Students’ Union (promotion and operational running) on behalf of the University. Student Academic Reps then use anonymised comments in partnership with staff to make a positive impact on the student experience.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Closing the feedback loop and enhancing learner voice. Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/unilincoln?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@unilincoln</a> a great workshop:) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JiscCAN17?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JiscCAN17</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/learnervoice?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#learnervoice</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZLFLw1jhkm">pic.twitter.com/ZLFLw1jhkm</a></p>&mdash; Vikki Liogier 🇪🇺 #FBPE (@vikkiliogier) <a href="https://twitter.com/vikkiliogier/status/855069624949497857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <hr /> <p>This year’s Jisc CAN conference was thoroughly interesting and thought provoking with lots of good examples of best practice shared around between sector colleagues.</p>John-Paul DickiePartnership is very much alive and well in further and higher education.
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