Recently, Amy Hupe asked this question on Twitter: Who’s got a really clear and concise explanation of what design systems are, that would make sense to someone who’s never come across one before? We had a good discussion and IContinue reading… What is a design system?
Category: Design
“Write good questions for forms” advice in the NHS Digital service manual
Someone asked me about writing good questions for forms. As usual I recommended the NHS Digital service manual page as a favourite resource – and then I thought “have I put that on my website?” And I hadn’t. So hereContinue reading… “Write good questions for forms” advice in the NHS Digital service manual
Please make survey tools more accessible
“Which is the best survey tool for accessibility?” It’s a question that I’m asked quite often, and also that I’ve often asked myself. There are two ways to interpret this question: Which is the best survey tool for creating questionnairesContinue reading… Please make survey tools more accessible
A poster for co-design
What does co-design mean to you? This Effortmark poster for World Usability Day 2020 celebrates some of the things that co-design means to me. At the end of September 2020, I attended the inaugural meeting of a cross-government co-design community.Continue reading… A poster for co-design
Hello, co-design community
29th September 2020 was a really fun day for me because I attended the first meeting of a co-design community. The idea came from Janet Hughes, Delivery Director working on farming and countryside at Defra (the UK government’s Department forContinue reading… Hello, co-design community
Surveys that work: an introduction to using Total Survey Error for the UX Insight Festival 2020
Surveys are easy to do – but harder to do well. Thanks to the UX Insight Festival who invited me to talk about my 7-step survey process, starting with Goals and thinking about Sampling, Questions, Questionnaires, Fieldwork, Responses and Reports. AlongContinue reading… Surveys that work: an introduction to using Total Survey Error for the UX Insight Festival 2020
Inwards and outwards research: choosing your research methods according to the service lifecycle
Is your user research looking inwards, at how your service works, or outwards, at the lives of those it affects? The right research in the right direction at the right time can truly add value – but there’s usually noContinue reading… Inwards and outwards research: choosing your research methods according to the service lifecycle
Listen First Ask Second
For World Usability Day, November 14 2019, I’m excited to announce the first in a series of Effortmark stickers and posters. ‘Listen First, Ask Second’ is the result of a collaboration with award-winning illustrator Julia Allum. Good design starts withContinue reading… Listen First Ask Second
Readability Formulas: seven reasons to avoid them and what to do instead
I had the honour of working with Ginny Redish on this article on readability formulas. Ginny is a leading authority on writing, accessibility, and content design and usability. I’ve lost count of the number of copies of her excellent book,Continue reading… Readability Formulas: seven reasons to avoid them and what to do instead
Discussing a topic map for how to design a better form
If you’re working on improving a form, especially a government one, what advice do you need? In April 2019, I discussed a topic map that might help to answer that question in a webinar for Digital.GOV. To find out moreContinue reading… Discussing a topic map for how to design a better form