April Monthnote

What happened:

• Canada had an election. This is how I feel about it (or what at least the feelings about politics publicly that I feel I'm able to safely post publicly)

• Our ministry was reorganized, and my small team moved to a new group. My direct manager has stayed the same, but the two directors above him have changed. It's all good so far.
• I spent a lot of time working on a sensitive policy project with high potential for impact. Very interesting work, but it had its frustrations too, mainly figuring to how to communicate user experience without over-engaging the users.
• I plugged away at a few projects (mostly by creating helpful documents, analyzing data points and developing spreadsheets to inform direction) but things have felt slow and stalled by our re-organization and the uncertainty that comes with it.
• I put a lot of thought into a research plan proposal, only to have it paused due to shifting priorities
• I did some thinking and early concept-ing around an idea that my GovJam team and I developed a few months ago: A service catalogue for all BC government services and products. It's underpinned by the need for a research/design repository, but also the understanding that maybe a standalone thing that separates design from all other work may not have the impact we want it to, at the current moment.
• I also did some planning and thinking on other design initiatives: developing resources, sharing sessions, that sort of thing. Side note: our latest BC Gov Design Community call on Endineering is on youtube.
• I did some writing! But didn't publish anything. Yet.
• I had a few speaking opportunity invitations come up - hopefully more on that later
• I had a family situation that required me travelling to another city. All seems ok for now, but it was disruptive on my family. On the plus side, it meant that I got to have an Easter Dinner with my cousins, and another one with my own little family.
• I survived the most stressful day of the year: Summer camp registration.
• I did my taxes, here's how I feel about that:

What went well:

• Warmer weather has been lovely, and I'm spending lots of time outside walking my mum's dog, who I'm looking after currently
• It's felt a bit quieter at work than usual– there are lots of changes happening, but they seem to be happening above my pay grade.

What was challenging:

• Lots of things felt stressful this month, but so far everything is fine.
• Although things have been slower, I haven't found myself any more able to catch up or get ahead on things. Perhaps a reflection of stressful things in my home life.

What I've been reading:

Firstly, an important read from Hillary Hartley on Digital Service Resilience:

Digital service resilience

What endures when government innovation units close

The Service GazetteHillary Hartley

three ways to share power ⚡

Projects aren’t the only place share power with people with lived/living experience. If we focus only on projects, we might overlook opportunities to make lasting changes in day-to-day service delivery, leadership, and governance.

LinkedInKA McKercher

The Water is a Mirror

A lot of what you might call government waste is our fault.

Eating PolicyJennifer Pahlka

The 4Ds Roles and Responsibilities Workshop

People often struggle to describe who does what. Getting it wrong can mean that things fall through the cracks, or it becomes so descriptive that it hinders work. Articulating roles and responsibilities, especially in the 4Ds format, can clarify decision-making, help set expectations within and o

Emily WebberEmily Webber

#uxresearch #productdiscovery #marketresearch #productdesign | Helio

Slow, fast, or iterative research. Pick one that fits your decisions. Our Chief Instigator, Bryan Zmijewski, highlights that how we sell research is just as important as how we do it. He highlights Dr Chloe Sharp’s helpful breakdown, showing that your research approach should match where you are in the product process. At Helio, we use fast, flexible research cycles that grow with our product decisions. There’s no one-size-fits-all. Your research should fit your goals and speed. Check out his post: https://lnkd.in/g9RhQgrz 💬 We asked Bryan why he wrote the post: "Business timelines often dictate how user research gets done. But reframing the type of research around time can shift the discussion of what is needed in a project to accomplish the goals." → Slow research Helps you deeply understand users and shape long-term strategy. → Fast research Quickly tests and improves ideas to move faster. → Iterative research Supports continuous learning and adjustment throughout the product lifecycle. Feedback comes in waves, which help teams adjust and learn quickly. We mainly use iterative research to stay flexible and respond to what users experience. This back-and-forth cycle helps shape the product to fit what people need. How does your team run research? #uxresearch #productdiscovery #marketresearch #productdesign

LinkedInHelio

A year at NHSE

I’ve been a Head of Product at NHS England for a year now and this blog post covers my reflections on the past year (and what a year it has been!).

Irina Pencheva

4-week delivery model — one year (and a bit) on

Hey, it’s been awhile.

MediumKelly Lee

Reading, watching, listening

• I read two books in April, which is low for me: Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors (ok) and If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamura (good, more of a novella.)
• With stressful family things happening, I fell into an old comfort watch: The 1995 Pride and Prejudice series. Then I delved into the new seasons on Handmaid's Tale and The Last of Us which both feel worlds away.
• A podcast I found extremely useful: You’re Probably Thinking About Boundaries All Wrong with KC Davis. A podcast series I found extremely interesting: Dangerous Memories.