Weeknotes S03 E13

What’s happened?

It’s been a few weeks since I last wrote weeknotes. This is mostly due to one big gross reason: I caught the super cold.

Just before I got sick we had some useful conversations on the intranet project that made me feel much clearer about how to use the research we’ve been doing with staff around the council. I was full of ideas and purpose… and then I was full of cold. And I stayed that way for most of the last two weeks.

I didn’t like being forced to stop, but my brain didn’t give me a choice. It was moving at glacial speed and I couldn’t get anything done. It was frustrating, but also gave me time to think about work and how it’s going — something I’ve not done as much lately now that things are getting busier.

I noticed I felt a bit pressured and panicky on coming back to work after my days off, and I don’t think that’s the right mindset for the project I’m on. I’ve resolved to try and stay calm and curious, and to remember that we have an opportunity to build something properly useful here, and that’s exciting.

I’m also excited to have Jenny (product designer) and Sharon (service designer) on the intranet team, for at least a little while.

Useful chats with other councils

Another nice thing that’s happened since my last weeknote is lots of chats and collaboration with content and intranet folk from other councils.

Alex (PM) and I had a great meeting with Enzo from Hertfordshire, who very generously shared his experiences of working on their new intranet (and I am looking forward to the wider intranet local gov meet-up that’s happening soon).

The Royal Greenwich content team met our Essex counterparts for an good chat about ways of working… and, following One Team Gov Local, we’re working together to start a monthly content design meet-up for local government. First meeting is 3.15pm — 4pm on Thursday 25 November, let me know if you’d like to join.

And finally, One Team Gov Local itself was very nice and helpful as ever.

Lessons learnt

We were lucky enough this week to have elle tweedy join our team meeting to share some work she did while at FutureGov to reimagine case management tools in children’s social care.

I loved this talk, largely because my mum used to be a social worker and I know she found using the processes and tech systems at her council really tough and disheartening. This session showed me what an impact you can make if you build tools people can and want to use.

I also learnt a useful lesson from a chat I had with a colleague about a tough day they’d had. Although it was a short conversation (and mostly them enquiring about how I was feeling as I’d been ill) it showed me that everyone experiences set backs and blockers, no matter what project they’re on.

As my colleague put it, this stuff is really hard. And I feel lucky to be in part of a team that’s open about that, and working things out together. And on that matter, we’re recruiting — user researchers, product managers, service designers and product designers, come and join us.

I also learnt that just because your cold feels like it’s gone, that doesn’t mean it’s gone. It’s just hiding. Seriously.

What inspired me

Because I read it in a total blur at the start of the intranet project, I’ve been revisiting Task-Based Intranet Content by Lizzie Bruce. Reading it further through the project has helped me see how it might help us as we start to think about our approach to content. And this time I’ve made notes, which will help.

I didn’t read much else, but I’ve started tacking on an extra chunk of time at the end of my working day to read or watch useful things that help me learn. I know that I’m very lucky to be able to do this (I have no caring responsibilities, for example) so I’m trying to find quick ways to share back the most useful stuff I find with my team, such as by sharing summaries.

I’m looking forward to a couple of free content events over the next few weeks, on avoiding ableism in content and on using language well in care settings (thanks to those on the Content Design London Slack who shared these).

And finally, I’m very VERY excited to be part of UPFRONT’s fifth bond, a six-week course for women on public speaking, power, presence and confidence. It starts Monday and I can’t wait.