Februarynotes
Eva and I delivered a show and tell on the UCD maturity model to NHSX’s transformation team and I also caught up with Pete to look at how it could support regional work he is leading.
I presented the inclusive design toolkit to the cross NHS EI/X and D Digital Health inequalities steering board and discussed how this, the service manual and UCD maturity work could help to support our agenda. We also had the kick off meeting for the work to further develop out inclusive design microsite.
We had a kick off meeting for our knowledge management work and a show and tell and I took part as a research participant for the development work on our service catalogue. I also caught up with colleagues in NHSx about all the UCD professionalism work that is being delivered at the moment and I worked with other NHSx colleagues as a member of an assurance board for a business case that needed a quickly delivered review.
We welcomed Ellen and Kiki into the central UCD team. I helped to recruit a lead content designer and sat on internal core and leadership competency assessment panels. I also met with our new HR leads, planned our central UCD budget and resource model and put in a bid for extra funding.
Our user researcher leadership community met and had a good session on clinician engagement in user research, user research quality oversight, revamping our wider community meet up and many other things.
I attended a talk on the importance of LGBTQ+ awareness training in the NHS and dedicated some time to my voluntary role as patient representative on the steering board of the BRCA Direct feasibility study.
What have I been thinking about
Like many people I have been thinking about what is happening in Ukraine and everyone affected. The impact of the conflict is affecting many of us and it is even more important to check in on colleagues.
I have also been thinking about how a collaborative approach feels to people who are not familiar with it. My approach to work is to work in the open and share the things that we have been working on so that people can feedback, see how it fits with what they are doing, see overlaps and how we can collaborate. I work in a very collaborative environment where people know that my intent is to be open and collaborative.
Not everyone is familiar with this culture and not everyone I encounter is used to this environment. For people working in a different environment, do they see it as collaboration and working in the open? Could my approach be interpreted differently? Could it be interpreted negatively? Could they see my intent to be collaborative as an intent to take ownership? Whilst I don’t intend to change being open and collaborative, what can I do to ensure it is interpreted for what it is? What do I need to understand better about their environment? How can I ensure the spaces where these environments come together feel safe for everyone and intentions are transparent?
Some of the things I am doing in March
Service week UCD maturity model session — you can find out more about the session and sign up here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-why-nhs-digital-is-helping-teams-build-user-centred-design-maturity-tickets-272007490727
Attending the new transformation directorate vision workshop and also a series of operating model engagement sessions
Attending regional frontline digital leaders engagement sessions and sharing our work on inclusive design
Participating in the UCD as a profession steering group
Taking part in a cross gov UCD maturity group
Participating in the Digital health inequalities steering group
Having a break from work and a week’s annual leave
