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Category: Communications

Easy is hard

Easy is hard

Posted on 17 November 202111 January 2022

On the Design in Government blog, John Newton has written about creating Easy Read content. So, to clear things up, easy read is used mainly by people with […]

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Posted in Communications, Design, DigitalTagged accessability, content design, easy read, learning difficultiesLeave a Comment on Easy is hard
Big words are big, but they’re not clever.

Big words are big, but they’re not clever.

Posted on 14 February 201914 February 2019

Some industries have an affection towards using big words. Sometimes they’re necessary (a type of lumbar surgery needs to be referred to as a laminectomy). But if they’re […]

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Posted in CommunicationsTagged language, plain english, words, writingLeave a Comment on Big words are big, but they’re not clever.
Interview with Dave Trott

Interview with Dave Trott

Posted on 31 December 201828 December 2018

Dave Trottis an exceptional person. Born in east london, found his trade in New York, and built his reputation as an advertising master back in England.

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Posted in CommunicationsTagged advertising, copywright, hard work, interviewLeave a Comment on Interview with Dave Trott
User centred design, the GDS way.

User centred design, the GDS way.

Posted on 28 December 201828 December 2018

I was recently in Brighton where the city council hosted a Government Digital Service session on user centered design. Here are things I found most interesting.

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Posted in Communications, Design, WebsitesTagged gds, research, service design, tube, user journeys, ux, web designLeave a Comment on User centred design, the GDS way.
The power of context in UX

The power of context in UX

Posted on 3 December 20184 December 2018

uxplanet.org has a tidy summary of 7 principles which can be applied to digital service design to influence people’s behavoir.

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Posted in Communications, DesignTagged marketing, psycology, sales, uxLeave a Comment on The power of context in UX
Tips for young designers (or young people in any career)

Tips for young designers (or young people in any career)

Posted on 9 June 2016

David Airey’s blog has a nice excerpt from small NYC based design firm Sagmeister & Walsh’s answers page. The section on advice for students gives the following tips for young designers, but […]

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Posted in Communications, DesignTagged advice, career, design, workLeave a Comment on Tips for young designers (or young people in any career)
Two new old tools – Mindmup and Tricider

Two new old tools – Mindmup and Tricider

Posted on 8 September 20158 September 2015

Here’s two free online tools which do something you’d usually have to pay for. They’re not new, but they’re new to me.: Brainstorming/mindmapping/cloud thinking Whatever you call it, there’s […]

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Posted in Communications, WebsitesTagged brainstorm, collaboration, ideas, mindmapping, mindmup, tricider, votingLeave a Comment on Two new old tools – Mindmup and Tricider
Telling people’s stories by letting them tell it themselves.

Telling people’s stories by letting them tell it themselves.

Posted on 31 August 201531 August 2015

So much of work within a communications team is about telling a story – using it to show or reinforce a connection between a person and and someone or something else. […]

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Posted in Communications, London, PhotographyTagged artist, camera, crowdsourced, disposable, homeless, storiesLeave a Comment on Telling people’s stories by letting them tell it themselves.
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Don’t be offended if I’m not offended.

Posted on 13 August 201531 August 2015

New York designer SwissMiss posted an interesting video about being offended – how the ability to be offended is a relatively recent privilege for the masses, while also questioning what […]

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Posted in Communications, From the internetTagged civility, empathy, offense, societyLeave a Comment on Don’t be offended if I’m not offended.
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The value in what’s free or hidden

Posted on 25 June 20151 September 2015

I’ve spent my career in the charity and public sector, where services are often offered to those in need for free at the point of delivery. This can […]

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Posted in Communications, Design, PhotographyTagged cost, free, freelance, headphones, price, users, ux, value, weightLeave a Comment on The value in what’s free or hidden

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Hello

I am Tom Steel, I live in Sussex and work in digital services in London.

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