About Barry Khan

My name is Barry Khan. I’m a Lead Service and Interaction Designer with over 20 years’ experience designing complex digital services across UK government and the private sector, based in Lichfield, UK.

Most of my work sits at the intersection of policy, data, and emerging technology. I specialise in applying GDS standards to high-risk, regulated services, including AI-enabled and conversational interfaces, and translating complexity into experiences people can understand and trust.

Alongside my delivery work, I am a co-founder of TAKT, a design practice focused on thoughtful, systems-led work. Co-founding TAKT has strengthened my perspective on organisational design, delivery models, and how good design practice scales across teams, suppliers, and institutions.

Recently, my focus has been on designing the trust layer for AI-enabled public services. This includes the patterns, safeguards, and interactions that make new technology accessible, ethical, and human-centred at national scale.

When I’m not designing services, I’m usually with my family, playing basketball, or out and about with a camera. You can view my street photography.

Outside of work, I play basketball with my team Lichfield Legends, support local businesses through Lichfield Life, and occasionally find time for mountain biking or video games.

You can also read more about my design journey.

Career #

I currently work across UK government as a Lead Service and Interaction Designer. My recent work includes leading service design for the AI-enabled Extended Producer Responsibility service at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs during a major supplier and platform transition.

This work involves shaping the future service vision and mapping a complex ecosystem of regulators, micro-services, and external suppliers to ensure alignment with policy intent, delivery reality, and GDS standards. Alongside this, I hold senior design roles at the Ministry of Justice, leading design across multiple prison-related services where clarity, accessibility, and trust are critical.

Alongside delivery, I work closely with policy, data, and engineering teams, drawing on both in-house and consultancy experience to reduce delivery risk and improve service outcomes in complex systems.

Previous Experience #

I’ve previously worked across a range of public sector and commercial organisations, including:

• Government Digital Service (GDS)
  Leading interaction design on fraud and data-sharing services as part of the GOV.UK One Login programme.

• Ministry of Justice
  Leading service and interaction design across prison education, secure messaging, and services supporting people leaving custody.

• UK Health Security Agency
  Designing COVID-19 Test and Trace surge response services for local authorities.

• HM Revenue and Customs
  Working from Discovery to Live on Making Tax Digital, covering VAT Returns and Self Assessment.

• easyfundraising
  Leading UX on a large-scale commercial platform, reducing friction in onboarding and improving long-term engagement.

• fish in a bottle
  Designing games and interactive products across web, apps, and console platforms, experience that still influences how I think about engagement and behaviour change.

You can read more about my work.

Skills #

Over the years I’ve developed a broad but practical skillset across design, technology, and leadership, with a strong focus on working effectively in complex, multidisciplinary environments.