Barry Khan

Catching Up and Moving Forward

Date // Category weeknotes

Weeknotes from the 10 January 2025

Things I did

At work

This week, like many others, I've been "playing catchup," "wading through emails," and other clichés we say on our first few days back from a good break. As expected, it took a while to track my laptop down (#restinglikeachamp).

Away from my inbox, I've been split across two projects and actually joined a call regarding a third project! The first one is a public-facing cross-justice community tool. We've created a prototype at pace, with assumptions, but it has allowed us to uncover unknown unknowns and put a spotlight on the known unknowns! No major surprises, but connecting data will be the main focus.

Often we think we need UI, shiny interfaces, but the technical heavy lifting is what's needed. It's not sexy or quick; it takes effort and investment. As a designer, I often advocate for the heavy lifting in the backend to be done first using existing interfaces and improving design second. It's a knotty, "gnarly" problem that keeps reoccurring, and there's nuance and a different approach needed each time I come across it.

The other project is a prison-facing tool that's currently being rolled out to a number of prisons during a trial. It's landing well and making a difference.

At play

Outside of work, I've been teaching myself Python, through a mix of fumbling about clumsily, trial and error, podcasts, online tutorials and chatbots. I wrote some promots to give me daily tutorials ending in a challenge. I find learning by doing the easiest method, like most people probably. I've been building plenty of mini services and automated tools that answer problems I see around me each day.

I've also been learning more about AI tools, capabilities and limitations and reading more about quantum computing.

Many, many years ago while at Uni, I studied computer science despite focusing my degree on Human Computer Interaction. That might be why I often stray into the tech spaces (tech arch and dev discussions). Design has always come more naturally, but still keen to learn something new.

Hopes for 2025

I'd like to continue to work within the Interaction Design profession and look back at some of the experience I brought into the public sector, way back in 2017 when I first worked at HMRC. Before then, I had around 15 years of private sector experience in startups and large established organizations.

Recent news and trends have been asking the Civil Service to take a "startup" approach to delivery. I have witnessed so many dynamic, experimental, and fast approaches to digital transformation across GOV.UK agencies, despite all the constraints GOV.UK services are under. I think it's worth continuing to look at inspiration from all sectors, as many of those working in this sector are doing each day.

Hopes outside of work, to keep being present for my family, maintain some of the habits I learnt when doing my digital detox. Do some more photography, perhaps pick up my camera more often than the phone and play a bit more basketball.

A bit about me: I'm a UCD specialist focused on Service Design, with a passion for accessibility and creating services for all. I navigate the world with a dry sense of humor, finding the funny side in the most mundane tasks.