Two Eyes One Mouth
Weeknotes from the 25 October 2025
Listen first, talk later #
That’s probably the only saying my dad gets right when he dispenses wisdom. He usually mashes two together, and that’s been the case for as long as I can remember, not just since turning 90 or because of the dementia. You are who you flock with. Same same.
But “two eyes, one mouth” has stuck with me this week. Observing and resisting the urge to over-explain has been a conscious effort as I settle into a new contract.
It’s been a month now at DEFRA, and I’m really enjoying it. It’s a new domain for me, with a lot to absorb. My focus so far has been to understand the as-is user experience across a very broad landscape, by watching, listening, and chatting to as many people as possible.
Early on I made the classic mistake of trying to map everything in one go, a sprawling end-to-end visual with too much detail to be useful. Lesson learned. By week three I shifted to a high-level service stage map, listing stages, supporting tech, and touchpoints, with plans to link these to deeper artefacts like blueprints and process flows.
I’ve also started a storyboard to help newcomers (and myself) understand the “why” behind the service, and I’m preparing some user experience mapping to support two upcoming design sprints.
It’s been a fast-paced month with fantastic teams forming and sharing knowledge at speed. It’s a challenge, but it’s exactly the kind I enjoy.
AI update #
AI is quickly becoming part of the day-to-day toolkit in digital teams. I’ve been using Notebook LM to digest hefty policy and guidance documents, it’s genuinely sped up the learning and listening phase.
It’s remarkable how well these models make sense of complex, knotty public-sector services. Understanding policy intent is one thing; understanding how it plays out on the ground, across the country, is quite another.
Hardware upgrades #
New contract, new kit. I picked up a MacBook Pro M4 Pro, mainly for the headroom when juggling design tools, AI tasks, and video editing. No regrets, it’s handled giant Miro boards and Murals without a hiccup.
I also upgraded my ageing Google Mesh routers, jumping from 100–150 Mbps to around 900 Mbps. The difference in stability is night and day, the home office finally feels wired, even though it’s not.
BMX bandits #
My son’s taken to BMXing and spends every spare minute at the pump track. The 80s/90s kid in me can’t resist, which, of course, means I probably need a BMX too. Purely for research purposes.
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.