Closing Chapters, Opening Laptops (and Pizza Ovens)
Weeknotes from 27 September 2025
Things I did #
At work #
Closing the MoJ chapter #
This week marked my final days at MoJ. I’ve been there since April last year, and it feels like the end of a meaningful chapter.
Over that time, I’ve worked on some genuinely interesting projects: mapping the end-to-end prison journey, with a focus on education, skills, and work for people in prison. On the other side of the scale, I spent time on a victim-facing tool—first as an Interaction Designer moving at pace for test-and-learn, then more recently rejoining to kick-start a data mapping project.
Seeing the service from both perspectives was a highlight. It reminded me how much depth you uncover when you deliberately switch lenses.
I also nudged teams to explore AI opportunities - while keeping the focus firmly on user-centred design. Alongside the day job, I ticked off courses in systems thinking, a Bikablo drawing workshop, and learned a huge amount about AI, AI ethics, and tooling.
It’s been a rich mix of design work, learning, and reflection. Time now to step back, breathe, and think about what’s next.
At play #
A new machine for new ideas #
Away from work, I finally upgraded to a new MacBook Pro (M4). I convinced myself I needed the extra power to survive the multi-Miro boards, prototyping, and AI experiments. Early signs suggest it was the right call.
Pizza progress continues #
Friday nights are still pizza nights. I’ve been pushing my pizza making further—tweaking the Dough Jo app I built, and putting my pizza oven through its paces. It’s become a nice counterbalance to the work side: hands in flour, mind in dough, chasing consistency (and usually making a mess of the kitchen in the process).
That’s it for this week. Closing one chapter, keeping the oven hot, and looking ahead—on Monday I’ll be starting a new service design contract at DEFRA, working in the circular waste space. Excited for a fresh challenge and curious to see what this chapter brings.
A bit about me:
I’m a UCD specialist with a service design lens, exploring how AI and design can make services more human. I balance work with curiosity, humour, and the occasional pizza experiment.