A user manual for me, version 3

This is version 3 of my user manual. If you're unfamilier with the concept, check out this blog post on user manuals by Cassie Robinson.

Close up of Benjy, he’s smiling at the camera

Conditions I like to work in

  • Remote work helps me to drop my kids off at school at a sensible time, it also helps me to recharge between meetings
  • I like to work in open, inclusive, multi-disciplinary teams
  • I prefer structured workshops over meetings with no agenda

The times/hours I like to work

  • I drop my kids off at school at 8:45am, so I'm usually back and ready to start work by 9am(ish)
  • I usually work 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
  • Some days I do school pick-up, so I can be unavailable around 3pm
  • I tend to have more energy in the mornings

The best ways to communicate with me

  • I’m happy to use a mix of communication methods (face-to-face, email, Slack)
  • I prefer teams who use asynchronous tools (like Slack) for most things
  • You’ll get the best answers from me if I’ve got time to prepare
  • I'm more likely to remember something if it's written down

The ways I like to receive feedback

  • I like demoing my work and presenting at show and tells
  • I need time to prepare for feedback sessions
  • And time to process them afterwards

Things I need

  • To observe user research
  • Good digital tools like Trello, Slack and Google Drive
  • Protected time to focus on complex tasks
  • A team where I can focus on accessibility and inclusive design

Things I struggle with

  • I’m an introvert, which means too many meetings can drain me
  • Long email threads with lots of contributors
  • Acronyms and jargon
  • Long days of back-to-back meetings

Things I love

  • My family
  • Music
  • The beach

Other things to know about me

  • I have 3 school aged kids (and a puppy)
  • I value boring design over shiny things
  • I spend too much time on Twitter