Travelling for user research and design workshops

A weeknote starting 28 October 2024.

Last week my focus was on getting our prototype ready for some face-to-face usability testing happening this week. We're traveling to an office that our users work in, so they can try out the prototype.

Although traveling can be tiring, I see it as one of the perks of the job. For my day-to-day work, I'm more productive working from home. But, I also really value chances to meet with users and teammates. I also enjoy visiting different parts of the UK.

I think there is something grounding about seeing different parts of the country, and getting a glimpse of peoples' lives. Especially when we are building services that impact the public. Hopefully that doesn't sound too trite.

My new team meets in person more regularly than other teams I've been on recently. It's reminding me of my time working for Office for National Statistics where I spent a lot of time travelling the length and breadth of the UK for user research.

So far, it's looking like 2 or 3 days away from home every sprint is the norm. Which is probably a little too much for me to sustain for a long time.

My last team only met up once every 3 months though, and that didn't feel like it was enough. So the sweet spot for me is somewhere in between, perhaps one trip every month?

Service blueprint workshop

A couple of weeks ago our service designer organised an event storming workshop. They invited a range of people from the different disciplines working on the wider service, including user centred design, product, delivery, business analysts and architects.

It made me realise that I don't really understand what the different types of architects do. So I should find some time to read up on the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework.

The workshop was great, and the outcome will be a better and more accurate service blueprint.

Travel expenses as a contractor

I'm sure travel expense rules change from role to role. At the moment, I'm able to get train travel and bed and breakfast covered. Thankfully, I don't have access to the internal travel booking system, so I use the trainline and hotel websites to book things direct. The only downside is that I need to pay upfront myself, then claim things back.

Bookmarks

• Reflecting on a year of contracting by Stéphanie Krus
• Front-of-the-front-end and back-of-the-front-end web development by Brad Frost
• 46. Regeneration (weeknote) by Vicky Teinaki
• The Workshop by Aegir Hallmundur
• Building an Accessible Tab Component in React, Vite & Storybook for a Design System by Chris Yoong
• How Design System Day makes our community stronger by Imran Hussain

And lastly, a shout out to Bobby King, a designer who has been helping me recently by sharing some great prototype resources.