Missed a couple of weeks, only because of the school holidays and feeling very busy and not really wanting to sit at a computer any longer than necessary..except to play computer games obvs!

What have you all missed?
It’s been busy, but I’m a contractor - thats the point right? Starting from the top, the highs - went to do an office day in Cambridge, it’s a lovely place is Cambridge and the train ride down was a breeze and thanks to the brilliant Haydyn - I didn’t need to worry about getting to the building, he was my chaperon for the 2 days. During these two days, we ran a workshop, shaping the future, discussing what’s up and coming - you know the drill, we did it. It was a good day, it was great to see people talking about UX and knowing the importance of a good-looking, better-working product.

I guess I best mention the bad.. before I left, the kids had a bug, ONE OF THOSE BUGS, I got that bug and managed to really enjoy my hotel room for 24 hours, which was bloody awful and certainly not what I signed up for. BOOOO.

Haydyn and I had such a great session in Cambridge (when I wasn’t living my worst life), we added such structure and content rules for sections of the product that have dearly been missing - all of this was done in 30 minutes and its no understatement to say it has shaped the work I’ve been doing for the last week or so. Those 30 minutes to bounce ideas off someone, can’t be understated, and bouncing them off Haydyn was great - he’s a good lad, a very good lad.

In the past week, I’ve completely re-designed (and not just designing for the sake of designing) a new look and feel to the piece of work we are on with, it’s looking sharp if I dare say it myself..and feels like I have stamped a bit of me in it as well as the company’s overarching branding and I have to give the team credit for supporting this new look, and also being a cheerleader for me - design isnt easy!
I am currently making a Figma prototype, which, as one of my first few, is a mad ride - it’s quite a lot of work, but also quite easy work (once the UI is done), nowhere near hating it as I thought I would (you know.. being an old man stuck in my ways blah blah). Also worth a shout, I am starting to shape AstraZeneca a Design System of their own to take this new UI and use it as almost an “off the shelf” product, a lot more polish, but I had started this almost within the first couple of weeks of getting the UX keys!

What am I looking forward to?
Putting the prototype in front of real users, who will give real responses and.. I just want this work to be critiqued and ripped apart so we can start the real iteration. So far, we’ve run off gut and experience and there is a lot of experience in this team - but you can’t beat good old-fashioned User Research! THEN WE ITERATEEEEEEE!

Watch of the week
I might have mentioned this.. but I’ve rewatched Tiger King (you know.. that documentary that got us all through lockdown), and HOLY MOLY WHAT A MIND F. Every episode needs its own 10-part documentary, it’s the wildest ride ever.

I demand you rewatch it, and then message me so I can talk about it.

Listen of the week
Look.. we all know it’s not his voice, BUT… I Saw Tiger and Here Kitty Kitty “by” Joe Exotic are undeniable bangers.

Umm if I must look at least a little bit cool, or serious - The Man He Sees In Me made me cry - Luke Combs. Damnit.