I was reminded of just how versatile spreadsheets are 💚 This week I’ve used them to:
- expose team scheduling decisions that live on internal dxw systems to several teams within Ofsted
- get a visual representation of how balanced the content in various sections of our progression framework content is
- start a roadmap for delivery of said framework
- make sure we’re getting the most out of a contract — for dxw and our client–with some simple forecasting
What did I think about?
I believe there’s an inflection point in most designer’s careers when they shift their focus from the how—tools, methodologies and processes—to the why; what is the reason for me to be here? What am I trying to change? How can I be better? etc… and the thing I observe most frequently in folks during this phase is how they’ll strive to simplify their practice. They strip down their toolkit. They have a clearer definition of who they are and what they do. And it’s this renewed clarity that helps them become more effective 💪
I’ve been reflecting on the reason for specialisms in design teams. For me a big part of it is about reducing uncertainty–for us and our clients–about who is responsible for what; for keeping communities of practice with a large overlap of interests at a manageable size; and keeping associated team meetings manageable and interesting for everyone in attendance.
What did I enjoy?
The Food Timeline is an interesting page that shows a history of food…
I love this from Shift on their transition to a “flat, roles-based team”…
