Hello service team!

Overview

Hello service team

I help government teams design and build user-centered services that meet real needs, align with policy intent, and deliver on business objectives through collaborative research and strategic communication.

What I offer

Senior user research expertise
Service design skills for complex projects
In-depth knowledge of GDS standards and processes
Experience in international development and cross-cultural communication
Ability to balance user needs, business requirements, and policy goals
Facilitation of team-wide participation in research and analysis
Creation of strategic artifacts that drive decision-making

My approach

Holistic design: I balance user needs with business requirements and policy intent
Collaborative research: I ensure team-wide participation in user research and analysis
Strategic artifact creation: I develop user journeys and other tools that become central to team communication and decision-making
Evidence-based decision making: I use rigorous research to inform service development
Inclusive design: I create accessible services for diverse user groups
Agile and iterative: I help teams adapt and improve continuously
Stakeholder alignment: I ensure all parties are engaged and their needs are considered

Key experiences

Led user research for Find postgraduate teacher training service at DfE, achieving 18/18 in GDS assessment
Implemented GDS-inspired service standards in the Royal Navy, aligning digital transformation with military objectives
Conducted user research in high-security environments for MOD Defence Support Hub, balancing user needs with strict security protocols
Managed public information for EU missions in Kosovo, navigating complex political landscape

Impact

Streamlined teacher recruitment process, improving accessibility and user satisfaction while meeting departmental goals
Transformed digital service design in the Royal Navy, enhancing efficiency and user focus within the constraints of military operations
Secured approval for beta phase implementation of MOD Defence Support Hub across UK barracks, aligning user needs with strategic defence objectives
Fostered a culture of user-centered thinking across multidisciplinary teams

I’ve helped teams

Understand and prioritise user needs within the context of policy requirements
Build and use artifacts like user journeys as communication and thinking tools
Actively participate in user research and analysis, fostering ownership and insight
Communicate user research through film, making it accessible to various stakeholders
Design accessible services that meet both user needs and organizational objectives
Navigate GDS assessments while ensuring alignment with departmental priorities
Stay faithful to the design phase while considering long-term policy goals

Ready to transform your service?

Let’s collaborate to deliver better outcomes for your users while meeting your organisational objectives. I can help your team become active participants in the user research process and create powerful artifacts that drive decision-making. Contact me to discuss how we can make your service more user-centered, efficient, and impactful within your policy framework.

Staying current

I’m passionate about staying at the forefront of user research and service design, always considering the broader context of government work. Check out my thoughts on emerging trends:

Download CV

Portfolio

I worked closely with James in a User Researcher / Service Designer partnership for a year to deliver Discovery and Alpha phases to the GOV.UK Service Standard. James has a T-Shaped skillset, his deep user research experience is supported by Service Design skills. And his overall knowledge of user-centred design and Government Digital Services allows him to contribute to any team objective. I would thoroughly recommend working with James and adding his skills and experience to your team. He is an engaged, ‘cameras-on’ individual who adds value to all team activities. His work will help you create impact with your stakeholders and achieve your goals.

Jim Wheatley

Service Designer, Head of Design & Research Accenture UK & Ireland

James and the team proposed and delivered a research methodology aligned to UCD best practices by carrying out qualitative, quantitative and ethnographic studies. James’ primary research uncovered some surprising conclusions, including critically, that we were seeking to solve a problem that didn’t exist; Log Users had little to no need to have Log data on a handheld device.

The research uncovered a far more critical business problem; Engineers could not see items available for issue, and so were unable to make practical decisions about equipment repairs. Lack of visibility meant Engineers were regularly waiting on spares to be delivered and were unable to efficiently use repair bays and sequence jobs according to spares availability.

Patrick Dee │ BMfS Delivery