Last week I started a new project that I’ve been looking forward to for a while.
I always feel uneasy when projects start. Even after 10 years working in user centered design I still find the level of uncertainty unsettling. This is fairly normal with user centered design. The answer is usually a distant fuzzy haze at this point. But I’ve learned over the years to trust the process, knowing it will come into focus when the time is right and that there is joy in that moment when things start to make sense.
When it comes to starting things, going into agency teams is more challenging for me than running my own projects through Joy. When I’m running the project I have control over the process and if things are feeling uneasy I can take action to smooth things over. I also usually have a client who’s feeling many of the same things so I take on the role of the confident one, because that’s my job.
For this project I’m back working through an agency, one I haven’t worked with before. I’m also back working in healthcare. All of a sudden I feel like I’ve been parachuted back 18 months and it’s like I’m back at NHS Digital. Too many people in meetings, technical architects and designers talking about the same thing but using different language. It’s hard to know whether we’ve all interpreted the brief in different ways or if we’re actually talking about the same thing using different words.
One of the things I always push for at the start of projects now, even if I’m not running them, is a team session where we get to know each other and how we like to work. I’m a big advocate for the user manual of me. I usually use Cassie’s template but I noticed while Googling this time that someone has made a handy website for it now.
This time I found the full manual was a bit much so I cherry picked a few of the questions and we answered them in rotation. I always love hearing about people's backgrounds and the interesting things that got them to this point and made them who they are. We had a great version of this with my new team including an ex pro athlete, a PHD student and a translator.
I always regret it if I don’t run these sessions and I do wish every agency would make time for them, especially if they’re building teams with lots of contractors involved. As a contractor starting something new I always have this sense that there is an expectation to just get going from a standing start but contractor or perm, we’re all humans who need to understand how to interact with each other with kindness.
What I do love about this new project is the people. One in particular. I’m excited to be working with the lovely Denise Hampson on this and last week she was a star. She kept me calm throughout and I really love her mantra; “Always assume people are coming from a place of good intention.”
I’ve kept this in mind through the first few days of this project and will continue to do so. You’d be amazed at how it changes your perception of people’s behaviour. It’s helped me anyway.