Signals 2 - Conditions for success

Welcome to the 2nd edition of Signals. 

It seems hard to believe that the first was published just 6 months ago, when Public Digital was only just beginning to build up its network of affiliates. We had big plans back then, and watching them become real has been exceptionally rewarding.

I joined PD early this year as Affiliates Director. I’m the interface between the people in the affiliates network and the core team based in our London office.

I’m in touch with affiliates and possible new affiliates every day, and one thing that’s immediately striking is what a talented, experienced, impressive bunch of individuals they are.

We’ve said before that we define the network as “people we trust” but it’s more than that: it’s genuinely an honour to have these people working with us, and for our clients. Their skills and experience are hard to find, and their time is valuable.

That’s what makes Signals so special. What you’re holding contains the distilled wisdom of 11 of our affiliates, world-class experts in their respective fields. Reading this little book is like meeting each one of these people, and rifling through their minds for tips and advice.

Most of these pieces are about advice. They’re aimed at anyone working to transform an organisation, or deliver a user-centered digital service. They’re useful if you’re part of a team doing the delivery, or if you’re a leader who decides how that team is funded and what wider strategy it should follow. We think all of it is advice worth reading.

Public Digital has expanded very rapidly since we published the first Signals. Members of our team have travelled all over the world (including, for the first time, to Africa). Things are looking just as exciting and just as busy for the second half of the year. We’ll tell you more about that at Christmas. Signals edition 3, anybody? Watch this space.

Signals 2 - Conditions for success

Accessibility is usability

Code and design are an important part of making the internet a more inclusive space, but what’s the biggest part of making your digital service accessible? Answer: your content.

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Signals 2 - Conditions for success

Older IT

Working with technology, it’s rare that you get to build something totally new without having to think about systems or services that already exist.

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Signals 2 - Conditions for success

Conditions for success

Designing and operating modern, internet-era services is the application of a few simple principles, a new flow of work and some tweaked behaviours.

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Signals 2 - Conditions for success

The team onion

We advocate for small multidisciplinary teams with all the roles needed to design, build and operate a service, working together to achieve an outcome

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Signals 2 - Conditions for success

Ways to look

You can’t read a manual about humans and automatically know how to design things for them.

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Signals 2 - Conditions for success

Practicalities

The best way to transform an organisation is to start with a clear vision and a deep understanding of the people who work within it.

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