I’ve spent the last couple of weeks doing a bit of life admin including going to the post office, buying a new laptop, getting a radio repaired, returning books at the library and other 1990s activities. So I’m now ready to face the inevitable question from The West Wing. Basically, from May 12th I’m available… Continue reading What’s next?
Author: designswarm
Blogging since 2005.
How to write a job description
I’m reading a lot of job descriptions and after almost 20 years of work, I often end up skimming rather than reading them because they are a cultural indicator as well as a checklist. I am looking for signs of a corporate culture between the lines and as someone who has hired, written and revisited… Continue reading How to write a job description
Sunday Scraps #80
Enjoyed listening to this long Gabor Mate interview / i’ve somehow ended up being gifted 7 new books in the last week which includes The Beauty of Everyday Things / Interesting 2025 is coming up and i’m looking forward to it / i’ve been playing jazz with this celery salad and using almonds instead of… Continue reading Sunday Scraps #80
On the glass ceiling
It’s International Women’s Day so I wanted to talk about career arcs and the stories we are told. I’ve recently decided I would like to become CEO soon. I’ve been a founder and co-founder but realised that didn’t translate into people trusting me in a CEO role. I was young and CEO roles implied a… Continue reading On the glass ceiling
Sunday Scraps #79
Went to see the Tirzah Garwood exhibition at the Dulwich Picture Gallery and the canvases she painted from her bed while she was dying of breast cancer were a highlight / Lawyers for Nature sound interesting / learnt about St Brigid’s cross / the Royal Academy of the Arts show about Brazil’s modernist period… Continue reading Sunday Scraps #79
Use it or lose it (on Communities of Practice)
I’m in my last weeks at work at TPXimpact and I’ve worked with Heads of Practice (the equivalent of government Heads of Profession) during my tenure. It was my first time working in an environment where practice is not a personal journey but a group activity we specifically make space for as a consultancy which… Continue reading Use it or lose it (on Communities of Practice)
Nota Bene (a letter to my mother)
Marielle (I rarely called you mum to your face), I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye properly so I hope you’ll forgive me this very public letter. I wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for me since 1998. I met you and your husband first, one afternoon. I sat with my hands… Continue reading Nota Bene (a letter to my mother)
Playing the orchestra: thoughts on a cultural audit for remote design teams
I’m in my last 5 weeks at TPXimpact. It’s been so much fun and at its largest, the team was over 120 people. That’s the size of the orchestra required to play Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 ‘an expression of confidence in the eternal human spirit’. Fitting, except the orchestra is online and I played a… Continue reading Playing the orchestra: thoughts on a cultural audit for remote design teams
On making choices
My dayjob is largely operational but occasionally, I get deployed on client work. I’ve been working with a client whose design team is suffering from burnout, anxiety, and general malaise. I wish I could say it was all their fault but it isn’t. We’re in this interesting situation where everyone in the industry is trying… Continue reading On making choices
Sunday Scraps #78
I did what I had to do. There could have been more work done. There are always so many interruptions. – David Lynch The David Lynch documentary was interesting / I watched It’s a Wonderful World for the first time (very late to the game I know) and it’s basically a film about a crowdfunding… Continue reading Sunday Scraps #78