Where did it all go wrong?
Notes
Why are HMRC’s digital services so bad? Abysmal in every conceivable way: design, information architecture, content design, user experience, frontend… I dread having to use one of their services. It’s almost as if the last 10 years in government digital never happened.
Brighton is developing beyond recognition; familiar buildings demolished, favourite cafés closed. Yet I can go into a coffee shop I visited regularly 10 years ago, and its owner will still recognise me.
Everything has changed but nothing has changed.
Today was a good day.
Can anyone recommend a good accountant in Brighton?
Film I wanted to see at the cinema was sold out, so ended up watching The Suicide Squad instead. Quite possibly the stupidest, dumbest film I’ve ever sat through.
All good things must come to an end. After 2 and a half years working with the amazing ‘Becoming a teacher’ team at @educationgovuk, time to change things up and find a new project within government. Know any teams looking for an interaction designer (London/remote)?
Went to an actual cinema (Lewes Depot), to see an actual film (The Courier). Marvellous.
I’m absolutely fucking done, with 2021.
Have two whole days in the Peak District ahead of me. Where should I ramble?
Extremely proud of @England. The team reached the final and then took Italy to the very end. I doubt many of us could ever imagined that.
WHAT IS THIS!!?
A final in our lifetime.
Incredible.
Lions led by donkeys. Same as it ever was.
“The problem with Microsoft is they just have no taste.”
Walking along a coast path in Newquay, spotted some surfers: one stranded on some rocks, two others being swept out to sea. Once it was clear they were in distress, called the coastguard, and directed the rescue boats. I may have saved some lives today. ☺️
This is a low.
Literally nothing of interest or relevance to me in the WWDC keynote. Just announce a new 16" MacBook Pro, give it a stable and usable OS, then get the Federighi outta here.
Just seen inside my bladder. Absolutely fascinating – although the entry price was rather painful! 😖
How many designers does it take to change a light bulb?
It depends.
While it meant watching the Monaco Grand Prix from a rain-drenched Walthamstow rather than the sun-kissed French Rivera as originally planned, was lovely to see @cennydd and @anna_debenham again after so long. Fingers crossed we’ll finally make it to Monte Carlo next year.
Alan Partridge on Spaghetti Junction:
It’s quite humbling the lengths those engineers went to, just so that ordinary road users – men and women that they would never meet – could avoid going into Birmingham. And when I think about that, I actually get quite chocked up.
Enjoyable and long overdue catch-up with @c_p_pearson and @mandr8. Roll on summer and more of the same, hopefully with @tobefrankj in tow too.
Sat on a park bench, only to have a dog throw up in front of me.
Pretty much sums up the state of things.
Heavy sigh.
Line of Duty is much harder to believe if you’re familiar with both Birmingham (where it’s heavily implied the series is set) and Belfast, where it’s been filmed since series two.
A fun and fascinating evening spent with Sarah, Rachael and Duncan. A good Good Friday.
Was seriously considering paying to watch Formula 1 this season, but the options available can only be described as extortionate. Will stick to the highlights and weekends spent avoiding any spoilers.
When a fund decides not to invest in a company due to the way it treats its frontline employees, if I were a designer working for that company, I might want to reconsider my own priorities.
It took a global pandemic and adding myself to a month-long waiting list, but it was lovely to finally catch up with @aizlewood earlier today.
One day I’ll get him to a pub. One day.
Brilliant, insightful and fascinating, @wordridden’s year-long journal of the plague comes to an end. As an important artefact in the social history of this pandemic, I’m convinced it should be placed in a library somewhere.
So sad to hear that Murray Walker has passed away. His unadulterated passion for Formula 1 transcended the screen and made every race an unmissable event. Watching a Grand Prix has never really been the same since he laid down his mic.
If you were wondering if no longer having an upstairs neighbour has given me licence to sing badly at the top of my voice, the answer is an emphatic: yes! 🙉
This is precisely the wrong week for me to be feeling fed up and depressed.
I have my uses. ☺️
…it seems reasonable to predict the full collapse of human civilisation will be immediately succeeded by a Facebook statement containing the words: “We know we have more work to do.”
Marina Hyde on point as usual.