Nick Smith

@GDSteam Head of Profession for Agile Delivery. (he / him / his).

I'm usually here work days, 9am – 5pm UK time.

More active here:
@skynick.bsky.social

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

I sent my first tweet on 13 March 2007. This weekend I deleted the app from my phone. I can't condone where this platform is going. I'm still here for work, but I'm making a point of finding the other places. Eg Reeder 5 is fab for keeping up with people and topics (RSS ftw)

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

@rmkf My skin improved, but that took longer than 3 weeks. Maybe 2 months

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

Just over a year since this, and I'm glad I made this choice. There's so much more out there: https://t.co/JSfqZEqI7C

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

I sent my first tweet on 13 March 2007. This weekend I deleted the app from my phone. I can't condone where this platform is going. I'm still here for work, but I'm making a point of finding the other places. Eg Reeder 5 is fab for keeping up with people and topics (RSS ftw)

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

If I know you and you'd like a Bluesky invite, please at me

[steve.rss @stevenjmesser]

If your government (national, local, whatever) or organisation (public, private, whatever) has ever made use of the GOV.‌UK Design System (code, guidance, whatever), please reply and let us know what impact it had.

RT for reach? Thank you! 🙏

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

@DouglasMaxw3ll @LeanAgileScot @rufflemuffin @ewebber @kjscotland Wow, thanks! Anna and I will do our best to explain what we've learned. And if you have a particular interest we can try to work that in (we're just finalising this week). I'm looking forward to seeing the other talks too, so much good stuff

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

@PhilippaNewis This is good if you've not seen it: https://t.co/YJtD4iRG0q

I'm also still talking about this with whoever I can: https://t.co/oGOQxyv0bB (so happy to chat if that's useful)

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

Supporting delivery over managing resources.

I found myself repeating this statement this week.

I'm concerned that optimising for the latter leaves the balance of power in the wrong place (with ancillary teams). The former offers more space for shared goals across teams

[Kara Kane @KaraKane_kk]

📢 Design careers event Thursday 4 May 📢
Are you part of an underrepresented group and interested in working at GDS in a design role?
Come to our event!
Please RT!
@GDSTeam #govdesign
https://t.co/bl95DcgiII

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

@pixlz Oh crikey, I forgot those days. Yes that! I think I also used to fold the bags, keep them in my work box and reuse them (before I switched to bags-for-life). I might still have one in there https://t.co/NPr24TQ5vU

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

@pixlz ooh this looks good too: https://t.co/ijcJir6Dth

[Tom Dolan @tomskerous]

Agree with a huge amount of this - particularly the bit about fortitude.

Drew huge amounts of strength from many people over the last few years, but also really noticed the periods where I was more alone and how quickly I headed south.

[Tom Dolan @tomskerous]

Rather exciting news. If you ever missed out on the GDS Academy 'Introduction to Content Design' course, it's now available on Futurelearn as something you can do over four weeks. Sign up now! https://t.co/7C7EJcxb1u

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

@tomskitomski Do you reckon the type of person matters too / is worth recording? Eg attendance from people a team would describe as leadership level. Does it matter if those people get their info through other routes? Honest question.

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

@neillyneil I just did this yesterday too! We only just had fibre installed in our street. The new install is Friday. Virgin gave me no reason to stay, including making several very misleading statements in their 'courtesy call' to try and keep me

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

@pixlz my = me

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

@pixlz It took my a long time to be comfortable with the word. Usually a person's resilience in an org context. But rather than measuring it based on some internal individual feeling, can better be measured based on the support (action, not words) that person has access to

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

@tomskerous @HannahDellarmi I'd like it if you stayed beyond that.

The words are probably less important than the confidence that it won't be taken the wrong way. That's a very valued team member. I can see the love. So yes let's aim for a cake that suggests you go f yourself, or some version of that ;)

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

@loft27design I once asked 'given the accessibility challenges you've faced, what different architectural choices do you think you'd make if you had to do it again?' ... with me knowing full well the thing was very very not accessible

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

@tomskerous I have nudged. It seems our contracting team is trying to get everything sorted for Monday, but yes let's see what happens

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

@PhilippaNewis Ah yes, and also paid for training. I think DMs should get UCD training. I think that should considered part of the standard pack of potential training

[Nick Smith @twitrnick]

@PhilippaNewis I've also seen specific 'introduction to' sessions, usually run for new starters. Also usually focussed on infrastructure (so some knowledge is assumed). But I can't see why the 'intro to' couldn't be at a more fundamental level