Our mission to work in the open

Hello, I’m Jordan Marshall, Lead UX in the Digital Service team at the University of York. We work across the institution to help create value for our students, staff, and local communities.

Our new blog will allow us to work in the open. Telling our story alongside our Digital and IT colleagues to bridge the silence gap. That’s because silence rarely goes unfilled, leaving the unintended assumptions of others to fill this information vacuum about our work and unique team culture. Who better to tell our story than ourselves?

Reaching out to a wider audience beyond our immediate working groups will help build shared understanding and proactive working relationships. But reaching the right people at the right time can be tricky. It’s recognised we work alongside a relatively small area of the university. Yet our user experience and design activities are rarely siloed, touching every part of the organisation. This blog starts the conversation, helping create the connections to build mutual understanding. Building trust both ways.

Our blog isn’t about PR or fancy ta dah moments. It’s about sharing our human side. Our authenticity should be no different on this channel. We will remain humble, enthusiastically sharing our mistakes alongside our success. Because our vulnerability is our greatest strength.

Our blog will be visible to all. This can worry people. I understand the concerns. But we can have different levels of openness. It’s not about sharing our sensitive information or divulging unnecessary detail. The concerns rarely outweigh the benefits. The alternative? We remain disconnected from our community, collaboration and learning opportunities that await us. Embracing open working can be scary at first, but I’m sure we won’t regret it.

I’m really looking forward to introducing our talented team of UX’ers and fellow colleagues. They deliver exceptional user research and design alongside regular product and service delivery. They certainly inspire me daily, with a relentless passion and drive that is infectious to be around. I’m excited to bring you along for the journey. Let’s make great things together.

Watch this space.

Jordan, UX Lead, Digital Services