iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Finally found a chair that is good for my back and my design eye 💛

Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

You know when you think you’re a super organised person and you realise you put a full day, virtual conference in your diary for the wrong day and missed the whole thing 🤦🏼‍♀️ Really annoyed with myself, especially because I missed two sessions I specifically bought the ticket to attend!

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

Back on the office chair chat. Has anyone bought a refurbished office chair? Is that a good idea? Any reputable outfits anyone would recommend?

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Jeremy Keith @adactio.com · 06/03/2025

Journal: The line-up for UX London 2025 Three days of excellent talks and workshops in the heart of the city. 🔗https://adactio.com/journal/21763

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

Aww… I miss the randomness of stuff we used to talk about on Twitter. I haven’t been hanging out here much but in the last 10 mins I’ve talked to people about bookshelf walls, 9p buttons and ice creams on walks. Zero design or digital transformation. Winning. 💛

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Well this is nice isn’t it ☀️🌼

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Is there such a thing as an aesthetically pleasing office chair that also offers lower back support?!

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Andy Parker @theavangelist.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

Looking for people to join me in renting a cowork space anywhere between Worthing and Hove, East Sussex

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

Wow. In half a day I have read about 1 design agency closing and 2 being acquired. Little worried it’ll just be the big dogs left soon 😢 Is it time for that flower shop I’ve day dreamed about?!

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

Got 3 walk n talks with entry level UCD folk this afternoon so I’m actually going to walk and talk for once - not sit and eat a Kit Kat and talk.

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

Short but sweet hop back up to The Toon to run a co-design workshop for our Rape Crisis waiting lists work. Lovely to do in-person work like this. The humans were working with are exceptional 💛

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

When you’re at a 40th birthday in January and yours is in June and all you’re doing is making mental notes based on your ‘research findings’ 🤓

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

Well that blew up a bit! 13 bookings in a day for my free walk n talks and portfolio/CV reviews. People are struggling folks. Any other freelancers in UCD able to make similar offers? I can’t do this alone. Oh… jobs would be good too 🙏🏼 www.designforjoy.co.uk/entry-level-...

designforjoy.co.uk

Mentoring and advice — Design for joy

Free and paid for advice offerings

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Cat Cutmore @catcutmore.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

The lightning talks at #CampDigital are always something special, as is working with @sharonodea.com Excited to be bringing them back again this year 👏

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

2025 goals are official - because they are on post-its. Place your bets now on which 50% I won’t hit. That seems to be the average going rate 🤣

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 20/01/2025

For the last 2 years I've been outspoken about how I think our industry needs to do more for entry-level folk and career changers. As a freelancer who runs a business of one there is only so much I can do so here's what I've landed on: 1/3

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

Not gonna lie, this is probably the best place I’ve swam yet. Hierva el agua in Oaxaca. It means boiling water. Spoiler: The water is not hot!

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Lisa Jeffery @lisajeffery.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

#ServicesWeek to return for its seventh year ✨ Please share and save the date: 17 to 21 March 2025 This event series aims to grow service literacy and is open to all UK public servants. Take part if you can! #ServiceDesign #GovDesign #LocalGov #LocalDigital services.blog.gov.uk/2024/12/19/s...

services.blog.gov.uk

Services Week is back for 2025

Services Week is an annual event hosted by the Government Digital and Data community, bringing together professionals from across the UK public sector.

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

I wrote a Year Note. Now time for a mad dash round ‘the north’ before flying off to NYC 🗽 and Mexico 🌮 I have to say, ditching the family drama and spending Christmas together for the first and only time (except for when Boris locked us in) feels pretty good. 💛 open.substack.com/pub/emmaparn...

open.substack.com

Year note 2024

I can’t quite believe it’s been three since since I started Joy and left permanent employment behind.

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Do I like booking this particular Air BnB for my annual retreat because it has a perfect retro grid mirror?! Possibly…

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

Do I know anyone who lives in Birmingham and commutes near Snow Hill train station? I have a small sleuthing mission for you involving a stolen bag 💛

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

So, a lovely day at #charitycamp came to a sad end today when I found out my bag (including laptop) had been stolen from the hotel’s ‘secure’ storage room. They are yet to admit liability but I’m thinking they don’t have a leg right. This is the ‘secure room’ 😭

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

Oh god, I don’t have mine because I’ve left Twitter but it was definitely the time I casually tweeted on a Friday about the NHS work I did to make the Covid vaccination booking service inclusive. People (TERFs) thought I had the power to erase the sex data from their NHS record 🙄 Not a fun wkd!

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

I’m off to #charitycamp tomorrow, Joy are a sponsor. I’d love to do more co-design work in the charity sector next year. This sort of work has been my favourite since I went freelance. Who’s going to be there? 💛

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Ok folk. What’s the plan for doing something about the lack of entry level roles in 2025? open.substack.com/pub/emmaparn...

open.substack.com

Why are there still no entry level roles?

It's time to focus on the future of our industry.

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

I had such a fab time delivering my ‘Designing inclusive healthcare services’ talk to The Health Foundation last week. One of the most joyful afternoons I’ve had in a while 💛 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Bold offer in the co-working space today ❄️

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

Wow, what a week! I’ve hit 1k followers so time to hello. 👋🏼 I’m Emma & I’m a freelance service designer. 💛 I work with charities and public sector to co-design services via my company Design for Joy. I love relational service design. I also: ✏️Write on Substack 💬 Mentor 🎤 Public speaking

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

What a lovely project by @amymcnichol.bsky.social and team. If you’re looking for an alternative approach to advent then look no further. They also have an event and you can buy the book! 💛 ithoughtaboutthatalot.com

ithoughtaboutthatalot.com

Shop – I thought about that a lot

A new anonymous essay published every day in December in the countdown to Christmas.

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 31/10/2024

Is BlueSky having a major surge in signups or am I just being followed by lots of bots all of a sudden?! I’ve said nothing for weeks yet the people keep on coming 🤔

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Andy Jones 🏳️‍🌈 @andyjones.bsky.social · 15/10/2024

5 x Senior (G7) Service Designer roles now live in DfE Digital, Data and Technology £56,353 (National) / £60,373 (London) With up to an allowance of up to £19,400 capability-based pay. See advert for more information. Closes 30th October 2024 www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cg...

civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk

Senior Service Designer - Civil Service Jobs - GOV.UKGOV.UK

Search and apply for jobs in the UK Civil Service

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 15/10/2024

Can anyone recommend a Bluetooth keyboard that will work with a MacBook Air? My current one takes about 10 attempts to get it to connect and I’m losing the will to live with it.

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Sharon Dale (she/they) @pixlz.com · 15/10/2024

Here is a booking link tidycal.com/21cmindset/a...

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Ian Ames @ames.world · 07/10/2024

If like me you've been struggling to carve out time to follow along with the various threads about the digital advisory panel, @timpaul.co.uk has done god's work and summarised it all 🙏: www.timpaul.co.uk/posts/what-d...

timpaul.co.uk

Tim Paul | What does the internet want from a new Digital Centre for the UK Government?

Portfolio site for Tim Paul, designer

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 02/10/2024

I was disappointed to miss out on @ukcharitycamp.bsky.social last year so this year I decided to be a sponsor! I’m excited to talk about co-design and how this can be better integrated into the design and delivery of digital products and services. Hopefully see you there if you work in the sector?

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Sarah Drummond @rufflemuffin.bsky.social · 01/10/2024

Sheffield folks! This Sunday a project I’ve been doing with Brian Eno’s charity Earth Percent is coming to Sheffield Come sing new futures and worlds with us. 2 hours of some joy and restbite from the world with brilliant singer Genevieve Dawson gutlevel.co.uk/whatson/eart...

Starry sky with text that says Sing Wild Seeds

Earth percent sing wild seeds written in pink font

Sunday October 6th 2024
3-5pm

Discover how songwriting can help us envision new futures with "Sing Wild Seeds," a groundbreaking project by EarthPercent and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Inspired by Brian Eno, co-founder of EarthPercent, we're merging music and world-building to engage audiences and cross cultural boundaries.

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 18/09/2024

So… I have Covid 😭 which means I will likely not make SDinGov. In light of this, I’d love to still catch up with some of you lovely humans I would have seen. If you fancy spending your break with me on a walk and talk, book a slot here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets... TL;DR Calendly is shit!

docs.google.com

SdinGov Chat

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 17/09/2024

Ok I’m turning to ‘New Twitter’ for help with this. My partner and I are planning our wedding. Finding a venue that doesn’t cost the earth feels like an impossible task. Does anyone know how to find all the ‘cheap but still nice’ wedding venues?! 🙏🏼

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 13/09/2024

Ok friends… who’s going to SDinGov this year? Just so I can be ready for my fake approach to networking where I mainly talk to people I already know and make zero business connections but have a bloody lovely time 💛

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Rebekah Barry @rebekahbarry.bsky.social · 10/09/2024

The real test of Bluesky as the new old twitter - Can I find a new contract? I'm available soon for content design and strategy work with accessibility and service design sprinkled on top. Re (tweets?) appreciated!

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 10/09/2024

On a more serious note. Can we talk about the price of pints in central London 😮 Is it over £7 as standard now?! My inner northerner is struggling to come to terms with this.

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 10/09/2024

Have you read my writing before? I’d love your thoughts and feedback via this very quick survey. Thanks friends. 💛 forms.gle/wCtfPcocV9YG...

forms.gle

Designing for Joy Substack

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on my Substack. Your feedback will be used to inform my content planning in future.

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 03/09/2024

Every year I wonder if I should grow Joy into a design agency. And then I realise I don’t want to! I’ve found myself spending a lot of the last decade trying to untangle what I want from what is expected of me. A few thoughts for ‘back-to-school’ week: open.substack.com/pub/emmaparn...

open.substack.com

Will I grow Joy into a design agency?

A question I ask myself once a year

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 23/08/2024

Enjoyed a good game of ‘find the sunny but not the windy’ spots today while reading all day long and securing a great new project for next month. It’s alright this freelance lark.

Deets and sandals on a pebble beach with a sunny sky.

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Dean Vipond @deanvipond.bsky.social · 23/08/2024

…and just like that <blows on fingers> my current contract has ended. Taking a week or two to take stock, read some things, rejig my website. But if anyone knows of any contract service design or design leadership roles happening, please do drop me a line.

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 21/08/2024

You know what the main difference between here and LinkedIn is. People are funny here! Just had a good old giggle while also browsing informative content and article reshares. It’s the funnies and the crowdsourced advice I’ve missed the most I think 💛

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Nexer_Digital @nexerdigital.com · 21/08/2024

🍦 Did you know design research comes in more than one flavour? Senior UX Consultant Elizabeth Buie defines the three types of design research: research into design, research through design, and research for design — and explains how each fits into UX practice: www.nexerdigital.com/news-and-tho...

nexerdigital.com

Design Research: Three types and how UX practice uses them

Senior UX Consultant Elizabeth Buie defines the three types of design research: research into design, research through design, and research for design — and explains how each fits into UX practice.

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Emma Parnell @emmaparnell.bsky.social · 21/08/2024

OMG this is so fun. It's so nice to see so many familiar faces. Can we get back to the 'real talk' now and leave the strange formality of LinkedIn behind?! Thanks for the nudge @rufflemuffin.bsky.social

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