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Sophie Drouet

@sophiedrouet.bsky.social
1.2K followers 529 following 90 posts

Service design things. Posts about user-centred design, digital, the charity & public sectors and causes I care about (e.g. books, birds, history and social issues) 🇫🇷 🇬🇧 She/her

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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 11/05/2025
As someone with (French) elderly parents who (at times) struggle with the internet, having to click through 4 different links not to have to download an app to apply for a UK tourist visa is diabolical 👿
media.tenor.com
a close up of a man 's face with his eyes closed
Alt: a close up of a man 's face with his eyes closed and rubbing his face in a state of utter confusion. the gif is from the American show The office
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Ryan Cordell @ryancordell.org · 12/03/2025
My favorite detail from this article: "Premium chatbots provided more confidently incorrect answers than their free counterparts." If that’s not some kind of metaphor for life in 2025 I dunno what is
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Ray Newman @raynewman.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
I recorded this podcast with @accessiblenumbers.bsky.social a little while ago. It covers some of the same ground as that talk of mine I'm always banging on about – the one about designing services for people on low incomes.
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Becky Colley, UX Designer @beckycolley.bsky.social · 04/02/2025
When they say there's no need for user research because "we know our users".
Meme of Beyoncé looking shocked at the Grammy's 2025, when she finally won album of the year
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Nia Campbell @niacampbell.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
Question for people working in transformation and culture change: In your experience, what are the typical signs that an organisation is not ready for change?
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 28/01/2025
Listening to this on my way in to work Fantastic resource for user-centred designers on understanding how trauma affects user access to services - and how to design better experiences Bonus point for the excellent podcast overview with timestamps & transcript 👏
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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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Jack Garfinkel @curiousscutter.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
Jack's laws of content (1 of X): Left unchecked organisations will produce more content than they can maintain
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Andrew Hick @andrewhick.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
Our report on 3 years of #accessibility monitoring is live! 16,000 barriers removed across the UK public sector, the most common are contrast, focus, keyboard and reflow. Chris Heathcote's blog and link to the Government Digital Service report: accessibility.blog.gov.uk/2024/12/17/w... 📜 #a11y
accessibility.blog.gov.uk
What GDS has found from public sector accessibility monitoring
Find out what our team found from the last 3 years of monitoring the accessibility of public sector websites and mobile apps.
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 15/12/2024
(Re) watching The Holiday tonight and my observations: 1) The writing is horrendous 2) Jack Black and Kate Winslet have no chemistry whatsoever 3) Jude Law and Cameron Diaz are super cringe but kinda work 4) They have pasta on Christmas Eve?!? 5) I cannot fathom watching this every year 😬
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 14/12/2024
This rings very true and I feel we are going to start seeing this more and more in 2025 aeon.co/essays/clima...
aeon.co
Climate populism will be the next great conspiracy complex | Aeon Essays
The most ardent deniers of anthropogenic climate change today will become the climate conspiracy theorists of tomorrow
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 14/12/2024
Intrigued to see how Barnardo's Innovation Lab evolves now that it's been split into two 👀 Last few Medium articles give an insight into how their team's been able to embed service and user-centred design in the org and what they're up to next medium.com/barnardos-di...
medium.com
Service Design at Barnardo’s – Medium
Sharing service design and service modelling work at Barnardo’s.
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Martin Jordan @martinjordan.com · 13/12/2024
It’s a successful #discovery when the conclusion is: “There is no viable need to build XY.” 👎🏻 ✅ 👏🏻 But it takes a bit of greatness from senior stakeholders to accept that and not continue developing a thing that no longer makes sense. It’s something we still need to normalise so much more.
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
I'm loving how clear & methodical this design research framework by @erikahall.bsky.social is. Assumptions mapping is so useful early on but pressure to deliver often means not taking enough time to define research methods or how to analyse & integrate findings www.muledesign.com/blog/design-...
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
🧼 🌿 People who can't stand coriander: has it ever tasted like soap? Up until today, I would have never said so (rather it has an overpowering & unpleasant flavour to me) but I just used Fairy liquid and... my hands smelled like coriander?! Is this what people mean? Coriander = OG fairy liquid
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
Very much back to school vibes this morning as I prepare my backpack and figure out what to wear on my first day at Southwark Council 🤓
media.tenor.com
a penguin wearing a top hat and carrying a briefcase is standing in the snow .
Alt: a penguin wearing a top hat and carrying a briefcase in the snow
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
I am waiting for a courier to pick up my IT equipment and the time slot I've been given is the most absurd - 7 am to 6 pm 🤡 Oh and they also don't do tracking so I have no idea where they are or when they might get here.
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
And it's a wrap on 5 years at Action for Children! It's hard to leave such a lovely team behind but I'm proud of what we've achieved. 📈 Scaled a digital app across 22 councils in Wales 📱Built a text helpline from scratch, supporting 2,000+ young people since launch 📢 Advocated for users a LOT
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
I'm not saying it's my greatest legacy at work BUT I do think I made a lasting impact on our suite of Slack custom emojis - dancing birds, dancing dinosaurs, dancing Mario and Luigi, this is fine burning dog, and several David Hasselhoff. I'd like to be remembered for that.
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Kate Bevan @katebevan.com · 05/12/2024
Oh, this is a great way of framing what generative AI actually does. As I keep saying, it's not a knowledge engine and you shouldn't treat it as one. It's a giant autocomplete engine.
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
Really enjoyed catching up on @cjforms.bsky.social's presentation on form design 💡 I often see folks whip out a form and call it a day (forms are straightforward enough, right?) when they actually require a thoughtful mix of content, interaction and service design & proper usability testing 📝
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
I have no words to describe how absurd this idea is - that you can do away with the human part of a human-centred design process - and that some people actually go around preaching this stuff 🤡
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Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭 @adrianortega.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
How deeply can you understand UCD without having practiced it? Can you really advocate for something that you don't understand?
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Veronica Lewis, M.Ed. 👩‍🦯 @veron4ica.com · 29/11/2024
I’m glad so many people have found my “capybara method” for how to write alt text and image descriptions helpful! However, I know conflicting access needs exist and not everyone can write their own #AltText, so here’s an ongoing thread of tools that can help. Inclusion in thread ≠ endorsement
An infographic titled “How To Write Alt Text” featuring a photo of a capybara. Parts of alt text are divided by color, including identify who, expression, description, colour, and interesting features. The finished description reads “A capybara looking relaxed in a hot spa. Yellow yuzu fruits are floating in the water, and one is balanced on the top of the capybara’s head.” Credit to Puzzle agency, original information from Veronica With Four Eyes and veroniiiica dot com
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RNIB @rnib.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
Alt text? Don’t worry, Santa’s elves have your back! Writing great alt text is simpler than you think. Got questions? Ask our alt text elves!
A bright pink instructional graphic titled “How to sleigh alt text.” It includes colourful headings labelled Identify Who (in green), Expression (blue), Description (pink), Colour (red), and Interesting Features (grey). On the right side, there’s a sample alt text description in various colours that reads: “Santa Claus looking happy as he waves at the camera. He wears a traditional red suit and hat and has a long white beard and glasses. There are colourful lights twinkly behind him.” Below the text, a photo of Santa Claus is shown, waving with a big smile against a background of twinkling, colourful holiday lights
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Ruth Stokes @ruthstokeswords.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
- reducing stress for those navigating confusing support systems And lots of other things. I'm very appreciative of Ray for making time and sharing his experiences. There's much more we know we need to do (and test) but this is a good start!  3/3
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Ruth Stokes @ruthstokeswords.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
Some of the things we've since been reflecting on include: - the challenges some people face just to get to an appointment - language that seems flippant when talking about money - making sure people don't feel like a burden when asking for help 2/3
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Ruth Stokes @ruthstokeswords.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
A few weeks ago, @raynewman.bsky.social spoke to our team about user-centred design for people on low incomes. He drew on both his experience in content design and of living in poverty. His talk has started some important conversations on our support service. 1/3
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
I was lucky to listen to Ashley John-Baptiste talk about his experience as a black kid growing up in care yesterday. What struck me was the importance of: Adults consistently showing up for & believing in you Growing up with positive black role models & being in touch with your cultural heritage
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
Is anyone else torn between wanting to disconnect from US news with M*sk and Tr*mp and feeling like they shouldn't because it's irresponsible to disconnect, especially when so many people don't get to? I want to preserve my peace but there are very legitimate things to be angry about
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Kirsty @kirstywrites.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
Interested in how charities are using AI for service delivery? In my latest Charity Digital article I speak with RNIB & Citizens Advice about how they’re saving time and scaling up their services, using AI. charitydigital.org.uk/topics/ai-an...
charitydigital.org.uk
AI and the future of service delivery
How are charities currently using AI in service delivery and what are their future plans?
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
Good morning to all except that chubby squirrel who's been eating all the bird seeds clearly not meant for him* * Unless said squirrel is also the one that runs off with an actual piece of toast in his mouth several times a week and occasionally buries it in our plant pots. That's just impressive
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Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 01/12/2024
New edition of Just enough Internet just landed in inboxes. This one on how non-technical people actually appear to be using generative AI at work. buttondown.com/justenoughin...
buttondown.com
FOMO is not a strategy
End of year reflections on how people are using genAI at work
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Amy McNichol @amymcnichol.bsky.social · 01/12/2024
1 December! We've kicked off I Thought About That A Lot, 2024: an advent calendar for your brain not your belly. First up, it's @helenlawsonuk.bsky.social who has written candidly on a subject that's completely relatable to many, and utterly alien to others. Either way, a head fuck of a situation.
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Kuba Bartwicki @kubabartwicki.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
Just published something about how we’re designing GOV.UK Chat, a product that’s currently in a private beta across some GOV.UK pages insidegovuk.blog.gov.uk/2024/11/28/h...
insidegovuk.blog.gov.uk
How we’re designing GOV.UK Chat
Learn more about our approach to designing GOV.UK’s experimental chatbot.
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Claire Reynolds @claireereynolds.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
Not come across Rally Reads before, but as a book 🐛 I love the concept. @zoeamar.bsky.social has some great and varied recommendations in this one (covering AI, dance music, time management and hope).
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
I went to an "anti" book club yesterday. You bring a book you want to talk about, split into groups & share: Why did you pick this book? What's it about? Who would you recommend it to? Then draw a map and connect the dots! A fresh format to hear about books & people I'd never have come across
A whiteboard with book names written all over. Each book is connected to three thematic words, which also link to other books.
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
5 days left before I wrap up at Action for Children and OK there are bits I'm struggling to let go of 🥲
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London Wildlife Trust @ldnwildlifetrust.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
This #NationalTreeWeek, we’re celebrating London’s incredible trees. They're more than beautiful—trees are essential to life! Our trees: 🦉 Provide homes for wildlife 🌍 Fight climate change 🌧️ Reduce flooding and pollution 🌱 Boost soil health #Trees #LoveTrees #Woodlands
Beech trees in autumn, the trees are covered with yellow and orange leaves and there are lots of fallen orange leaves on the ground © Don Sutherland
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Claire Reynolds @claireereynolds.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
Great round-up of podcasts from @sophiedrouet.bsky.social for anyone working / interested in the user-centred design of charity and public sector services. Great to see Healthia's new podcast, Problems Worth Solving featured 🥳 #podcast #UserCentredDesign #ServiceDesign #Charity #PublicServices
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Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 28/11/2024
Friends, this week marks a monumental step forward in my path towards pushing for a greater ecology of accountability in the age of AI. Thrilled to officially announce the AI Accountability Lab (AIAL) @theaial.bsky.social at Trinity College Dublin is launching today, Thursday Nov 28, 2024 aial.ie
aial.ie
AI Accountability Lab
Stewarding a greater ecology of accountability in the age of AI
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
I don't know when this happened, but I'm loving the use of the term "vampire" to describe exploitative companies or behaviours that harm people, communities and the planet e.g. data vampire, water vampire, user research vampire 🧛‍♂️
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Sarah Drummond @rufflemuffin.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Even though you have the job title service design, doesn't mean the organisation at large has bought into it. New weeknote on teaching service design, looking at cob barns and making music on a new bit of hardware sarah-drummond.com/2024/11/irre...
Service Design is... 
A conversation
An email 
A new fund 
A coffee with someone
A diagram
A new structure
Changing the name of something 
Renaming a business process
Changing an API
Stopping things from happening
Starting new things
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
🎙️ I'm compiling a list of thought provoking podcasts on user centred design and digital/tech in the charity and public sectors. Here's what I've got so far - what else can you recommend? Dead Ends by @theschoolofgood.bsky.social open.spotify.com/show/3IP75jD...
open.spotify.com
Dead Ends
Podcast · The School of Good Services · Dead Ends is a monthly podcast about how the world around us is designed, and how it got that way, ending mostly in, isn’t that interesting? Hosted by Lou Down...
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
Once again, I beg HMRC to segment its emails 🙏 For I have, in fact, submitted my tax return and the weekly reminders are stressing me out 😭
Subject line of an HMRC help and support email sent today: can we help you with your tax return?
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Shaun @sconner.net · 25/11/2024
The web accessibility and inclusion starter pack is now over 100 strong. Thanks to everyone who has made recommendations to be added to the list. There's still space for around 50 folks. If you're looking for folks from X, I'm reasonably confident they might be part of this starter pack!
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Well worth a watch is this 1h documentary on the food industry and the impact that ultra-processed foods could be having on our health. It's the same guy who wrote Ultra-Processed People, also worth a read - completely change the way I view and eat food www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
bbc.co.uk
BBC Two - Irresistible: Why We Can’t Stop Eating
Why are ultra-processed foods so irresistible, and why do they now dominate food culture?
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
YES to this 🙌 I'm so tired of the narrative that charities need to be lean and have small overheads. This directly impacts their ability to do due diligence, safeguarding, provide strong financial oversight & stay compliant with regulations. amp.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Excerpt from the Guardian article: A stubborn myth persists that charity admin costs deprive frontline causes of money; that charities should be staffed by volunteers, not “greedy” paid professionals, and overheads should be minuscule, maximising funds to the people who need them. But it’s these very staff members and their attendant costs that allow charities to perform their roles with due diligence and professionalism, ensuring that donations are spent well in the field.
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Sophie Drouet @sophiedrouet.bsky.social · 23/11/2024
This morning, I'm delving into the many unread tabs on my phone - a number of which are about design justice & power imbalances in design. This collection of resources on the topic by Stephanie Krus is rich and one I'll keep going back to: blog.chezleskrus.com/2023/02/05/r...
blog.chezleskrus.com
Resources to understand power in design
As a designer, we have more power than we think but don't always realise it. In this post I've grouped resources to help you take power into account in your design work.
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