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Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

@adrianortega.bsky.social

1.5K followers 130 following 130 posts

Existential holistic detective 🇪🇸 User-centred design at the Centre for Digital Public Services 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Views my own, and all that. https://linktr.ee/AdrianOrtega

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Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭 @adrianortega.bsky.social · 9d

September monthnotes are up! This time:
– New guidance in the Service Manual
– The future of CDPS
– Public design patterns in London, dignity in Edinburgh
– Art, psychogeography, and patience

Take a look! bit.ly/48ajyeN

Monthnotes: September 2025

It’s been over a month since my last weeknote, so this time it’s a monthnote.

bit.ly

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Nia Campbell @niacampbell.bsky.social · 3d

Diolch enfawr i bawb sydd wedi cyfrannu yn barod!

A huge thanks to everyone who has supported our Crowdfunder so far!

Transform Wales @transform.wales · 4d

Digital isn’t just about tech. It’s how we fix broken systems and services.

Our new report (published this Friday) shows how – but we need your help to get it in front of decision-makers before the 2026 election.

Support our Crowdfunder: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/transform-...

Fund the Transform Wales Publication

We’re crowdfunding to get our report into the hands of Wales’ 2026 decision-makers and spark debate on transforming public services.

www.crowdfunder.co.uk

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Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭 @adrianortega.bsky.social · 9d

Monthnotes: September 2025

It’s been over a month since my last weeknote, so this time it’s a monthnote.

bit.ly

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

ADHD Pathfinding @adhdpathfinding.org.uk · 13d

We’ve hit a new milestone at ADHD Pathfinding!

In 3 months we’ve launched a survey, built a coalition, published weeknotes/blogs and started growing a community.

Now we’re looking for a Comms, Content & Engagement Lead to help shape our voice.

Reply here or email:
[email protected]

Be the voice of ADHD Pathfinding: Comms, Content & Engagement Lead (volunteer)

A lived-experience-led role to shape how we show up in the world

medium.com

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Transform Wales @transform.wales · 14d

We’re launching a monthly newsletter to provide updates on our report and give you
a roundup of digital news in Wales and links to jobs.

First issue out this weekend.

Sign up here: buttondown.com/transformwales

Transform Wales Newsletter

Be part of the conversation about digital in Wales. Subscribe to the Transform Wales newsletter for: updates on our work and report a monthly roundup of digital news in Wales opportunities to get inv...

buttondown.com

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Priyanca a11y 🌈 @priyanca.bsky.social · 14d

Happy Friday!

If you'd like to listen to a talk on considering intersectionality and compounding barriers when we think about accessibility, the recording is now on YouTube!

Thank you @contentdesign.london @tomyoull.bsky.social @niacampbell.bsky.social @adrianortega.bsky.social for having me! 💖

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Transform Wales @transform.wales · 22d

👀 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Test print of our book arrived today.
Watch this space…

A bright yellow book cover with bold black type. The book is titled: Transforming public services for a modern Wales by Ann Kempster, Dafydd Vaughan, Jo Carter and Nia Campbell.

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Imran Hussain @imhuyorks.bsky.social · 24d

Come and join the conversation in our monthly #DesignSystemChat. This month we'll be talking about #ServicePatterns.

🗓️ Tuesday 30 September, 2pm-3pm BST
🎟️ Read more and grab a ticket here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/design-sys...

Design System Chat - September 2025

Join us for July 2025's Design System Chat to discuss Service Patterns. Hosted by the GOV.UK Design System.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Alastair Somerville @acuity.design · Sep 3

Human(e) Centred #ContentDesign talk youtu.be/azHtWjp_8LM?... (22 mins inc captions)

Human(e) Centred Content Design

YouTube video by Alastair Somerville

youtu.be

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Martin Jordan @martinjordan.com · Aug 28

You might not know:

There used to be a hidden page for many services on GOV.UK, which would display the underlying user need through a user story and its alignment with the platform proposition.

You just had to insert /info to any service landing page’s URL.

I still think it’s brilliant.

GOV.UK

User needs
Register to vote
Why is this page on GOV.UK?
The user need for this page:

As a UK resident
I need to register to vote
So that I can exercise my democratic rights

The need is met when the user:
understands who is allowed to vote
know that you have to be registered in order to vote
knows what support is available at polling stations (eg for disabled people)
Understands their options if they going overseas temporarily
Understand their options if they will be overseas long term
This need is in proposition because:
It's something only government does
It's inherent to a person's or an organisation's rights and obligations

GOV.UK

User needs and metrics
Renew or replace your adult passport
All metrics are recorded over the past 6 weeks.

Why is this page on GOV.UK?
The user need for this page:

As a British person
I need to apply for or renew a passport
So that I can travel across borders

The need is met when the user:
the user knows the rules about passport photos
the user knows how long it takes to get a passport
the user knows the different ways they can apply for a passport, including Check and Send
understands the eligibility criteria to get a passport
the user knows the rules about when their passport may be taken away
knows what to do if they are abroad
knows how to get dual citizenship if they already have a passport from another country
knows how to renew a passport
as a British national born before 2 September 1929, knows how to get a free passport
This need is in proposition because:
It's something only government does
There is clear demand for it from users
It's something the government provides/does/pays for

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Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭 @adrianortega.bsky.social · Aug 22

Happy birthday!

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Jack Garfinkel @curiousscutter.bsky.social · Aug 21

What makes content accessible? A personal blog post from me on:
- structures
- senses
- complexity, ‘noise’ and maintaining a sense of place
- fast, shallow tests in production
- testing with disabled people
- hiring disabled people onto design teams

medium.com/@jack.garfin...

What makes content accessible?

Someone recently asked me how I make content accessible. That’s a short, important question with a big answer. And, it gets harder to…

medium.com

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Tom Youll @tomyoull.bsky.social · Aug 19

Been talking about the future of content design with @niacampbell.bsky.social and @adrianortega.bsky.social…

I used the analogy that we’re waiting for our ‘The Strokes’ moment that happened at the end of the 90s, when they came in and blew up the indie music scene.

youtu.be/BXkm6h6uq0k?...

The Strokes - Hard To Explain (Official HD Video)

YouTube video by thestrokesVEVO

youtu.be

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Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭 @adrianortega.bsky.social · Aug 19

When we say ‘content design is service design’, it’s not the same as saying all service design is content design.

But reducing content design to just surface or data processes misses the bigger picture - and maybe explains some of the challenges the discipline faces?

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Dan @dandoescontent.bsky.social · Aug 19

Do you think that the discipline of content design has evolved beyond it's formative roots? Do you think it is evolving at the required rate? Faster or slower than other UX disciplines?

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Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭 @adrianortega.bsky.social · Aug 11

During a heatwave, Nia?

Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭 @adrianortega.bsky.social · Aug 4

Happy Monday again! Some weeknotes on:
- Farewells
- Chasing ghosts
- MIT Media Lab principles
- A Moving Castle

Here you go → bit.ly/45cHw7v

Weeknotes: Sunday 3 August 2025

Feeling a bit flat this week. It’s been meeting-heavy, so not much space or focus time for the doing — I’ve been reviewing content in…

bit.ly

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Ann Kempster @annkempster.com · Jul 31

Bluesky help:

I'm pulling together a reading list around digital transformation. I've got all the usual recommendations: Lou Downe, Kate Tarling, Giles, Richard Pope, the PD book and other publications etc etc.

What else is essential reading? Books, reports, blog posts etc

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Katherine Wastell @kwastell.bsky.social · Jul 30

Our latest @publicdigital.bsky.social book, competitive advantage by design, is here.

Today, design approaches shape how modern businesses are run.

This is a collection of stories that remind us of the joy of design and its transformative potential.

Get your copy public.digital/pd-design-book

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Tom Freeman @tomfreeman.bsky.social · Jul 30

Happy 15th anniversary of the peak achievement of literary criticism, to all who celebrate

Amazon review of Pride and Prejudice, left by carlton p morgan on 30 July 2010: "Just a bunch of people going to each other's houses"

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Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭 @adrianortega.bsky.social · Jul 28

Me too!

Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭 @adrianortega.bsky.social · Jul 28

Happy Monday again! Some quick weeknotes on:

- Guidance on designing user-centred services
- Early Service Manual content on agile delivery and good technology
- Service patterns and user testing
- Content Conversations and quiet change

Here you go! bit.ly/3GY6HRO

Weeknotes: Sunday 27 July 2025

It’s been a few weeks since my last notes again — maybe I should give up and start publishing monthnotes?

bit.ly

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Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Ben Holliday @benholliday.com · Jul 24

This is a good post by @niacampbell.bsky.social about how content design needs to think about AI - “the way people search, explore, trust and act on information is changing right in front of us.” medium.com/@niacampbell... #contentdesign

Considerations on user behaviour for content designers in a GenAI world

Perhaps the biggest shift we’ll see in content design will be from designing for humans who read, to the systems that act for them.

medium.com

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Heledd Quaeck @helivans.bsky.social · Jul 18

This was a special week, and a special night thanks to @niacampbell.bsky.social and @contentdesign.london team for giving me a place to share our journey.

I talked about the quiet power of content design in transforming public services (if you have the conditions for it)

Person standing at lectern with mic and screen in background

The quiet power of content design in making public services work better
Heledd Quaeck,

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Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭 @adrianortega.bsky.social · Jul 20

Of course I'm biased, but I agree!

Reposted by Adrián Ortega 🗺️🧭

Chris Kendall 👊🇪🇺🧶 @ottocr.at · Jul 12

Maybe avoid the Iberian peninsula

A map of Europe showing the most googled “how do I?” search in each country

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