Paul O'Neill
@pauloneill79.bsky.social
Interaction design & service design in gov. Lover of all tech things for good. Ex Citizens Advice, Home Office, MoJ. Currently at DBT.
Just bought Abby Covert's, should I make a diagram and I love it! diagramming is such a quiet superpower but it takes skill to know when and how to do it
abbycovert.com/product/diag...
abbycovert.com/product/diag...
Diagram Decision Flow Poster - Abby Covert, Information Architect
The Diagram Decision Flow Poster inspired by Stuck? Diagrams Help, showing a flowchart for choosing the right type of diagram.
abbycovert.com
December 11, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Just bought Abby Covert's, should I make a diagram and I love it! diagramming is such a quiet superpower but it takes skill to know when and how to do it
abbycovert.com/product/diag...
abbycovert.com/product/diag...
We need to talk about notifications/ in-browser alerts and accessibility
December 6, 2025 at 10:50 AM
We need to talk about notifications/ in-browser alerts and accessibility
Interesting data on BBC of the countries where small boat travellers come from. Eritrea is very small country.
December 5, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Interesting data on BBC of the countries where small boat travellers come from. Eritrea is very small country.
A delivery tracker that shows what stop you are on the driver's route. With a map indicating their location.
So much easier to plan around when WFH. Well done to the British Heart Foundation collections team.
Running workshops online then losing momentum and having to doordash is getting annoying.
So much easier to plan around when WFH. Well done to the British Heart Foundation collections team.
Running workshops online then losing momentum and having to doordash is getting annoying.
December 2, 2025 at 9:24 AM
A delivery tracker that shows what stop you are on the driver's route. With a map indicating their location.
So much easier to plan around when WFH. Well done to the British Heart Foundation collections team.
Running workshops online then losing momentum and having to doordash is getting annoying.
So much easier to plan around when WFH. Well done to the British Heart Foundation collections team.
Running workshops online then losing momentum and having to doordash is getting annoying.
Digital ID beware! If only sticker creators got so animated about corporations tracking your detailed personal profile. Everyone complains about slow paperwork of bureaucracy but not willing to accept the solutions
www.instagram.com/p/DRr8VpBjei...
www.instagram.com/p/DRr8VpBjei...
Login • Instagram
Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.
www.instagram.com
November 30, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Digital ID beware! If only sticker creators got so animated about corporations tracking your detailed personal profile. Everyone complains about slow paperwork of bureaucracy but not willing to accept the solutions
www.instagram.com/p/DRr8VpBjei...
www.instagram.com/p/DRr8VpBjei...
"The only thing that gets you shunned in New York society is poverty."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Why the rich and powerful couldn't say no to Epstein
The late sex offender maintained contact with wealthy and influential people even after his first conviction.
www.bbc.com
November 29, 2025 at 8:10 AM
"The only thing that gets you shunned in New York society is poverty."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Pitch rolling or trailing or kite flying
November 27, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Pitch rolling or trailing or kite flying
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheiro
TIL that one is the leading occultist of the early 20th century, and reader of palms to the hoi polloi of Hollywood was a Dublin lad calling himself Cheiro.
Get outta a that garden Cheiro
TIL that one is the leading occultist of the early 20th century, and reader of palms to the hoi polloi of Hollywood was a Dublin lad calling himself Cheiro.
Get outta a that garden Cheiro
Cheiro - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 24, 2025 at 9:27 AM
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheiro
TIL that one is the leading occultist of the early 20th century, and reader of palms to the hoi polloi of Hollywood was a Dublin lad calling himself Cheiro.
Get outta a that garden Cheiro
TIL that one is the leading occultist of the early 20th century, and reader of palms to the hoi polloi of Hollywood was a Dublin lad calling himself Cheiro.
Get outta a that garden Cheiro
Gov budgets are tight - "do more with less" they say. But also don't get spread too thinly creating risks of failure.
November 20, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Gov budgets are tight - "do more with less" they say. But also don't get spread too thinly creating risks of failure.
no matter how many times I have to type "algoridim" into screens I always spell it wrong, then let the autospell fix it and then forget how to spell algorythm again the next time.
I do it with rythmic precision. (spot how many spelling mistakes)
I do it with rythmic precision. (spot how many spelling mistakes)
November 17, 2025 at 1:10 PM
no matter how many times I have to type "algoridim" into screens I always spell it wrong, then let the autospell fix it and then forget how to spell algorythm again the next time.
I do it with rythmic precision. (spot how many spelling mistakes)
I do it with rythmic precision. (spot how many spelling mistakes)
UI design has really gotten lazy. Content often now is centre aligned on webpages. Saw this first in the abundance of Wordpress templatery when media queries began as a convenient approach to mobile design.
But it's now become the norm. So oddly off, look at the "Our aim" content below
But it's now become the norm. So oddly off, look at the "Our aim" content below
November 3, 2025 at 11:42 AM
UI design has really gotten lazy. Content often now is centre aligned on webpages. Saw this first in the abundance of Wordpress templatery when media queries began as a convenient approach to mobile design.
But it's now become the norm. So oddly off, look at the "Our aim" content below
But it's now become the norm. So oddly off, look at the "Our aim" content below
open.substack.com/pub/cutlefis...
@johncutle.fish expresses the feelings around the many gov digital teams
"No. Well, yes. But no. AI. I mean... people made things too complex.”
@johncutle.fish expresses the feelings around the many gov digital teams
"No. Well, yes. But no. AI. I mean... people made things too complex.”
TBM 385: "We Have To Simplify!"
“We have to simplify!
open.substack.com
October 30, 2025 at 10:27 AM
open.substack.com/pub/cutlefis...
@johncutle.fish expresses the feelings around the many gov digital teams
"No. Well, yes. But no. AI. I mean... people made things too complex.”
@johncutle.fish expresses the feelings around the many gov digital teams
"No. Well, yes. But no. AI. I mean... people made things too complex.”
Detach instance, detach instance, detach instance...
Working in Figma always ends up this way.
I really think the best laid plans and good intentions behind figmas componentization just never really works.
Working in Figma always ends up this way.
I really think the best laid plans and good intentions behind figmas componentization just never really works.
October 7, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Detach instance, detach instance, detach instance...
Working in Figma always ends up this way.
I really think the best laid plans and good intentions behind figmas componentization just never really works.
Working in Figma always ends up this way.
I really think the best laid plans and good intentions behind figmas componentization just never really works.
Noticing a huge increase in websites and companies employing surveys and user research in the past couple of years. A good sign. Theory: the low interest rate mania of hockey stick user expansion is over were in an era of retention and value for the user
September 30, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Noticing a huge increase in websites and companies employing surveys and user research in the past couple of years. A good sign. Theory: the low interest rate mania of hockey stick user expansion is over were in an era of retention and value for the user
I like this use case of generative AI tech from this FT's tech team. Joining the dots up on the unstructured data on MP donations and supporters medium.com/ft-product-t...
Inside the FT’s AI-Powered Story Finding
Leveraging Data Science to Uncover Hidden Patterns and Enhance Investigative Journalism
medium.com
September 28, 2025 at 4:37 PM
I like this use case of generative AI tech from this FT's tech team. Joining the dots up on the unstructured data on MP donations and supporters medium.com/ft-product-t...
View from the window today sat the DBT DDaT all hands away day. Refreshing meeting colleagues in the flesh
September 23, 2025 at 2:14 PM
View from the window today sat the DBT DDaT all hands away day. Refreshing meeting colleagues in the flesh
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... GPs using AI transcription tool to speed up paperwork. That's use case I like
GPs turn to AI to help with patient workload
Should more AI be used to help GPs with consultations and administrative work?
www.bbc.co.uk
September 17, 2025 at 8:06 PM
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... GPs using AI transcription tool to speed up paperwork. That's use case I like
"highlighted "leadership instability" within Bristol City Council, which has had five different directors of children's services since 2019." Reading details of the thematic review of youth violence in Bristol.
Leadership churn has real life cost in public services
Leadership churn has real life cost in public services
September 12, 2025 at 2:39 PM
"highlighted "leadership instability" within Bristol City Council, which has had five different directors of children's services since 2019." Reading details of the thematic review of youth violence in Bristol.
Leadership churn has real life cost in public services
Leadership churn has real life cost in public services
I've casually asked my tech colleagues to explain what oAuth means for an ordinary user. Subject matter experts close to the tech have struggled to break it down, so I asked an AI. I liked the answer, read below
September 10, 2025 at 11:05 PM
I've casually asked my tech colleagues to explain what oAuth means for an ordinary user. Subject matter experts close to the tech have struggled to break it down, so I asked an AI. I liked the answer, read below
gonna try verify myself with Companies House using the Gov verify - wish me luck! Vaguely remember it working smoothly last time #govdesign
September 10, 2025 at 10:36 PM
gonna try verify myself with Companies House using the Gov verify - wish me luck! Vaguely remember it working smoothly last time #govdesign
I'm spotting a recurring theme of inexperienced user researchers working in government. Often given impractical expectations from their managers along with severe lack of context.
Also a theme of URs being disinterested and bored but usability testing.
Also a theme of URs being disinterested and bored but usability testing.
August 29, 2025 at 9:58 PM
I'm spotting a recurring theme of inexperienced user researchers working in government. Often given impractical expectations from their managers along with severe lack of context.
Also a theme of URs being disinterested and bored but usability testing.
Also a theme of URs being disinterested and bored but usability testing.
TIL that bank cheque I had sitting in a drawer for months well turns out it can be scanned on my bank app
August 26, 2025 at 3:52 PM
TIL that bank cheque I had sitting in a drawer for months well turns out it can be scanned on my bank app
Creating efficient well designed case management systems drives down delivery costs, as the UK gov Home Office is learning. See this paragraph from an explanation why asylum processing is so slow
August 20, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Creating efficient well designed case management systems drives down delivery costs, as the UK gov Home Office is learning. See this paragraph from an explanation why asylum processing is so slow
Found these beautifully crafted "badges" down the back of my Fitbit app and now I'm thinking how many hours were spent crafting them but for what benefit. Do lots of adults honestly collect gamification badges in health apps?
Feels like a waste of a designers time, nice portfolio piece though.
Feels like a waste of a designers time, nice portfolio piece though.
August 3, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Found these beautifully crafted "badges" down the back of my Fitbit app and now I'm thinking how many hours were spent crafting them but for what benefit. Do lots of adults honestly collect gamification badges in health apps?
Feels like a waste of a designers time, nice portfolio piece though.
Feels like a waste of a designers time, nice portfolio piece though.