Designing for Gen Z and designing for Government

collage with a golden hashtag with lights against a black background - the white GOVUK logo with a text saying "the best place to find government services and information" and a photo of a black person sitting at a desk in an office setting during an interview

On Wednesday 4 September, we met online for three talks.

Engagement vs. Autonomy: A Gen Z UX Designer’s Perspective on Social Media’s Real Impact

Lou Millar-MacHugh is a Gen Z UX and Interaction Designer from Glasgow with a Digital Media & Interaction Design degree from Edinburgh Napier University.

“By day, I run Digital and Comms for a group of pizza restaurants, but my true passion lies in ethical technology and social media literacy. I advocate for understanding how technology, particularly social media, functions in a profit-focused culture, challenging traditional persuasive design to promote design beyond engagement metrics. I strive to create a more conscious digital landscape through my TikTok, Substack newsletter, and pro bono consultancy work. I use they/he pronouns.”

Link to Lou’s slides

Big Government Design: User-Centred Design for long-term government projects

Bobby King is a UX Glasgow organiser and a freelance UX designer.

“I’ve spent most of my career working on complex digital transformation projects which run over several years. I’ve worked in pure research as well as working hands on with code. For me, the most important skills of a designer are collaboration and critical thinking. I’ve learned my approach from authors like Erika Hall, Indi Young and Heydon Pickering.”

Link to Bobby’s slides

Finding a permanent UX role in 2024

Varanneya Thakore is an interaction designer at the UK Cabinet Office, shaping intuitive digital experiences for public service.

Link to Varanneya’s slides

 

Other links shared during the session

 

Header illustration is a collage using a photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash and one by The Jopwell Collection on Unsplash too.