Duncan Stephen

Duncan Stephen photograph

Duncan Stephen

Pursuits in human-centred approaches*

I am a principal user experience consultant based in Edinburgh. My background in social science helps me understand what makes people tick. I help people adopt human-centred approaches* to their work.

Email ⟶ contact@duncanstephen.net

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Blog

My parkrun Ⅼ

Article
7 November 2023
  • Running
Diagrams of the 10 parkrun routes written about in this blog post

I have recently completed my 50th parkrun. Read full article

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An addition and a loss

Article
1 November 2023
  • Personal
  • Parenting
Transport for London "Baby on board!" badge on a scrunched up blanket

Alex and I are expecting a second baby! Read full article

4 comments

Britpop, braindance and broken politics — How 1990s optimism became passé

Article
19 August 2023
  • Culture
  • Music
  • Politics
A panel of icons split in two - a light side and a darker side. On the light side, a brain with two feet representing braindance, stylised Royal Air Force symbol representing britpop. On the darker side, the britpop symbol turns into a bubble bursting. Next to it is a warning triangle.

Britpop has been having a moment again this summer, prompting investigations into why the scene fizzled out. The conventional explanations are unconvincing. Electronic music tells us why. Read full article

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Breakfast briefing — Behavioural science: Approaches to improve user experience — User Vision

Link
2 March 2023
  • Social science
  • User experience

Join me for a virtual breakfast session where you will learn about the links between behavioural science and user experience. We will also introduce some behavioural science frameworks and models you can adopt to improve your user research and design work.

It takes place online on Tuesday 7 March at 8:30am.

Update: Slides for this session are now available:

Comment

The gradual death of AM radio takes with it a curious part of Britain’s psyche

Article
20 January 2023
  • Radio
  • Society
Illustration of a night-time scene. A radio transmitter sits on a hilltop, next to a clock tower displaying the time 12:15. A red star is in the sky, and a blue boat is sailing on the sea.

1215 AM. Not quarter past midnight, but a radio frequency familiar to generations (although perhaps not any of the younger ones). Today it has stopped broadcasting. As AM radio slowly disappears, a bit of British folklore goes with it. Read full article

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* Human-centred approaches include user experience, service design, design thinking, interaction design, lean thinking... Anything that puts humans at the centre of decision-making.

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