Yesterday I completed my first 5k run since I broke my ankle exactly one year ago. It was on the first ever Holyrood parkrun. Read full article
1 commentArchive — Edinburgh
Sushi School
One year ago today, Alex and I went with our friends Lucy and Richard to a sushi-making class at Yo. Trigger warning: This blog post describes events preceding the coronavirus outbreak. Read full article
CommentJames Middlemass & Co — Boys’ Outfitters — found under the floorboards
During our kitchen renovation, we found this under the floorboards. It is a “Boys’ Outfitters” catalogue for James Middlemass & Co. We think it dates from around the 1880s. Read full article
CommentJupiter Artland 2020
Jupiter Artland has reopened to local members, so last weekend we visited with our friends Louise, Jamie and Elena. Read full article
CommentWe’re hiring a Senior Content Designer — Website and Communications Blog
The University of Edinburgh Website and Communications team is hiring a Senior Content Designer. Come and join my team!
If you’re passionate about using evidence-based approaches to create great content that meets users’ needs, we want to hear from you.
Read the blog post to learn more about the position and how to apply.
Photo — 2020-03-15
We spent this afternoon doing something nice. Katie Paterson exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.
Photo — 2020-02-07
Perks of the job. Today I had a short impromptu tour of the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh on a crisp sunny winter’s morning.
5k 6–X — The next five parkruns
In my blog post about my first five parkruns, I told the story of how I unexpectedly beat my 5k personal best at Highbury Fields parkrun. This post outlines what happened in my next five parkruns, where I got some unexpected personal bests and lost a whole run. Read full article
4 commentsPhoto — 2020-01-15
Had a lovely evening celebrating six years together with Alex, at Timberyard.
2019/2020
Christmas and new year is a time for reflection for most people. It never seems to work that way for me. Read full article
1 commentPhoto — 2019-12-20
Trying out the new pub near our flat. My cocktail came with chocolate coins!
5×5k — A tale of five Parkruns
I’ve been running on-and-off for about six years. But it was only a year ago that I took part in my first Parkrun. Since then, I have done five different Parkruns in four different locations. My aim was always to run a sub-25 minute 5k. But it somehow always eluded me — until the fifth one. Read full article
7 commentsI’ll be speaking at UX Scotland 2020
The session will outline the comprehensive programme of user research the University of Edinburgh’s User Experience Service conducted on behalf of the Learn Foundations project. It will show how, as the project went along, we adopted a service design approach in order to better meet the needs of both students and staff. Read full article
1 commentNote — 2019-11-22
We’re looking for a University of Edinburgh PhD student intern to work with us next year. This is an exciting time to join the Website and Communications team, and an opportunity to help us improve high-profile web services like MyEd and the University website. Take a look!
Note — 2019-11-14
I’ll be speaking at the next IxDA Scotland community meetup about our user research with the Learn Foundations project.
Duncan’s talk will take us through how the University of Edinburgh’s User Experience Service has undertaken a comprehensive programme of user research supporting a project aimed at improving students’ experience accessing course materials digitally. Find out how they developed a programme of multiple user research methods to understand what students really need.
Time: Wednesday 4 December
Venue: Amazon Development Centre, 2–4 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh
Full details about the IxDA community meetup event
Maybe see you there?
Photo — 2019-11-09
Received two big leaflets from our local Labour MP. But you have to get the microscope out to find out which party he’s from. Maybe it’s to practice looking for their votes.
Also, zero mention of Brexit-enabling Jeremy Corbyn.
Photo — 2019-09-29
Since I was a child I’ve been intrigued by what lay behind the mysteriously secretive railings of Queen Street Gardens, one of Edinburgh New Town’s many private gardens.
Normally you need to be a resident of a neighbouring street to obtain a key to the gates. But for one weekend a year, on Doors Open Day, the gates are thrown open to the wider public.
Well, one of the gates is. When we arrived at the south side of Queen Street Gardens’ eastern district, we found it locked as normal. Walking further, we found a sign informing us to enter at the opposite side, at Abercromby Place. You mustn’t make it too easy to enter, after all.
Among the interesting things to see are the Nissen hut, originally used as a bomb shelter and now used as a shed.
At the other end is the Temple of Pluto, a 1980s structure designed to disguise a gas pressure regulating station.
The central garden was also open. Most notable here is the pond and island, which is said to have inspired Robert Louis Stevenson (who, as a child, lived on the adjacent Heriot Row) to write Treasure Island.
Photo — 2019-09-28
Please ring the what?!
Alex and I had a great time riding a chopper over Edinburgh
We had another incredibly kind wedding present from some of our friends — a helicopter tour of Edinburgh! Read full article
CommentPhoto — 2019-08-22
Jarv Is… Yes yes yes yes
Photo — 2019-08-18
Continuum — Bridget Riley — on exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery.
It’s Bridget Riley’s only ever 3D work. Entering inside it, I perhaps understood why. It wasn’t quite tall enough to fully immerse me.
I highly recommend you visit this if you can. It is a very comprehensive exhibition of her career, spanning more than 70 years, including paintings from this year.
The room containing her black-and-white works of the 1960s are of course a highlight. I am constantly in awe of how these static paintings can appear to be moving at great speed.
But I was also fascinated by the room containing her studies, where you can see her working out how to create these incredible mind-bending paintings.
Photo — 2019-04-14
When did you last sharpen your pencil in public?
We would mourn the loss of HMV
There has been some snooty commentary surrounding the potential loss of HMV. But it is sad news that it is once again in trouble. Read full article
1 commentPhoto — 2018-11-17
This time last week, I ran the Edinburgh MoRun 5k with my friend and colleague Lauren Tormey. For a few hours only, I had a moustache. Definitely not my best look!
This is the first time I’ve entered a race. To my surprise, I finished 24th out of the 293 that entered the 5k race, with a time of 24:29. Not bad! Although I rather suspect this is because the serious runners had entered the 10k race. Or perhaps it was the aerodynamic benefits of having a moustache.
The route was the main road around Arthur’s Seat — a hilly route with 106 metres of climbing. So it felt pretty good to do my fastest run of the year here, as well as getting personal best times for a mile, a kilometre and a half kilometre (on the downhill bits of course, but still…).
To step up the challenge, people are suggesting I should start doing 10k runs. I’m not sure if I’m up for running regular 50 minute sessions to train for this… but watch this space.
Photo — 2018-10-18
Autumn 🍂
Photo — 2018-09-16

Louise, Alex, me and Jamie with our breads
Alex and I took our friends Louise and Jamie to a bread making workshop as part of a wedding present.
Thank you to Colin at Bread in Fife, who led the class and was great fun to work with. Formerly based in Freuchie in Fife, he has since moved to Edinburgh — but remains called Bread in Fife.
We had fantastic fun making bread that we baked in a Dutch oven. We each had our own recipe to follow. I made a wholemeal loaf, Alex made a walnut boule, Louise made a white cob, and Jamie made a harvest loaf.
While waiting for the dough to prove, we made digestive biscuits. We also made a Russian bridie-like pie called a pirozhki, which contained an onion and egg filling.
Lunch for this week is sorted!
I smashed my expectations at Pedal for Scotland 2018
Yesterday was Pedal for Scotland, the annual cycle from Glasgow to Edinburgh. It's the second time I have taken part, my first being last year. But I was concerned that I wouldn't be prepared enough for the 45 mile cycle. Read full article
1 commentReview: Jim Tavaré: From Deadpan to Bedpan
Last year Jim Tavaré almost died in a road accident. So he is back at the Fringe to tell the story — and seemingly to help make himself better. Read full article
CommentReview: What Girls Are Made Of
I really enjoyed What Girls Are Made Of, which is on at the Traverse Theatre until 26 August. It tells the true story of Darlingheart, a band from Kirkcaldy who ended up touring with Radiohead and Blur, before their album tanked and the record industry spat them back out. Read full article
CommentPhoto — 2018-08-04
Five Telegrams, Edinburgh International Festival 2018 opening event, by Anna Meredith and 59 Productions.
One of Edinburgh’s busiest roads was closed last night for this musical and visual work projected onto the Usher Hall. The sort of event that makes me really proud to live in Edinburgh.
UX Scotland 2018 — my day-by-day notes
UX Scotland 2018 — my day-by-day notes
Some more follow-up to the UX Scotland conference, which I have published over on the University of Edinburgh Website Programme blog.
I set myself the challenge of writing a summary of each session I attended at UX Scotland, as a way of forming my own thoughts on each topic, and to make sure to follow up on everything I wanted to.
This resulting blog post is long. But I am sharing this on the basis that others might find it useful and seek to learn more about these topics, as I did.
UX Scotland 2018 write up
My colleagues and I have gathered together our thoughts on our highlights of the UX Scotland conference.
I am also in the process of writing up some further thoughts on most of the other sessions, which I will publish to the University Website Programme blog soon.
But in the meantime, find out about my top three sessions, and the things I intend to put into practice as a result of attending the conference.
Why I value working in user experience in higher education
The University of Edinburgh is currently recruiting for four UX-related roles. I'm passing on the message because it's an exciting time to be pushing forward with UX work at the university. Read full article
2 commentsNote — 2018-06-13
I’m excited to be attending the UX Scotland conference this week. I expect I will be dusting off my Twitter account to tweet my thoughts as the conference goes. Follow me — @DuncanBSS.
Photo — 2018-06-07
Thom Yorke and friends at the Usher Hall
Photo — 2018-05-10
Quarry by Phyllida Barlow at Jupiter Artland on its opening night of the year. Brutally beautiful.
Tonight I rode 32 miles
I am aiming to cycle twice a week. But I don’t have the time to ride twice this week. Perhaps this is one reason why I decided to make today’s a big one by my standards. Read full article
CommentPhoto — 2018-03-11
Why I still love BrewDog
BrewDog's latest marketing stunt has generated predictable outrage. As the company grows, its usual controversial approach may become unsuitable, and it might lose some friends. But here is why I still love BrewDog. Read full article
CommentPhoto — 2018-03-03
Photo — 2018-03-01
A different lunchtime walk today, at Braidburn Valley Park.
Photo — 2018-02-28
Snow Day at Bruntsfield Links
Photo — 2018-02-27
Union Canal
Cars found trapped in Edinburgh’s ‘robot car park’ 15 years on
Cars found trapped in Edinburgh’s ‘robot car park’ 15 years on
This news story has blown my mind in so many ways.
Firstly, that in 2001 we had the technology to use robots to store cars in a car park.
Secondly, that someone thought to give it a try in Edinburgh.
Thirdly, that this building has existed in a very central location in my city for 15 years and I had no idea about it.
Fourthly, that this prominent location has remained unused for 13 years.
The ‘abandoned’ cars are just the icing on the cake. This is Wall-E territory (although it turns out they were in fact owned by the car park and used as test cars).
Photo — 2018-01-20
Photo — 2017-12-30
Alex and I took part in the torchlight procession today.
Photo — 2017-11-18
Beware pedestrians
Our only walk across the Queensferry Crossing
Last month, Alex and I were one of 50,000 people to take part in a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to walk over the new Queensferry Crossing. Read full article
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