Skip to content
Duncan Stephen

Human-centred decisions

Photo of Duncan Stephen

  • About
  • CV
  • Talks
  • Archives
  • Follow

Archives

Article — 30 September 2024 — 583 words

Another fresh start

Personal — Web

Circular arrow with point at the top of the circle, signifying a reset

I have decided to refresh my approach to blogging (yet again). There are a couple of main drivers for this.

1 comment

Article — 8 August 2024 — 733 words

Find your dream job by letting go of the title

Content design — Information architecture — User experience — User research

Work: Scottish Government

Abstracted chess board diagram highlighting a knight's move

Every discipline feels hard done by in the current climate. But looking beyond your own discipline could help you get your next role.

Leave a comment

Article — 1 July 2024 — 1,082 words

Reflecting on two years as a user experience consultant; looking ahead to working on structured content

Digital — Information architecture — User experience — User research

Work: Scottish Government, User Vision

The latest chapter in my career has closed, as I have found an incredibly exciting new opportunity. But the past couple of years have given me a lot to reflect on.

5 comments

Article — 10 April 2024 — 1,361 words

Perception–Cognition–Action analysis — Getting to the root causes of usability errors and accessibility problems

Accessibility — User experience

Work: User Vision

Icons representing the Perception–Cognition–Action process: an ear surrounded by dots, a brain highlighted inside a head, a hand pushing a button

Perception–Cognition–Action analysis is a robust method for uncovering the root causes of usability errors and accessibility challenges in systems. By understanding these underlying issues, systems can be greatly enhanced to cater to a wide array of user needs.

Leave a comment

Article — 11 March 2024 — 139 words

Speaking at UX Healthcare conference in April

Accessibility — User experience

Work: User Vision

Image promoting my talk at UX Healthcare - a composite comprising a photo of me superimposed on top the London skyline. Image contains the following text: Duncan Stephen, Principal User Experience Consultant, User Vision Topic of conversation: Avoiding hazardous situations and enhancing accessibility by analysing perception, cognition and action Speaker schedule: Friday 12 April 2024; Start from: 13:20 Location: IACEW Chartered Accountants' Hall. 1 Moorgate Pl, London EC2R 6EA, UK Book now: uxhealthcare.co

I will be speaking at the UX Healthcare conference in London on Friday 12 April. Book now to learn about using Perception-Cognition-Action analysis to improve accessibility and outcomes in healthcare products.

Leave a comment

Article — 21 February 2024 — 473 words

Imogen Kit Oliver Stephen

Personal

Imogen wearing a green hat shortly after being born. My finger is stroking her chest.

In late January our second daughter Imogen was born.

2 comments

Article — 8 January 2024 — 754 words

Meeting up with Pulp in the years 2023 and 2024

Music

Pulp on stage, with a large multi-coloured Pulp logo on the screen behind them

I went to just two concerts in 2023, and they were both of Pulp’s performances in Scotland.

Leave a comment

Article — 2 January 2024 — 1,225 words

Busi-ness and blogging in 2024

Personal — Technology — Web

A busier life, and recent events on the internet, mean a new direction for my blog.

2 comments

Article — 7 November 2023 — 2,080 words

My parkrun Ⅼ

Personal

Diagrams of the 10 parkrun routes written about in this blog post

I have recently completed my 50th parkrun.

Leave a comment

Article — 1 November 2023 — 297 words

An addition and a loss

Personal

Transport for London "Baby on board!" badge on a scrunched up blanket

Alex and I are expecting a second baby!

4 comments

Article — 19 August 2023 — 1,733 words

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

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.

Leave a comment

Article — 20 January 2023 — 1,220 words

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

Media — 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.

2 comments
← Newer posts
Older posts →

RSS feed — Follow

© 2002—2026 Duncan Stephen.

This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International