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.
Work history
User Vision
Principal user experience consultant — 2022–present
Through the application of user research techniques, I help clients understand who their users are and what needs they have. I identify how products and services are performing, and where they can be improved to deliver the best experience.
I test concepts through collaborative exercises, devising and testing information architectures and developing prototypes. I also help clients understand the value of a human-centred approach and baking it into their standard ways of working.
Duncan Stephen
Blogger and writer — 2002–present
As a blogger, I have regularly reached thousands of readers every month (peaking at a regular of 18,000), and made several appearances in the media. I ran the popular blogs doctorvee and vee8. I established Scottish Roundup, a weekly compilation of the best of Scottish blogging, which was featured on BBC Radio 5 Live.
I have also written articles about user experience, motorsport and politics for other high-profile websites, including:
Digital and user experience consultant and researcher — 2008–2015
I have researched, designed, managed, developed, maintained and written content for a variety of digital products and publications. I have a strong focus on human-centred design. My background in social science helps me understand what makes users tick.
I worked with a wide variety of clients: education, small businesses, third sector, politics and government.
The University of Edinburgh
User experience manager — 2019–2022
I led the User Experience and Digital Consultancy service within the Website and Communications section. My team provided user research, content design, consultancy, training and facilitated collaboration expertise. We enhanced the delivery of human-centred services for a wide variety of projects supporting academic research activities, learning, teaching and web technologies.
My role involved advocating for and promoting good practice in human-centred approaches such as user experience, service design and behavioural insights among our communities of practice and senior stakeholders.
I also led on user experience, information architecture and content within interdisciplinary scrum product teams delivering a web publishing platform and a design system.
My mixed-methods programme of qualitative and quantitative user experience initiatives around the needs of staff and students working with course materials digitally is credited with having “paved the way for a seamless move” to hybrid teaching at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Read my posts for the Website and Communications blog.
User researcher and editorial development officer — 2017–2019
Working as part of the Website and Communications team and the User Experience service, I supported departments throughout the university to undertake user experience initiatives and develop digital strategies.
I also provided specialist website editorial, site build and support expertise to ensure the delivery of a user-focused, sustainable and legally compliant online presence for the university.
SRUC — Scotland’s Rural College
Web manager — 2015–2017
I managed the external-facing digital presence of SRUC — Scotland’s Rural College. I led on content management, information architecture and user experience.
In addition to running the main SRUC website, I developed and managed associated websites in collaboration with partner organisations including the Scottish Government.
I supported and trained the community of web editors. I also line managed the digital communications officer, with oversight of social media channels.
University of St Andrews
Digital communications officer — 2013–2015
I formed and led the digital communications team, owning the external-facing digital presence of the University of St Andrews.
I led a project to completely overhaul the webpages aimed at prospective students. This involved the implementation of a new user-centred, responsive web design and new content management processes that were gradually rolled out to the entire external-facing website, and informed the first versions of the digital standards manual and design system.
Further duties included developing content strategies and guidelines, information architecture, programming the content management system and training content editors.
Read my blog posts for the digital communications team blog.
Web editor — 2009–2013
I was responsible for creating and editing web content that was visually appealing, well written, up-to-date, accurate and engaging. I ensured that webpages conformed to corporate branding, accessibility guidelines, web standards and usability best practice.
I also supported and trained users of the content management system, providing second line support for the university website.
Willie Rennie MP, and Dunfermline and West Fife Liberal Democrats
Campaigns intern — 2009–2010
I was responsible for writing and designing campaign literature such as Focus newsletters and updating the website, among a wide range of campaigning duties in the run-up to the 2010 UK general election. This involved regularly liaising with constituents, an MP, an MSP and councillors.
This was a brief period of my career shortly after I graduated, but one of the most significant. I was challenged more than I ever had been, and it was an intense and exciting environment.
Woolworths
Sales assistant — 2006–2009
I worked for Woolworths while I was a student. I remained there until it closed down. It was a surreal and challenging experience to work for a national institution that was going out of business in the middle of a hectic Christmas shopping period, while my colleagues and I were on the brink of losing our jobs.
As the company went into administration, the store became busy and attracted a different, more demanding sort of customer. The experience taught me a lot about people and how to handle stressful situations.
Read my inside story on the closure of Woolworths.
Education
Service Design Academy — Dundee and Angus College
PDA in Service Design — 2019
This hands-on course enabled me to further develop and formalise my service design and user research skills. It involved attending three intensive two-day bootcamps where we worked on live client briefs.
Activities included interviewing people on their doorsteps about their experiences of social housing, and prototyping a physical space to help improve collaboration between different college departments.
Throughout the course I applied the skills I was developing directly to my workplace projects at the University of Edinburgh, demonstrating my practical ability to design, plan and deliver service design projects.
The Professional Development Award is accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
The University of Edinburgh
MA (Hons) Economics and Politics — 2:1 — 2004–2008
Economics and politics may not seem to have much relevance to my career at first glance. But studying social science made me a better designer.
Economics is really about how humans behave and how they are motivated. This knowledge has helped me understand how users tick, informing my design decisions and the way I approach my work.
My dissertation was about the paradox of voting, the phenomenon whereby rational choice theory struggles to explain why people vote.
Certifications and training
UXQB Certified Professional for Usability and User Experience — Foundation
iSQI — 2022
Agile Project Management Registered Practitioner
APMG International — 2014
Credential ID 02921884-01-KBH4
ITIL v3 Foundation
APMG International — 2010
Credential ID 02331141-01-8ZE4
Digital Preservation Training Programme
