300 Faces
I was recently invited to the ‘300 Faces of Edinburgh Medical School’ launch event. Marking the 300th anniversary of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, this exhibition c…
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Same Image, Different Story: Why AI Needs the Right Architecture to Fix Accessibility
After Stratos’s blog post last week, I revisited Joshua Mitchell’s experiment asking an AI to simulate what using a screen reader actually feels like, not to replace proper testing, but to generate a transcript of the experience that could be shared with stakeholders who had never encountered one. The results were striking: skip links that […]
Read moreFrom recommendations to reality: Applying UX design thinking for a technical solution for staff profiles
The Role of Profiles project produced 10 recommendations for an improved University profile provision. To start actioning these, I assembled a working group of specialists and drew on UX design principles – implementing practical prioritisation while seeking innovative solutions that addressed the research findings. Recognising the widespread value and strategic importance of communicating the work, […]
Read moreThe next industrial revolution? Reflections from Jisc Digifest 2026
From the birthplace of the original Industrial Revolution, a group of around 2000 intrepid EdTech practitioners and enthusiasts sought to examine and understand what has been dubbed the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution.’ I was fortunate to be among them for Jisc Digifest 2026 in Birmingham this week. There were many opportunities to contribute and get creative […]
Read moreRepositioning Effective Digital Content as a short online course: A product approach
Following a successful launch of Effective Digital Content, our internal course that staff complete to learn and practice fundamental content design skills, the UX Service saw an opportunity to make the course more widely available, on the University’s Short Courses platform. In May 2025, after months of user research-informed development work, my UX Service team […]
Read moreAI and accessibility: keeping the human in the middle
There is an expression that is used more and more when referencing use of AI, and makes me uncomfortable: “Keeping the human in the loop”. I, instead, believe we need to ensure that we “Keep the human in the middle”. What is more relevant with this then, other than reflecting on the impact, negative but […]
Read moreFive quick wins to improve your content: What we covered at February’s Content Improvement Club
In our February session of Content Improvement Club, publishers from across the University met up and worked together on pages from their sites. In this session, we focused on five simple things that we can all do when checking over our content. About the session Content Improvement Club is our monthly meet-up for web publishers. […]
Read moreDrupalCamp England 2026: Augmented Intelligence, Uncomfortable Truths, and the Joy of Community
On the last weekend of February, I made the trip to Salford for DrupalCamp England 2026. It is only its second year, but already an event I have found myself looking forward to returning to. I came away with a notebook full of ideas, some genuine food for thought about the direction of AI, and […]
Read moreDrupalCamp England 2026: Augmented Intelligence, Uncomfortable Truths, and the Joy of Community
On the last weekend of February, I made the trip to Salford for DrupalCamp England 2026. It is only its second year, but already an event I have found myself looking forward to returning to. I came away with a notebook full of ideas, some genuine food for thought about the direction of AI, and […]
Read moreFinding My Feet with AI and Finding ELM
Six months ago I joined the Web Development team at the University of Edinburgh. I know Drupal well, but I also know it’s like a huge bag of Lego bricks, its power lies in how those bricks have been assembled, and every codebase assembles them differently. Testament to those who came before me, EdWeb 2 […]
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