Chief Design Officer at Scrumconnecthttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/2-years-ago/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/2-years-ago/Looking back on two years of working in government digital services.Sun, 30 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/a-letter-from-the-future/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/a-letter-from-the-future/A speculative look at how technology might shape our daily lives in the futureThu, 06 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/a-stand-up-retro-or-planning-does-not-make-you-agile/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/a-stand-up-retro-or-planning-does-not-make-you-agile/Understanding the true meaning of being agile beyond ceremonies.Tue, 20 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/augment-not-replace-how-ai-fits-into-the-way-we-work/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/augment-not-replace-how-ai-fits-into-the-way-we-work/The world is not binary. AI does not replace designers, developers or other roles, it supports them. It reduces friction and removes grunt work so you can focus on judgment, ideas and intent.Wed, 11 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/building-cleanreader-one-click-to-better-reading/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/building-cleanreader-one-click-to-better-reading/How I built a Chrome extension to strip away the noise and give you clean, readable articles in one click - using agentic coding to solve a personal problem.Sun, 15 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/building-your-season-guide-another-step-in-learning-by-doing/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/building-your-season-guide-another-step-in-learning-by-doing/How building Your Season Guide continued my journey of learning by doing, prototyping in code and making the gap between idea and execution smaller than ever.Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/change-and-grow/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/change-and-grow/Reflecting on team growth and transitioning to new opportunities.Sun, 11 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/cleansing-the-soul-with-honest-design/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/cleansing-the-soul-with-honest-design/Reflecting on honest design principles and the transition to public sector work.Tue, 11 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/complaining-is-nothing-without-action/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/complaining-is-nothing-without-action/Why complaints should be accompanied by solutions and actions.Tue, 07 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/conversations-that-matter-reflections-from-middlesbrough-front-end/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/conversations-that-matter-reflections-from-middlesbrough-front-end/Reflections from the Middlesbrough Front End Conference on agentic coding, confidence building, and the journey from idea to execution for aspiring builders.Sat, 14 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/creating-a-mentor-programme/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/creating-a-mentor-programme/How to set up an effective mentorship programme in your organisation.Wed, 20 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/describing-things/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/describing-things/How we can improve the way we describe and communicate about services.Mon, 23 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/design-team-ethos/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/design-team-ethos/Creating and implementing a design team ethos at traveljunction.com.Wed, 18 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/design-debt/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/design-debt/How to identify and manage design debt in large organisations.Wed, 20 May 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/designing-with-the-future-in-mind/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/designing-with-the-future-in-mind/The importance of long-term planning in design decisions.Wed, 18 Dec 2013 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/experiences-and-journeys/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/experiences-and-journeys/Understanding the importance of seamless user experiences and journeys.Fri, 07 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/from-building-for-me-to-building-for-others/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/from-building-for-me-to-building-for-others/A reflection on the journey from personal prototypes to building CV Anywhere - a product that helps others manage, update, and share professional CVs as clean, responsive webpages.Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/from-burnout-to-building-a-conversation-on-design-ai-and-leading-authentically/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/from-burnout-to-building-a-conversation-on-design-ai-and-leading-authentically/A reflection on my journey in design and leadership, covering burnout, imposter syndrome, neurodivergence, and the exciting intersection of AI and design.Tue, 02 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/from-design-leadership-to-vibe-coding/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/from-design-leadership-to-vibe-coding/A reflection on how AI tools have transformed the journey from design leadership to independent creation, enabling a new era of "vibe coding".Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/from-eleanor-to-thought-to-action/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/from-eleanor-to-thought-to-action/From a 2016 vision of “Eleanor” to a near future of thought-to-action—on disappearing interfaces, trust and building the skills for an anticipatory AI world.Fri, 08 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/gav-is-vibe-coding/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/gav-is-vibe-coding/Vibe coding is a new enabler, a new power up, a new unlock.Tue, 08 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/geek-mental-help-week-newcastle/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/geek-mental-help-week-newcastle/Organising and running mental health awareness events in the tech community.Mon, 11 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/getting-into-agentic-coding/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/getting-into-agentic-coding/A personal journey from design leadership to building and launching projects using agentic coding tools like Cursor, exploring the shift from idea to execution.Thu, 05 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/good-product-development-process/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/good-product-development-process/A guide to effective product development process in government digital services.Fri, 10 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/how-ai-changed-the-way-i-lead/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/how-ai-changed-the-way-i-lead/A personal reflection on the transformative impact of AI on leadership style and decision-making in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.Mon, 02 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/hello-you-hello-you-this-is-me/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/hello-you-hello-you-this-is-me/An introduction to my journey and experiences in design leadershipThu, 14 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/how-to-ask-for-feedback-that-might-be-hard-to-hear/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/how-to-ask-for-feedback-that-might-be-hard-to-hear/A guide to requesting and receiving constructive feedback effectively.Wed, 04 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/how-to-move-into-a-more-senior-role/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/how-to-move-into-a-more-senior-role/Practical advice for progressing into senior design positions.Tue, 18 Nov 2014 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/impostor-syndrome/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/impostor-syndrome/Understanding and dealing with impostor syndrome in the design industry.Sat, 04 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/invest-in-yourself/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/invest-in-yourself/The importance of personal and professional development.Wed, 04 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/its-ok-to-not-have-all-the-answers/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/its-ok-to-not-have-all-the-answers/Why it is acceptable to not have all the answers and how to move forward.Tue, 13 May 2014 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/its-time-for-something-new/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/its-time-for-something-new/Leaving traveljunction.com and joining GOV.UK services.Tue, 04 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/leading-authentically-five-truths-about-different-leadership/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/leading-authentically-five-truths-about-different-leadership/An honest reflection on discovering authentic leadership through neurodivergence, burnout recovery, and learning to lead by being genuinely yourself rather than performing a role.Mon, 28 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/lets-start-from-the-beginning/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/lets-start-from-the-beginning/A guide to people-centred management and the importance of understanding your team.Thu, 16 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/management-is-great-leadership/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/management-is-great-leadership/The principles of effective leadership and people management.Wed, 02 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/managers-and-leaders/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/managers-and-leaders/Exploring the differences between management and leadership, and the impact of ineffective managers and leadersTue, 20 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/managing-ics-who-are-a-similar-level-to-yourself/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/managing-ics-who-are-a-similar-level-to-yourself/Guidelines for managing individual contributors at your level.Fri, 09 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/measuring-effectiveness/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/measuring-effectiveness/How to measure and improve team effectiveness in organisations.Thu, 04 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/middle-ground/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/middle-ground/Finding the balance between over and under designing.Mon, 02 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/my-2014/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/my-2014/Reflecting on personal and professional experiences throughout 2014.Thu, 05 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/proactive-instead-of-reactive-product-development/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/proactive-instead-of-reactive-product-development/The benefits of taking a proactive approach to product development.Tue, 31 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/normalised-design/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/normalised-design/Why we should challenge normalised design patterns and think differently.Sun, 07 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/professional-progression/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/professional-progression/Understanding the journey from junior to director level roles in design.Tue, 12 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/reboot/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/reboot/Starting fresh after a difficult year.Wed, 29 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/service-goals/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/service-goals/Reflecting on service goals and outcomes for the Get your State Pension service at DWP.Mon, 24 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/so-you-want-to-get-into-web-design/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/so-you-want-to-get-into-web-design/A comprehensive guide to starting a career in web design, from industry insights to career paths.Sun, 29 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-day-that-ben-left/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-day-that-ben-left/Reflections on leadership transitions and maintaining team momentum.Fri, 18 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-first-days/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-first-days/Navigating the initial challenges of a new leadership position.Sun, 01 Nov 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-next-evolution-of-good-user-experience/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-next-evolution-of-good-user-experience/Building on GDS foundations to create a more human, data-driven and AI-enhanced standard for modern user experience design.Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-one-that-didnt-get-away/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-one-that-didnt-get-away/A story about persistence and success in recruitment.Mon, 30 May 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-problem-with-the-outcomes-first-obsession-in-ux-hiring/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-problem-with-the-outcomes-first-obsession-in-ux-hiring/Why outcomes-first UX hiring misses context: metrics without framing mislead, especially in public sector; value adaptive skills, collaboration, and complexity.Sat, 09 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-rebuild/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-rebuild/Starting fresh and rebuilding design processes from the ground up.Mon, 31 Aug 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-uncomfortable-truth-about-design-leadership/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-uncomfortable-truth-about-design-leadership/Design leadership is often spoken about in glowing terms. But the reality is messy, slow and often frustrating. Here's what the job actually looks like.Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/time/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/time/Managing time effectively as a design leader.Sat, 18 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/understanding-the-why/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/understanding-the-why/The importance of understanding motivations in design decisions.Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/user-centred-success-measures/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/user-centred-success-measures/A guide to implementing user-centred success measures alongside traditional metrics.Fri, 16 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/we-are-not-all-equal/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/we-are-not-all-equal/Addressing inequality and diversity in design teams.Mon, 06 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/what-is-the-hardest-part-of-running-a-design-team/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/what-is-the-hardest-part-of-running-a-design-team/Key insights on leading design teams effectively through communication and community building.Sat, 01 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/when-ai-becomes-the-expectation/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/when-ai-becomes-the-expectation/The shift from AI as an optional tool to a core part of how we work is already here. The question is not whether to embrace it, but how to meet this transformation.Sun, 29 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/why-i-believe-prototyping-in-code-beats-everything-else/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/why-i-believe-prototyping-in-code-beats-everything-else/A code prototype changes everything. When you prototype in code, the thing you are testing is real. It works in the browser. It works on any device. It responds to real-world variables.Sat, 21 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/why-i-created-gpt-wrapper-app-bundles/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/why-i-created-gpt-wrapper-app-bundles/Most people do not fail because they can not build. They fail because they do not know what to build. I built a database of GPT wrapper app ideas that do not suck.Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/why-senior-designers-should-build-products-not-just-decks/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/why-senior-designers-should-build-products-not-just-decks/Senior designers often spend more time on strategy decks than building real products. Here's why shipping something real changes everything—and how it sharpens your design judgement.Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/why-i-went-from-idea-bundles-to-full-ai-powered-product/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/why-i-went-from-idea-bundles-to-full-ai-powered-product/How GPT Wrapper App Bundles evolved from a static resource into a dynamic SaaS platform that generates personalized, validated app ideas in real-time.Wed, 09 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/you-cannot-ai-your-way-out-of-the-wrong-problem/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/you-cannot-ai-your-way-out-of-the-wrong-problem/AI tools can critique layouts, suggest improvements and generate variations. But none of that matters if you're solving the wrong problem in the first place.Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/why-i-still-care-about-this-more-than-i-probably-should/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/why-i-still-care-about-this-more-than-i-probably-should/After twenty years in design and product, what still matters is not the outputs or titles but the thinking behind the work—how decisions get made and whether we solve the right problem.Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/why-better-ux-didnt-fix-my-product/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/why-better-ux-didnt-fix-my-product/Clean flows and polished interfaces are not enough when the problem is not painful enough, the value is unclear, or the positioning does not land. UX supports strong products; it cannot rescue weak ones.Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-noise-the-shift-and-what-still-matters/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/the-noise-the-shift-and-what-still-matters/AI, tooling and new ways of working create a lot of noise—and pressure to keep up. The fundamentals of the work have not changed; everything else is still settling.Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/what-i-got-wrong-about-career-progression/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/what-i-got-wrong-about-career-progression/I thought progress meant more responsibility, bigger teams and broader scope. Stepping back taught me that sometimes progression is about moving closer to the work—not further away.Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/getting-diagnosed-as-autistic-as-an-adult/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/getting-diagnosed-as-autistic-as-an-adult/A late diagnosis did not change who I am, but it gave me a way to understand myself. Clarity at work, energy, communication—and working with how I think instead of against it.Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/i-dont-think-about-impostor-syndrome-in-the-same-way-anymore/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/i-dont-think-about-impostor-syndrome-in-the-same-way-anymore/After an autism diagnosis, the old impostor story went quieter—not because work got easier, but because I understood myself differently. What I called insecurity often had other names.Fri, 27 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/its-getting-harder-to-break-into-tech/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/its-getting-harder-to-break-into-tech/Junior routes are thinner, expectations stay high, and remote work made informal learning harder. Until we adapt how we develop people, the entry-level gap will stay—and building real things can be one path you control.Sat, 28 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/claude-design-isnt-really-a-design-tool/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/claude-design-isnt-really-a-design-tool/Claude Design collapses thinking, design, and early building into one flow—not just faster UI. What that structural shift means for teams, and where people miss the point.Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/most-ai-features-are-placed-in-the-wrong-part-of-the-product/https://gavinelliott.co.uk/blog/most-ai-features-are-placed-in-the-wrong-part-of-the-product/AI features often fail because of where they sit in the experience—not because the technology is weak. Placement, timing, and flow matter more than raw capability.Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT