Ensuring outcomes by embedding users:
co-design case study

Co-design means developing products or services with the active involvement of the users and stakeholders. You’re embedding users in the project to ensure you meet their needs. The approach is growing in popularity, especially for government projects, because it gives added assurance your investment will deliver the planned outcomes.

The case study looks at a collaborative government project to develop digitalpasifik.org, a site making visible and accessible the cultural heritage of the Pacific.

We loved working on this project. The whole team was awesome, the response has been inspiring and we found that co-design and Agile are a natural fit. The fact that all this took place in the middle of a COVID lockdown made the end result all the sweeter.

Connecting your team if Omicron has you working remotely

With teams encouraged to work from home where possible under the red traffic light setting, we thought people might find this post useful.

It shares what we did during the first COVID lockdown and how it helped us stay tight as a team.

Take the stress out of work with Agile training

The Agile way of working is designed to help you get more done — with less stress — week after week.

As the Agile manifesto puts it, “Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.”

In Agile methodologies like Scrum, Kanban and XP, the team pulls in the work they have the capacity to complete rather than having it pushed on them. You’re encouraged to only take on new work once you’ve completed the last batch. This helps you keep focused and avoid getting frazzled by competing pressures. Unrealistic workloads have no place in Agile.

For me personally, this approach has made a huge difference to the satisfaction I get from work.

At Boost, we’ve tested and taken on board elements from all these methodologies, based on what’s delivered the best results. So our Agile training team can share what works based on practical experience.

Agile Professional Foundation via Zoom

The APF is our Agile career development course. Run via Zoom over four 3-hour morning sessions, the APF uses engaging online activities to make learning interactive and effective.

Completing the course earns you accreditation as an ICAgile-Certified Professional (ICP).

The next course runs from 14–17 February.

Heads up though, we limit numbers to ensure everyone gets individual attention and we’re nearly at capacity.

Boost’s new designer and the art of collaboration

Maryam Al-haseny has been fascinated by the visual arts since she was a kid, so a career in design was almost inevitable.

After finishing her Honours degree in Visual Communication Design, she took up a role as in-house designer at Volunteer Service Abroad. Having been the sole designer at VSA, she’s excited to be working with a team of design professionals at Boost.

“I love working collaboratively,” she says. “That’s why I’m so grateful for this new role, there’s much more collaboration.

“From the test-drive to the working interview to actually working here, it's been quite a surreal experience joining Boost,” she says.

“It’s such a beautiful team. Everyone just loves to come into work every single day. It feels too good to be true.”

The interest in all things visual continues outside office hours, through calligraphy — especially Arabic calligraphy — street art, drawing and printmaking. The latter is made possible by a 300 kg Vandercook printing press, which currently resides in her parents’ garage due to its rather exacting spatial requirements.