Benjy StantonA user manual for me, version 2
- Author Benjy Stanton
- Date
- Categories
View my latest user manual.
It's been over 2 years since I last updated my old user manual for me. If you're unfamilier with the concept, check out this blog post on user manuals by Cassie Robinson.
Conditions I like to work in
- Remote work helps me to drop my kids off at school at a sensible time, it also helps me to recharge between meetings
- I like to work in open, inclusive, multi-disciplinary teams
- I prefer structured workshops over meetings with no agenda
The times/hours I like to work
- I drop my kids off at school at 8:45am, so I'm usually back and ready to start work by 9am(ish)
- For this reason, I usually work 9am to 5pm. Although some days I do school pick-up too, which means I can be unavailable for 30 mins around 3pm.
- Staggered school start and end times (due to COVID) are making this less predictable
- I prefer to work in the morning, so during school holidays you'll catch me working 8am to 4pm
The best ways to communicate with me
- I’m happy to use a mix of communication methods (face-to-face, email, Slack)
- You’ll get the best answers from me if I’ve got time to prepare
- I'm more likely to remember something if it's written down
The ways I like to receive feedback
- I like demoing my work and presenting at show and tells
- I need time to prepare for feedback sessions
- And time to process them afterwards
Things I need
- To observe user research
- Good digital tools like Trello, Slack and Google Drive
- Protected time to focus on complex tasks
Things I struggle with
- I’m an introvert, which means too many meetings can drain me
- Long email threads with lots of contributors
- Acronyms and jargon
Things I love
- My family
- Music
- The beach
Other things to know about me
- I have 3 young kids
- I value boring design over shiny things
- I spend too much time on Twitter