March 2025:
This winter, while I can’t say I settled into a new routine, I’m pleased to share that I did begin a new chapter as a Senior Service Designer with the BC Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs. This role is primed to be equally challenging as it is rewarding as I embark on partnering with First Nations and Indigenous communities in the design of a digital building permitting application service.
The design maturity in British Columbia looks quite different to what I’m familiar with in the UK, but there’s lots of potential abound. Surprisingly, this will be my first official job with ‘Designer’ in the title, which really excites me. In my first month, I’ve reflected so much on what I’ve learnt during my tenure at TPXimpact, having absorbed so much information and knowledge from my brilliant team mates.
Speaking of team members, I am grateful to colleagues at Upwords and Lux Insights, whom I had the opportunity to do some short-term contracting work with while looking for a new full-time role in the autumn. The Western Canadian research and design community is small, but definitely friendly.
In February, I had the chance to hop across the pond and present my original “Futures Anthropology as a Method: Applying Futures Orientations to UX Research” at the Research By The Sea Conference held in Brighton. It was a great success and I’m very proud of the content and delivery. The audience was wonderful and I couldn’t believe participants travelled from Poland and Belgium to be there.
As of March, I have officially relocated from Kelowna, BC where I spent much of the winter to Vancouver. If you’re in the area, please send a note I’d love to go for a walk and say ‘hi’.
Coming Soon:
Now that I’m in Vancouver, I’ll be looking to start building community again and organizing various learning initiatives. I will be partnering with some contacts in Calgary and Vancouver to grow a network of applied anthropologists in Canada.
I’m on the lookout for another opportunity to present the futures anthropology conference, either in-person or potentially remote.
As before, my serial networking continues. I’m actively expanding my Canadian network and am eager to connect for mentorship (and “peership”) with other likeminded researchers. Know someone who might value a conversation? Interested in working together?
Nicole Aleong 