Resources

Notes from the site office.

Short, practical guidance you can use whether or not you work with us. Filter by topic or search.

10 notes shown

Briefs

Writing a brief that saves a week

List the users, the three tasks that matter most, deadlines that are genuinely fixed, and anything already built. Leave the solution open.

Releases

Before you press submit in an app store

Check the privacy declarations match what the app really collects, prepare review notes and test login details, and confirm who will reply to reviewer questions.

Releases

Staged rollouts

Release to a small percentage first where the store allows it. Watch crash reports and support messages before widening.

Accessibility

A ten-minute accessibility check

Unplug the mouse and complete the main task with the keyboard. Then zoom to 200%. Anything you cannot reach or read is a fix list.

Accessibility

Colour is not a label

Errors, statuses and required fields need words or icons as well as colour.

Hosting & web

Who owns your domain?

Look up the registrar account. If it is in a former contractor's name, transferring it is a priority, before renewal is missed.

Hosting & web

Contact forms that fail honestly

A form should tell the visitor when sending failed and keep what they typed. Test it with the mail service switched off.

Everyday IT

Passwords and shared accounts

Use a password manager for the team, enable two-step sign-in, and remove leavers' access on their last day.

Everyday IT

What to include in a support request

Device and operating system, what you expected, what happened, when it started, and a screenshot if possible.

Everyday IT

Back-ups you have actually restored

A back-up is only proven once you have restored from it. Try it on a quiet afternoon.