Lizzie Bruce
@cakedesignstudio.bsky.social
I do user-centred design for arts, law, nature and gov clients. Led and wrote up global content usability research project. Run freelance digital contractors directory. Also like reading and film. Image by me, Sankt Englmar 2026 📸
cakeconsultancy.com
cakeconsultancy.com
Pinned
WCAG in Plain English - AAArdvark
A plain-language guide to WCAG accessibility standards. Friendly explanations that make accessibility easier to understand, one criterion at a time.
aaardvarkaccessibility.com
WCAG in clear language. Someone’s finally done what we’ve all wanted to do.
#ContentDesign #ServiceDesign #UCD
#ContentDesign #ServiceDesign #UCD
Today I learnt about ‘quarter-zips’. Apparently they’ve been in fashion for a couple of years or more.
I heard about them on Radio 4, Googled, and then thought “oh the Rishi Sunak look”.
I really hadn’t heard of them, as what I originally Googled was ‘cortizip’, which is quite different.
I heard about them on Radio 4, Googled, and then thought “oh the Rishi Sunak look”.
I really hadn’t heard of them, as what I originally Googled was ‘cortizip’, which is quite different.
From the mensfashion community on Reddit: Are Quarter zips not 'in fashion'? I see them everywhere (social media / real life), but have been told that they are not versatile / better options (e.g turt...
Explore this post and more from the mensfashion community
www.reddit.com
January 7, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Today I learnt about ‘quarter-zips’. Apparently they’ve been in fashion for a couple of years or more.
I heard about them on Radio 4, Googled, and then thought “oh the Rishi Sunak look”.
I really hadn’t heard of them, as what I originally Googled was ‘cortizip’, which is quite different.
I heard about them on Radio 4, Googled, and then thought “oh the Rishi Sunak look”.
I really hadn’t heard of them, as what I originally Googled was ‘cortizip’, which is quite different.
Create online forms for GOV.UK – GOV.UK Forms
www.forms.service.gov.uk
January 6, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Had a phone call about a new contract role. An actual ruddy phone call! I liked it.
January 6, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Had a phone call about a new contract role. An actual ruddy phone call! I liked it.
There's a newish term apparently, it's 'reusable service patterns'.
I would have thought a 'service pattern' was always reusable? That's what the 'pattern' part means.
Otherwise, it's just a service flow, blueprint or user journey is it not?
Genuinely curious.
#UCD #ServiceDesign #ContentDesign
I would have thought a 'service pattern' was always reusable? That's what the 'pattern' part means.
Otherwise, it's just a service flow, blueprint or user journey is it not?
Genuinely curious.
#UCD #ServiceDesign #ContentDesign
January 6, 2026 at 1:59 PM
There's a newish term apparently, it's 'reusable service patterns'.
I would have thought a 'service pattern' was always reusable? That's what the 'pattern' part means.
Otherwise, it's just a service flow, blueprint or user journey is it not?
Genuinely curious.
#UCD #ServiceDesign #ContentDesign
I would have thought a 'service pattern' was always reusable? That's what the 'pattern' part means.
Otherwise, it's just a service flow, blueprint or user journey is it not?
Genuinely curious.
#UCD #ServiceDesign #ContentDesign
Waiting for my niece to get back from college before tucking into the Christmas log swiss roll that magically wasn't eaten by extensive rota of cat sitters over the break.
Hard to hold back. Having 9th cup of tea (this one decaf) meanwhile.
🍫 🍰 👀
Hard to hold back. Having 9th cup of tea (this one decaf) meanwhile.
🍫 🍰 👀
January 5, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Waiting for my niece to get back from college before tucking into the Christmas log swiss roll that magically wasn't eaten by extensive rota of cat sitters over the break.
Hard to hold back. Having 9th cup of tea (this one decaf) meanwhile.
🍫 🍰 👀
Hard to hold back. Having 9th cup of tea (this one decaf) meanwhile.
🍫 🍰 👀
Reposted by Lizzie Bruce
Extremely grim picture of the life of ordinary Russians.
Soldiers welcome amputations to exit the battlefield. Killers and rapists pardoned to fight are returned to society as veterans committing horrific murders. Patriotic bloggers arrested. Teen folksingers must flee. Gift link: wapo.st/3N1JnFu
Soldiers welcome amputations to exit the battlefield. Killers and rapists pardoned to fight are returned to society as veterans committing horrific murders. Patriotic bloggers arrested. Teen folksingers must flee. Gift link: wapo.st/3N1JnFu
January 5, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Extremely grim picture of the life of ordinary Russians.
Soldiers welcome amputations to exit the battlefield. Killers and rapists pardoned to fight are returned to society as veterans committing horrific murders. Patriotic bloggers arrested. Teen folksingers must flee. Gift link: wapo.st/3N1JnFu
Soldiers welcome amputations to exit the battlefield. Killers and rapists pardoned to fight are returned to society as veterans committing horrific murders. Patriotic bloggers arrested. Teen folksingers must flee. Gift link: wapo.st/3N1JnFu
New year, new soap! Bought from same shop in Montmartre as holder in 2024.
I travelled to Paris and on to Frankfurt in December by coach. Coach travel’s a top enviro-friendly option, and costs a lot less than Eurostar.
But trains esp electric are much lower-carbon than plane or car travel as well.
I travelled to Paris and on to Frankfurt in December by coach. Coach travel’s a top enviro-friendly option, and costs a lot less than Eurostar.
But trains esp electric are much lower-carbon than plane or car travel as well.
January 5, 2026 at 2:47 PM
New year, new soap! Bought from same shop in Montmartre as holder in 2024.
I travelled to Paris and on to Frankfurt in December by coach. Coach travel’s a top enviro-friendly option, and costs a lot less than Eurostar.
But trains esp electric are much lower-carbon than plane or car travel as well.
I travelled to Paris and on to Frankfurt in December by coach. Coach travel’s a top enviro-friendly option, and costs a lot less than Eurostar.
But trains esp electric are much lower-carbon than plane or car travel as well.
Happy New Year 2026! 😊 Took a long digi break this year, apart from photo taking.
I’m currently reading The Midnight Library by Matt Haig – it’s a reflective fiction novel based on the concept of parallel universes.
How about you, what are you reading and why do you like it?
#reading #Booksky
I’m currently reading The Midnight Library by Matt Haig – it’s a reflective fiction novel based on the concept of parallel universes.
How about you, what are you reading and why do you like it?
#reading #Booksky
January 5, 2026 at 10:10 AM
Reposted by Lizzie Bruce
Been feeding the birds around us the past few days and they're demolishing everything they can get.
Having more calories on board helps them survive the cold. Keep the birds around you in mind.
Bonus points if your +1 got binoculars for Christmas and you can now spy closely on guzzling birdies!
Having more calories on board helps them survive the cold. Keep the birds around you in mind.
Bonus points if your +1 got binoculars for Christmas and you can now spy closely on guzzling birdies!
If you can leave some food out for the birds especially if you feed them now and then as they’ll be checking everywhere for food this morning to keep them going. My crows and starlings are starving!
January 5, 2026 at 10:03 AM
Been feeding the birds around us the past few days and they're demolishing everything they can get.
Having more calories on board helps them survive the cold. Keep the birds around you in mind.
Bonus points if your +1 got binoculars for Christmas and you can now spy closely on guzzling birdies!
Having more calories on board helps them survive the cold. Keep the birds around you in mind.
Bonus points if your +1 got binoculars for Christmas and you can now spy closely on guzzling birdies!
Reposted by Lizzie Bruce
The serendipity of putting jigsaws together
December 18, 2025 at 10:11 PM
The serendipity of putting jigsaws together
Completed a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle over the w/e and a few eves this fortnight. It made me think a lot about design patterns, consistency not meaning conformity, assumptions, joy of things connecting up, and those issues that keep coming up but you can’t deal w as you don’t have enough context yet.
December 18, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Completed a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle over the w/e and a few eves this fortnight. It made me think a lot about design patterns, consistency not meaning conformity, assumptions, joy of things connecting up, and those issues that keep coming up but you can’t deal w as you don’t have enough context yet.
Reposted by Lizzie Bruce
Reposted by Lizzie Bruce
“My eyes come and go out again at the bread (and) beer eaten”
I’m too busy to eat (?)
A man named Pushu-ken tells his wife Lamassi that he keeps looking at the food and drink being consumed, but is too busy to eat them. He prefaces the phrase with “as they say” so it may even be like a proverb.
I’m too busy to eat (?)
A man named Pushu-ken tells his wife Lamassi that he keeps looking at the food and drink being consumed, but is too busy to eat them. He prefaces the phrase with “as they say” so it may even be like a proverb.
December 17, 2025 at 3:50 PM
“My eyes come and go out again at the bread (and) beer eaten”
I’m too busy to eat (?)
A man named Pushu-ken tells his wife Lamassi that he keeps looking at the food and drink being consumed, but is too busy to eat them. He prefaces the phrase with “as they say” so it may even be like a proverb.
I’m too busy to eat (?)
A man named Pushu-ken tells his wife Lamassi that he keeps looking at the food and drink being consumed, but is too busy to eat them. He prefaces the phrase with “as they say” so it may even be like a proverb.
Reposted by Lizzie Bruce
During my time at MHCLG I did a series of opinionated* sessions on agile/digital ways of working I think of as the [IMHO] series. This is the 1st of 4 posts based on those presentations.
[IMHO] The Art of Effective Agile
digitalbydefault.com/2025/12/15/i...
*i.e. there is much to disagree with!
[IMHO] The Art of Effective Agile
digitalbydefault.com/2025/12/15/i...
*i.e. there is much to disagree with!
December 15, 2025 at 10:14 AM
During my time at MHCLG I did a series of opinionated* sessions on agile/digital ways of working I think of as the [IMHO] series. This is the 1st of 4 posts based on those presentations.
[IMHO] The Art of Effective Agile
digitalbydefault.com/2025/12/15/i...
*i.e. there is much to disagree with!
[IMHO] The Art of Effective Agile
digitalbydefault.com/2025/12/15/i...
*i.e. there is much to disagree with!
GOV UK has announced an AI “helper” and people are already saying oh we won’t need such clear navigation and #ContentDesign handholding. This is not it. Humans will still be using more traditional pathways. Not everyone will switch to a robochat.
December 17, 2025 at 11:31 AM
GOV UK has announced an AI “helper” and people are already saying oh we won’t need such clear navigation and #ContentDesign handholding. This is not it. Humans will still be using more traditional pathways. Not everyone will switch to a robochat.
Ah some kids just walked past singing in unison "Santa Claus is coming <pause> to town". Sweet.
December 16, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Ah some kids just walked past singing in unison "Santa Claus is coming <pause> to town". Sweet.
Reposted by Lizzie Bruce
New kettle allows heating to specific temperatures. This ADT cartoon comes to mind
December 12, 2025 at 2:09 PM
New kettle allows heating to specific temperatures. This ADT cartoon comes to mind
Have now tried this 3 ways: as is (unwrapped though), in takoyaki, and as cheese on toast.
Tasting notes:
• It has a definite wasabi flavour but very mild.
• Adds a bit of bite as plain or grilled cheese.
• Pretty much indiscernible in takoyaki, as competing w stronger flavours like pickled ginger.
Tasting notes:
• It has a definite wasabi flavour but very mild.
• Adds a bit of bite as plain or grilled cheese.
• Pretty much indiscernible in takoyaki, as competing w stronger flavours like pickled ginger.
December 11, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Have now tried this 3 ways: as is (unwrapped though), in takoyaki, and as cheese on toast.
Tasting notes:
• It has a definite wasabi flavour but very mild.
• Adds a bit of bite as plain or grilled cheese.
• Pretty much indiscernible in takoyaki, as competing w stronger flavours like pickled ginger.
Tasting notes:
• It has a definite wasabi flavour but very mild.
• Adds a bit of bite as plain or grilled cheese.
• Pretty much indiscernible in takoyaki, as competing w stronger flavours like pickled ginger.
Sometimes clients veer in the wrong direction. Agencies and consultants are here to probe, challenge and realign. We need to be given opportunity to do that.
"We created a gateaux of false certainty that we ended up eating for 2 years"
I love it when our clients clock this, and the previously unimaginable suddenly becomes possible.
I love it when our clients clock this, and the previously unimaginable suddenly becomes possible.
December 8, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Sometimes clients veer in the wrong direction. Agencies and consultants are here to probe, challenge and realign. We need to be given opportunity to do that.
December 8, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Reposted by Lizzie Bruce
So love wobbegongs. Everything is good about the wobbegong. Its name. Its flattened Oscar the Grouch face. Its frondy bits. Its lazy life as a hungry rug. And it’s a shark. Outstanding animal 10/10
The Tasselled Wobbegong is a master of disguise that can eat a fish almost as big as itself in one gulp. It's classified as a shark, but when it lays on the sea floor it looks like a harmless rug if you manage to see it. But with powerful jaws and sharp teeth they are no fish to mess with.
December 8, 2025 at 9:49 AM
So love wobbegongs. Everything is good about the wobbegong. Its name. Its flattened Oscar the Grouch face. Its frondy bits. Its lazy life as a hungry rug. And it’s a shark. Outstanding animal 10/10
Reposted by Lizzie Bruce
Heartbreaking. Not unlike Northern Native Americans,
these people watch their world get systematically destroyed in the names of profit and greed.
these people watch their world get systematically destroyed in the names of profit and greed.
The loggers and ranchers are closing in but still Brazil’s Kawahiva people wait for protection
Bureaucratic delays and funding shortages stall plans to carve out a forest reserve for the uncontacted Indigenous group on the southern fringe of the Brazilian Amazon
www.theguardian.com
December 7, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Heartbreaking. Not unlike Northern Native Americans,
these people watch their world get systematically destroyed in the names of profit and greed.
these people watch their world get systematically destroyed in the names of profit and greed.