Our Principles

Honest and open

Transparent and clear processes. It is important that all stakeholders have a clear picture of how a project will be run, what to expect at each stage and what might change along the way. We will work with you to establish this from the very start.

No hidden costs. We will not sneak extra charges in, hide overheads in the budget, or suddenly increase the budget without warning

Simple language. We will avoid unnecessary technical language and ensure all stakeholders have a shared understanding where we do use it.

Working in the open. Good communication is perhaps the most important thing of all. We have various techniques for making sure that everyone on a project has a clear view of what others are doing and that it is easy and comfortable to raise and discuss potential ideas and issues.

Always learning. We don’t know it all, and technology and society constantly change. We love to learn and will work with you to keep moving with the times and developing our own professional understanding and knowledge.

Frank about risk and challenges. We won’t just tell you what you want to hear. Most "nasty surprises" can be avoided with good planning so it is much better to be aware of potential issues from the start.

People-centred

Ethical in relation to users and society. The impact of a digital project can go beyond the immediate user; we consider wider potential benefits and harms, as well as committing to user-centred approaches for your immediate audience that best meet their needs and yours.

Fair working practices. Anyone working for and with us should expect that we will treat them fairly, without discrimination and with consideration.

Committed to accessibility. We believe services should be available for anyone who might want to use them. In practice we recognise there are often constraints on achieving this but we will push for projects to make this a priority.

Collaborative and inclusive. We work best in collaboration with clients and users, especially when a range of voices are involved. We all learn from each other and potential problems are more likely to be spotted.

Planet-centred

Low carbon development. The internet comes with an environmental cost, whether that is carbon emissions from energy use to display your website, or materials for hardware used to consume it. Our goal is that the projects we work on should aim to minimise this cost wherever possible, considering hosting, content and design, code efficiency, and the impact of what the product itself enables.

Driven by needs not technology. We are agnostic about the medium of delivery and the technology used to deliver it. Our only concern is that organisational and user needs are met without causing harm. We will start by making sure those needs are well understood rather than being led by a desire for “innovation” driven by trends and market forces.

Constant research and evolution towards more sustainable digital technologies. This is a relatively new area of consideration, we will keep learning about the impact of technology on the planet and potential solutions, making connections with others working on this, and contributing to ongoing research and thinking on the subject.