{"id":13846,"date":"2025-08-27T17:30:38","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T10:30:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cstc.vn\/blogtsk\/who-should-be-the-uks-chief-design-officer\/"},"modified":"2025-08-27T17:30:38","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T10:30:38","slug":"who-should-be-the-uks-chief-design-officer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cstc.vn\/blogtsk\/who-should-be-the-uks-chief-design-officer\/","title":{"rendered":"Who should be the UK\u2019s chief design officer?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m not sure anyone had \u201cprioritise design\u201d on their Donald Trump bingo card. But last week the president issued an executive order<\/a> promising to \u201cimprove our nation through better design.\u201d<\/p>\n

It created a National Design Studio and a new post of chief design officer, to which Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia has been appointed.<\/p>\n

His first task is to redesign more than 20,000 government websites. Gebbia has said he aims to make official government services as \u201csatisfying to use as the Apple Store: beautifully designed, great user experience, run on modern software \u2026 an experience that projects a level of excellence for our nation, and makes life less complicated for everyday Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n

The initiative has a new one-page website<\/a>, with copy that makes sure to butter up the boss before getting down to business.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the biggest brand in the world?\u201d it asks. Oh crikey, big question.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you said Trump, you\u2019re not wrong.\u201d Right, I didn\u2019t, but\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cBut what\u2019s the foundation of that brand? One that\u2019s more globally recognised than practically anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n

I feel like you\u2019re going to tell me.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the nation\u2026where he was born. It\u2019s the United States of America.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why the ellipsis? Should we read it like Dermot announcing the results of an especially fraught X Factor<\/em> elimination?<\/p>\n

It builds from there to be honest, a puzzling mix of weird stuff, very sensible stuff, and a magnificently petty jibe at President Nixon.<\/p>\n

Anyway, we quite like the idea of a chief design officer for the UK, so here are some possible candidates, should the Prime Minister decide to follow his trans-Atlantic mate\u2019s example.<\/p>\n

Sir Paul Smith<\/h5>\n

A Catherine wheel of optimism, creativity and fun, Sir Paul Smith would be a really popular choice. Almost nothing in our lives \u2013 banknotes, driving licences, the official UK border at Heathrow \u2013 wouldn\u2019t be improved by the famous Paul Smith stripes.<\/p>\n

Ben Terrett<\/h5>\n

As one of the driving forces behind the GOV.UK redesigns, and the creation of the Government Digital Service\u2019s Government Design Principles, Terrett has been there, done that. He\u2019s a safe pair of hands, like bringing in Big Sam to steer a troubled team away from relegation.<\/p>\n

Teo Connor<\/h5>\n

If the US turned to Airbnb for its first chief design officer, should the UK just follow suit? Teo Connor is a great designer and a spirited, empathetic leader. Having revamped the entire Airbnb app earlier this year, one thinks sprucing up the DVLA website would be a walk in the park.<\/p>\n

Max Ottignon<\/h5>\n

Few speak more stirringly about the power of design than Ragged Edge co-founder Max Ottignon. If he asked me to abandon my family and march with him into battle, I\u2019d do so in a heartbeat. Hell, I\u2019d be at front, carrying his sigil. He\u2019s also quite handsome, which I feel could be useful?<\/p>\n

LinkedIn Haters<\/h5>\n

Anyone who\u2019s ever posted an old and a new logo side-by-side and written, \u201chalf a million pounds for this?!\u201d No, that\u2019s not how it works. And you know that. But wilful misunderstanding aside, fine. You\u2019re up. Godspeed.<\/p>\n

Margaret Calvert<\/h5>\n

A designer whose work shapes our public spaces to this day and marries the technical aspects of design with the emotional. I get the sense she\u2019d definitely say no, which only makes her all the more suited to the position. Also, her Unit Editions monograph is coming out soon, and this would be a useful promo tool for that.<\/p>\n

Sir Jony Ive<\/h5>\n

If we want stuff to look more like Apple, why not just go and get the guy who made Apple look like Apple? He might have a pretty sweet gig at OpenAI, but surely he\u2019d be up for this challenge. It would also be fun to see how his sometimes-gnomic way of speaking goes down on The One Show.<\/p>\n

Victoria Beckham<\/h5>\n

When I Googled \u201cfamous British designers\u201d I was quite surprised to find Posh Spice on the list. But not only does she have a successful fashion label, she\u2019s married to arguably one of the British cultural icons of the past 30 years. We also know from the Netflix doc \u2013 and the ensuing meme \u2013 that she\u2019s not afraid to massage the truth, which our public figures tend to be good at.<\/p>\n

Kevin McCloud<\/h5>\n

The Grand Designs<\/em> host is a strong contender here. Understands design? Check. Good communicator? Check. Has a finely-honed sense of the British public, our ambitious foibles, ruinous dreams, and logistical shortcomings? Check, check and indeed check!<\/p>\n

Lisa Smith<\/h5>\n

From Wolff Olins to JKR and now Uncommon Creative Studio, Lisa Smith has the CV to waltz into this role. She also stands out in the design world for her willingness to call out where she thinks things aren\u2019t working \u2013 in a public, articulate, and punchily forthright way.<\/p>\n

Mary Berry<\/h5>\n

Bear with me! Berry might feel like a leftfield choice, but I think she could be a chance worth taking. A bona fide<\/em> national treasure, she has exacting standards and a twinkle in her eye. You could imagine her using a fruity double entendre when facing down a dour parliamentary select committee.<\/p>\n

Gerry McGovern<\/h5>\n

As Jaguar Land Rover\u2019s chief creative officer, McGovern must have thickened his skin no end in the past year. That bullishness should stand him in good stead for when the inevitable vitriol rains down on the government\u2019s attempts to rebrand, I dunno, the police or something. This? This is nothing! I did Jaguar mate\u2026<\/p>\n

\nWhat to read next: <\/strong>\u201cA lot of this is about rituals\u201d \u2013 An hour with Notion design chief Randy Hunt<\/a> | Have design job ads become too specific?<\/a> | What is your earliest design memory?<\/a> | Deep impact \u2013 why design must prove its worth more than ever<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m not sure anyone had \u201cprioritise design\u201d on their Donald Trump bingo card. 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