Pluspunten
The design community is one of the most supportive and talented group of people I’ve ever worked with. Everyone in the design community (and most outside of it including executive team) is open to teaching and learning from each other. Roles aren’t hired based on how well they get along with the interviewer. There’s a culture of standing up for what’s right within teams at GDS even when it’s difficult or takes time- in the last year or so more than ever. Every designer is truly a user centred designer who focuses on user needs and empathy. Salaries for DDaT roles currently have the opportunity to be evaluated every 6 months with a chance to progress based on skills evidenced, not popularity contests. Work life balance is fantastic. Care from peers about mental health and well-being is generally really good. Opportunities to move sideways into other roles where you have relevant skills. Mostly great product teams that are fully multidisciplinary and agile(ish) but your mileage may vary from team to team/ programme. Openness to allow employees to improve things that may not be working as well as the could.
Minpunten
Cabinet office base pay is one of the lower ranges in London for civil service. Salary progression for DDaT roles is still capped according to seniority of your role rather than full skill range you might be achieving but it’s a new system hopefully subject to change. Senior/lead/ head of design roles are lacking and so competition with peers already in the company can be high at times. Diversity of executive leadership team could be improved. Currently one POC at the time of writing this since being split into GDS and CDDO.