Cancer Research UK Tech Team Podcast

In this special episode we speak to Christina Cornwell, Director of the Health Lab at the charity Nesta, about the work Nesta are doing to champion ‘tech for good’. We hear about how they’re aiming to tackle social isolation through their ‘Tech To Connect’ challenge, and also highlight some of the work that Cancer Research UK is doing in the ‘tech for good’ space. As Nesta is an innovation foundation, we discuss the tools and techniques they use to test ideas, how they measure success and how their approach compares to what we do at Cancer Research UK. Christina also offers advice and resources for any organisation looking to do more in innovation and ‘tech for good’.

What is working flexibly? Who benefits from flexible working? How do you ask for flexible working? In this episode we’re joined by home-based workers, Andy Punter and Jessica Higgins, to discuss the benefits and challenges of flexible working. We talk about the positive impact on physical and mental health, and work-life balance that flexible working can bring, as well as sharing advice for managing remote-based teams. Andy and Jess share tips on how to stay disciplined, how to switch off and the importance of adopting a flexible mindset. We also discuss why more organisations should offer remote-based roles and how to forge good working relationships with office-based workers.

In this episode we’re joined by CRUK’s Head of Innovation, Rob Green, and Innovation Coach, Eleanor Gibson, who talk to us about the newly formed central innovation team. We discuss how the team came about, the tools and techniques they use to move fast and keep up with the changing needs of supporters, and how they operate differently from other innovation teams. We also talk more broadly about how charities could be doing more to innovate on the way they operate, as well as harnessing the power of their supporters.

In celebration of Ada Lovelace Day, we sit down with Cancer Research UK CIO, Tiffany Hall, to talk about women in tech. Tiff talks about the importance of having a diverse organisation, the barriers facing women entering the technology sector and her own experiences of being ‘the only woman in the room’. At CRUK 40% of tech jobs are filled by women, compared to the national average of 17%. So we also discuss how CRUK are improving the gender balance in technology, and her experience of winning CIO of the Year at 2018’s Women in IT Awards.

Ahead of this week’s Brighton SEO conference, our Senior Search Strategist, James-Charles Connington (aka JC), joins us to talk about what charities can do to improve their search engine optimisation (SEO). In this bumper-sized episode, JC shares practical advice that charities can implement straight away to improve their SEO. We discuss the challenges charities face in organic search, what is ‘good SEO’, why it’s important, and dispel some common search and SEO myths.  

In this episode, we hear from System Administrator, Samuel Udoh, and Software Engineer, Simeron Taak, about how they got into the technology industry after attending a technology academy. They talk openly about their experiences of the academy route they chose, how to stay resilient when job hunting, and offer advice to anyone who’s looking to get into the industry but doesn’t know where to start.

Can practicing empathy help people embrace change and deliver better work? In this episode we’re joined by Service Designers, Snezhana Halacheva and Caroline Kavanagh, who talk to us about the different types of empathy, and how practicing empathy in the workplace can meet the needs of your users. They also talk about using empathy as a tool to empower and motivate your colleagues, and address some common misconceptions around empathy as a term.

Traditional marketing roles are changing and organisations need to adapt. In this episode, we’re joined by Senior Marketing Services Manager, Ashley Hickman, who talks to us about what’s expected of the ‘modern marketer’. We discuss how traditional marketing roles are changing to incorporate digital skills, the increased role of data in marketing, and how Ashley is incorporating UX skills into the marketing services team here at CRUK.

Design principles are becoming more and more popular across the Technology world. And the charity sector is no exception. In this episode our Content and Search Lead, Chris Flood, joins us to talk about design principles at CRUK. He explains what design principles are, how we came up with ours, and the impact they’re having. As well as sharing some top tips for any charities looking to get started building their own. Follow Chris on Twitter

In this episode you’ll hear from Service Designer, Rachel Xavier about the future of work. She’ll share the challenges of changing workplace cultures and the role of flexible working in maintaining a healthy work/life balance. Plus there's advice on staying resilient under pressure, and how organisations can prepare for the workplace of the future. Follow Rachel on Twitter

For our second episode we’re talking innovation with Rob Leyland from our emerging technology team. You’ll hear why Rob thinks innovation needs to be less ‘futurology’ and more practical, how CRUK are tackling conversational AI and voice, and Rob’s take on some of the ethical implications of changing technology for the charity sector. Follow Rob on Twitter, CRUK LinkedIn

Find out how to work together to create a strategy, tell a story and empower teams to put this into action from the CRUK Tech Team. Anne Bienia, Senior Strategy Manager, discusses the benefits and challenges of collaborative approaches. And how co-creation can prevent your strategy becoming a document left in a drawer. Explore Anne’s blog, follow her on Twitter, CRUK LinkedIn