Rural Payments Agency

Not every project succeeds. And acknowledging failure is as important as celebrating success. During a year working on rural payments, I consistently highlighted how the service failed its users. They were elderly farmers with limited digital skills who were suddenly required to use complex software with strict accuracy requirements. Despite organisational resistance, I maintained my advocacy for these users.

The project ultimately cost hundreds of millions and led to a public inquiry. This experience taught me that true content integrity sometimes means being the uncomfortable voice in the room, even when it’s politically difficult. My commitment is always to those who use the service, not to making systems appear successful when they fail their users.