'Some of the work I’ve enjoyed the most at OPM has involved finding out what it’s like for people who use or work in public services. Our aim is always to look for ways that are really going to improve things because they’re based on real life experiences.
Using different research methods to make sure we hear from different people and that they feel happy and empowered by talking to us is really interesting, and I particularly enjoy thinking of new and creative ways to do this that can work best with particular groups. One recent highlight was making collages with people living in rural communities – it brought out loads of themes that hadn’t really come up in discussion so it was really useful and also fun!
I also enjoy more quantitative research, in which I get to see a mass of numbers, representing a huge range of experiences and views, turned into some clear actions and ways forward that will be in the interests of as many as possible of those concerned.'