Creative, human communication
giles@usethehumanvoice.com / 07939 127917 / @gilest
I help organisations communicate the way humans do: briefly, clearly and creatively. I’ve defined the discipline of agile comms and helped numerous public sector, private sector and non-profit teams re-think how they talk about their work. I’m a writer, editor, trainer, consultant and coach.
Founder, Use the human voice (2017–present)
Independent consulting. Engagements with Defra, Department for Education, HM Land Registry, Comic Relief, Essex County Council, I'm a Scientist, Get Me Out Of Here, Atkins Global, and Hargreaves Lansdown among others. Partnerships with Content Design London, Public Digital and Panda. Publications: Content Design (editor, 2017); The agile comms handbook (author, 2021).
Communication consultant, Public Digital (2018 – 2020)
Comms support for PD and a number of its clients, including Homes England, Scottish Government, Welsh Government, Government of California, IDEO, United Nations Capital Development Fund Policy Accelerator, EdTech Hub and NHSX. Projects included: Signals (creator/editor, 2018-19); PD YouTube channel (2018-19).
Creative writer, Government Digital Service (2012–2016)
Part of the influential creative team that explained GDS and its approach to ministers, civil servants and the public. We enabled the 10th design principle: Make things open, it makes them better. Key projects: It’s ok (subsequently exhibited at the 2017 Vienna Biennale); A GDS story (institutional memory as web content); building the GDS YouTube channel. Countless blog posts, presentations and one-liners.
Freelance writer (2000–2012)
Journalism and copywriting, focusing on the internet, cyberculture and the emerging Mac/iOS ecosystem. Worked with the BBC, The Guardian, Time Inc, The Daily Telegraph, Dopplr, moo.com, MacUser, Engadget, Nokia, O’Reilly Publishing, and Cult of Mac, among others. Wrote a syndicated weekly column for 14 years, explaining the web in simple terms for non-techies.
Technology editor and columnist, The Press Association (1997–2000)
As one of Fleet Street’s first dedicated “internet correspondents”, I covered the first dotcom boom as it happened.
Reporter, Cambridge Evening News (1994–1997)
Being a local newshound, learning on the job.
I’m a skilled writer and editor, but I also understand people, teams and hierarchies. I can spot ways that leaders can enable better communication, and ways that organisations can shift and re-shape their strategy to make things more open. I work well with leaders, teams and individuals to focus my efforts on their needs. Experienced, confident public speaker.
Early pioneer of the UK blogging scene, back when “blogging scene” had meaning.
Contributor: The New Writer’s Handbook vol 2; We’ve got blog; Mac OS X Hacks; The Morning News. Hand-made personal website at gilest.org. Amateur radio broadcaster. Writing a novel, but isn’t everyone?
Last updated: 13 May 2022