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Hi - David and Sonya here, with your weekly Catalyst bulletin.

This week it's all about users. Of course, if you're doing digital right, every week ought to be about users - what they need, how to help them find what they need, and how to recognise when what they need isn't what they say they need.

As Henry Ford probably never said, if he'd asked the customer what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse. We've got two blogs this week on centring the user in your work - without just asking them to tell you what to do.

What is user research and why is it vital for your charity?

How do you find out what your users need? It’s not always by asking them! Why focus groups and consultation events are not the best route to generating meaningful user research to inform better digital service design.

How the Children's Society used digital to cope with COVID-19

The director of national operations at the Children's Society talks about how the charity has adapted - and shared its learning with others.

Service design is co-production with knobs on

How service design differs from co-production - and why it's usually a better method to use when designing a new service or project.

How to become a data-driven charity

Last month’s DigiShift call on data-driven charities was one of the most active sessions to date. SCVO’s blog takes a look at why and how charities can better use their data.

Dovetail - a free directory of charity-focused digital agencies

Charities looking for digital partners can browse the directory - whilst agencies delivering design, tech, and data can add their details (provided they meet criteria).

How We Are Open Co-op helped Action West London respond to COVID-19

As part of Catalyst’s Digital Teams, We Are Open Co-op ran a ‘Thinkathon’ to help Action West London kick-start their digital transformation after COVID disrupted operations.

Take Five: the best content from around our network

Our weekly round-up of digital content and events produced by the Catalyst network and beyond.

3,200 users - and counting

Since we started up this email bulletin, our subscriber numbers have been growing steadily. Please send this on, and help more charities learn about the power of really excellent digital.

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Thank you to all our contributors

Right now more than 100 organisations in the Catalyst network are working together to support the voluntary sector. We would like to thank all of them for their hard work.

If you're a digital agency, or a funder, or have other skills to offer as a part of the Catalyst collective, let us know.

Stay safe

Your friends at Catalyst

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Catalyst is incubated by CAST, a registered charity (No. 1161998)

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