I’ve returned to DG Cities after a year of maternity leave, though things are certainly looking a little different from how I left it. While I acclimatise to zoom meetings and pixelated versions of my colleagues’ faces, I will say that I’m eager for the day we can all return to the office. There’s not yet a set date in mind, but, as the country begins its gradual climb towards normalcy, I hope that reality isn’t too far off.  

At DG Cities, we’re fortunate that the bulk of our work can be adequately handled over video calls (good Wi-Fi permitting). But, in the absence of face-to-face contact, I do think that we lose something special. It’s those off-the-cuff conversations and impromptu brainstorming sessions that can sometimes result in hugely important realisations or decisions. And meaningful ideation and big-picture thinking can be really challenging to do online. Nevertheless, we have been finding alternative ways, are still thinking big and I’m really excited that we are continuing to develop new areas of work and will be launching two new product offerings later this year. 

Shaky Wi-Fi aside, one big positive of my return to the office has been to work with two new colleagues - Ed and James. Ed joined us last year to lead our Research and Service Design Practice and his appointment has made an enormous impact by bringing a fresh perspective to the team and expanding our offering to clients. James - who has been on secondment from Ofcom - has been similarly instrumental to DG Cities, and has played a pivotal role in our telecoms and digital connectivity work.

Whilst Covid-19 has presented many challenges, in some ways it has made the work at DG Cities even more relevant and important. The pandemic has fundamentally shifted so many aspects of our world, and it is accelerating particular trends, such as home working and the shift to micro-mobility (e.g. E-scooters). One of our key areas of expertise is around understanding how mobility, behavioural and demographic trends will impact the way that people live and move in the future. If those trends have been disrupted or expedited, it’s imperative that cities understand not only what those changes mean, but how to plan for them as well.  

Since returning, there have been so many satisfying moments where I’ve had the privilege of being able to observe the team doing what they do best: thinking about city innovation from unique and creative angles, and drawing on their different backgrounds and viewpoints to develop truly multi-disciplinary responses and solutions to urban challenges. All I can say is I’m excited to be back and really do look forward to what 2021 holds for us. The world and our cities have changed drastically this past year, but I think we’re up for the challenge.