Bridging the Gap

AI Generated Illustration

As I commute from the depths of Devon to London most weeks one statement sticks in my head - "Mind the gap". The well known tagline of the London Underground intended to stop nasty accidents whilst boarding trains.

This advice is something that rings true not just in our commute, but daily lives working in startups. Over the last 10 years I've worked in a number of roles with a ton of great people - very different people - but all with one unifying theme: The flexibility and ability to adapt quickly to the needs of the business.

In startup mode there are never enough people to cover all the bases, the same is true in agencies. Sure all the main roles are covered but it's the little tiny joins and seams between roles where potential and success go to die - The forgotten email, the great aesthetic with a experience that doesn't quite work, or even when no one takes the bin out.

"Bridging the gap"

This phrase was adorned upon a badge at the second agency I ever worked for. I didn't know it at the time, but the mindset is what creates great experiences and products.

The founder would say to me anytime I raised an issue:

I Don't care how, just make it work and look great like the design

To this day that phrase resonates in my work. It doesn't matter what my job title is, my role is to make things work and thats what I do. If you spot something not working your role should be to fix it, or find someone who can. All that matters is that the client, and the customers see the end product as containing wonder and a little bit of magic.

It's important to note that "Bridging the gap" doesn't mean being a control freak, grumpy, or moaning. Rather be the facilitator, don't be precious, take the lead or help someone else to. If your focus is to bridge gaps in a customer experience you can't reign over it all, you can however assist others in adopting a mindset to do so.