Introducing Becky McCracken – Digital Adoption and Change Manager

New beginnings and big questions

September has always felt like a month of change.

Maybe it’s because I spent years measuring my life in school terms. Maybe it’s the start of a new rugby season. Or maybe it’s simply because September has a sense of possibility that January never quite manages (and I’m terrible at New Years resolutions!)

Either way, this September feels particularly significant.

I’ve recently joined Luton Council as DDaT’s Digital Adoption and Change Manager. I’ve spent my first week doing what most people do in a new role: meeting colleagues, finding my way around and trying to absorb an enormous amount of information.

And asking lots of questions.

In fact, if you’ve met me already, you’ve probably noticed that I ask quite a lot of them.

Not because I think things are wrong.

Not because I have all the answers.

But because I’m genuinely curious.

Over the years, working in change and transformation has taught me that the most interesting insights usually come from the simplest questions.

Why do we do it this way?
Who is this helping?
What’s difficult about the current process?
What does good look like?

The longer I’ve worked in this field, the more convinced I’ve become that successful change starts with understanding people.

Technology matters.

Processes matter.

Data matters.

But people sit at the heart of all of it.

Understanding what makes people tick

My passion has always been understanding people and what makes them tick. People sometimes assume that means understanding what people think. Actually, I’m often more interested in understanding what people feel.

Not in a marketing sense. We have incredibly talented colleagues who know far more than I do about branding, campaigns, communications and engagement.

What fascinates me is the human side of change. How does a process make someone feel?

Confident or confused?
Supported or frustrated?
Empowered or overwhelmed?

And perhaps most importantly, how do they want to feel?

Because when we understand that, we can design experiences, services and technology that help people succeed.

That’s probably why I chose to introduce myself through a short video rather than a long biography. Scroll to the bottom of this blog post to ‘meet me’ 👋

The video won’t tell you everything about me, but hopefully it gives you a sense of who I am, what matters to me and the curiosity I’ll be bringing to this role.

Always start with people

Before we talk about systems, processes or technology, I think it helps to start with people.
After all, change isn’t really about technology at all.

It’s about how people experience it.

My role focuses on workplace experience: helping people experience technology and change in a way that feels intuitive, supportive and empowering. At first glance, that might sound like an internal focus. For me, it’s much bigger than that.

Because every improvement we make to the experience of colleagues has the potential to improve the experience of residents too.

When people have the right tools, the right support and the confidence to use them, they can spend more time focusing on what matters most. And that’s where the real impact happens.
I love that connection.

The idea that improving the daily experience of colleagues can have a direct impact on the experience of residents. That by helping people feel capable, supported and engaged, we create the conditions for better services, better outcomes and stronger communities.

Ask more questions

So, for now, I’ll keep listening, learning and asking questions. Some big, some small, some that might seem obvious. But hopefully all helping me better understand the people, services and communities that make Luton what it is.

If we’ve not met yet, please do say hello. Because every meaningful change starts with a conversation.

Feel free to add me on LinkedIn.