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UCDOps Manager

The right UCD team, for the right phase, before you hire.

UCDOps Manager turns a project brief into a staffing plan mapped to GDS phases and DDaT roles, with effort, sequencing, and where an agent can help.

UCD manager (routing) · DDaT roles, GDS phases · Available

Get this on Gumroad
See the design

Or get all nine agents in the UCD Team bundle.

The problem

  • Programmes staff discovery with designers and alpha with no researcher.

  • UCD managers spend their days routing work instead of improving services.

  • Effort estimates arrive without assumptions, so nobody can challenge them.

What it does

  • Classifies your work by GDS phase, with reasons

  • Recommends lead and support roles per phase

  • Estimates weeks and days, with every assumption shown

  • Shows handoffs and dependencies between roles

  • Says where an agent can draft and where a person must lead

How it works

  1. Get this on Gumroad and download the zip.

  2. Unzip it into a project folder and open it in your AI tool.

  3. Say `plan the UCD team for <brief>`.

  4. It works one stage at a time and stops for your yes.

  1. Classify

    Phase classification

  2. Map roles

    Role mapping

  3. Estimate

    Effort and sequencing

  4. Cover

    Agent cover and gaps

Built to a standard

GDS phases and DDaT user-centred design roles.

Every claim cites its source. Nothing is written to your tools without your approval.

Who it is for

Programme managers, delivery managers and chief digital officers planning UK public sector programmes.

What you need

  • An AI tool that reads project instructions: Claude Code, Cursor, or a tool that reads AGENTS.md. Claude Projects and custom bots work too, with copy-and-paste outputs.

  • Your own AI subscription or API key. Nothing to host.

  • Optional

    Optional connections: none needed.

What is in the zip

FileWhat it does
00-root-instructions.mdWho the agent is, the rules, the gates
01-classify.mdStage 1: Classify
02-roles.mdStage 2: Map roles
03-effort.mdStage 3: Estimate
04-cover.mdStage 4: Cover
05-tools.mdConnections and permissions
06-manifest.mdWhich skill uses which tool
07-adapters.mdHow to load it in your tool
LICENCE.mdWhat you may and may not do
README.mdStart here: set-up in two minutes
guardrails.mdRisks, controls and sign-off
memory.mdWhat is kept and where
adapters/AGENTS.mdAdapter for your AI tool
adapters/CLAUDE.mdAdapter for your AI tool
adapters/chat-system-prompt.mdAdapter for your AI tool
adapters/ucdops-manager.mdcAdapter for your AI tool
evals/eval-suite.mdTests and pass marks
rules/agent-catalogue.mdStandard the agent checks against
rules/ddat-ucd-roles.mdStandard the agent checks against
rules/effort-ranges.mdStandard the agent checks against
rules/gds-phases.mdStandard the agent checks against
samples/01-benefits-discovery.mdSynthetic sample input
samples/02-licensing-alpha.mdSynthetic sample input
samples/03-portal-beta.mdSynthetic sample input

Questions

Does it book people?
No. It recommends. You decide and commit.
Can I change the effort ranges?
Yes. They are a plain markdown file in the package.
Does it need the other agents?
No. It names them where they help, but works on its own.
Can I change the files?
Yes. They are plain markdown. The licence lets you adapt them for your own work.

Designed before it was built

Designed before it was built

This agent was designed with the five-question method: purpose, boundaries, what it touches, when a person steps in, and how you know it works. [Read the design](./anatomy).

About the author

Designed by Vijay Kandhalu.