Eight years is a big milestone. In a world of shifting platforms, evolving architectures and ever louder hype cycles, it takes real depth, trust and consistency to keep delivering value year after year. This month, we’re celebrating exactly that as Ash marks his 8th anniversary at Answer Digital.

Ash is a Principal Technical Consultant in our architecture team, and if you ask him to explain his role simply, he’ll reach for a brilliant analogy. Architecture, to Ash, is like Google Maps. You zoom out to understand the big picture, then zoom right in to navigate the detail.

His job is to help teams with very different technical backgrounds align around that shared view, breaking complex problems into something understandable, actionable and valuable.

What does a typical working day look like?

Day to day, Ash’s role spans far more than pure technical design. He supports delivery teams, works closely with client accounts, keeps an eye on commercial realities, and contributes to Answer’s wider thinking around AI and automation. At the heart of it all is a simple goal: enabling others to succeed.

Are you a morning person?

Mornings usually begin with the school run to UTC Sheffield, followed by coffee and some calm planning time before the day accelerates. From there, no two days look the same.

Context switching is part of the job, so organisation matters. Ash relies on detailed notes and clear thinking to stay grounded, focusing his energy on unblocking teams, playing to individual strengths, and helping people deliver at a pace that’s both realistic and sustainable.

What project are you currently involved in?

Currently, Ash is working on the Public Health Wales Digital Health Protection Programme, a major transformation effort to modernise Wales’ health protection case management system.

The programme is rebuilding a legacy monolithic platform, Tarian, onto Azure, integrating with on-premise systems through an adaptor layer.

It’s a complex, multi-disciplinary programme involving Answer colleagues, contractors, and partners including Channel 3 and 383 Group. Exactly the kind of environment where calm architectural leadership makes all the difference.

Ask Ash what he finds most satisfying about his day and the answer is simple: working with people. There’s no rigid rulebook for leadership, but Ash leads with fairness, consistency and a deep commitment to the Answer values. Creating the conditions for people to do their best work is something he takes seriously, and it shows.

How do you de-stress?

When things get busy, stepping away helps. A walk with his dog Tilly often brings clarity, as does open, honest communication. Space to think is sometimes the most powerful tool of all.

From a skills perspective, Ash is currently deepening his understanding of n8n, an automation platform being used both internally at Answer and with utilities clients such as Entech Commercial and Opal Gas.

His view on AI and automation is characteristically pragmatic. It’s not about adopting new tools for the sake of it, but about building safe, well-governed frameworks that deliver real, provable value. Spending money is easy. Demonstrating impact is the hard part.

What is the biggest misconception about your role?

One of the biggest misconceptions about architects, Ash says, is that they always know exactly what they’re doing. In reality, architecture is about knowing a little about a lot, learning constantly, and accepting that imposter syndrome is entirely normal.

Common sense, pragmatism and collaboration solve far more problems than certainty ever could.

What does outside of work Ash look like?

Outside of work, Ash’s time is anything but quiet. He volunteers with the Scout Association, supporting children and young people and working with the local council to secure land for a new Scout headquarters. Alongside that, there’s family life, dog walks, D&D sessions with friends, household projects, and a recently renewed commitment to the gym.

Fuel of choice is unequivocal: coffee. Lots of it. Background listening tends towards LBC, when the day allows for it.

After eight years, Ash’s impact on Answer Digital runs deep — across teams, clients and the culture we’re proud of. Thank you for the clarity, care and perspective you bring every day.

Happy 8-year anniversary, Ash!