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A perennial problem-solver with almost 20 years of senior agency experience, Mark Taylor joins the Cursive team as client services director.
Cursive just grew by another senior digital specialist. Our new client services director Mark Taylor joins us after spending the last nine years as operations director at Numiko, where he led digital transformation projects for some of the UK’s most recognised institutions.
Mark now sits alongside Rob Colley at the heart of Cursive, as senior point of contact for clients wanting to sort out their content operations, governance, workflows, and digital strategy. His whole thing is working out exactly what an organisation really needs – distinct from what it thinks it needs – then making sure it gets delivered.
We asked him some questions. He answered them. Welcome to the team, Mark!
You’ve worked with some incredible organisations. Which are you most proud of?
The Electoral Commission, British Museum, Science Museum Group, National Archives – all involved solving complex, real-world problems for large and high-profile organisations. At Numiko I also worked with member organisations – some you might recognise are Chatham House, Channel 4, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Booker Prizes, plus lots of other galleries, higher education institutes, independent think tanks. There’s a strong crossover with the sectors Cursive specialises in, which is part of what drew me here.
What kind of problems do clients usually bring you in to solve?
I’m the perennial problem-solver. Most of them can be traced back to digital transformation: the need for a client’s digital presence to constantly respond to emerging user needs, and for the client organisation to fundamentally change the way they work to support those needs. It’s not just about building a new website, but making the organisation fit for purpose.
What brought you into the digital world?
I started hand-coding HTML for early versions on Netscape for fun. Then joined one of the first web agencies in the UK as a designer. Thereafter I moved from role to role, working service and client-side, honing my skills. I like the variety and pace of agency life.
What’s your guiding principle when you start working with someone new?
User needs rather than client wants. Quite often there’s a substantial gap between the two – but a digital solution that only addresses what the client thinks it needs won’t survive the acid test of user adoption. When I start with a new client I want to understand as much about their users as possible, their internal and organisational challenges, and their appetite for change.
What’s a lesson you’ve learned the hard way?
Do as much upfront planning as possible. The less left to chance, the greater the likelihood of success. Even if a project is run on agile lines, there’s no reason not to de-risk things by getting clarity on the details. And related to this: high-quality communication, with everyone, all the time. It makes life so much easier in the long run.
What’s top of mind when supporting clients at the moment?
Clients want outcomes, not websites – and the way they work once the website has launched is a massive factor in its success or failure. So I’m interested in helping clients sort out their content operations, governance, workflows, and digital strategy, so they can actively service the needs of their own audiences long after the build is done.
Anything new you’re learning about?
I’m always interested in new CMS platforms - Payload looks interesting - and front-end frameworks, because it’s such a fast-moving area. Typescript seems to be winning at the moment. Obviously AI - but recognising it as one tool amongst many; the challenge for clients lies in figuring out how best to use it.
Which organisations do you feel strongly about right now?
Anyone trying to protect or improve access to nature and the land gets my support – from Right to Roam and guerrilla litterpickers to The Rivers Trust and Drawing a Line in the Chalk.
What are you most looking forward to at Cursive?
I’m looking forward to getting to know clients well – understanding their needs, constraints, and how we can best support them. I’m also keen to look at ways of improving our ability to service our clients, whether in terms of high quality digital care, responsiveness, or strategy.
