pentri – the practical side of digital: people, plans and code

The practical side of digital:
people, plans and prompts

Pentri Ltd is a digital consultancy led by Steph Gray offering practical digital strategy, implementation and team support.

I take a practical, thoughtful approach to digital work, grounded in over 20 years’ experience agency- and client-side. I take on a small number of projects a year, so each one gets proper attention.

Prototyping new digital products, like Climate Habits or the transition site for the UN’s Digital Impact Alliance
Building & supporting websites mainly on the WordPress platform, like Railway 200, Community Living magazine and the Coronation
Reviewing & mentoring to troubleshoot supplier or team issues, mentor digital staff or procure the right supplier support

Where it’s helpful, I draw on expertise from experienced, trusted associates from my network who bring additional technical skills and capacity. Pentri is small by design and you’ll know the people you meet and talk to in meetings are the ones doing the work.

Before starting Pentri in 2021, I founded and led Helpful Digital, a full-service digital build and skills agency with strengths in the government, charity and policy sectors.

Where AI fits

AI is my cordless power tool. I use it most days, and I’m learning where it helps and where it doesn’t. It takes the grunt work out of building, helps me dig deeper or be more thorough on client work, and puts features within reach of small budgets that would have been off the table a couple of years ago.

Small teams like mine are well placed to use these tools sensibly: quick to try things, open with clients about what worked, and able to draw on experience of the ‘before times’ to see AI with clear eyes and some nuance.

It still needs a human holding the reins: considering how it will work in the real world, thinking about accessibility and privacy, and deciding what’s worth building at all. If you’re wondering what it means for your website, your team or your suppliers, I’m happy to have a hype-free chat.

Website design & development

Simple, clear, flexible WordPress websites, built with modern tools (AI included, where it earns its place) guided by over 20 years’ experience

Friendly, proactive managed support

Pragmatic and responsive help to keep sites running smoothly, from content to compliance, design to domains, IA to AI

Advice and coaching

Thoughtful, curious and supportive help to unpick digital problems, consider guardrails, mentor teams and manage suppliers

Clients

“Steph’s creative, compassionate and collaborative outlook has transformed our digital design, function, accessibility and potential.

He’s a joy to work alongside, with a wealth of experience and a proactive, solutions-focused approach.

Steph’s an integral part of our small but beautiful team, and the humanity and honesty he brings to the role align perfectly with the values of inclusion and equality which drive our work.
Saba Salman, Editor, Community Living

Work

Building the digital home of Britain’s biggest rail celebration

The award-winning Railway 200 campaign marked 200 years of train travel in Britain – and became the world’s largest rail celebration, reaching six million people across 180 countries. Over two years of working together, it stands as one of my favourite iterative, user-centred, collaborative client projects.