User-centric design

  • UX MANAGEMENT

Bringing users into the design process

By breaking down barriers, building trust with stakeholders and establishing a pilot test group, we were able to introduce a practice of regular user validation.

A visualisation of existing processes vs desired flows based on user feedback. A key focus was on consolidating steps where logical to reduce the cognitive burden.
A visualisation of existing processes vs desired flows based on user feedback. A key focus was on consolidating steps where logical to reduce the cognitive burden.
Once Further research was completed, there was a greater understanding of the conceptual models inspectors have while they are capturing data from inspections.
Once Further research was completed, there was a greater understanding of the conceptual models inspectors have while they are capturing data from inspections.
The current state in SalesForce was benchmarked and early concept designs were created to begin validating concepts with inspectors.
The current state in SalesForce was benchmarked and early concept designs were created to begin validating concepts with inspectors.
Early low-fidelity concept designs that were validated with inspectors.
Early low-fidelity concept designs that were validated with inspectors.

Problem

WorkSafe has been undergoing a digital transformation for several years. During the early stages of the program, external vendors were responsible for migrating the company from legacy platforms to a modern CRM. However, the arms-length approach taken by the vendors has resulted in some existing processes becoming long, convoluted, and unnecessarily fragmented. This is because new data models were prioritised over how the software was actually being used.

Although new initiatives were taken to improve the CRM implementation with in-house teams, early failings occurred due to a lack of understanding of the behaviours of those interacting with the CRM. These initiatives relied on input from a few subject matter experts, which led to a suboptimal direction in the delivery road maps.

Practice improvements

To navigate the complex landscape of feature delivery at WorkSafe, I first attempted to understand the current setting and any political challenges we may face within the team.

Collaborating closely with product owners and business analysts, I  aimed to enlighten them on the advantages of adopting a design-centric methodology and try to foster a more innovative approach to solution design.

In our engagement with change management, a deep dive into the inspectorate landscape unveils prevalent challenges, particularly in the realm of sentiment towards the CRM. Understanding these challenges becomes pivotal in crafting a delicate approach to building trust with inspectors.

Working towards meeting the goal of reducing the time spent scheduling an inspection and producing a report, we conducted discovery research with a small subset of inspectors. This enabled us to understand the overall journey and identify the key steps in the process, that would enable us to meet the time-saving goal. These initial sessions allowed us to test the waters with inspectors and commence showcasing the potential insights our research can yield.

Insights gleaned from our preliminary research provided a comprehensive understanding of the overarching journey, while identifying specific focal points within the process that would help us meet our business case goals. This was a strategic shift away from the current expectation of focusing on each step equally.

From here I was able to refocus the design team, to focus on key steps. Research activities helped us understand the problems in these specific areas, and designers set out to create concepts and quickly ideate seeking validation from inspectors as they evolved concepts.

Once a concept had been decided upon and the team had developed it, establishing a pilot group became instrumental in allowing us to test the solution in day-to-day operations, and benchmark improvements against the existing process.

Outcomes

  • Building stronger trust with stakeholders by demonstrating the value that designers can provide to their teams.
  • Adopting a more strategic approach to feature prioritisation.
  • Reducing the number of expected stories by delivering usable solutions that meet user needs ahead of schedule.
  • Decreasing the amount of re-work required by engineering teams by validating solutions effectively, requiring only minor tweaks during the pilot stage.
  • Gaining the trust of inspectors by solving their problems and not just focusing on what the business wants.
  • Co-designing with inspectors to give them a sense of ownership over the improvements made to the CRM.

Feedback by a Field Operations representative about the pilot period launching to the inspectorate:

A group of our inspectors have been involved in the co-design of the new scheduling functionality, and it’s great that we are now moving into the pilot phase.

Exciting stuff! 

About WorkSafe Victoria

WorkSafe is Victoria’s workplace health and safety regulator and workplace injury insurer.