A key challenge was that the system had to be redesigned and rebuilt in just 2 months using just the Salesforce front end as a mobile and desktop app.
Volunteers with very low digital capabilities had to use use this service, which, given the data, involved required somewhat complex interactions.
In our research, we found that the system was rife with problems.
For example, the tool lacked info on services in the area that weren’t provided by local authorities, and users couldn't search by location or service.
As a design team we ran multiple workshops with key stakeholders at Citizen's Advice using the noted pain points as catalysts for participatory design activities.
We paired participants in groups, provided them with the ‘building blocks’ of wireframes, and let them ideate on improvements. The solution was a paradox: a more complex system, yet simpler for the user. It became clear that the best way to parcel out information was to divide it into three segments: that from local authorities, that from Citizens Advice, and that from third parties.
By ‘pinning’ the location at the top of the page, the user could rotate through these different types of information.
Additionally, mapping out how a system could intelligently identify what a user was typing in the search bar was vital. Was it a service or a location a user was type? As a team, we built this proposition out. I led on the direction and layout of a design system.
Our team’s redesign resulted in a massive increase in the number of users.
Before the redesign, fewer than 30% of staff and volunteers were regularly using the system. The interface was difficult to navigate, key actions were hard to find, and the overall experience created friction rather than support. Following the redesign, adoption increased dramatically.
Over 90% of staff and volunteers began using the platform as part of their regular workflow, not because they were required to, but because the product finally worked in a way that supported how they actually needed to operate.
This increase in usage was matched by a significant improvement in user sentiment.
The redesigned experience achieved an NPS score above 80, representing a substantial uplift compared to the previous version and signalling a high level of trust, usability, and confidence in the platform.
Beyond the numbers, the impact was cultural.
The platform shifted from being a barrier to being an enabler, supporting frontline teams in doing their work more effectively, consistently, and with less friction.
Next projects.
(2016-26©)
