Helping organisations create great experiences
What Service Design Lessons can we learn from 'Robodebt'
Every failure has a lesson, and extreme circumstances tend to expose unique insights.
I was fascinated by the complexity of the program and I wanted to better understand what happened.
Challenges
Large data: There was an extremely large data set, both with the Royal Commission and publicly available documentation. The challenge was to identify what was important, pull on the correct threads and try to determine what was missing.
Systemic complexity: This project required understanding of Legislation, Inter-Agency code of conduct, Data engineering and Government policy. I overcame this with a mix of expert interviews, and deep yet iterative discovery.
Boundless discovery: Trying to find the edges of the project was difficult due to its longevity, its size and reach. I gave myself permission to explore parallel topics that didn't add immediate value, some of which did end up providing valuable context. (Some did not)
Insights
Data to actionable Insight: This project tested my ability to distil in large and complex projects. In an effort to better understand the pathway, I created a Synthesising model to aid with the process.
Culture as a Stakeholder: The hidden forces within an organisation have large, measurable impact, yet they can very difficult to change. I created a workshop to align Agendas of stakeholders before a project kicks off.
A deeper dive
Timleline of Rosemary, 'Robodebt', Modern Welfare, ATO, Austratalian Government
The complexity and opaque nature of the program made desktop research difficult. I decided to explore and understand the Agencies involved, the culture of which played a large part in how they participated in the Scheme.
To understand the Systemic forces I went back to the origins of the ATO, DHS, the Australian Government and modern welfare.
Sensemaking
Interviews with experts, customers, and making sense of the many moving parts
The challenge was finding and determining the edges and enormity of the Data. The Royal Commission provided over 350 hours of interviews and over 10,000 documents. Attending the commission provided me with access to customers who were willing to discuss their personal story, and provide information that was not available anywhere else.
Rosemary's Story
To give context to the effects of the program, I created a Journey map that tracts the lived experience of Rosemary. This artifact provided context into the unintended outcomes and the effects of slow reactive stakeholders. Rosemary's background as an accountant made her a unique as she was able to produce all the necessary paperwork.
Service Design Blueprint - 2003 to 2020
I created a Blueprint that visually communicated the interactions between different Agencies and customers. This provided a platform to explore the large systemic issues that were becoming evident through clear patterns. Issues that presented themselves at the beginning of the project became pain points and Bottlenecks later on.
Robodebt Reimagined
Exploring what the best case scenario could have looked like, I designed a project that took into account the needs of the Customers, but also the stakeholders and the relevant legislation.
NB: It is important to state that had this been a 'live' project, it is unlikely to have gotten past the briefing stage, as the amount of debt to be collected would have not been worthwhile.
Wireframing the strategic concept
Based on the insights gathered from Qualitative data, the experience needed to be transparent, open and provide multiple pathways to dispute the debt claims. The wireframe broke down the user flow and how a customer would experience the delivery of the service.
Branding and Logo Design
Based on the insights gathered from Qualitative data, the experience needed to be transparent, open and provide multiple pathways to dispute the debt claims. The wireframe broke down the user flow and how a customer would experience the delivery of the service.
Hi-Fi UI app Design
Designed for transparency and equity. This app welcomes a user into an ecosystem where the data they provide can be weighed against the debt raised by Centerlink. The User Journey begins with an explanation of the program, why it was created and what problem it is trying to solve. Equipped with context, the user is presented with financial information in a visually honest approach.
Hiden Agendas Workshops
The Service blueprint revealed issues with transparency of alignment and conflict. This workshop aimed to provide a space for stakeholders to articulate their agendas in a transparent and collaborative manner.
Hiden Agendas Workshops
The Service blueprint revealed issues with transparency of alignment and conflict. This workshop aimed to provide a space for stakeholders to articulate their agendas in a transparent and collaborative manner.
Brainwritting exercise
By utilising Brainwritting exercise and guided discussion, participants are able to identify their personal interests and priorities. They discover opportunities as well as potential areas of conflict with other stakeholders, in a supported and safe manner.
Future-Proof Culture
This workshop came from lessons learnt from 'Robodebt', "Servant as a Leader" by Robert K. Greenleaf and Deloitte Insight's "Building the peloton". By openly discussing pre-existing alignments and how it may help or hinder a project.
Data to Actionable Insight
During this project, I discovered I needed to explore the sensemaking journey from data to Actionable Insights. Each stage peels back abstraction and uncovers Tacit knowledge and Latent needs.
