2017 (3 months) / Strategic Design & Research Lead / Paper Giant
Changes to the way disability services are funded means big changes for service providers
Scope Australia is one of the nation’s largest disability service providers. Scope is undergoing a transformation in the way that it services customers, driven largely by introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
With the NDIS now giving customers choice in their service providers, Scope recognised a sudden, urgent need to better understand their customers’ experiences, and review intake and support processes accordingly to accommodate future customers and ensure market viability.
Working in partnership with Scope, I led research and mapping of the current intake process, and facilitated a workshop with stakeholders to inform the design of a future state of customer intake.
Shifting organisational thinking to a customer-centred focus
I led production of a current state map presenting a customer-centred view of the components that make up the end-to-end customer journey across five identified stages: Come to terms, Look around, Engage service, Utilise services, Circumstances change.
The map identifies specific moments of interaction between customers (‘front-stage’) and service providers (‘back-stage’), highlighting pain points an opportunities within each stage.
The map and accompanying insights report served as the focal point in a Future State mapping workshop with Scope staff to identify future opportunities focused on the timing, nature and ‘tone’ of customer interactions along key moments of the onboarding and support journey, and necessary resourcing and technological changes to streamline service delivery.
Outcomes of the workshop informed Scope’s transformation strategy which is currently being implemented.
Reflections & learnings
When conducting challenging research (in the area of disability in this case) it is important to have care and support structures in place. It is also important to ensure that research participants and their families are appropriate and adequately prepared for the research and are clear on its purpose and outcomes.
Be mindful when presenting a ‘current state analysis’ back to an organisation, that staff may perceive some things to be an affront to their role or how they are doing things. Honesty is good, but be thoughtful in how information is delivered.
The disability sector is a challenging area for research and service design, but a rewarding one.