Using a scenario-planning tool tosupport an engaging online userexperience
David Patman
Ian Brooks
John Murphy
Jon Pearce
2
Overview
This presentation discusses:
o issues a government department has in serving its citizens
o a conceptual approach to a solution
o design & testing of the solution
o thoughts for the future
3
Background
Issues presented by “Centrelink”:
o make online contacts with Centrelink more engaging and
convenient for customers
o encourage less-experienced online users to interact with
Centrelink using self-service
o use the online environment to promote the benefits of
workforce participation
o help customers take an active role in planning a pathway
towards self-sufficiency.
4
Background
Focus:
o Increasing population of older customers returning to the
workforce
o ‘Work First’ Accessing Assistance interview questionnaire
Research question:
o Can a Centrelink’s online experience be enhanced by
developing a self-help tool which allows customers to
explore various scenarios of actions and their outcomes?
5
Aims of the study
To develop an online tool that would be:
o highly engaging vs “form-filling”
o dynamic
o reflective.
6
Approach
Scenario planning
o beyond the ‘loans calculator’
Concept of ‘flow’
o goals, feedback, challenge vs skills
o control, autotelic
o control + engagement + enjoyment.
7
Developing a Prototype
Algorithm
design
Analysis of
Centrelink
interaction
Screen
design
Prototype
Development
Revised model 69
Slider heading
Page 1 parameters
Option
display
ed?
Gender
Age
How long since your last paid
employment?
How many address changes
have you had in last 2 years?
Page 2 Parameters
How many interviews could you
attend per week?
Have you prepared a résumé? Yes!
How confident are you in an
interview? Yes!
Would you consider doing
temporary work? Yes!
What is your level of
education?
How do you rate your reading,
writing & speaking skills? Yes!
How confident are you of
finding work in the next 3
months? Yes!
What hours are you prepared to
work?
Can you be easily contacted by
phone? Yes!
What level of qualifications do
you have for your profession or
trade?
How up-to-date are your
professional or trade
qualifications? Yes! Score: Male 0
How much notice do you need
before an interview? 132 Female 1
What is your level of fitness?
This short course will help you in preparing your
résumé:This short course will help you to improve your interview skills:Being prepared to accept temporary or voluntary work might lead on to other work in the future.These short courses are for language skills and are available in your area:There are short course available that help you build confidence and fulfil your potential. You might consider enrolling in one of these:Consider ways of making it easier for
Options
132
954
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
132
954
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
F/T CasualP/T O/T W/end Nights
This display shows only
values between 300 & 600
Female
Bigger is better!
Centrelink branding – logo, images, tool links, main menu
Page title
Instructions / Welcome text
Static parameters
Next page nav >>
Prototype 1
Skip to Prototype 2
2.8
Mode
8
2.45
Temp work
6
2.8
Interviews
8
2.6
Resume
7
2.6
Confidence
7
2.45
Education
6
2.24
Read/Write
5
2.24
Confidence
5
1.41
Contact
2
1.41
Work Q
2
1.41
Value quals
2
1.41
Int time
2
2.8
Fitness
8
How many interviews can you attend per week?
1 or fewer About 5 10 or more
Next page nav >><< Prev page nav
Prototype 1
2.8
Mode
8
2.45
Temp work
6
2.8
Interviews
8
2.6
Resume
7
2.6
Confidence
7
2.45
Education
6
2.24
Read/Write
5
2.24
Confidence
51.41
Contact
2
1.41
Work Q
2
1.41
Value quals
2
1.41
Int time
2
2.8
Fitness
8
Title of parameter, Title of parameter Title of parameter
Low value text
Next page nav >><< Prev page nav
Mid value text High value text
Prototype 1
Summary & referrals
Colour scale?
The colour to the left is an “average” of all your inputs.
You might like to consider one or more of the following
actions:
Language skills
course
This 6 month course
will help improve
your reading and
writing skills.
Mobile phone
purchase
Buying a mobile
phone will improve
your contactability
with potentialemployers.
<< Prev page nav
Prototype 1
Preparing to return
to the workforce
This tool is designed to assist you
preparing to return to work. It allows
you to nominate your current situation
and see the types of options Centrelink
may offer you to assist your return to
work.
It can also be used to plan for the
future by allowing you to change
various values and see the result of
doing things such as getting you
resume up-to-date.
Please note:1.Options presented in this tool are indicative
only and actual options recommended by
Centrelink may differ depending on your
situation.
2.Centrelink does not record or retain any
information based on using this tool
How long since your last paid employment?
More than
3 years
1 year Less than
1 month
Gender?
Female
Age?
40 45 50 55 60
How many address changes
have you had in last 2 years?
5
or more
4 3 2 1
or none
Prototype 2
Skip
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
Would you consider doing temporary work?
No Only within my
profession
or trade
Yes, will do
almost
anything
Prototype 2
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
What is your level of education?
Year 9or lower
Year 12, TAFE orTrade qualification
Diploma or tertiary degree
Prototype 2
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
How many interviews could
you attend per week?
1 or fewer About 5 10 or more
Prototype 2
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
How confident are you in an interview?
Very low
confidence
Reasonably
confident
Very
confident
Prototype 2
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
How much notice do you need
before an interview?
A week
or more
Generally
two days
Half
a day
Prototype 2
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
What hours are you prepared to work?
Over
time
Full
time
Part
time
Casual Week
endsNights
Prototype 2
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
How up-to-date are your
professional or trade qualifications?
Completely
Out ofdate
Reasonable
up-to-date
Fully
up-to-date
Prototype 2
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
What level of qualifications do you have
for your profession or trade?
No formal
qualifications
Reasonably
well qualified
Qualified to
highest level
Prototype 2
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
Can you be easily contacted by phone?
I have no
phone contact
I have a home
phone only
Yes – I have a
mobile at
all times
Prototype 2
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
How do you rate your reading,
writing & speaking skills?
Poor reading,
writing and speaking
A bit weak in
one of these areas
Good reading,
writing and speaking
Prototype 2
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
What is your level of fitness?
Very low –
no regular exercise
Reasonable –
exercise twice per week
High - exercise
almost every day
Prototype 2
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
How confident are you of
finding work in the next 3 months?
Very low
confidence
Reasonably
confident
Very high
confidence
Prototype 2
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
Have you prepared a résumé?
No Yes, but needs some updating
Yes, it's right up-to-date
Prototype 2
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
Improving your résumé
Developing your interview skills
Suggestion about temporary work
Language skills courses
Building confidence
Improving contact
Improving job skills
Getting fit
Going for that job
Improving your qualifications
Improving your education
Prototype 2
Work Hours
Temporary
work
Number of
Interviews
Resume
Interview skills
Education
Literacy Confidence
Contact
QualificationsUp-to-dateInterview
notification
Fitness
Improving your résumé
Developing your interview skills
Suggestion about temporary work
Language skills courses
Building confidence
Improving contact
Improving job skills
Getting fit
Going for that job
Improving your qualifications
Improving your education
Improving your
Education
It's worth considering
improving your level of
formal education to
increase your chances of
finding work. Some of the
ways of doing that are
listed here:
Course A
Course B
Prototype 2
28
Testing with Customers
Four groups of six participants tested at The University
of Melbourne usability laboratory:
o Centrelink customers
o Age 50+
o Unemployed 2+ yrs
Data collection:
o Questionnaires
o Scenario tasks using the prototype
o Focus group.
29
The Prototype…
2 minute prototype movie
30
The Prototype…
2 minute prototype movie
31
The Prototype…
2 minute prototype movie
32
The Prototype…
2 minute prototype movie
33
The Prototype…
(demo)
34
Scenarios (original version)
Task 2 (10 minutes):
Work through the program from the first screen, filling in the values
for your actual circumstances. When you get to the final screen (“3.
Options”), have a look through any options presented to you.
Note: if no options are presented to you, that means you are in a
good condition to find work.
When you have finished, please wait until the facilitator asks you to
continue to Task 3. In the meantime, you may explore and change
settings in the model as you please.
35
Scenarios (revised version)
Task 2: Fast forward to the present day (10 minutes)
Back to the current day.
You have another interview with Centrelink (tomorrow!) and you
remember the experience of using the computer program on the
earlier occasion. Use it again to explore your current situation. Put
in the real information that relates to you today and take note of the
options it suggests for you.
Are they helpful – could they be improved? Again, explore and see
if the program can help you reflect on what you might do to improve
your chances of finding a job.
When you have finished, please wait for the facilitator to describe
the next scenario to you.
36
Outcomes & discussion
User interaction
o user explored & answered various ‘what-if’ questions
o they were engaged
o but, had expectation of a ‘process’
o little evidence of flow (control + engagement + enjoyment)
Software evaluation
o usability details…
o mixed reaction to direct manipulation design
o need greater enticement to explore.
37
Findings (do we need this?)
Centrelink customers:
o explored the effect of their current and future actions in
relation to workforce participation
o answered various ‘what-if’ questions.
The prototype supported:
o interactively describing a customer’s situation and envision
other scenarios
o customers with minimal internet experience
o promoting benefits of workforce participation
o supporting customers taking an active role in planning a
pathway towards self sufficiency.
38
Next steps…
Modifications to software…
Apply scenario-planning to other areas…
Generic concept – self-help through exploration:
adjust personal info
observe prioritisedoutput
reflect
39
Conclusion
We have identified:
o potential of ‘novel’ interaction style in e-government
o design requirements for further prototype
o areas of interest from within Centrelink for collaboration
o moving towards self-help through reflection.
